From shoes to canoes, finding a great price is awesome, but getting the most out of your dough is better. Quality over quantity, after all.
But how do you spot the quality? Whether it comes to something you buy on Amazon or considering a new restaurant to try, we all check the same thing: the reviews.
In the world of real estate property management software, reviews are just as essential. Imagine investing in what you think is a killer piece of software, only to find that customer support is lacking or the program has a sharp, insurmountable learning curve.
Yikes. Should've checked the reviews.
Reviews are powerful tools for consumers. According to a survey by BrightLocal, "85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations." Furthermore, positive reviews make 73% of customers trust a local business more.
There's no better way to determine which software is worth your dollars than seeing what people who have used he software say about it, and all of the reviews in Capterra's software directory come from actual business software users. Below, I've gathered a list of the top five most reviewed real estate software solutions in our directory and listed their pros, cons, and cost to help you make the right decision for your business.
1. Marketing 360 (554 reviews)
Examples of Marketing 360's dashboard on multiple platforms
Real estate property management is not just about being a landlord—marketing is also a big part of the job. Real Estate Marketing 360 is software aimed at handling every aspect of the marketing and sales side of real estate. They offer a big range of marketing features including building and optimizing website landing pages, managing your contacts, optimizing ad placement to generate more leads, and email marketing. Marketing 360 caters to a number of industries besides real estate, billing itself as "everything a brand needs to drive sales."
What Capterra reviewers love
Lots of different business solutions, from email marketing to contact management to building a website
An all-in-one solution that unites many aspects of the real estate business
Responsive customer service
What they would like to see improved
There's a bit of a learning curve
Pricing
Marketing 360 doesn't publicize their prices. You'll have to fill out a form on their website so someone can set up a consultation.
Have you used Marketing 360? Leave a review!
2. AppFolio (440 reviews)
AppFolio's dashboard
AppFolio is cloud-based property management software that can help you manage multifamily, single-family, commercial, student housing, condos, or mixed-used dwellings. The software offers accounting and management, reports and statements, lease information, resident screening, rent collection, mobile inspections, and many other features.
What Capterra reviewers love
Good customer service that provides helpful solutions
More user-friendly than other software options on the market
User tutorials help you learn the software quickly
The company makes a noticeable effort to improve and update the software
What they would like to see improved
Under cons, most users listed specific features they would like to see in the future—AppFolio says they are constantly improving the software based on customer feedback
Some users state that support is difficult to get a hold of
Pricing
AppFolio is priced at $1.25 per unit per month for residential properties and $1.50 for commercial. Student housing is $1.25, and for community associations, it's $0.80. AppFolio says there are no hidden fees and upgrades are free. You can fill out a form on their website for a free demo.
Have you used AppFolio? Leave a review!
3.Buildium (437 reviews)
Buildium's dashboard
This property management software has been used by more than 12,000 companies since its launch in 2004 and now manages 775,000 units in 41 countries. Buildium has a user-friendly interface and is deployed through the cloud.
What Capterra reviewers love
Friendly and professional customer service
All-in-one software for every aspect of being a landlord, from form letters to screening, to moving out
The software has excellent built-in accounting features
The online tenant portal is convenient for both landlords and tenants
Can be used on both desktop and mobile devices
What they would like to see improved
Too many little bugs
Lacks an HOA management feature
It has a steep learning curve and could use more tutorials
Pricing
Buildium's pricing structure is somewhat complex— it charges a monthly fee, a setup fee (for Core), and multiple fees for things such as credit transactions and EFT payments. If you manage 100 units, for example, you'll pay $150 per month for Core and $200 per month for Pro. You'll also need to pay a $99 setup fee for online payments for Core (it is included in Pro). Mobile inspections, included in Pro, will cost you $65 per month with a $99 setup fee for Core. There's also fees for electronic leases, tenant screening, credit card transactions, and EFT payments. To see the full breakdown, visit Buildium's pricing page.
Have you used Buildium? Leave a review!
4. Rentec Direct (134 reviews)
Rentec Direct's invoice tool
Rentec Direct is geared toward property managers and landlords looking for a "complete management solution," the company says on their website. With Rentec Direct, you get a professional website, a portal for tenant payments, the ability to publish vacancies online, file management, tenant screening, and more.
What Capterra reviewers love
Easy setup, easy to use
Integrated accounting and background/credit checks
All-in-one solution
Support is helpful and will guide you through the software setup process
What they would like to see improved
FAQs are outdated and not as helpful as they could be
Transactions are difficult to edit
Pricing
There are no setup fees or onboarding costs for Rentec Direct (although there are additional fees for tenant screening), so you pay entirely on a month-to-month basis. How much it costs depends entirely on how many units you manage. If you have 100 units, for example, Rentec Pro costs $90 per month and Rentec PM costs $100 per month. The minimum you can pay is $35 for Pro and $40 for PM per month for up to 10 units.
Have you used Rentec Direct? Leave a review!
5. Rent Manager by London Computer Systems (106 reviews)
Rent Manager's dashboard
Despite the name, London Computer Systems is based in Cincinnati, Ohio and develops business-critical solutions used around the U.S. Rent Manager is best suited for multi-family, single family, and commercial properties as well as managers who care for 100 to 10,000 units. This solution offers both an installed and web-based option with mobile capabilities.
What Capterra reviewers love
Customer support walks you through implementation and training
Easy-to-track payments and tenant accounts
Good value for the money
Lots of features
What they would like to see improved
Software can be cumbersome at times
Users have reported glitches and freezes
Pricing
Rent Manager's price isn't listed publicly, but you can request a free quote by providing your business information.
Have you used Rent Manager? Leave a review!
What real estate property management software do you recommend?
What other solutions do you think should have made the top five list? Be sure to check out their Capterra profile and leave your own review for Capterra's real estate property management software directory.
If you're looking for additional tools to boost your business, Capterra's real estate transaction management software directory can help you find the tool to meet your needs
*While some software solutions don't share their prices publicly, but you can get an idea of how much real estate property management software costs with our real estate software pricing guide.
