Whether you manage one or 100 rental properties, landlord software can make your life easier. But there’s a rub; picking the right solution takes time.
The good news, or maybe the bad news depending on your perspective, is that you’ve got a lot of options to consider, including DoorLoop vs. Buildium. Today, we’ll explore some of the key differences between them so that you know what to expect before signing up.
We’ll also cover TurboTenant’s property management software to show you what makes us unique and why over 650,000 landlords trust us to help them run their businesses with minimal overhead.
More eyes on your listings means more qualified renters.
Key Insights
- DoorLoop and Buildium are two easy-to-navigate options for property management software focused on simplifying rental property management. While the services vary by platform, both tools offer rent collection, financial reports, maintenance, and tenant communication.
- The cost of DoorLoop vs. Buildium varies depending on the functionality needed and number of units. Neither DoorLoop nor Buildium offers a free plan. However, you can get a free trial with Buildium and a demo with DoorLoop.
- DoorLoop and Buildium both offer mobile apps.
- When you want affordable, top-rated property management software that does it all, another option is TurboTenant. We offer a variety of features and benefits that you don’t see elsewhere, as well as helpful add-ons such as eviction assistance.
Introduction to DoorLoop
DoorLoop is a cloud-based property management platform designed to help property managers complete daily tasks such as maintenance management, rent collection, and tenant screening.
Additional features include, but are not limited to:
- Accounting
- Property listings
- Communication
- File storage
- eSignatures
- Applications
Introduction to Buildium
Buildium has been around for over two decades, the goal being to make property management easy by providing a user-friendly and intuitive tool for rentals.
Features include, but are not limited to:
- Property accounting
- Online rent collection
- Maintenance requests
- 1099 e-Filing
- Resident center
- Property listing
- Online leasing
- Maintenance contact center
In-Depth Comparison: DoorLoop vs. Buildium
Let’s compare some of the features of Buildium vs. DoorLoop.
User Interface and Experience
Reviews highlight the user experience on both platforms. DoorLoop reviews indicate that users appreciate that DoorLoop’s software is clean and simple to navigate. Buildium reviews mention that the platform provides videos to help users understand the software’s features.
While a good user experience isn’t the only feature that matters, it’s among the most important ones because if a user can’t find their way through a tool, it won’t be used to its full potential.
Tenant and Lease Tracking
Both platforms offer tenant and lease tracking as well as digital lease signing. DoorLoop lets you monitor all rental agreements, auto payment dates, and renewals. Buildium is similar in that it organizes everything lease-related into one spot, though lease renewal information is less clear when perusing their website.
Maintenance and Repair Management
DoorLoop and Buildium simplify maintenance and repair management by providing a place to input work orders, get status updates, and more.
These platforms streamline maintenance management by centralizing it to a single location. With either platform, tenants won’t need to send one-off text messages and can instead submit requests through a single location.
Communication Tools
DoorLoop helps you stay in touch with tenants through phone, text, and email to keep everyone in the know. Buildium enables communication with tenants through its intuitive Resident Center, a tenant portal that also features text and email support.
Communication tools such as these are a big win, as an easy way to contact tenants improves the overall property management experience.
Financial Management and Reporting
DoorLoop and Buildium offer many tools for financial management, accounting, and reporting. Their goal is to provide a clear view of how each property performs, and they do so by showing you a variety of data to see what’s working and what isn’t.
The DoorLoop software provides automated filters, customization options, financial statements, data exporting, and more. Buildium has payment records, accounts payable options, bank statement reconciliation, and other services.
Pricing Comparison
While DoorLoop often offers sales, the regular DoorLoop pricing for the Starter Plan is $69 per month when billed monthly. The following tiers (Pro and Premium) are $139 and $199 per month, respectively, with features varying depending on the plan. You can get a discount if you sign up for an annual plan.
Buildium offers three pricing plans (Essential, Growth, and Premium). Essential is $55 per month and includes up to 150 units. Growth is $174, and Premium is $375 per month, respectively. A free trial is available for all Buildium plans.
Mobile App Availability and Features
DoorLoop and Buildium both have property management apps. The DoorLoop app allows you to monitor all of your rental properties and view reports about property performance, lease information, maintenance, and much more. The app also offers many services tenants can benefit from, including, but not limited to, online rent payments, viewing past rent payments, and inputting maintenance work orders.
The Buildium app allows you to monitor rental applications, manage your finances, and scan receipts for expense tracking. Based on reviews, both apps appear to be easy to use and give you access to rental property information right at your fingertips.
User Reviews: DoorLoop vs. Buildium
Below are some things mentioned in reviews about Buildium vs. DoorLoop:
DoorLoop
Pros:
- Simple to use
- Organized
- Good user experience
- Great customer service
- Works for various types of properties
Cons:
- Appears to let you categorize expenses by apartment complex, not individual units
- Issues with changing currencies
- Can be tricky to find where you should pay bills
- Pro version needed for phone and Zoom support
- Doesn’t appear to keep back-and-forth text history
Buildium
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Free trial available for all tiers
- Responsive support
- Great historical data
- Works with one property or hundreds
Cons:
- Can be hard to add late fees
- Trouble with reports
- No free plan
- More customization needed
Making the Right Choice: Factors to Consider
Now that you know a little more about the landlord software, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Everyone’s needs are different: Create a list of your must-have features. Your software should have them all and then some.
- Your budget matters: As your rental portfolio grows, your needs will also increase. Consider a budget to save yourself from stress in the long run.
- Customer support is everything: Choose a tool that prioritizes customer support to help in every step of your rental property journey.
Why TurboTenant Stands Out
We realize you have many options when it comes to property management software. We hope that showing you the differences between DoorLoop vs. Buildium helped you determine the most important features to you.
If you’d like another option for property management software with a plethora of tools at an affordable cost, consider TurboTenant. We have glowing reviews across multiple platforms, and we offer a completely free tier that helps landlords get organized and save money without plopping down a credit card.
Some of our features and benefits include:
- Tenant Screening
- Applications
- Rental Advertising
- Lease Management
- Tenant Background Check
- Rent Payments
- Rental Accounting
- Free Online Rent Payments
- Automatic Late Fees, Receipts, and Reminders
- Maintenance Requests
- In-App Messaging
- Seven-days-a-week Chat and Email Support
We offer two simple tiers: a free plan and a Premium plan that starts at $9.92 per month when billed annually. Compared to DoorLoop and Buildium, it’s a fraction of the cost. Plus, the free tier enables you to do two critical tasks the others charge for — property listing and rent collection — all without contacting a salesperson.
Save yourself valuable time with property management software. Try TurboTenant for free today!