AppFolio Wins
Winner
AppFolio logo

AppFolio

8.5

Mid-market property management companies (50-5,000+ units) that want a modern interface with strong automation and marketing tools

VS
Landlord Studio logo

Landlord Studio

7.4

Accounting-focused landlords who want automated bookkeeping, bank feed integration, and tax-ready reports

Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen

Score Comparison

Criteria
AppFolio
Landlord Studio
Overall Score
8.5
7.4
Core Features
9.5
6.5
Accounting & Reporting
8.5
9.0
Ease of Use
8.5
9.0
Pricing & Value
6.5
8.5
Tenant & Owner Portals
9.0
5.5
Integrations
8.0
7.0
Scalability
9.5
5.5
Customer Support
7.5
7.0

Pricing & Features

Specification
AppFolio
Landlord Studio
Starting Price
$70/mo
Free / $12/mo
Free Tier
Pricing Model
Subscription
Freemium

Making Your Decision

AppFolio logo

When to Choose AppFolio

Mid-market property management companies (50-5,000+ units) that want a modern interface with strong automation and marketing tools

AppFolio is the gold standard for mid-market property managers who want speed, a modern interface, and AI-powered automation. Its 50-unit minimum and annual contracts mean it is not suitable for small landlords, but for growing management companies it delivers exceptional capability per dollar.

Strengths

  • Modern, intuitive interface with AI-powered leasing automation and marketing tools
  • Scales from 50 units to 5,000+ with tiered Core, Plus, and Max plans
  • Excellent tenant and owner portals with mobile-first experience
  • Handles residential, commercial, student housing, and community associations

Limitations

  • 50-unit minimum locks out smaller landlords entirely
  • Hidden onboarding fees and required annual contract add to total cost
  • Reporting and ledger customization trails legacy platforms like Yardi and Rent Manager
Landlord Studio logo

When to Choose Landlord Studio

Accounting-focused landlords who want automated bookkeeping, bank feed integration, and tax-ready reports

Landlord Studio is the clear winner for landlords whose primary need is financial tracking and tax preparation. Its bank feeds, receipt OCR, and Schedule E generation are more sophisticated than anything else in this price range. It is less of a full PM platform and more of an accounting tool with PM features.

Strengths

  • Strongest accounting and tax preparation in the budget tier — automated bank feeds, AI bookkeeping, and one-click Schedule E reports
  • Receipt OCR scanning with smart categorization rules eliminates manual expense entry
  • Xero integration and export-ready P&L/cash-flow reports for professional accountants
  • Free Go plan for up to 3 properties with 14-day Pro trial, no credit card required

Limitations

  • Rent collection processing is slow (3-7 business days for deposits)
  • Limited tenant communication and self-service portal compared to full PM platforms
  • Bank feed integration via Plaid is not compatible with all banks

Ready to Get Started?

Landlord Studio logo

Landlord Studio

Score: 7.4