Kahoa
Kahoa costs $50 a month at any size, with bank feeds, fund accounting, voting, e-signatures and the 1120-H included. Kahoa launched in 2026.
Modern HOA management software
Built for self-managed communities
Buildium pricing, reviews and the best alternatives for HOAs
Buildium costs $80 a month for up to 40 association homes on its Essential plan; larger communities move to Growth, from $192 a month, or a quote. Reviewers rate Buildium 4.4 of 5, mostly for rental property management. The best Buildium alternatives for an HOA are Kahoa for one flat price with the 1120-H included, RunHOA for the lowest price, and PayHOA for a lower starting price.
Kahoa makes Kahoa, one of the alternatives here. Buildium is scored with the same HSAT as every other tool, and every claim links to its source.
What is Buildium?
Buildium is property management software from RealPage, used by landlords and by community association managers. Buildium's association plans cover accounting, violations, architectural requests, owner and board portals, and communication.
Buildium prices each plan by portfolio size and charges extra to set up online payments, for e-signatures and for mailing. Homeowners pay a fee each time they pay dues online, lower on Buildium's higher plans.
How much does Buildium cost?
buildium.com/pricing, checked Oct 20, 2026| The board pays | Price |
|---|---|
| Essential, up to 40 homes | $80/mo |
| Growth | from $192/mo |
| Premium | from $400/mo |
| Online payments setup, Essential | $99 per bank account |
| Outgoing payment to a vendor | $0.50 each |
| E-signatures, Essential and Growth | Add-on |
Monthly billing shown; Buildium takes 10% off for paying yearly. Communities above 40 homes get Growth pricing or a quote.
| Homeowners pay | Per payment |
|---|---|
| Bank transfer, Essential | $2.35 |
| Bank transfer, Growth | $0.99 |
| Bank transfer, Premium | Free |
| Card | 2.99% |
| Card, on $250 dues | $7.48 |
A year of fees, worked out by Kahoa
A 100-home community with $200 monthly dues, 75 homes paying by bank and 25 by card, sends $3,909 a year to Buildium in homeowner fees. The same community pays $4,035 on Kahoa, so Buildium costs homeowners less in fees.
Does Buildium pass the HSAT?
HOA Stewardship Accounting StandardBuildium2 of 5Passes two of the HSAT's five pass-or-fail questions on its entry plan.
- Are operating and reserve funds kept apart?Yes
- Is the 1120-H included?No, 1099s only
- Does the price stay flat as homes are added?No, rises past 40 homes
- Are homeowner fees published?Yes
- Can the board leave with its books?No, partial
The HSAT is Kahoa's own five-question standard, not an official accounting standard. How the HSAT works
What do Buildium reviewers say?
G2, Oct 20264.4of 5 · 286 verified reviews268 positive · 3 neutral · 15 negativeg2.com/products/buildium/reviews
What reviewers like
- Everything for a property in one place
- Mobile app for working on the go
- Organized payment tracking
What reviewers flag
- Support can be slow, and some say email only
- Some charges must be entered unit by unit
- Harder for less tech-savvy owners
“everything related to the property, unit, and tenant together in one place”Marvel E., relationship manager, G2, Jul 15 2026
“easy to find and look at a tenant or homeowner profile”Jennifer F., property manager and owner, G2, Jul 10 2026
“Customer support is terrible, they only work through email.”Annie W., owner, G2, Aug 6 2026
Most of Buildium's G2 reviews come from rental property managers, not HOA boards.
What are the best Buildium alternatives?
| Software | HSAT | Board pays | 1120-H | Homeowner bank fee | Better than Buildium at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildiumthe one you're replacing | 2 of 5 | $80/mo | Not offered | $2.35 | — |
| Kahoaour product | 5 of 5 | $50/mo | Included | $2.45 | Flat price, 1120-H included, full export |
| RunHOArunhoa.com/pricing | 5 of 5 | $399/yr | Included | 0.8%, max $5 | Price, 1120-H included |
| PayHOApayhoa.com/pricing | 3 of 5 | $54–$275/mo | From $399 extra | $2.45 | Lower starting price, unlimited texts |
| AppFolioappfolio.com/pricing | 1 of 5 | From $1.49/home/mo | Not offered | $2.49 | Larger management portfolios |
| TownSqtownsq.io/pricing | 0 of 5 | $90–$270/mo | Not offered | ~$1.50 | Resident app, if your manager runs it |
HSAT: one point per question passed on the entry plan. Prices checked against each vendor's pricing page, Oct 20, 2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
RunHOA
RunHOA costs $399 a year for any number of homes and generates Form 1120-H. RunHOA lists no bank connection.
PayHOA
PayHOA starts at $54 a month for up to 25 homes, with unlimited texts and calls. PayHOA charges extra for the 1120-H.
Who should stay on Buildium?
When Buildium is still the right call
- A bookkeeper or manager already runs Buildium for other properties.
- You manage rentals alongside the association.
- Your board relies on Buildium's deeper report builder.
Leaving Buildium
How do you switch from Buildium?
- Run Buildium's reports for owner balances, the general ledger and bank registers; Buildium doesn't export every ledger in one file.
- Load them into the new tool and match opening balances to the bank.
- Run both for one dues cycle, then turn off Buildium's online payments.
What else do boards ask about Buildium?
Is Buildium good for HOAs?
Buildium works for HOAs with a bookkeeper or manager, and it includes violations and architectural requests. Buildium is built mainly for rental property management, and most of its reviews come from landlords.
How much does Buildium cost for an HOA?
Buildium's Essential plan costs $80 a month for up to 40 association homes, billed monthly. Larger communities need Growth, from $192 a month, or a quote.
Does Buildium prepare the 1120-H?
No. Buildium e-files 1099s but doesn't prepare Form 1120-H, so the board needs a CPA or another tool for the yearly return.
Do homeowners pay fees on Buildium?
Yes. Homeowners pay $2.35 per bank transfer on Essential, $0.99 on Growth and nothing on Premium, plus 2.99% per card payment.
Outgrowing Buildium's Essential plan?
Bring your Buildium reports and try Kahoa
Thirty days, no card. Kahoa builds the ledger from your export and last year's bank statements.
$50a month, flat, at any size. The 1120-H is included.