Buyer's guide
How to choose the right software plan
Choosing the plan for condominium management software is not just about the monthly price: it means estimating how many buildings you will manage a year from now, which features you actually need, and what each building really costs at scale. A property manager handling 8 buildings has different needs from a firm handling 80, both in terms of the number of users who need access and the internal control features required. This guide sets out a method for comparing plans without being guided only by the price list label: number of buildings as the basis for calculation, a list of genuinely necessary features versus merely desirable ones, room for growth, and the actual cost per building managed, extras included.
Checklist for choosing the right plan
- I counted the buildings managed today, including any aggregated complexes with separate legal entities
- I estimated expected growth over the next 12 to 24 months
- I separated mandatory features (statements, cost allocation, meetings, privacy) from merely convenient ones
- I checked whether the plan includes the required accounting ledger
- I calculated the monthly cost divided by the number of buildings included, not just the plan price
- I checked the cost of any extra modules (resident app, portal, supplier management)
- I asked what happens, in terms of cost and migration, if I exceed the plan's building limit
- I checked whether a dedicated module for supplier and contract management is needed
- I compared at least two or three price lists using the same method, not just the entry price
The number of buildings is the first variable, not the only one
Most property management software price lists scale by number of buildings managed, not by number of users or units. Before comparing two plans, it helps to answer a simple question: how many buildings are managed today, and how many are expected in the next 12 to 24 months. A growing firm managing 15 buildings today but aiming for 25 should consider the higher tier from the start, or check the cost of upgrading later, because switching plans mid year often means data migration and reconfiguration.
Pay attention to aggregated complexes as well: if the firm manages groupings of several buildings, each with its own separate legal entity, check whether the software counts the aggregation as a single unit or as the sum of the individual buildings that compose it, since this affects how it is counted against the plan limit.
Separate necessary features from merely desirable ones
Before looking at plans, it helps to draft two separate lists: what is genuinely needed today to meet legal obligations and the firm's own practice, and what would be convenient but is not essential. The first list typically includes:
- financial statements with cost allocation by ownership shares and an accounting ledger
- meeting notice and minutes management, including proxies and quorum tracking
- installment and payment reminder management for unit owners
- traceable storage of mandatory documents (contracts, policies, minutes)
- handling of residents' personal data in compliance with GDPR
Cost per building, not the plan price
The right comparison is not between the monthly price of two plans, but between the monthly cost divided by the number of buildings that plan actually allows. A plan that costs twice as much but allows twice as many buildings has the same unit cost, though it may include additional features the cheaper plan lacks, which should be assessed separately.
Also keep in mind extras that often do not appear in the headline price: cost of add on modules (resident portal, resident app, supplier management), data migration cost if switching software, and any cost for exceeding the plan's building limit during the year.
A practical method for comparing plans
To reach a reasoned rather than instinctive choice, it helps to compare plans in a table with these columns: number of buildings included, monthly or annual cost, cost per building, features included against the list of requirements, and room for growth before needing to change plan. AmministraPro publishes a price list with tiers differentiated by number of buildings managed, with the features included in each tier described in detail on the features page and the pricing page, a useful reference even just to build a comparison table against other providers.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth choosing the largest plan right away to avoid changing later?
It depends on the firm's actual growth rate. If growth to 25 buildings is already planned for the coming months, starting with the higher tier avoids data migration and reconfiguration mid year. If growth is only a distant possibility, it is better to start with the plan sized to the current number of buildings and check how easy and costly it is to upgrade when it is actually needed, rather than paying for unused capacity from day one.
How do you calculate the real cost per building of a plan?
Divide the monthly or annual cost of the plan by the maximum number of buildings that plan allows, not by the number of buildings currently managed. This puts different plans on the same basis and avoids the mistake of choosing a plan that looks cheap but, relative to the buildings it actually allows, costs more than one that appears more expensive.
Does an aggregated complex with separate legal entities count as one building or several in the price list?
This needs to be checked case by case with the provider, since the convention varies. An aggregated complex is a grouping of several buildings, each often with its own separate legal entity: some software counts the whole complex as a single billing unit, others sum up the individual buildings it comprises. On AmministraPro this is described on the features page dedicated to buildings and building complexes.
Which features are truly indispensable in a plan, regardless of price?
Those tied to a property manager's legal obligations: financial statements with cost allocation by ownership shares and an accounting ledger, meeting notice and minutes management, traceability of mandatory documents, and GDPR compliant handling of residents' data. Everything else, resident portals, apps, additional automations, should be assessed against the specific needs of the firm rather than treated as a legal minimum.
How does AmministraPro help compare plans before choosing?
AmministraPro's pricing page lists plans by number of buildings managed, with the features included in each tier described on the features page, making it possible to run the same cost per building and feature comparison against other providers before deciding.
Try AmministraPro
Accounting, thousandths-based cost splitting, meetings, communications and artificial intelligence in a single Italian software, compliant with UNI 10801 and GDPR.