Rentra vs AppFolio

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

14-day free trial · Cancel anytime
Rentra

Rentra

Built for small landlords

$5/property

$25 minimum · All features included

No minimum units
14-day free trial
Cancel anytime
AppFolio

AppFolio

Mid-size property managers

$1.40/unit/mo

Minimum 50 units required ($70/mo floor)

50 unit minimum required
Complex pricing tiers

Feature-by-feature breakdown

No spin. Just facts.

Feature
Rentra
AppFolio
Minimum units
No minimum
50 units required
Starting price
$25/mo (5 units)
$70/mo minimum
Setup complexity
15 minutes
Onboarding required
Rent collection with autopay
Automatic late payment reminders
SMS + Email
Email only
SMS-powered maintenance requests
Portal only
Auto-dispatch to vendors via SMS
Automated vendor follow-ups
One-tap maintenance approvals
Tenant portal
Move-in/move-out inspections
Photo comparison
Basic
Deposit deduction suggestions
Automated
Manual
Financial reporting
Schedule E tax exports
One-click
6-month cashflow forecasting
Tenant screening
Coming soon
Native mobile app
Web (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

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.