Alternatives to Costar? MultiFamily specific

[Mikai Stewart]

Hey there, BP community, wondering if anyone has any recommendations for software for a small MF operator? I had a demo with Costar and can definitely see its use case, but it's pricey.  I was looking into RealPage, but wanted to hear from more experienced users. 

[Ebonie Beaco]

Hi Mikal!  Great question. As someone who works with real estate investors every day (and invests myself), I can tell you that the “right” software really depends on the size of your portfolio, your budget, and what you want to track.

CoStar is powerful, but you’re absolutely right — it’s expensive and often overbuilt for small multifamily operators. RealPage is strong too, but it tends to be better suited for mid- to large-size portfolios with more units under management.

For smaller multifamily operators, here are a few alternatives that offer solid analytics without the CoStar/RealPage price tag:

• Stessa – Free to start, and great for tracking income, expenses, and property performance.

• AppFolio (Lite) – Has a smaller-operator version now with solid reporting and tenant tools.

• Buildium – Very user-friendly for operators under 50–75 units, with strong accounting and management features.

• REI Hub – Clean financial tracking, great for smaller portfolios.

• Mashvisor or PropStream – Not management platforms, but excellent for rental comps and market data if you’re still analyzing deals.

If you’re primarily looking for market data, rent comps, and underwriting, you might also consider pairing something like PropStream or Privy with a lighter management platform. It’s often cheaper and gives you exactly what you need without the enterprise-level pricing.

If you want, I’m happy to share what I use personally and what my investor clients prefer depending on their unit count and strategy. Just let me know your size and what features matter most to you — analytics, rent comps, underwriting, or property management.

Hope this helps!