DoorLoop vs Buildium (2026): Minimums, Per-Unit Prices and Payment Fees Compared

For a small portfolio, Buildium has the lower entry price: Essential starts at $65 a month, compared with DoorLoop One's $199 minimum on yearly billing. But Buildium only publishes "starting at" prices and adds per-payment fees ($2.35 per incoming EFT on Essential), a $99 setup fee for each bank account on Essential, and a required onboarding on Growth and Premium.

Best for: under 20 units, Buildium Essential (from $65 a month) is the cheaper entry. If you want a predictable bill while growing toward 50–80 units, DoorLoop is easier to budget.

DoorLoop publishes the whole formula: a per-unit rate with a monthly floor. Its Connect plan makes incoming ACH free. If you want a predictable bill and plan to grow toward 50–80 units, DoorLoop is easier to budget. If you have under 20 units and want the cheapest full-suite entry point, ask Buildium for a quote at your unit count first. Prices come from both vendors' pricing pages, checked October 28, 2026. We haven't tested either hands-on.

Prices at a glance

DoorLoop's page says units above 100 on One cost $1.50 a month on yearly billing ($1.80 monthly). It doesn't publish above-100 rates for Connect or Multiply. Its FAQ says the new plans replace Starter, Pro and Premium, and existing customers can keep their current pricing.

Buildium's page shows "starting at" prices only. It doesn't say how they rise with unit count or whether there's an annual-billing discount.

Visit DoorLoop

Visit Buildium

Other fees side by side

Neither page says whether its ACH or EFT fees can be passed on to tenants. DoorLoop's comparison table has a "Pass payment fees to tenants" row, but the plan cells weren't clear in our read.

What each costs at 10, 25, 50 and 100 units

Monthly subscription only, DoorLoop on yearly billing:

DoorLoop's rate only matters once it beats the floor: about 80 units on One (199 ÷ 2.50 = 79.6) and about 75 on Connect (299 ÷ 4 = 74.75). The Buildium column is a floor, not an estimate. Its real price at 25 or 50 units may be higher, and the page doesn't tell you by how much.

Add the rent payments

Say all 25 tenants pay by ACH every month and you absorb the fee:

• DoorLoop One: $199 + (25 × $1.50) = $236.50 a month
• DoorLoop Connect: $299 + $0 = $299 a month
• Buildium Essential: at least $65 + (25 × $2.35) = $123.75 a month or more
• Buildium Growth: at least $202 + (25 × $1.35) = $235.75 a month or more

On DoorLoop, Connect only beats One on ACH fees when 1.50 × units is more than $100, which works out to above about 66 units ($100 ÷ $1.50 = 66.7). For most small landlords, One plus the ACH fee is cheaper than Connect.

Buildium's first year also includes setup costs. On Essential with two bank accounts, that's 2 × $99 = $198 once. On Growth and Premium there's the onboarding fee, which the page doesn't price.

Feature differences that matter to small landlords

DoorLoop:

• unlimited users, document storage and API access, even on One
• unlimited eSignatures on every plan
• listing syndication to Zillow, Trulia, HotPads and Dwellsy, per its pricing page
• AI agents: Connect adds a Receptionist Agent; Multiply adds Maintenance Ops and Lease Renewal agents. A Rent Collection Agent and a Prospect Agent are marked "Coming Soon."

Buildium:

• basic accounting, maintenance and leasing on Essential, plus an AI Assistant
• business analytics, cheaper eSignatures and EFT, and Enhanced Screening on Growth
• an Open API on Premium
• inspections through HappyCo: $99 setup plus $40–$95 a month on Essential, with fees included on Growth (then $0.40 per unit after three years) and on Premium
• live phone support on Growth and Premium; Essential gets ticket support
• Buildium is a RealPage company, per its page footer

Both are built for property managers as much as owners. If you have fewer than 10 units and mostly need rent, leases and bookkeeping, a cheaper tool may cover you. See Hemlane vs DoorLoop and Rentec Direct vs Buildium.

Who should pick which

DoorLoop fits if you:

• want a published price you can calculate today
• have 20–80 units (One's $199 floor is flat across that range)
• have a team that needs unlimited user seats
• send many leases for signature

Buildium fits if you:

• have under about 20 units and get a quote close to the $65 starting price
• want the add-ons listed on its page, such as 1099 e-filing, renters insurance and a showings coordinator (prices to confirm)
• want inspections (bundled from Growth up)

Look elsewhere if you:

• have 1–10 units and don't need a full PM suite. Hemlane Basic is $28 + $2 per unit, and Rentec Direct Starter is $25 a month flat for up to 10 properties. (billed annually; month-to-month costs more)

How we checked

On October 28, 2026, we read DoorLoop's pricing page (https://www.doorloop.com/pricing): plan cards, the yearly and monthly toggle values, the comparison table and the FAQ. We also read Buildium's pricing page (https://www.buildium.com/pricing/) twice that day.

Some Buildium add-on prices (1099 e-filing, check printing, showings) showed up in the first read but not the second, so we left them out. The cost math is ours: max(minimum, rate × units) for DoorLoop, and starting price + EFT fees for Buildium.

Both vendors run affiliate programs. Neither has paid us, and neither program affects this comparison. We haven't tested either product hands-on. Where a page didn't state something, we say so.

FAQ

Is DoorLoop cheaper than Buildium?

At the starting prices, no. Buildium Essential starts at $65 a month and DoorLoop One's minimum is $199 on yearly billing. But Buildium's price rises with units in a way it doesn't publish, and its EFT fees ($2.35 each on Essential) are higher than DoorLoop One's $1.50. Get a Buildium quote at your exact unit count before comparing.

Does DoorLoop have a free trial?

DoorLoop's pricing page didn't mention a trial in our read. Buildium offers a 14-day trial with no credit card required.

Which charges less for ACH rent payments?

DoorLoop Connect and Multiply charge nothing for incoming ACH, and Buildium Premium is free for the first 12 months, then $0.60. On the entry plans, DoorLoop One charges $1.50 per payment and Buildium Essential $2.35.

Can I keep my old DoorLoop plan?

DoorLoop's FAQ says existing customers can keep their current plans and pricing. New sign-ups get One, Connect or Multiply.

Does Buildium have an onboarding fee?

Its pricing page says onboarding is required on Growth and Premium but doesn't show a price. Ask for it in writing with your quote.

Related

• DoorLoop pricing
• Buildium pricing
• DoorLoop alternatives
• Buildium alternatives
• Landlord software by unit count
• All-in-one platforms