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Meet the TurboTeam: Goran Maksimovic
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You’re in the right place if you’re torn between Buildium vs. RentRedi as your next property management software solution.
We’ve conducted a detailed analysis of both platforms and will guide you as you weigh your options in this top-to-bottom comparison.
To cover all the bases, we’ll take a deep dive into the following:
- User interface and ease of use
- Tenant and lease tracking
- Maintenance and repair management
- Communication tools
- Accounting
- Pricing structure
- Mobile app usability
- User reviews
And to wrap things up, we’ll recommend the best property management software solution for you.
Key Insights & Findings
Before jumping in, we’ll summarize our findings for those of you who want a fast answer when deciding between Buildium vs. RentRedit:
- Buildium is far more established and receives slightly better reviews than RentRedi, but it also has a more expensive entry point.
- Mobile app usability favors Buildium; RentRedi doesn’t offer an Android app.
- Users report customer service to be reliable, friendly, and knowledgeable for both companies.
- Accounting and maintenance features are included in all Buildium plans, whereas RentRedi users must pay extra for similar services in the form of add-ons.
- When considering Buildium vs RentRedi, landlords might be better off choosing an entirely different property management software with a robust free option.
Introduction to Buildium
Buildium was founded in Boston in 2004 and has since established itself as one of the industry’s leading property management software companies.
Their all-in-one software is engineered to help landlords market rental properties, screen potential tenants, digitize and track leases, collect rent payments, manage maintenance requests, organize accounting, and more.
While their plans are available to landlords with any number of properties, we believe Buildium’s pricing structure makes the most sense for those with medium-to-large portfolios.
Introduction to RentRedi
Established in New York in 2016, RentRedi is a promising property management software company that has undergone steady growth since its inception.
Much like Buildium, RentRedi offers landlords a variety of relevant features, including custom rental application generation, digital lease e-signing, tent rent reporting (aka credit boosting) to incentivize on-time payments, accounting functionality, and more.
RentRedi offers landlords a much more affordable entry cost than Buildium, though access to premium features like accounting and maintenance coordination quickly increases the overall monthly cost.
In-Depth Comparison: Buildium vs RentRedi
User Interface and Ease of Use
If you’re investing in property management software, it must offer a pleasant user experience and be easy to use for landlords and tenants alike.
Buildium customers return 4.3 out of 5 stars on Capterra when analyzing the software’s ease of use. While much of the feedback indicates a smooth user experience, a few separate users report unaddressed bugs in the software, onboarding difficulties, and the inability to open multiple windows running Buildium at once.
RentRedi users return an identical 4.3 out of 5-star rating on Capterra when reviewing ease of use. Most of these reviews suggest a relatively stable and responsive interface; however, a few dissatisfied users report convoluted navigation, a sometimes unresponsive app, and a cumbersome setup with an uneasy learning curve.
Tenant and Lease Tracking
Landlords who want to minimize vacancies and maximize profits must keep track of tenants and monitor lease expiration dates. The proper software should make these tasks effortless.
Buildium allows property managers to create leases, set up templates, collect tenant signatures, and safeguard digital documents with ease. Users can also track expiring leases, schedule future renewals and charges, edit recurring charges, and store tenant data securely.
RentRedi offers fewer lease features than Buildium, but it allows property managers to upload and send rental agreements and collect legally binding signatures. Users can also track lease expiration dates and notify tenants when it’s time to renew.
Maintenance and Repair Management
Performing essential maintenance and coordinating timely repairs through your property management software will keep residents satisfied and elevate the overall health of your rentals.
Buildium’s maintenance and repair features allow users to offload their maintenance management to a remote call center, submit requests and work orders, coordinate with tenants and vendors, and fulfill work orders digitally.
Maintenance features come standard with every Buildium plan.
RentRedi’s included maintenance request feature allows tenants to submit requests through the app, upload a 5-second video of the issue, and receive notifications throughout the repair process.
Upgraded maintenance add-ons cost extra for RentRedi customers. A third-party company, Latchel, facilitates premium maintenance requests on a landlord’s behalf.
Communication Tools
Whether coordinating with a contractor, touching base with a tenant, or contacting customer service, your landlord software should make the process as straightforward and frictionless as possible.
Buildium’s secure portal lets property managers communicate with tenants and contractors through text messages, emails, phone calls, and direct messages. Users can also broadcast large-scale announcements to pre-selected groups over multiple channels.
Their customer service returns a respectable 4.5-star rating on Capterra, though a few users have reported long wait times to speak with a representative.
RentRedi allows landlords to communicate with tenants, teammates, and vendors through in-app notifications. More advanced communications like mass announcements and automated reminders aren’t yet included in the software at the time of writing.
RentRedi’s customer service team also returns a 4.5-star rating on Capterra, though a few reviewers have reported delayed reply times and trouble resolving issues on the first attempt.
Accounting and Reporting
Keeping finances in order can be stressful for property managers, so the accounting and reporting software you choose should be easy to integrate, intuitive, and reliable.
Buildium’s l accounting software enables property managers to record and track fees, deposits, and refunds in their integrated portal. Further, its built-in calculators help consolidate payments for property managers and simplify the fulfillment process.
RentRedi offers similar accounting features to Buildium, though they’re only available as a premium add-on. Users who have upgraded can use automated processes to streamline their books, generate insightful reports, and prepare for tax season through integrated software from the accounting software company REI Hub.
Pricing Comparison
Cost is another crucial consideration when choosing software to manage your rentals. Finding a solution that comfortably fits your budget will help you earn more as you grow your portfolio.
Buildium has three different pricing tiers:
- Essential: $55 per month for up to 20 units
- Growth: $174 per month for up to 20 units
- Premium: $375 per month for up to 20 units
(Pricing increases at predetermined intervals once an account holder surpasses 20 properties.)
There are also some potential extra costs to take into account when considering Buildium:
- Property inspections (Starting at an additional $40 per month with the Essential Plan)
- eSignatures ($5 per signature with the Essential Plan)
- Online payment fees (Amounts vary by tier)
- Bank account setup fees ($99 per bank account for all three tiers; 5 accounts included with the Growth Plan; 15 accounts included with the Premium Plan)
Buildium knows that committing to a subscription can have significant financial implications for landlords, so they offer potential customers a free 14-day trial across all three tiers.
RentRedi has one standard coverage tier with three different subscription options:
- Monthly payments: $29.95 per month
- Biannual payments: $20 per month
- Annual payments: $12 per month
Each plan allows landlords to manage unlimited properties and add unlimited teammates to their accounts at no additional cost.
Adding premium accounting features to an account does cost extra, however:
- Up to 3 units: $25 per month
- 4-10 units: $39 per month
- 11-20 units: $59 per month
- Unlimited units: $99 per month
Adding premium maintenance coordination features also costs extra and has two tiers:
- 24/7 Emergency Service: $15 per month per unit
- Full Coordination: $25 per month per unit
While Buildium may seem more affordable than RentRedi at first glance, costs can escalate quickly for RentRedi customers who add premium accounting and maintenance features to their plans.
Mobile App Functionality
On-the-go property managers need reliable computer software and complementary mobile apps that thrive on tablets and smartphones.
Buildium mobile app users return solid ratings on the Google Play and Apple App stores, with 4.5 and 4.8 stars, respectively. Though critical reviews are minimal, some users complain that certain features have been dialed back during recent updates and that some of the software’s functions can only be accessed on web browsers.
RentRedi’s mobile app is only available on the Apple App Store and earns a 3.9-star rating. (Android users who want a RentRedi mobile app are encouraged to add RentRedi.com as a widget to their smartphone’s home screen.) Multiple App Store reviews report payment processing issues through the app, to which developers have responded with concern.
User Reviews: Buildium vs RentRedi
To analyze user reviews, we’ll examine ratings across four platforms: Capterra, Apple App Store, Google Play, and Trustpilot.
Buildium users return the following ratings:
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Apple App Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars
- Google Play: 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Trustpilot: 2.9 out of 5 stars
RentRedi users return the following ratings:
- Capterra: 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Apple App Store: 3.9 out of 5 stars
- Google Play: Android app doesn’t exist
- Trustpilot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Making the Right Choice: Factors to Consider
As you weigh Buildium and RentRedi against each other, consider your needs as a landlord and keep the following in mind:
- The size of your portfolio
- Your monthly budget for property management software
- The level of accounting and reporting you require
- How hands-on you want to be with maintenance requests
- The reputation of the brands you’re considering
When pondering your decision, understand that the best property management software for your needs might come from another company altogether.
Why TurboTenant Stands Out
Buildium and RentRedi are both serviceable solutions, but a third option, TurboTenant, is the best property management software in the industry.
Like Buildium and RentRedi, TurboTenant offers users an all-in-one suite of features:
- Rental marketing
- Tenant screening
- Digital tenant applications
- State-specific lease agreements
- Rent-collecting software
- Maintenance management
- Integrated accounting and reporting
Not to mention, TurboTenant returns stellar reviews from thousands of users across multiple platforms:
As a cherry on top, TurboTenant’s base software is completely free, allowing users to test-drive the product before potentially upgrading to its fully loaded premium version, which is significantly more affordable than both Buildium and RentRedi.
Sign up for a free TurboTenant account today to start streamlining your property management experience instantly.
