AppFolio is enterprise software for large PM companies. Shuk is for landlords and property managers up to 200 units, with flat pricing and no minimums.
The 30-second view on which platform fits which landlord.
You run a 200+ unit PM firm with staff, need trust accounting, and can absorb a multi-month rollout.
You manage up to 200 units and want every feature in your base plan.
AppFolio is enterprise property management software purpose-built for 200+ unit portfolios, with deep trust accounting and Realm-X AI for leasing. Below that threshold, you are probably over-buying: the $298 to $7,500 monthly minimums and $400 to $5,000 onboarding fee dwarf what you would pay on a focused tool. Shuk is $5 per unit flat with no minimums, live in less than a week, and now ships unlimited multi-user with custom role-based access (Property Manager, Landlord, Renter, Invited Member) plus owner portals via the Invited Member role. Above 200 units, or where AppFolio's trust-accounting depth is a hard requirement, AppFolio is the right tool.
Pricing, fees, features, and the things landlords ask about most.
Product features that exist on Shuk's platform today and have no equivalent on Avail.
Send us your units and details and we will set everything up for you.
We help set up rent collection and guide you through how to confidently use Shuk.
We guide renters through onboarding and make sure your portfolio is fully activated.
Landlord pricing, tenant fees, and included features across both platforms.
Core
Plus $298/mo minimum. Plus $400 to $5,000 non-refundable onboarding fee.
Plus
Plus $960/mo minimum. Realm-X agentic AI suite included.
Shuk
No minimums. No onboarding fee. Volume discount at 5+ units.
"Shuk Rentals has helped me receive tenant payments faster than competing platforms. The built-in service provider feature also gives landlords access to reliable, high-quality professionals, making maintenance and repairs easier and more efficient."
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Dan M.
"Shuk allowed me to secure trustworthy tenants more than 60 days prior to lease end date. Tenants searched for my property based on lease dates. For a small property owner, any vacancy is a huge hit, so this feature gave me incredible peace of mind."
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David B.
"Recently started using Shuk and it makes my experience as a renter so smooth and easy! Easy to get set up and super convenient to have access to everything in one place."
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Amanda S.
"I love the lease renewal indicator tool. That is super cool."
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Lori G.
"The Lease Indication Tool is a standout-it helps me predict which tenants are likely to renew, so I can plan ahead, avoid vacancies, and keep providing great places to live. It's smart, intuitive, and makes property management easier and more rewarding than ever!"
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Leule A.
Our founding team includes landlords with 15+ years of experience managing their own properties. Shuk was built to solve the problems we lived every day.
Find answers to common questions about our products and services
How does Shuk help me reduce vacancies and improve lease renewals?
What happens if a tenant doesn’t renew—how does Shuk help?
Can I see how Shuk works before committing?
Are there fees for ACH (bank) payments via Shuk?
How many users can I add to Shuk?
What does Shuk cost?
How quickly can I set up my properties on Shuk?
Is Shuk secure for processing rent payments?
What roles does Shuk support?
Can I customize what each role can see and do?
What landlords typically ask when comparing Shuk to this platform.
For most landlords under 200 units, AppFolio is overkill. The Core plan has a $298 per month minimum regardless of unit count, so a 50-unit landlord effectively pays about $5.60 per unit. Plus a $400 to $5,000 non-refundable onboarding fee. Plus 3 to 9 months of implementation before going live. The enterprise features (multi-property accounting, owner portals, vendor portals) are real but most independent landlords don't use them. Shuk is $5 per unit per month flat with no minimums, no onboarding fee, and live in less than a week.
AppFolio has deeper enterprise features built for 200+ unit portfolios: multi-property general ledger, vendor portals with bid management, Realm-X agentic AI for leasing automation, custom reporting dashboards. If you need that scale and depth, AppFolio is the right tool. If your portfolio is up to about 200 units, Shuk's base plan covers what most landlords and PMs actually use day to day, including unlimited multi-user access with four fully customizable role types (Property Manager, Landlord, Renter, Invited Member) and owner portals live via the Invited Member role with custom view, read, and write permissions. Native monthly owner statements and 1099 e-filing are still on the roadmap.
Sauder Schelkopf opened a class-action investigation in 2023 over AppFolio's $2.49 per eCheck fee charged to tenants for rent payments. The argument centers on whether the fee structure was adequately disclosed to renters and whether it constitutes an undisclosed surcharge. The investigation is ongoing. Shuk absorbs the ACH cost on both sides on every plan, so tenants pay nothing per payment.
On a 50-unit portfolio: AppFolio Core runs $298 per month minimum ($3,576 per year) plus $400 to $5,000 non-refundable onboarding ($3,976 to $8,576 first year). Shuk runs $250 per month ($3,000 per year) with no onboarding fee, plus volume discount available. On a 100-unit portfolio: AppFolio Core is $1,490 per month ($17,880 per year) plus onboarding ($18,280 to $22,880 first year). Shuk is $500 per month ($6,000 per year). The gap widens as portfolios grow.
Not in the same form. AppFolio's Lisa AI Leasing Assistant and the broader Realm-X suite are designed for high-volume professional PM workflows: 24/7 prospect intake, automated tour scheduling, follow-up sequences. For independent landlords with 1 to 100 units, that scale of automation rarely fits the workflow. Shuk's AI investment is on the retention side: the Lease Indication Tool polls tenants 6 months before lease end to predict renewal likelihood, and behavioral renewal AI is in active development. Different problems, different priorities.
Shuk's onboarding team migrates your properties, tenants, leases, and historical payment records. Most setups are live in less than a week. You can run both platforms in parallel during the transition month so no rent collection cycle is interrupted. Compare this to AppFolio's typical 3 to 9 month implementation on Core and 6 to 12 months on Plus and Max.
Book a free 20-minute call with Oliver. He's managed rentals for 15 years. Whatever you're dealing with, he's probably dealt with it too.
We'll handle the migration. You'll be set up in less than a week.
