The Buildium alternative built for Canada.
Buildium is a powerful US-first PMS, but Canadian landlords often hit walls: no provincial notice library, no CRA exports, USD-first billing, and pricing that scales aggressively past 10 units. Central Rentals was built in Edmonton, by Canadian landlords, for Canadian landlords.
Central Rentals vs Buildium — feature by feature
| Feature | Central Rentals | Buildium |
|---|---|---|
| Built for Canada | Edmonton-headquartered | US-first; CAD is an add-on |
| Provincial lease generator (all 13) | All 13 provinces + Quebec TAL | US lease templates only |
| Provincial notices (N1-N13, Form A, RTDRS, TAL) | Every provincial form | No provincial notices |
| Stripe rent collection in CAD | Native CAD + auto-reconciliation | USD-first; CAD via workaround |
| CRA T776 + NR4 + T5013 exports | 1-click export at tax time | US tax forms (1099) |
| Tenant screening (credit + ID + landlord) | 90-second 3-check pull | Via TransUnion partner |
| Rent reported to Equifax + TransUnion | Free for tenants | Not available in Canada |
| Smart assistant (Mark) — leases, listings, replies | Built-in | Basic add-on, US$/mo extra |
| Maintenance triage + work-order routing | Auto-triaged + vendor routing | Robust, but US-focused vendors |
| Free 14-day trial — no credit card | 14 days, no card | 14 days, credit card required |
| Starting price (per unit / month, CAD) | $0.99CAD / unit / month | $58 USDMinimum + per-unit fees |
If you're a Canadian landlord with under 50 units, you're paying for Buildium features you can't use. Central Rentals gives you the Canadian-specific features Buildium doesn't, for ~25× less.
Frequently asked questions
Is Central Rentals cheaper than Buildium?
Yes. Central Rentals starts at CA$0.99 per unit per month with a free 14-day trial. Buildium starts at $58 USD — typically 25-300× more for small Canadian portfolios.
Does Buildium support Canadian provincial leases?
No — US lease templates only. Central Rentals ships native provincial lease generators for all 13 provinces and territories, including the Quebec TAL and the Ontario Standard Lease (Form 2229E).
Can I export to T776 / NR4 / T5013 with Buildium?
No — US tax forms (1099). Central Rentals generates CRA-ready exports at tax time with one click.
How long does it take to switch from Buildium to Central Rentals?
Most landlords with under 25 units move in under 90 minutes. We import tenants + leases + recurring rent schedules directly from CSV exports. No long-term contract, cancel anytime.