RentMerchant vs AppFolio

RentMerchant: an AppFolio alternative for landlords

AppFolio is built mainly for property management companies. If you are an independent landlord, RentMerchant gives you online rent, leasing, and owner reporting, with no unit minimum and a free plan for up to three properties.

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Free for up to three properties. No card needed to start, and your tenants can pay today.

AppFolio and RentMerchant, side by side

Read from AppFolio's own pricing pages on 23 September 2026. Prices change, so check theirs before deciding.

AppFolio RentMerchant
What it costs $1.49 per unit / month Plus a minimum spend they do not publish. $15 / month Billed annually at $180. Month to month is $20.
How it is priced $1.49 to $5.00 per unit per month, plus an unpublished minimum One flat price, unlimited units, no per-door fee
Free plan No free plan. No self-serve signup. Up to 3 properties, unlimited units, full rent collection
Fee per bank payment Not published. $2.00 per transaction, or nothing on Pro plan
Card payments Not published. 2.9% + $0.30 paid by tenant or landlord (your choice)
Website portal for tenants No Free website with tenant portal on every plan

What AppFolio charges

Core

$1.49 per unit / month

Minimum spend applies, amount not published

Plus

$3.20 per unit / month

Minimum spend applies, amount not published

Max

$5.00 per unit / month

Minimum spend applies, amount not published

What AppFolio costs you

  • Every tier carries a minimum spend that AppFolio does not publish, so you cannot find out what it costs without a sales call.
  • There is no free plan and no self-serve signup. You can be collecting rent here today without speaking to anyone.
  • Their rent payment fees are not published at all. Every fee here is on the page.

What you get here instead

  • Every fee is published on the page. You can work out what you would pay before you sign up.
  • One flat $15 a month with no unit minimum, and free for up to three properties.
  • Sign up and collect rent today. There is no demo to book and no quote to wait for.

The short version

AppFolio prices per unit on top of a minimum spend it does not publish, so finding out what you would pay means booking a demo. RentMerchant is $15 a month flat, every fee is published, and there is no unit minimum and no sales call.

See the full feature list, our pricing, and the fee schedule.

Where these figures came from

Read on 23 September 2026. AppFolio can change their pricing at any time, and this page will lag behind when they do. Check their site before you decide.

AppFolio is a trademark of its owner. RentMerchant is not affiliated with or endorsed by AppFolio.

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Independent landlords use RentMerchant to get paid on time, every month.