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AppFolio vs MRI Software

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Our analysts compared AppFolio vs MRI Software based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Property Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features Analyst Ratings Comparison Charts User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
AppFolio Software Tool
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MRI Software Software Tool
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Product Basics

Analyst Rating

93 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Excellent User Sentiment (1847 Reviews)

Analyst Rating

86 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Great User Sentiment (79 Reviews)

AppFolio is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline property management tasks. It caters primarily to property managers and real estate professionals, offering a suite of tools that facilitate the management of residential and commercial properties. One of the key benefits of AppFolio is its ability to enhance operational efficiency through features such as online rent payments, maintenance request tracking, and automated property listing. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface and the way it simplifies daily management tasks, making it a popular choice among property management professionals. When compared to similar products, AppFolio stands out for its robust functionality and scalability, making it suitable for managing portfolios of various sizes. Pricing for AppFolio typically involves a monthly subscription fee, which may vary based on the number of units managed, emphasizing its flexibility and adaptability to different business needs.

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MRI is a real estate management suite consisting of four offerings: Platform X, Application Gateway, Analytix, and Secure Sign. Platform X helps integrate with third-party applications, create a centralized management environment and access information online. Application Gateway provides a single point of entry for Platform X, data integrations, cross-functional workflows and access to the MyMRI support portal.

Analytix includes reporting, data visualization, portfolio analysis, ad hoc querying and interactive dashboards. Secure Sign securely manages e-signatures, sets workflows for document management and streamlines transaction and contracts processes.
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$1.49/Unit, Monthly
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$55 Monthly
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Product Assistance

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Live Online
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Increase Visibility: Integrate and manage every property, resident and accounting data from a single platform. Track leads, leases and profitability from the dashboard. 
  • Streamline Communication: Maintain clear lines of communication throughout the organization and record interactions for easy year-end audits. Send and receive emails and text messages through a unified inbox. 
  • Spend Less Time on Admin Work: Automate recurring administrative tasks like rent collection, invoice generation, vacancy posting, utility tracking, report generation, bookkeeping and more. Streamline maintenance activities with smart workflows and AI. 
  • Embedded Intelligence: Leverage AI for tasks like analyzing rent structure, gathering performance insights, assisting prospects through the leasing process and streamlining screening and maintenance activities. 
  • Expedite Turnover Cycles: Always keep properties ready-to-rent and shorten the move-out and move-in cycles through regular updates on every maintenance and vacancy task. 
  • Promote Efficiency and Accountability: Minimize human errors and improve efficiency by automating operations. Promote accountability for activities with role-based user access and itemized history of tracked changes. 
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  • Reduce TCO: Save time and resources spent on software maintenance and IT infrastructure by hosting the platform on the vendor’s server. Ensure fast performance with tier 1 ISP and use Gartner Magic Quadrant for data center networking. 
  • Ensure Accuracy: Eliminate manual error by automating administrative tasks, ensuring accurate data entry across all fronts, including leasing, accounting, work order, invoicing and more. 
  • Streamline Accounting: Mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities using the accounting module that supports AP automation, vendor invoicing, property and tenant-specific ledgers, budgeting, forecasting, and more. 
  • Custom Integrations: Connect with over 150 partnered third-party software to add unique functionalities like rent analysis, ILS channels, marketing suite, payment processors and more. 
  • Centralize Management: Avoid working on disparate platforms and use unified software to manage marketing, maintenance and accounting of the entire portfolio. 
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  • Communication: Maintain a flat organization with clear communication between team members, managers, landlords and tenants. 
    • Individual Portals: Provide unique communication portals to associated parties based on their role. Tenants can pay rent, submit maintenance requests, interact with managers and view lease documents. Enables managers to communicate with multiple owners, issue work orders and send notifications and updates in bulk. Owners can track property-specific performance reports, assign tasks and transfer funds. 
    • Document Library: Maintain a centralized library of documents, leases and tenant information. Set role-based access permissions for each document. 
    • Board Member Management: Commercial property businesses can schedule board meetings, conduct polls on invoices and architectural requests, track votes and share documents and reports. 
    • Tenant Insurance: Tenants can submit proof of renter insurance or buy insurance provided by the vendor. Manage each policy and its maturity from the dashboard. 
    • Emails and Surveys: Email surveys, updates and notifications in bulk or send individually based on requirements. Offers unique surveys and text templates. 
    • Mobile App: Access the platform via any device and promote remote workflows. 
  • Accounting and Reporting: Gain visibility and make informed decisions faster. 
    •  Automate transaction recording and property-specific bookkeeping. 
    •  Offers CAM tracking and reconciling modules for commercial properties. 
    •  Use AI and machine learning to read PDF invoices from vendors, identify key information and automate accounts payable. 
    •  Leverage over 80 report templates and automate recurring report generation. Every template is customizable and updated frequently. 
    •  Customize the dashboard with real-time data visualizations and receive AI-driven performance insights. 
    •  Supports integration with personal banks and digital wallets to unify renting, accounting and reporting workflows. 
    •  Customize late fee processes. Set personalized rules in bulk or case-by-case waivers. 
    •  Manage multiple tenant accounts, track lease lifecycle and refund deposits directly from escrow. 
  • Marketing and Leasing: Generate leads, schedule showings, design leases and screen prospects from the dashboard. 
    • AI Leasing Assistant: Use an AI chatbot to automate property showing appointments, qualify leads according to set parameters, cross-sell units and answer FAQs. Respond to customer queries 24/7 through texts or emails. 
    • Omnichannel Marketing: Syndicate portfolio on multiple internet listing services (ILS) and manage every listing from the dashboard. Get real-time notifications upon each engagement and generate custom guest cards to track prospects. 
    • Personal Website: Design a personalized website with brand color and logo for portfolio marketing. Available at an extra cost. 
    • Rent Analysis: Retain a competitive edge by comparing rental prices of neighboring units to determine the best price for marketed properties. 
    • Virtual Showings: Accommodate prospects’ needs by scheduling and running live virtual tours of listed properties. Supports integrations with PropTech like smart locks and HVACs to facilitate self-guided property tours by prospects. 
    • Vacancy Management: Consolidate vacancy postings and tasks, view current status, and market units on multiple ILS from the unified dashboard. 
    • Tenant Screening: Screen every applicant’s credit score, eviction history, income verification and criminal record via TransUnion. Property managers can either pay for the reports or charge applicants. 
    • Leasing Hub: Design custom leases with personalized clauses and allow applicants to eSign them from anywhere. Track every lease lifecycle and set defaults for automatically updating lease dates, rent structures and statuses upon expiration. 
    • Student Housing: Supports lease and tenant management based on beds occupied. 
  • Maintenance: Streamline maintenance processes with AI and intelligent workflows. 
    • Smart Maintenance: Use the mobile app to receive maintenance requests, issue work orders and track progress. Set default rules to automatically dispatch pre-approved vendors. Accurately calculate the shared fee for common area maintenance and send invoices to renters. 
    • Vendor Onboarding: Vendors can access the platform, receive work orders, share status and send invoices. Automate bills payable and maintain records of work done for a clear audit trail. 
    • Utility Management: Track and charge each renter based on actual consumption and automate utility invoice processing. Use analytics to identify and fix leaks. 
    • Mobile Inspections: Perform mobile inspections, log issues and expedite turnovers. 
    • Auditing Center: View an itemized history of every activity and track changes made by team members and vendors. Use unique filters to identify and correct mistakes quickly. 
    • 24/7 Maintenance Contact Center: Deal with tenant calls, dispatch pre-approved vendors and input data directly to the user database. 
  • Team Management: Onboard unlimited team members, define role-based access levels and manage each person’s workflow. 
    • Training: Embed training manuals into the software to onboard new hires more easily. Centralize policies and procedures to ensure associates follow protocols while performing tasks. 
    • Task Management: Set tasks, assign staff and monitor progress with an interactive calendar. Team members can share tasks and customize workflows. 
    • Universal Search: Use the search bar to quickly navigate and find documents, records or data. 
  • Integrations: Supports integrations with personal marketing websites and third-party applications, including BlueMoon, CodeBox, Engrain, MatterPort and CIT. 
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  • Property Management: Manage residential and commercial properties under a comprehensive system and control the entire business lifecycle. Scale and adapt to strategic shifts with a customizable open API solution. 
  • Property Accounting: Centralize data, streamline accounting, comply with new lease regulations and automate payables from a unified dashboard. Additional capabilities can be added through integration with Partner Connect, giving access to third-party tools for accounts receivable automation, electronic payments, debt collection and more. 
  • Risk Management: Choose suitable residents, eliminate rental fraud and protect the community with the following tools: 
    • Identity Verification: Mitigate risks and prevent fraudulent parties from entering the property by verifying IDs before tours or showings. Leasing agents can perform unlimited scans to verify passports, driving licenses and more, and receive instant results. 
    • Resident Screening: Maximize financial performance and reduce delinquencies with a customizable screening process using a proprietary AccuScore analytical model. Tailor the process for all housing types, including conventional, affordable, public, military, student and senior housing. 
    • Multifamily Insurance: Include resident insurance as part of a lease to reduce liability. Protect properties, residents and owners in case of disasters and easily manage active policies and claims. 
  • Asset Management: Analyze investment opportunities, identify risks and manage assets at both the investment and property levels with the following: 
    • Investment Central: Monitor data from a central repository to manage investments and drill down on opportunities with a better-informed portfolio view and strategies. 
    • Asset Modeling: Monitor, analyze and forecast the current and future state of portfolio assets. Leverage sensitivity scenarios to anticipate market and tendency changes, and reduce risk exposure. 
    • Analytix Portal: Gain actionable insights and clean data with the flexible BI module. Visualize data, maximize performance, optimize profitability, analyze geospatial data and more. 
  • Debt Modeling: Model multiple contract debt scenarios for optimal deal structure and improve decision making with centralized storage of all data, an arrears calculation engine and comprehensive forecasting and reporting. 
  • Lease Abstraction: Save time and error by extracting data from leases using AI. Review leases with a proprietary Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine, converting them into machine-readable text. Each extracted data point is linked with the source material to maintain a complete audit trail. 
  • Lease Management: Access a single source for all data points for managing lease contracts, including start and end dates, security deposits, personalized clauses, lease terms, documentation and more. 
  • Lease Accounting: Maintain compliance with core accounting regulations, including ASC 840 and the new FASB ASC 842, IASB IFRS 16 and GASB 87 standards. Automate calculations, save time, reduce errors and maintain an accurate audit trail by capturing data at the source, eliminating multiple entries. 
  • Facility Management: Ensure on-time maintenance and provide improved services to tenants while decreasing costs and overheads with the following modules: 
    • Workspeed: Manage, view and create work orders and maintain accurate records. Leverage the industry’s best practices and standards to perform preventive maintenance and extend assets’ life spans. Provide managers, owners, tenants and vendors with a common messaging platform via the web-based mobile communication hub. 
    • Visitor Management: Provide building security personnel with an intuitive interface to register and check-in visitors and verify identification. Managers can access accurate, real-time lobby data, and residents can electronically pre-register guests. 
  • Space Management: Increase efficiency and reduce costs with better utilization of real estate space. Plan department allocation, CAD floor layouts, seating charts, personnel moves, space chargebacks and more. Streamline HR, IT and security team processes on a centralized platform. 
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Product Ranking

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#30

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Analyst Rating Summary

93
86
92
90
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71
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Business Operations
Dashboards and Reporting
Leasing
Marketing
Platform Capabilities
Platform Capabilities
Accounting & Financial Management
Leasing
Maintenance

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

AppFolio
MRI Software
+ Add Product + Add Product
Accounting & Financial Management Business Operations Dashboards And Reporting Leasing Maintenance Marketing Platform Capabilities 92 100 100 97 86 93 93 90 84 71 90 85 83 98 0 25 50 75 100
88%
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86%
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88%
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86%
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86%
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83%
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93%
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7%
93%
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7%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

75%
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1847 reviews
Great User Sentiment 79 reviews
92%
of users recommend this product

AppFolio has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 1847 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

87%
of users recommend this product

MRI Software has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 87% when considering 79 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

4.7 (14)
4.8 (4)
4.6 (187)
3.9 (9)
4.6 (1640)
4.4 (66)
4.2 (6)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated AppFolio and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Property Management Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Business Operations, Dashboards and Reporting and Integrations and Extensibility. AppFolio stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

Analysts' Pick Award
User Favorite Award
Business Operations Award
Dashboards and Reporting Award
Integrations and Extensibility Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Maintenance Management: 89% of users discussing this aspect said that they saved time with smart maintenance workflows.
Workflow Localization: According to 96% of users who reviewed this benefit, the software is feature-rich and localizes accounting, marketing and management workflows.
Ease of Use: It’s an intuitive platform that doesn’t require technical knowledge for beginners, as mentioned by 95% of users reviewing the user interface.
Collaboration: It provides an efficient centralized communication hub, according to 100% of reviews on native interactions.
Universal Search Bar: All the reviews on the search bar noted that it’s easy to locate documents and data throughout the organization.
Mobile App: Users can perform every major function remotely via the app, according to 88% of users reviewing the mobile app.
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Streamlined Accounting: MRI's capabilities simplify complex accounting tasks, such as managing multiple bank accounts and generating financial reports. The software also offers features like automated invoicing and online payment processing, which can save property managers time and effort.
Comprehensive Tenant Management: MRI provides tools for managing tenant information, including lease agreements, maintenance requests, and communication history. This can help property managers stay organized and efficient, and it can also improve communication and relationships with tenants.
Efficient Maintenance Management: MRI offers features for tracking maintenance requests, scheduling repairs, and managing vendor relationships. This can help property managers ensure that maintenance issues are addressed promptly and efficiently, which can improve tenant satisfaction and protect the value of the property.
Improved Reporting and Analytics: MRI provides a variety of reporting and analytics tools that can help property managers track key performance indicators, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. This information can be used to improve operations, reduce costs, and increase profitability.
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Integrations: It doesn’t support unique integrations with third-party software, according to 89% of reviews on backend connectivity.
Reporting: Reports generated through the platform lack customizations, as observed by 73% of reviews on the analytics module.
Accounting: Lack of automatic bank feeds and weekly recurring transactions and recording expenses without creating bills hinder smooth accounting, according to 57% of users reviewing the accounting module.
Customer Support: 67% of users mentioning customer support said that they were not satisfied with the support response time.
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Steep Learning Curve: Users report that MRI is not intuitive and requires extensive training to use effectively. The interface can be overwhelming for new users, and the software's complexity can lead to frustration and inefficiency.
Customization Challenges: While MRI offers customization options, users find the process to be cumbersome and time-consuming. Implementing custom features often requires assistance from MRI's support team or third-party consultants, which can be costly and inconvenient.
Reporting Limitations: Generating reports in MRI can be challenging due to the software's complex data structure and limited reporting capabilities. Users often need to export data to external tools for further analysis, which adds complexity to the reporting process.
Integration Issues: Integrating MRI with other software systems can be difficult due to compatibility issues and data mapping challenges. This can hinder data flow and create inefficiencies in workflows that involve multiple systems.
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AppFolio is an all-encompassing platform covering every aspect of property management. According to reviews, it’s an intuitive platform that localizes business processes and offers unique collaboration tools and a mobile app. Along with AI-embedded maintenance workflows, the universal search bar is one of its standout features. However, reviews noted that it’s difficult to understand a variety of nuanced features without proper training. Also, due to no open API, businesses should be wary of their existing software stack requiring integration with the platform. In conclusion, AppFolio is a robust management platform with various advanced features to support every kind of property. But the high cost, hit-or-miss support suite and scarce training resources can make it inconvenient for single landlords and managers with smaller portfolios.

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MRI Software has established itself as a leading contender in the property management software arena, boasting a comprehensive suite of features that cater to diverse needs within the real estate sector. Users frequently highlight its adaptability and scalability, enabling it to seamlessly accommodate the complexities of managing various property types, from residential complexes to commercial properties. The software's capacity to streamline essential tasks, such as lease administration, rent collection, and maintenance management, has garnered significant praise for its ability to enhance operational efficiency and optimize workflows. However, some users have noted that MRI Software's extensive functionality can lead to a steeper learning curve, particularly for those transitioning from simpler platforms. Additionally, while the software offers integration capabilities, some users have expressed a desire for more seamless connectivity with third-party applications to further enhance data synchronization and process automation. Despite these considerations, MRI Software's robust feature set, coupled with its adaptability and scalability, positions it as an ideal solution for property management companies, real estate investors, and businesses seeking a comprehensive platform to effectively manage their property portfolios.

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Screenshots

Top Alternatives in Property Management Software

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Head-to-Head Comparison

AppFolio VS Buildium
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