Modern HOA management software

Built for self-managed communities

Buildium vs PayHOA: which is better for your HOA?

Updated Oct 20, 2026 · prices checked against each vendor's site

PayHOA is the better fit for most volunteer boards: PayHOA starts at $54 a month for up to 25 homes, with unlimited texts and calls and accounting on every plan. Buildium suits boards with a bookkeeper who wants property-management-grade reports, from $80 a month for up to 40 homes.

Kahoa makes Kahoa, a third option, so we show it beside both. Every claim links to the vendor's own page.

What are Buildium and PayHOA?

Buildium is property management software from RealPage, used by landlords and community association managers, with association plans from $80 a month for up to 40 homes.

PayHOA is HOA management software for volunteer boards and small management companies, priced in nine bands from $54 a month, with unlimited texts and calls.

Do Buildium and PayHOA pass the HSAT?

HOA Stewardship Accounting Standard

Buildium2 of 5

Fund accounting
No 1120-H
Price rises past 40 homes
Homeowner fees published
Full ledger export not self-serve

PayHOA3 of 5

Fund accounting
1120-H costs $399 more
Price rises with homes
Homeowner fees published
Self-serve export

Kahoa · our product5 of 5

Fund accounting
1120-H included
$50 at any size
Homeowner fees published
Export anytime, free

The HSAT is Kahoa's own five-question standard, not an official accounting standard. How the HSAT works

How do Buildium and PayHOA compare feature by feature?

checked Oct 20, 2026

Feature	Buildium	PayHOA	Kahoa
Fund accounting	Included	Included	Included
Violations	Included	Included	Included
Architectural requests	Included	Included	Included
Elections and voting	Committee voting only	Basic voting module	Included
E-signatures	Add-on	Not offered	Included
Email and text blasts	Included	Unlimited email, text and calls	Included
Mailed letters	Per-piece mail service	$1.05–$1.25 each	At postage cost
Form 1120-H	Not offered	From $399 extra	Included
Document storage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Data export	Partial	Self-serve CSV and PDF	Anytime, free
State-law deadlines and citations	Not offered	Not offered	Utah today

IncludedCosts extraNot offered or not published

Sources: buildium.com/pricing · payhoa.com/pricing · kahoa.app/pricing. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't list it publicly. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

How much do Buildium and PayHOA cost?

Buildium$80+/mo

Buildium's Essential plan covers up to 40 homes; Growth starts at $192 a month, and larger communities get a quote.

Online payments setup$99 per bank account

E-signaturesAdd-on

PayHOA$54–$275/mo

PayHOA's price rises through nine bands as homes are added. Accounting, violations and architectural requests are on every plan.

1120-H preparationfrom $399/yr

Mailed letter$1.05–$1.25

Kahoa · our product$50/mo

One flat price for any number of homes, with every tool included.

1120-H preparationIncluded

Mailed letterat postage cost

Board price	Smallest community	Largest band	Grows with homes?
Buildium	$80/mo	Growth from $192/mo, or a quote	Yes, past 40 homes
PayHOA	$54/mo	$275/mo minimum, 500+ homes	Yes, 9 bands
Kahoa	$50/mo	$50/mo	No

What do homeowners pay to send dues?

on a $250 dues payment

Software	Bank transfer	Card	Card, 12 payments
Buildium	$2.35	$7.48	$89.70
PayHOA	$2.45	$9.25	$111.00
Kahoa	$2.45	$7.55	$90.60

Buildium charges homeowners $2.35 per bank transfer on Essential and 2.99% by card; PayHOA charges $2.45 and 3.5% + $0.50. Buildium is cheaper for homeowners either way.

What do Buildium and PayHOA look like?

Buildium's bank reconciliation matching ledger entries to the bank feed — Buildium's bank reconciliation · image: Buildium help center

PayHOA's budget overview, budgeted against actual — PayHOA's budget overview, Apr 2026 · image: PayHOA help center

Where does each fall short?

Buildium

Buildium's Essential plan stops at 40 homes.
Buildium doesn't prepare the 1120-H.
Buildium's full ledger export isn't self-serve.

PayHOA

PayHOA's price climbs as homes are added.
PayHOA charges from $399 a year for the 1120-H.
PayHOA has no e-signatures.

Should you choose Buildium or PayHOA?

Who keeps the books?

A bookkeeper used to property-management software will feel at home in Buildium. A volunteer treasurer will find PayHOA simpler.

How many homes?

Under 25 homes, PayHOA costs $54 a month against Buildium's $80. Past 40 homes, Buildium moves to Growth pricing, so get a quote before comparing.

How much will homeowners pay?

Buildium's homeowner fees are lower on every payment. Weigh that against PayHOA's lower board price.

The third option · our product

What about Kahoa?

Kahoa is $50 a month for any number of homes, with fund accounting, bank feeds, voting, e-signatures and the 1120-H included. Kahoa launched in 2026, so it has the shortest track record of the three.

Start a 30-day trial

Kahoa's dues screen showing 34 of 47 homes paid — Kahoa's dues ledger · image: Kahoa

What else do boards ask?

Is Buildium or PayHOA cheaper?

PayHOA, for most HOAs: $54 a month up to 25 homes against Buildium's $80 up to 40. Above 100 homes, compare PayHOA's $142 band with Buildium's Growth price.

Which is better for a self-managed HOA?

PayHOA, for most self-managed boards, because it's built for volunteers and includes unlimited messaging. Buildium fits when a bookkeeper does the accounting.

Which has lower homeowner fees?

Buildium: $2.35 per bank transfer on Essential and 2.99% by card, against PayHOA's $2.45 and 3.5% + $0.50.

Does Buildium or PayHOA prepare the 1120-H?

PayHOA does, from $399 a year. Buildium e-files 1099s but doesn't prepare Form 1120-H.

Neither one quite right?

Try one that passes all five

Thirty days, no card. Bring last year's bank statements and Kahoa builds the ledger from them.

Start a 30-day trial See pricing

5 of 5on the HSAT, for $50 a month flat.