You are in charge of keeping tabs on finances, overseeing property and lease data, and even managing tenant relations as a commercial real estate owner. Having the tools and technologies that keep everything functioning properly is crucial when you have a lot on your plate. After all, there are a lot of moving components involved in managing commercial properties. That’s why many platforms advertise themselves as commercial property management software, promising to handle these tasks for you. However, not all solutions are created equal, so how do you choose between them?
First, it’s important to decide what your biggest business needs and priorities are. Then, compare your list of priorities to the services offered by different programs to find one that most closely matches what you’re looking for. Here, we’ll get you started by performing a side-by-side comparison of two major commercial real estate platforms: STRATAFOLIO vs. AppFolio.
Core Focus
STRATAFOLIO
Retail, office, and medical spaces are among the commercial real estate portfolios for which STRATAFOLIO is designed. Properties with multi-year leases are its main focus. The platform is especially made for companies with intricate portfolio structures, like syndicated ownership and LLCs. As such, it supports commercial property managers, owners, and investors by handling complex leases like triple-net (NNN) structures. STRATAFOLIO is a QuickBooks-approved app, available on the App Store for both QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.
AppFolio
While its customer base may vary, AppFolio’s strength is in serving third-party property managers of multifamily residential portfolios. They also accommodate commercial real estate, but their main focus is residential assets. The tools and accounting features are designed with multifamily properties in mind. These tools may not fully translate to commercial or mixed-use portfolios with a variety of property types. It is suited to handling residential leases for small- to mid-size real estate businesses, though it has a required minimum of fifty units to purchase.
Financial & Accounting Features
STRATAFOLIO
STRATAFOLIO includes a range of accounting consolidation features. These cover cash flow, NOI tracking, and debt tracking, with debt metrics available at both the property level and across the entire portfolio. For owners, the ability to have a consolidated view on an entire portfolio is powerful. Additionally, automations for lease management, loan management, and 1-click common area maintenance (CAM) reconciliation offer streamlined and accurate workflows every time.
A complete two-way integration with both QuickBooks Desktop and Online allows real-time data syncing and supports a variety of accounting and tracking tools. STRATAFOLIO supports use of multiple QuickBooks accounts, allowing you to clearly separate your finances.
AppFolio
AppFolio hosts its own accounting system, keeping information in a single location. However, accounting features are limited and do not allow a full view of the portfolio. Additional features may require separate fees. AppFolio does not offer full integration with QuickBooks. Instead, some third-party apps can be used to connect the two programs. However, because this link was not designed by either platform, it often leads to duplicate information or upload errors.
Accounting features focus on tenant interactions, including rent payment, late fees, and CAM charges, though some users report calculation issues with CAM.
Lease & Tenant Management
STRATAFOLIO
Tenant management and leases can be difficult, but STRATAFOLIO simplifies the process. Its 1-click CAM reconciliation, for instance, reduces errors and saves hours of labor. Accuracy like this not only saves time but also fosters tenant trust. Additionally, the platform keeps you on track with lease escalations and determines each tenant’s pro rata share.
It also sends automatic notifications for key dates like lease expirations and tracks important tenant details such as certificates of insurance (COIs). A tenant portal allows for easy rent collection with low ACH fees and maintenance request tracking.
AppFolio
Offers a tenant portal for rent payments, maintenance requests, and communications. The tenant portal supports ACH payments, though these are subject to a high fee. AppFolio is not designed to support complex commercial leases, and does not track key commercial lease information.
Reporting Tools
STRATAFOLIO
STRATAFOLIO offers detailed tracking of metrics, such as property performance, occupancy, expenses, rent roll, and lease details. You can shift between individual properties or view the entire portfolio to identify trends and potential issues. STRATAFOLIO also provides for the creation of unlimited personalized reports for internal use or investors.
AppFolio
AppFolio makes it easy to track and report on daily property management tasks, but the focus is mainly on residential needs. It doesn’t provide a portfolio-wide view of key metrics like cash flow, and customizing reports to fit your business can be tricky.
Integration & Customization
STRATAFOLIO
You can easily find accurate, updated information in real time with STRATAFOLIO’s full, two-way integration with QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online. Access a variety of reliable accounting tools, automations, and reports for a clear view of exactly what you need. STRATAFOLIO also boasts A.I. tools for additional support.
AppFolio
AppFolio does not integrate with QuickBooks and is designed for accounting and management to happen in one centralized location. However, limited features may require users to purchase additional, unconnected tools to successfully grow their business. Reports and information views offer limited viewing and customization options. This means it may be difficult to get a complete understanding of financial data on a timely basis. Unlocking AppFolio’s full feature set requires paying extra fees for each tool or module beyond the basic package.
Customer Support
STRATAFOLIO
The platform offers full-service onboarding and training to prepare your team for success as efficiently as possible. This is a valuable service that often results in the identification of lost income opportunities. Support is readily available via phone, email, and AI from a team of accountants, bookkeepers, and QuickBooks Pro advisors for questions about onboarding or general use. The onboarding process is designed with commercial real estate in mind and includes data migration.
Beyond software comparisons, online blogs and knowledge base articles can help too. They clearly explain complex tasks, including CAM reconciliation, lease escalations, and portfolio management.
AppFolio
Offers support for owners, property managers, investors, and tenants via chat, email, or phone. Concerns submitted to online support tickets may require long wait times. Some users have noted that customer support does not have a deep-level understanding of the software.
Does not offer full-service onboarding. Users learn complex software at their own pace.
STRATAFOLIO vs. AppFolio: Summary
| Category | STRATAFOLIO | AppFolio |
|---|---|---|
| Core Focus | – Designed for commercial real estate (retail, office, medical). – Handles multi-year and complex leases (e.g., triple-net/NNN). – Built for owners, investors, and managers with complex portfolio setups. – Supports LLCs and syndicated ownership. | – Built mainly for residential property managers. – Supports some commercial assets but focuses on residential. – Suited for small-to-mid-size businesses with 50+ units minimum. |
| Financial & Accounting Features | -Two-way QuickBooks integration (Desktop + Online). – Real-time syncing across multiple QuickBooks accounts. – Automates lease management, loan tracking, and 1-click CAM reconciliation. – Strong accounting consolidation features. | – Proprietary accounting system (limited). -No direct QuickBooks integration (only via third-party apps). -Basic tools: rent collection, late fees, and CAM charges. – Extra fees for advanced features. |
| Lease & Tenant Management | – Automates CAM reconciliation and lease escalations. – Calculates pro-rata shares. – Tracks lease expirations and COIs. – Tenant portal with low ACH fees, rent collection, and maintenance requests. | – Tenant portal for payments, requests, and communication. Higher ACH fees. Designed for residential leases (limited commercial data tracking) |
| Reporting Tools | – Customizable reports (unlimited). – Tracks metrics: property performance, occupancy, expenses, rent roll, lease details. – Portfolio-wide or property-level view. | – Standard reports for daily property management. – Metrics tailored to residential needs. – No portfolio-wide reporting. – Limited customization options. |
| Integration & Customization | – Full QuickBooks Desktop & Online integration. – Multiple automations and reporting options. – AI support tools. | – No QuickBooks integration. – Limited customization for reports. – Extra fees for advanced modules. |
| Customer Support | -Full-service onboarding with data migration. – Phone, email, and AI support from accounting experts. – Training and detailed knowledge base (CAM, escalations, portfolio mgmt). | – Chat, email, and phone support. – No full-service onboarding. – Some users report limited technical expertise from support. |
Why STRATAFOLIO Could Be the Property Management Solution For You
When choosing new property management software, it is essential to gather as much information as possible. This makes comparing STRATAFOLIO vs. AppFolio an excellent first step in your research process. Ultimately, knowing what each software provides will allow you to make a smart pick that truly serves your business needs. STRATAFOLIO is here to help guide you in that process. For more information on what STRATAFOLIO can do for your commercial real estate business, schedule a free 1:1 demo today.
