Comparison
Darcy vs AppFolio: pricing, AI, and which to choose (2026)
Quick answer
AppFolio Property Manager publishes three per-unit plans as of October 2026: Core from $1.49, Plus from $3.20, and Max from $5.00 per unit per month, with a 50-unit minimum on Core and an unpublished minimum spend. Darcy costs $2 per unit per month for the whole system and all of its AI agents. AppFolio Core costs less per unit than Darcy, but AppFolio puts Realm-X Flows, the Accounting Performer, and its leasing CRM on the higher plans.
Choose Darcy
Choose Darcy if you want one per-unit price that includes every module and every AI agent, and you want agents to prepare collections, renewals, and the month-end close for your team to review.
Choose AppFolio Property Manager
Choose AppFolio if you want the lowest published entry price per unit (Core at $1.49), a large public vendor, and a mature ecosystem of AppFolio Stack integrations and APIs.
Quick verdict
AppFolio and Darcy are both complete property management systems with AI built in. The main difference is how each one packages AI. AppFolio includes the Realm-X assistant on every plan, but it puts workflow automation (Realm-X Flows), the Accounting Performer, and its leasing CRM on the Plus and Max plans. Darcy charges one price, $2 per unit per month, for every module and every agent.
On price alone, AppFolio Core is cheaper than Darcy at list price. AppFolio Plus and Max cost more than Darcy at every portfolio size.
Side-by-side comparison
Darcy | AppFolio Property Manager | |
|---|---|---|
Price model | Per unit per month, one plan | Per unit per month, three plans |
Starting price | $2 per unit per month | Core $1.49, Plus $3.20, Max $5.00 per unit per month (starting prices) |
Minimums | Ask us | 50-unit minimum on Core; minimum spend on all plans (amount not published) |
Payment fees | ACH $2.50; card 2.85% + $0.30 | Not published |
AI | Agents for resident messages, collections, renewals, maintenance triage, leasing follow-up, month-end close | Realm-X on all plans; Flows and Accounting Performer on Plus and Max; Leasing Signals on Max |
API | Ask us | Read-only on Plus, read/write on Max, none listed on Core |
Segments | Residential, commercial, associations, affordable, investment entities | Residential, multifamily, single-family, student, affordable, association, commercial |
Migration | Imports AppFolio exports directly | Not applicable |
Prices are as of October 2026.
Where AppFolio is stronger
AppFolio has real advantages, and some portfolios should choose it.
Lower entry price. Core starts at $1.49 per unit per month. That is below Darcy's $2 per unit for any portfolio that meets AppFolio's minimums.
AI on every plan. AppFolio says Realm-X is available on all plans. Realm-X takes natural-language requests, runs multi-step tasks, and builds workflows and dashboards from a prompt.
A wide set of AI agents. AppFolio's Realm-X Performers include a Leasing Performer for email, text, and phone. An Accounting Performer codes invoices and helps with the close and budgets. There is also a Resident Messenger Performer, and a Receptionist Performer that answers and routes calls.
Integrations and APIs. AppFolio Stack integrations are standard on Core. Plus adds a read-only API and Max adds a read/write API. In June 2026, AppFolio added a Realm-X connector that lets operators trigger AppFolio workflows from Anthropic's Claude.
Scale and stability. AppFolio is a public company founded in 2006. In 2026 it named Amazon Web Services its preferred cloud provider and announced a banking partnership with Column.
Where Darcy is stronger
One price for everything. Darcy's $2 per unit covers leasing, maintenance, accounting, and all AI agents. With AppFolio, a team that wants Flows or the Accounting Performer must move to Plus at $3.20 or more per unit.
Agents for daily operations work. Every morning, Darcy ranks who is behind on rent and why. It writes each tenant a message with the exact balance, and it sets up payment plans and past-due notices by your rules. For leases that end in 60 to 90 days, it prices the renewal from comparable units and the tenant's history.
Maintenance triage from photos. When a resident sends photos, Darcy suggests the category, trade, and urgency before the request is filed. It recommends a vendor and a visit window, and it pages on-call staff for emergencies.
A visible review step. Darcy starts by preparing work for your team to approve. You hand it more work one type at a time, and every action shows the records it used.
Published payment fees. Darcy lists its ACH and card fees. The AppFolio pricing page does not list payment fees.
Cost at 100, 500, and 2,000 units
Both vendors publish per-unit prices, so we can compare list prices. AppFolio's figures are starting prices. AppFolio also applies a minimum spend that it does not publish, so your quote can be higher.
Units | Darcy ($2) | AppFolio Core ($1.49) | AppFolio Plus ($3.20) | AppFolio Max ($5.00) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100 | 100 x $2 = $200 | 100 x $1.49 = $149 | 100 x $3.20 = $320 | 100 x $5.00 = $500 |
500 | 500 x $2 = $1,000 | 500 x $1.49 = $745 | 500 x $3.20 = $1,600 | 500 x $5.00 = $2,500 |
2,000 | 2,000 x $2 = $4,000 | 2,000 x $1.49 = $2,980 | 2,000 x $3.20 = $6,400 | 2,000 x $5.00 = $10,000 |
All figures are per month, before payment fees. At 500 units, Darcy costs $255 more per month than AppFolio Core and $600 less per month than AppFolio Plus.
Payment fees are separate. Darcy charges $2.50 per ACH payment and 2.85% + $0.30 per card payment. AppFolio does not publish its payment fees, so ask for them in writing before you compare total cost. If most of your residents pay by ACH, the payment fees can change the result.
For a full breakdown of AppFolio's plans, read the AppFolio pricing guide.
Switching from AppFolio to Darcy
Darcy imports AppFolio exports directly. You upload your AppFolio exports and your lease PDFs. Darcy's Migration agent stages every record and flags errors and duplicates. It proposes the import in batches that reconcile to your files' totals to the cent. Nothing goes in until you approve it, and you can undo each batch until other records depend on it.
Darcy migrates properties, units, unit types, owners, tenants and leases, opening balances, security deposits, and vendors. It reads lease PDFs into lease records. Darcy's team plans the move around your AppFolio renewal date, so you do not pay for two systems longer than needed.
Note that the AppFolio API is read-only on Plus and read/write on Max, and the pricing page lists no API on Core. Ask AppFolio which exports your plan supports before you give notice. The step-by-step checklist is in how to switch from AppFolio.
Who should pick each
Pick AppFolio if you want the lowest published entry price and you are comfortable with AI features split by plan. It also fits teams that depend on AppFolio Stack partners or its API. Pick Darcy if you want every agent at one price, and you want agents to prepare collections, renewals, maintenance triage, and the close for your team to review.
If you are still comparing, see AppFolio alternatives and AppFolio vs Buildium. To see Darcy on a portfolio like yours, book a demo.
Questions, answered
Is Darcy cheaper than AppFolio?
It depends on the AppFolio plan. At list price, AppFolio Core ($1.49 per unit) costs less than Darcy ($2 per unit). AppFolio Plus ($3.20) and Max ($5.00) cost more than Darcy at every portfolio size, as of October 2026.
Does AppFolio include AI on every plan?
AppFolio says Realm-X is available on all plans. Realm-X Flows and the Accounting Performer for bill entry and close start on Plus. Leasing Signals and the leasing CRM are on Max.
Does AppFolio have a unit minimum?
Yes. AppFolio Core requires at least 50 units, and every plan has a minimum spend. AppFolio does not publish the minimum spend amount.
Can Darcy import my AppFolio data?
Yes. Darcy imports AppFolio exports and lease PDFs. Each batch reconciles to your files' totals before anything is imported, and nothing is imported until you approve it.
Sources and method
We read each vendor’s own pricing and product pages, then review sites and news. Prices and features change, so confirm details with the vendor before you buy.
See Darcy run on a portfolio like yours
Tell us how many units you manage and which system you use today. We’ll show you which parts of your team’s week Darcy can take on.