Landlord Studio: The best alternative to AppFolio
Award winning property management software. Trusted by 80,000+ landlords and letting agents.
Overview: AppFolio vs Landlord Studio
Landlord Studio is built accounting-first for self-managing landlords running their own rental businesses, not for teams managing units on behalf of multiple owners. AppFolio is enterprise property management software made for professional management companies running residential, student housing, affordable housing, and commercial portfolios at scale.
Both handle leasing and accounting, but only one is sized and priced for a landlord.
Landlord Studio is a full rental property accounting all-in-one.
Its core strengths cover the everyday and the financial: online rent collection, tenant screening, listings, and maintenance, plus automated bank feeds, AI receipt scanning, Xero integration, and Schedule E reports.
All of it is standard on PRO at $12 a month, with a free GO plan for up to three units. There's no minimum monthly spend, no per-unit quote, and no sales call, so you start with a single unit and add properties yourself as the portfolio grows.
AppFolio is built for professional property management companies.
It's an enterprise-grade platform for firms managing residential, student, and commercial units for multiple owners, with end-to-end leasing, work orders at scale, owner and resident portals, and the Realm-X AI assistant.
The trade-off for an individual landlord: quote-based per-unit pricing carries a minimum monthly spend of around $280, so a small portfolio pays for far more capacity than it uses. There's no Xero integration and no personal Schedule E report.
Feature Comparison
| Landlord Studio | AppFolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & setup | ||
| Starting price | Free for up to 3 units, paid plans from $12/mo | Quote-based, per-unit, ~$280/mo minimum (Core) |
| Built for | Self-managing landlords | Property management companies |
| Minimum portfolio size | None, start with one unit | Minimum monthly spend favors larger portfolios |
| Setup | Self-serve, minutes | Sales call and onboarding |
| Accounting & tax | ||
| Property-by-property tracking | Built in, unlimited | Built in |
| Automated bank feeds | Included | Included |
| AI receipt scanning | Included | Not a core feature |
| Schedule E tax export | One-click export | Not built for personal Schedule E |
| Xero integration | Native integration | Not supported |
| Day-to-day landlord tools | ||
| Online rent collection | Included | Included |
| Tenant screening | Included | Included |
| Listings & lease tracking | Included | Included |
| GPS mileage tracking | Included | Not a core feature |
| Best for | Landlords managing their own rentals | Companies managing units for owners |
Who's Landlord Studio Best For?
Tailored for landlords and property managers, Landlord Studio is a user-friendly software which offers a seamless approach to real estate accounting and property management. From automated rent collection to advanced tax reporting.
- Pricing: GO (Free for up to 3 units), Pro ($12/mo), Pro Plus ($28/mo)
- Features: Collect rent online, financial reports, real estate accounting, listings
- Best Suited For: Self managing landlords with small-medium portfolios.
- Key Advantage: Full-featured, user-friendly interface, and affordable pricing.
Who's AppFolio Best For?
AppFolio is enterprise property management software for companies running large residential, student housing, and commercial portfolios on behalf of multiple owners.
- Pricing: Quote-based, per-unit, from a ~$280/mo minimum on Core, plus processing fees
- Features: Leasing, work orders, inspections, owner and resident portals, owner reports
- Best Suited For: Management companies running large portfolios for multiple owners.
- Key Advantage: Enterprise tooling - but no Xero, no Schedule E, and a minimum spend.
Join 80,000+ landlords and stay one step ahead
"Managing 20 rentals alone was overwhelming, but Landlord Studio became my one-stop shop. It simplified bookkeeping, rent, leases, and taxes — even my CPA loves it."
"I found Landlord Studio so much easier to understand after I looked at AppFolio, RentRedi, and Buildium. All three of them were so hard to understand."
"It has been an excellent way of tracking expenses all in one app. I had considered using AppFolio, but that was too complicated for me."
“I looked at Doorloop, RentRedi, and Appfolio and they all offer the same features, but the customer support was the absolute best on Landlord Studio.”
"I can't highly recommend it more if you have a rental property. It exceeded my expectations."
"I've been a user for about three years now. I recommend Landlord Studio for anyone looking to optimize their business."
"I chose Landlord Studio because it created a complete package for management of rental properties for the landlord"
"I realized that QuickBooks wasn't quite sufficient and I started to look around for an affordable tool to replace my spreadsheets and chose Landlord Studio."
"We looked at all the different software that's out there for managing our properties. We chose Landlord Studio over RentRedi and it's been a great investment."
"One of the things that I like about the software is that the customer service is fantastic and I felt the price was reasonable considering I only have one property."
"I have a mix of properties, so I like how you can manage Airbnb and short-term rentals. Another great feature is reconciling from your bank account, which includes checking accounts and credit cards."
"Landlord Studio helps me manage my rentals effectively and efficiently. It's a great app and definitely worth the low cost."
"I tested out several other programs before purchasing Landlord Studio and I'm very happy with it so far. One of my favorite features is the ability to just snap a picture of a receipt and put it in the correct rental unit expense."
“My dad’s 75 and has over 20 units – Airbnbs, apartments and commercial. We needed a software to help us and Landlord Studio’s been the one. It’s made it so easy for him.”
“It’s a no-brainer. It’ll make your life so much easier. You can find out everything you need to know about your portfolio in a few quick taps.”
“With Landlord Studio I can track income and expenses and manage my properties if I’m at home, on my lunch break at work, in the car. There are so many things you can do with it.”
“It’s so much easier. Put it all in there, take a picture of your receipt and you’re done!”
“It’s excellent for any landlord with one property up to multiple. I highly recommend testing it out and seeing if it’s the right solution for you and your business – it has been for me.”
“I love having all the units accessible at my fingertips. And would highly recommend it to anybody who’s looking to get onboard with bank to bank transfers for rent payments and wanting to create customizable reports. I love it.”
“If you want an all in one solution this app is what you need. With this app you can get rid of paper and spreadsheets.”
“Give it a shot! That’s what I did. This app really organized how I manage my business made everything more efficient.”
“I was looking for a software that I was able to screen tenants on, collect rent through, track all of my income and expenses for each unit. And Landlord Studio fit the bill there. I’ve been using it for a few months and love it. The customer support is just unrivaled.”
“The mobile app is incredible, and when it comes to tax time, clicking a few buttons and sharing with our tax advisor has been a dream. Thanks Landlord Studio!”
"Managing 20 rentals alone was overwhelming, but Landlord Studio became my one-stop shop. It simplified bookkeeping, rent, leases, and taxes — even my CPA loves it."
"I found Landlord Studio so much easier to understand after I looked at AppFolio, RentRedi, and Buildium. All three of them were so hard to understand."
"It has been an excellent way of tracking expenses all in one app. I had considered using AppFolio, but that was too complicated for me."
“I looked at Doorloop, RentRedi, and Appfolio and they all offer the same features, but the customer support was the absolute best on Landlord Studio.”
"I can't highly recommend it more if you have a rental property. It exceeded my expectations."
"I've been a user for about three years now. I recommend Landlord Studio for anyone looking to optimize their business."
"I chose Landlord Studio because it created a complete package for management of rental properties for the landlord"
"I realized that QuickBooks wasn't quite sufficient and I started to look around for an affordable tool to replace my spreadsheets and chose Landlord Studio."
"We looked at all the different software that's out there for managing our properties. We chose Landlord Studio over RentRedi and it's been a great investment."
"One of the things that I like about the software is that the customer service is fantastic and I felt the price was reasonable considering I only have one property."
"I have a mix of properties, so I like how you can manage Airbnb and short-term rentals. Another great feature is reconciling from your bank account, which includes checking accounts and credit cards."
"Landlord Studio helps me manage my rentals effectively and efficiently. It's a great app and definitely worth the low cost."
"I tested out several other programs before purchasing Landlord Studio and I'm very happy with it so far. One of my favorite features is the ability to just snap a picture of a receipt and put it in the correct rental unit expense."
“My dad’s 75 and has over 20 units – Airbnbs, apartments and commercial. We needed a software to help us and Landlord Studio’s been the one. It’s made it so easy for him.”
“It’s a no-brainer. It’ll make your life so much easier. You can find out everything you need to know about your portfolio in a few quick taps.”
“With Landlord Studio I can track income and expenses and manage my properties if I’m at home, on my lunch break at work, in the car. There are so many things you can do with it.”
“It’s so much easier. Put it all in there, take a picture of your receipt and you’re done!”
“It’s excellent for any landlord with one property up to multiple. I highly recommend testing it out and seeing if it’s the right solution for you and your business – it has been for me.”
“I love having all the units accessible at my fingertips. And would highly recommend it to anybody who’s looking to get onboard with bank to bank transfers for rent payments and wanting to create customizable reports. I love it.”
“If you want an all in one solution this app is what you need. With this app you can get rid of paper and spreadsheets.”
“Give it a shot! That’s what I did. This app really organized how I manage my business made everything more efficient.”
“I was looking for a software that I was able to screen tenants on, collect rent through, track all of my income and expenses for each unit. And Landlord Studio fit the bill there. I’ve been using it for a few months and love it. The customer support is just unrivaled.”
“The mobile app is incredible, and when it comes to tax time, clicking a few buttons and sharing with our tax advisor has been a dream. Thanks Landlord Studio!”
"Managing 20 rentals alone was overwhelming, but Landlord Studio became my one-stop shop. It simplified bookkeeping, rent, leases, and taxes — even my CPA loves it."
"I found Landlord Studio so much easier to understand after I looked at AppFolio, RentRedi, and Buildium. All three of them were so hard to understand."
"It has been an excellent way of tracking expenses all in one app. I had considered using AppFolio, but that was too complicated for me."
“I looked at Doorloop, RentRedi, and Appfolio and they all offer the same features, but the customer support was the absolute best on Landlord Studio.”
"I can't highly recommend it more if you have a rental property. It exceeded my expectations."
"I've been a user for about three years now. I recommend Landlord Studio for anyone looking to optimize their business."
"I chose Landlord Studio because it created a complete package for management of rental properties for the landlord"
"I realized that QuickBooks wasn't quite sufficient and I started to look around for an affordable tool to replace my spreadsheets and chose Landlord Studio."
"We looked at all the different software that's out there for managing our properties. We chose Landlord Studio over RentRedi and it's been a great investment."
"One of the things that I like about the software is that the customer service is fantastic and I felt the price was reasonable considering I only have one property."
"I have a mix of properties, so I like how you can manage Airbnb and short-term rentals. Another great feature is reconciling from your bank account, which includes checking accounts and credit cards."
"Landlord Studio helps me manage my rentals effectively and efficiently. It's a great app and definitely worth the low cost."
"I tested out several other programs before purchasing Landlord Studio and I'm very happy with it so far. One of my favorite features is the ability to just snap a picture of a receipt and put it in the correct rental unit expense."
“My dad’s 75 and has over 20 units – Airbnbs, apartments and commercial. We needed a software to help us and Landlord Studio’s been the one. It’s made it so easy for him.”
“It’s a no-brainer. It’ll make your life so much easier. You can find out everything you need to know about your portfolio in a few quick taps.”
“With Landlord Studio I can track income and expenses and manage my properties if I’m at home, on my lunch break at work, in the car. There are so many things you can do with it.”
“It’s so much easier. Put it all in there, take a picture of your receipt and you’re done!”
“It’s excellent for any landlord with one property up to multiple. I highly recommend testing it out and seeing if it’s the right solution for you and your business – it has been for me.”
“I love having all the units accessible at my fingertips. And would highly recommend it to anybody who’s looking to get onboard with bank to bank transfers for rent payments and wanting to create customizable reports. I love it.”
“If you want an all in one solution this app is what you need. With this app you can get rid of paper and spreadsheets.”
“Give it a shot! That’s what I did. This app really organized how I manage my business made everything more efficient.”
“I was looking for a software that I was able to screen tenants on, collect rent through, track all of my income and expenses for each unit. And Landlord Studio fit the bill there. I’ve been using it for a few months and love it. The customer support is just unrivaled.”
“The mobile app is incredible, and when it comes to tax time, clicking a few buttons and sharing with our tax advisor has been a dream. Thanks Landlord Studio!”
Landlord Studio, Simplified Accounting Software
- Manage your properties on the go via desktop or mobile app.
- Save time and money with advanced accounting tools. Connect your bank accounts, digitize receipts and more.
- File your accurate end-of-year tax return without the headache with our Schedule E report.
- Powerful property management features designed specifically for landlords.
Why landlords are choosing Landlord Studio over AppFolio
Say goodbye to late rent forever.
Landlord Studio ensures you give tenants multiple ways to pay along with the tools to ensure you get paid on time, every time.
- Online rent collection with Landlord Studio is ungated without any up-sells
- Connect your bank accounts to import transactions and reconcile with the tap of a button.
- Collect rent via Credit Card and ACH easily without having to upgrade with Landlord Studio
- Automate your rent reminders to tenants so you never have to chase rent again.
Schedule E reports in 1 Click
Instantly generate and share professional reports. All our reports can be customized by date range, property, owner, expense categories, and payment categories.
At tax time, run our built in Schedule E report and share with your accountant with a few taps.
E-Sign, Tenant Screening and Syndicated Property Listings all in one platform
List, screen and sign documents all from the same platform without the hidden charges.
Manage your portfolio in one place and complete your end to end landlord lifecycle easily.
End to end property management software
From finding tenants and collecting rent to managing maintenance requests, our suite of features will help you save time and run a professional and scalable property portfolio.
Simple rental accounting
Keep track of your rental income and expenses and maximise the return on your investments
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Reporting & tax accounting
Stay on top of your finances with industry-specific reports and make filing your Schedule E easy.
Property maintenance
Close maintenance requests faster with easy task management and prioritization.
Online rent collection
Never worry about late rent again with automatic rent payments made directly into your bank account.
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Tenant screening
Protect your real estate investment by ensuring you secure the very best tenants fast.
FAQs
How much does AppFolio cost?
AppFolio uses quote-based, per-unit pricing with a minimum monthly spend, so you have to request a quote. Third-party 2026 reporting puts the Core plan at around $1.40 per unit per month with a roughly $280 monthly minimum, Plus at around $3 per unit per month with a roughly $900 monthly minimum, and Max at around $5 per unit per month for the largest portfolios. Because of the minimum monthly spend, a small portfolio pays for far more units than it manages, which is why AppFolio works out expensive for self-managing landlords.
Is there an AppFolio alternative for small or self-managing landlords?
Yes. Landlord Studio is an AppFolio alternative built specifically for self-managing landlords. It pairs full rental accounting with online rent collection, tenant screening, listings, and Schedule E tax reporting in one app, starting free for up to 3 units and $12 a month on PRO, with no minimum spend and no per-unit pricing.
Does AppFolio have a minimum number of units?
AppFolio is built for property management companies and has a minimum monthly spend rather than a free or single-unit plan. The minimum (around $280 a month on Core) means small portfolios pay for far more capacity than they use. Landlord Studio has no minimum, so you can start with a single unit and add properties as you grow.
Can I use AppFolio as an individual landlord?
You can, but it is rarely the right fit. AppFolio is enterprise software built around staff workflows, owner portals, and large portfolios. An individual landlord pays a minimum monthly spend for tools a management company needs, not a landlord running their own units. Landlord Studio gives you the rent collection, accounting, and tax tools you will actually use at a landlord price.
Does AppFolio offer Schedule E tax reports?
AppFolio reporting is built for company books and owner statements, not for a personal Schedule E return. Landlord Studio includes a one-click Schedule E export plus 15+ landlord-specific reports, so your rental income and expenses are tax-ready at year end without manual rebuilding.
What is the best AppFolio alternative for landlords who want accounting and tax tools?
Landlord Studio is built accounting-first, so automated bank feeds, AI receipt scanning, GPS mileage tracking, Xero integration, and Schedule E tax reporting all come standard. Where AppFolio is sized for management companies, Landlord Studio is sized for the landlord who wants clean books and an easy tax season without enterprise pricing.