Software has quietly become one of the fastest-growing expenses in property management. Between property management software, resident portals, leasing automation, and now AI-powered tools, many apartment owners are surprised to learn just how much they’re spending.
Recent industry data shows that companies spend between $4,800 and $9,000 per employee per year on software. For a property management team of 20, that can easily add up to nearly $100,000 annually. And that’s before factoring in hidden costs like overlapping systems, unused licenses, or unexpected price hikes.
If you’ve ever looked at your apartment management software bill and thought, “How did it get this high?”—you’re not alone.
Why Apartment Management Software Costs Keep Rising
There are several reasons why software prices across the industry are higher:
- Too many platforms, not enough oversight. It’s common for marketing, operations, and onsite teams to each bring on their own tools. Suddenly, you’re paying for multiple systems in order to keep your systems live.
- Annual price hikes from suppliers. Many SaaS providers quietly increase rates at renewal time. If gone unchecked, this can leave you with an unaccounted-for budget increase.
- Shadow IT. This can happen when a property manager signs up for a chatbot trial and forgets to cancel, or a leasing agent buys a Canva subscription. Small charges like this can add up—and often go unnoticed.
- Low license usage. Studies suggest up to 50% of corporate SaaS spend is wasted because companies pay for software that isn’t being used. While this number is lower for multifamily organizations, wasteful spending can often go unnoticed.
For apartment owners, this isn’t just a budgeting problem—it’s an NOI problem. Every dollar overspent on software eats into the value of your assets.
A Step-by-Step Playbook to Reduce Software Costs
Here’s a simple step-by-step strategy to help keep your apartment management software spend in check:
1. Inventory Everything
Create a list of every software contract with renewal dates and terms. Don’t forget to list software that you’re paying for on corporate credit cards.
2. Benchmark Your Spend
Calculate your total annual spend and divide by employee headcount. This will give you a good sense of your month-over-month charges, and can be compared to the $4,800–$9,000 per employee benchmark, in order to see if you’re overspending.
3. Eliminate Waste
Look for:
- Platforms no one logs into.
- Tools that duplicate each other (e.g., two design apps).
- Extra seats or licenses are going unused.
- Products that you used to use but forgot to cancel.
4. Assign a Software Manager
Designate one person to oversee software spending and track contracts and renewals. This process assigns clear accountability and avoids overlapping purchases.
5. Consolidate Tools
Where possible, choose suppliers who can help you with multiple functions, for example, marketing, leasing automation, and resident community. You’ll pay less when you bundle instead of buying them separately.
6. Review Quarterly
Set a recurring calendar reminder to review software spending every 90 days. Small leaks are easier to plug when caught early.
Why Managing Software Expenses Matters for Property Managers
Treating software spend like a controllable expense instead of a fixed cost can make a noticeable difference.
For example:
- Cutting duplicate subscriptions could help fund new projects or even special resident events.
- Negotiating contracts could free up dollars for advertising to spend when occupancy dips.
- Bundling software can simplify training while reducing costs.
In a business where NOI drives valuations, optimizing apartment management software costs is one of the easiest levers owners and managers can pull to raise asset value.
By auditing your tools, centralizing ownership, and consolidating where possible, you’ll not only save money—you’ll ensure your technology is truly supporting your properties, not draining them.
Ask Respage how you can bundle marketing and leasing and save 50% of your software costs.
From the desk of Ellen Thompson, Co-founder and CEO of Respage >> Since its founding, Respage has helped over 10,000 communities attract, engage, and retain residents. Its platform assists properties in generating leads, automating leasing, and managing reputation and social media. Thompson is also the Founder of Results Repeat, a digital marketing agency that has helped hundreds of companies create a digital presence and use SEO and paid marketing to generate more business online.
