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PayHOA vs Buildium
A volunteer-board dues-and-portal product versus a professional association / property-management platform. Different jobs, different buyers, different fee shapes.
This comparison exists because Google keeps pairing the two names. They should not be scored as substitutes.
PayHOA is for the treasurer. Pricing is published in unit bands. The product is assessments, ACH, reminders, mail, and a portal. Accounting is good enough for many small associations and not a CAM chart of accounts.
Buildium is for people whose job is management. Accounting is a real reason to buy it. So are permissions, portfolio features, and a resident/board workflow designed for staff. The fee shape (per unit, with a minimum) is the tell: it is priced like professional software.
A 40-unit self-managed HOA that “upgrades” to Buildium often buys complexity and a minimum fee. A management company that “downgrades” to PayHOA often buys a missing general ledger. Pick the buyer first; the software follows.
Verdict
Choose PayHOA if a volunteer board under ~100 units needs to collect dues and run a simple portal. Choose Buildium if a professional manager (or a mixed rental + HOA shop) needs a general ledger and staff workflows — and can live with per-unit pricing plus a monthly minimum.
| PayHOA | Buildium | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Straightforward dues, ACH, and a simple portal for volunteer boards. | Association accounting, portals, and operations for professional managers — and mixed rental + HOA shops. |
| Best for | Self-managed boards, typically under ~100 units, that want assessments, ACH, reminders, and a portal without a CAM sales process. | Management companies and larger associations that need a general ledger plus day-to-day CAM workflows in one system. |
| Audience | Self-managed boards | Professional CAMs |
| Typical unit fit | 1–250 units | 50+ units |
| Pricing model | Flat tier by size | Per-unit fee |
| Pricing notes | Model is published flat monthly tiers by unit-count band. Payment processing is extra. Stronger as dues-and-portal than fund accounting. Verify current tiers on their pricing page. | Model is per-unit with a notable monthly minimum (published in broad strokes). Payment processing is extra. Built for staff, not a weekend treasurer. Verify current minimums on their site or with sales. |
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