Why does AppFolio have a 50-unit minimum?

Their business model is built around larger property management companies. The economics don't work for them at smaller scales—their sales, onboarding, and support costs require bigger accounts. Rentra is designed from the ground up for smaller portfolios, so we can serve you profitably at $5/unit.

Is AppFolio better if I plan to grow?

Maybe eventually. But 'I might have 50 units someday' isn't a reason to pay enterprise prices today. Start with Rentra, and if you grow into a property management company with 100+ units and need features like AI leasing assistants or commercial property management, then evaluate AppFolio. Don't pay for tomorrow's problems today.

What does AppFolio have that Rentra doesn't?

More bells and whistles: AI-powered leasing, built-in CRM, marketing websites, commercial property features, and a native mobile app. Great if you're running a property management business. Overkill if you're a landlord who just wants rent to arrive on time and maintenance requests to stop coming via text message.

vs. AppFolio

Rentra vs AppFolio

Name: Rentra
Price: 5.00 USD

AppFolio won't even let you sign up with less than 50 units. Rentra was built for landlords like you.

$5/unit · 14-day free trial · Cancel anytime

Rentra

Built for independent landlords

$5 / unit

$25/mo minimum · All features included

Start with 1 unit
14-day free trial
Cancel anytime — no contract
AI auto-import migration

AppFolio

Mid-size property managers

$1.40/unit/mo

Minimum 50 units required ($70/mo floor)

AppFolio is a cloud-based property management platform designed for residential, commercial, and community association management companies.

Side by side

Feature-by-feature breakdown.

FeatureRentraAppFolio

Minimum unitsNo minimum50 units required

Starting price$25/mo (5 units)$70/mo minimum

Setup complexity15 minutesOnboarding required

Rent collection with autopay

Automatic late payment remindersSMS + EmailEmail only

SMS-powered maintenance requestsPortal only

Auto-dispatch to vendors via SMS

Automated vendor follow-ups

One-tap maintenance approvals

Tenant portal

Move-in/move-out inspectionsPhoto comparisonBasic

Deposit deduction suggestionsAutomatedManual

Financial reporting

Schedule E tax exportsOne-click

AI cashflow forecast

Tenant screeningOn the roadmap

Native mobile appWeb (PWA)

The bottom line

AppFolio literally won't take your money if you have less than 50 units.

That tells you everything about who they're building for—and it's not you. If you have 5, 10, or even 30 units, you don't need software designed for 500-unit portfolios. You need something that just works, costs less than your Netflix subscription per property, and doesn't require a training course to figure out.

Common questions

People ask us this a lot.

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