Published on October 8th, 2025
By AppFolio

Key Takeaways

AppFolio is ranked the #1 property management software in 2025, standing out with its AI-powered automation, unified platform, and mobile-first experience. Yardi takes the second spot for large portfolios needing advanced accounting, while Entrata ranks third with its strong marketing and leasing workflows. RealPage follows in fourth, recognized for its in-depth accounting, reporting, and compliance tools. 

 

Comparison at a Glance

We ranked the top property management software platforms based on AppFolio’s evaluation criteria, paired with independent rankings and feedback from the G2 Fall 2025 Grid Report. This combined view shows not only how the competition stacks up on features and satisfaction, but also where AppFolio continues to lead in innovation, automation, and ROI.

Why Property Management Software Matters

Managing properties involves far more than collecting rent. It requires tenant screening, lease management, maintenance coordination, financial reporting, compliance, and much more. Without a centralized system, property managers often juggle spreadsheets, emails, and manual processes. The right software eliminates inefficiency, improves resident and owner communication, and drives long-term ROI.

What We Evaluated 

We rated each software against the following categories:

• Core Operations: tenant screening, lease management, rent collection, maintenance requests, inspections
• Financial Reporting: accounting, profit & loss, budgets, forecasting
• Ease of Use: intuitive interface, dashboards, mobile app, learning curve
• ROI: time savings, cost efficiency, unit economics
• Automation & AI: reminders, workflows, predictive maintenance, eliminating manual tasks
• Legal & Compliance: secure storage, eviction management, background checks
• Scaleability: fit for landlords, small portfolios, medium-large portfolios, enterprise, mixed portfolios, growing portfolios,
• Analytics & Reporting: KPIs, dashboards, performance metrics, custom reports
• Marketing & Leasing: online applications, virtual tours, digital lease signing
• Tenant & Owner Portals: self-service, transparent communication, payment tracking
• Mobile Friendliness: mobile-first, iOS/Android apps for managers and residents
• Special Features: AI, predictive analytics, virtual tours, vendor marketplace
• G2, SoftwareAdvice & Capterra ratings and reviews

Property Management Software Reviews

AppFolio

AppFolio Property Manager isn’t just one of the most recognized names in the industry — it’s the gold standard for modern property management software. Trusted by thousands of operators across residential, commercial, HOA, student, affordable, and mixed-use portfolios, AppFolio leads the market with unmatched innovation, AI-driven automation, and customer satisfaction It consistently ranks at the top of industry reports, where it outpaces competitors in usability, support, and overall ROI. 

Pros

Core Operations Excellence

AppFolio delivers a best-in-class suite of core property management tools that few competitors can match:

• Tenant screening & applications: Integrated online applications with instant credit and background checks
• Digital lease management: Pre-built templates, e-signatures, and automated compliance tracking
• Online rent collection: Tenants pay via ACH or credit card, with funds deposited fast and securely
• Maintenance management: Smart work order routing, vendor assignment, and progress tracking in one place
• Inspections: Mobile-enabled checklists with photos and documentation for flawless record-keeping

Bottom line: AppFolio replaces multiple disconnected tools with one powerful, unified system. 

Accounting and Financial Reporting

AppFolio’s accounting platform is widely regarded as the strongest in the industry:

• Full income & expense tracking, rent rolls, and P&L statements
• Budgeting & forecasting are built directly into the system
• Automated CAM reconciliations for commercial properties
• Owner statements are generated instantly and shared via secure portals
• Banking integrations streamline reconciliations and accelerate payment cycles

Ease of Use and Interface

AppFolio consistently ranks highest in ease of use and user adoption.

• Modern dashboards designed for speed and clarity
• 100% cloud-based and mobile-friendly — work from anywhere
• Smart templates that minimize training time
• Role-based permissions for precision control across teams

Automation and AI Leadership

AppFolio is the undisputed leader in automation and AI for property management:

• Automated reminders for rent, renewals, and maintenance
• Agentic AI triages tenant requests, dispatches maintenance staff/vendors, and keeps residents updated automatically
• AI-driven leasing assistant qualifies leads, schedules tours (factoring in traffic and availability), and manages follow-ups in real time

Advantage: No other platform offers AI this deeply embedded into daily workflows

Compliance and Security

• Secure document storage with audit trails
• Eviction management workflows for regulated markets
• SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 1 & 2 certified
• Multi-factor authentication and encryption

Advantage: Enterprise-grade security and compliance baked in, not bolted on.

Scalability and Portfolio Fit

• 50–100 units: ROI begins immediately through automation
• 100–1,000 units: Delivers massive time and cost savings
• 1,000+ units: Enterprise-grade features without Yardi/RealPage complexity
• Suitable for residential, commercial, HOA, and student housing

Advantage: AppFolio grows with your portfolio — from 100 units to 10,000+.

Analytics and Reporting

• Custom dashboards for real-time insights
• Track KPIs: occupancy, delinquency, NOI, leasing velocity
• Drill-down analytics by property, region, or portfolio

Advantage: Data that drives decisions, not just reports.

Marketing and Leasing

• Listings syndicate instantly to Zillow, Apartments.com, and ILS networks
• Virtual tour integrations for remote leasing
• Leasing automation reduces cycle times from inquiry to signed lease

Advantage: Maximize occupancy while minimizing effort

Tenant and Owner Portals

• Tenant portal: Rent payments, maintenance requests, and communication hub
• Owner portal: Financials, performance reports, and tax docs at their fingertips
• Messaging system ensures transparency and trust

Advantage: Elevated resident and owner experiences that build retention.

Mobile Friendliness

• Native iOS and Android apps for tenants, managers, and staff
• Mobile-first design ensures full functionality on the go
• Field staff upload inspections, photos, and work orders directly from the site

Advantage: True mobile parity with desktop

Innovation and Differentiators

• Constant rollout of new AI features
• A unified platform means no patchwork of add-ons
• AppFolio Stack Marketplace provides curated integrations with leading proptech providers

Advantage: Innovation is continuous, not occasional.

Who Is It Good For?

• Best fit: Growth-minded operators from 100 to 10,000+ units
• Property types: Residential, mixed portfolios, HOAs, commercial, and student housing
• Ideal for: Firms looking to scale without adding headcount, while delivering modern tenant and owner experiences

What Property Managers Are Saying

Software Advice Review:  “AppFolio has completely changed the way we manage properties—faster leasing, better ROI.”

Yardi Voyager

Pros

• Accounting, compliance

Cons

• Slower UX, can be costly
• Significant learning curve
• Not user friendly
• Limited customization of reports, hard to find

Who Is It Good For?

• Very large portfolios

What Property Managers Are Saying

• G2 Review: “Feature-rich, but too complex for smaller firms.”

Entrata

Pros 

• Ease of use 
• Integrations
• Marketing features
• Student housing capabilities

Cons 

• Work orders 
• Heavy onboarding
• Reports can be confusing, not customizable

Who Is It Good For? 

• Large, complex portfolios

What Property Managers Are Saying

• G2 Review: “Balanced features and good support.”

RealPage

Pros 

• Tenant management across multiple properties
• Lease renewals
• Accounting

Cons 

• Significant learning curve
• Pricing 
• UI 
• Search/Filtering

Who Is It Good For?

• Large, complex portfolios

What Property Managers Are Saying

G2 Review: “Powerful, but complex.”

Buildium

Pros 

• Ease of use
• Accounting features 
• Ability to automate rent collection via ACH

Cons

• Mobile app instability
• Handling of security deposits can be confusing 
• Clunky UI 

Who Is It Good For? 

• Mid-sized property managers or smaller landlords

What Property Managers Are Saying

• G2 Review: “Solid but a bit clunky.”

Doorloop

Pros 

• Seasonal promotions and discounts
• Integration with QuickBooks
• International capabilities:

Cons

• Limited feature development 
• Accounting limitations 
• Limited bank connections

Who Is It Good For? 

• Smaller businesses

What Property Managers Are Saying

• G2 Review: “The pricing can also add up if you’re managing a smaller portfolio,”

What Does Property Management Software Do, and Why Use It?

• Centralizes operations on one digital platform
• Automates routine tasks (rent collection, maintenance, accounting, year-end taxes)
• Improves efficiency and tenant/owner satisfaction
• Scales for different property types (single-family, multifamily, affordable, student housing)
• Boosts ROI by reducing manual work and errors

Tips for Selecting the Right Property Management Software

Key areas to evaluate (beyond price):

• User Experience: Ease of use, mobile access, responsive for all stakeholders
• Features:  Core operations + automation in one system
• Onboarding: Clear steps, timeline, and training support
• Data Migration: Secure, structured process
• Customer Support: Multiple channels (chat, phone, email, docs)
• Goal Setting: Tied to your KPIs and future state
• Ongoing Training: Updated provider-led sessions
• Issue Resolution: Expert help when problems arise
• Communication: Regular updates and feature releases
• Feedback Loop: Provider open to input and check-ins
• Industry Recognition: Awards and credibility
• Customer Reviews: Peer insights, both positive and negative

Why AppFolio? It’s the only platform that consistently scores top marks across all these areas, making it the most complete solution on the market.

Tips for Onboarding & Training

• Transparency: Share goals, benefits, and expectations with teams
• Resources: Assign a project lead with time and support
• Commitment: Treat transition as final, not optional
• Flexibility: Adapt to new processes, don’t copy old habits
• Timing: Allow testing, feedback, and phased rollout
• Positivity: Stay patient; improvements compound over time

Why AppFolio? With structured onboarding, dedicated customer success teams, and built-in flexibility for phased rollouts, AppFolio ensures migrations are smooth and successful regardless of portfolio size.

Tips for Continued Success

• Treat provider relationship as ongoing, not one-time
• Stay updated on new features and training resources
• Track performance vs. original goals using platform analytics
• Gather feedback from users and refine processes
• Ensure new hires receive full onboarding/training
• Keep communication open with provider contacts

Why AppFolio? AppFolio stands out for continuous innovation, quarterly product enhancements, and top-rated support— ensuring customers not only adopt the software successfully but also continue to grow with it long term.

Signs You Need New Software

Not achieving goals: Current software limits growth

• AppFolio: best for scale and automation

Lack of mobility: Only works in-office

• AppFolio: full mobile parity with desktop

Too much manual work: Endless data entry and calls

• AppFolio: leading AI + workflows eliminate manual tasks

Disjoined systems: Multiple logins, data silos

• AppFolio: unified platform; no patchwork needed

Disorganized training: No guides for new hires

• AppFolio: structured onboarding + customer success team

Lack of visibility: Hard to track performance

• AppFolio: powerful dashboards, simple to use

No Self-Service Tools: Tenants/owners can’t self-serve

• AppFolio: modern, mobile-first portals for tenants & owners

Poor vendor management: Hard to track vendors

• AppFolio: vendor management integrated, streamlined AP

Bottom line: If you’re saying “yes” to several signs, it’s time to upgrade — and AppFolio covers all gaps at once.

Tips for Assessing & Planning a Transition

• Define goals clearly: Align leadership + staff
• Pick timing wisely: Transition in off-peak season
• Plan roles: Assign owners for tasks
• Budget smart: Factor resources and morale
• Involve end users: Their feedback avoids pitfalls

Why AppFolio? Clear migration support, dedicated onboarding, and customer success teams help you plan around rent rolls and minimize disruptions.

7 Expert Tips to Prepare

1. Understand the transition period

• Expect 60–90 days of dual systems
• AppFolio: consultants help manage duplicate accounting and cutover smoothly

2. Set a clear cutoff date

• End of month → clean financial close
• AppFolio: bank reconciliation tools make this easy

3. Clean & validate data

• Audit, deactivate, standardize before migration
• AppFolio: supports RPA to automate data cleanup/migration

4. Communicate proactively.

• Keep tenants, owners, and vendors informed
• AppFolio: built-in messaging + notifications streamline updates

5. Take a staggered approach

• Roll out portals, AP workflows, and leasing in phases
• AppFolio: workflows adapt to phased implementation

6. Leverage automation

• Automate history imports, AR/AP balances, workflows
• AppFolio: AI leads the industry in automation depth

7. Use consultants for support

• Specialists handle AR/AP migration, bank reconciliations, and leasing templates
• AppFolio: certified consultants + customer success accelerate adoption

Bottom line: Switching software takes planning — but the right provider makes it seamless. Alternatives like Buildium or Yardi Breeze may work for smaller teams, while RealPage or Yardi (Core) serve enterprise-only needs. AppFolio is the best for end-to-end transitions: it combines enterprise-grade onboarding, AI-driven automation, full mobile functionality, and integrated accounting/operations in one system — making it the top choice for companies serious about growth.

Peer Reviews: What to Look for When Switching Software

Why peer reviews matter:

• Peers face the same challenges you do
• Their feedback shows how software works in real conditions
• Reviews reveal strengths, weaknesses, onboarding, and support quality

What to look for in peer reviews:

• Company size/portfolio → Do they match yours?
• AppFolio: best for portfolios from 50–10,000+ units

Previous software: Did they switch from what you use?

Onboarding: Smooth migration and team training?

• AppFolio: dedicated onboarding + consultants minimize disruption
• Buildium: simpler for landlords and small teams

User experience: Intuitive, mobile, cloud-based?

• AppFolio: full desktop/mobile parity + easy dashboards

Support: Do reviews mention strong service?

• AppFolio: top-rated support with fast response
• Yardi Breeze: reliable but slower

Innovation: Are new AI tools mentioned?

• AppFolio: industry leader in automation + AI
• RealPage: enterprise analytics

Pain points solved: Accounting, reporting, tenant service?

Growth: Did their business expand using the software?

Customer service impact: Happier tenants/owners?

Best practice: Rely on trusted review sites (G2, Software Advice, Capterra) for unbiased, verified peer data.

What Review Sites Say About AppFolio

• G2 2025: AppFolio named a Leader in property management; scored in the top tier of the Leaders quadrant.
• Capterra, Software Advice, GetApp: Overall score of 4.5/5 across platforms.
• Software Advice 2025 FrontRunner.
• Top-rated in 4 Capterra Shortlist reports.
• GetApp Category Leader in property & lease management.

Real Property Manager Feedback: 

A survey of 343 current property* managers revealed:

• Over 96% of customers have increased operational efficiency with AppFolio AI solutions
• Early users of AppFolio Realm-X Assistant and Messages are saving an average of 10.3 hours per week on completing their to-do lists and 11.9 hours per week on communication-related tasks.

Below are a few customer reviews from Capterra:

• “What isn’t there to like about appfolio property management. From the tenant and lease management. Which has everything right at your fingertips. To customer support and payment management. It’s make it so easy to see what is getting done and how quickly it’s getting done. The onboarding process is very simple and if you ever need help. All you have to do is pick up the phone and they are right there. The low cost upfront makes it so worth every penny spent.”
• “Lots of features, integrations, and ways to make running a property management company easier.”
• “Overall, my experience with AppFolio Property Manager has been largely positive. The software has proven to be a valuable asset in streamlining my property management processes and improving overall efficiency. User-Friendly Interface, Comprehensive Property Management Tools: AppFolio offers a wide range of tools and functionalities that cover every aspect of property management.”
• “Our experience with AppFolio has been great! It has created efficiencies within our single-family division that didn’t exist previously. I’m optimistic that over time they will develop more features that will allow us to be even more efficient.”

Why AppFolio is the Best Choice

• Consistently ranked #1 by peers across multiple review sites.
• Automation + AI set it apart from Buildium, Yardi, and Entrata.
• Unified platform avoids disjoined systems (a top complaint in reviews for other solutions).
• Scalable from small portfolios to enterprise without switching software.
• High customer satisfaction validated by quarterly G2 badges.

FAQs

How hard is it to switch property management software providers?

Switching property management software doesn’t have to be overwhelming. While the process can feel complex — with data migration, team training, and resident communications to manage — a provider with structured onboarding and support makes it much smoother. The key is choosing a cloud-based platform like AppFolio that offers dedicated migration specialists, clear timelines, and automation tools to minimize disruption to daily operations.

What should I do to prepare for switching from Yardi, Buildium, or RealPage to AppFolio?

Preparation is critical for a seamless transition. Before switching to AppFolio, property managers should:

• Audit and clean existing data to remove duplicates and outdated records
• Establish clear goals for what the new platform should achieve (e.g. automation, mobile access, better reporting)
• Involve team members early so workflows and responsibilities are clear
• Pick a transition period that avoids peak leasing or renewal cycles

AppFolio’s onboarding consultants guide you through these steps, making the move from Yardi, Buildium, or RealPage far more efficient and less risky.

What’s the average timeline for onboarding a new property management platform?

Onboarding a property management platform typically takes 60–90 days, depending on portfolio size and complexity. Smaller teams may be fully up and running faster, while large enterprises with multiple property types require more planning and phased rollouts. With AppFolio, onboarding is tailored to your portfolio — ensuring training, data migration, and feature setup are all completed on schedule without interrupting operations.

How long does it take to migrate data to AppFolio?

Most property managers complete data migration to AppFolio in a few weeks to two months, depending on how many units and the quality of the data being imported. AppFolio provides automated tools and expert consultants to help standardize, validate, and transfer your records securely. This ensures financials, resident details, and historical data are preserved and accessible in your new system from day one.

What are the biggest mistakes property managers make when choosing new software?

The most common mistakes include:

• Focusing only on price instead of long-term ROI
• Choosing a system that isn’t scalable as their portfolio grows
• Underestimating the importance of mobile functionality and automation
• Overlooking onboarding and training support
• Not involving end users in the evaluation process

AppFolio helps property managers avoid these pitfalls by offering a unified, mobile-first platform with deep automation, transparent onboarding, and scalability for 100 to 10,000+ units.

Does AppFolio help with onboarding and training teams?

Yes. AppFolio provides a structured onboarding program with dedicated customer success managers, migration specialists, and role-based training resources. Teams receive live guidance, step-by-step tutorials, and access to ongoing education as new features roll out. This ensures staff adopt the platform quickly and confidently — without slowing down your day-to-day operations.

Does AppFolio integrate with other proptech tools?

Absolutely. AppFolio offers the AppFolio Stack™ Marketplace, a curated ecosystem of integrations with leading proptech providers. From smart home technology and payment processors to insurance and marketing platforms, AppFolio ensures your software stack works seamlessly together. This gives property managers the flexibility to extend functionality while still benefiting from a single, unified system at the core.

What kind of customer support does AppFolio provide?

AppFolio is consistently rated among the top property management software platforms for customer support. Users have access to multiple support channels, including live chat, phone, email, and an extensive knowledge base. Beyond troubleshooting, AppFolio also offers dedicated customer success managers, onboarding specialists, and ongoing training resources. This ensures that property managers not only resolve issues quickly but also continue to get the most value out of the platform long after implementation.

Are there hidden costs with property management software, and how does AppFolio compare?

Some property management software providers charge hidden fees for add-ons, integrations, or advanced features. AppFolio takes a more transparent approach — pricing is based on a per-unit, per-month model that includes core features like accounting, resident portals, maintenance tracking, and reporting. Optional services, such as tenant screening or payment processing, are clearly outlined upfront so you know exactly what to expect. This makes it easier to budget accurately and avoid surprise costs down the road.

 

*September 2024 survey of current AppFolio customers