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Award winning property management software. Trusted by 80,000+ landlords and letting agents.

Overview: Stessa vs Landlord Studio

Landlord Studio is rental property accounting software built accounting-first for self-managing landlords who treat their rentals like the business they are. Stessa started as a free portfolio dashboard for real estate investors who wanted to monitor performance, then layered on rent collection, tenant screening, and an embedded banking account.

Both track income and expenses, but only one was engineered to give you audit-ready books and tax-ready reports without compromise.

Landlord Studio is a full rental property accounting all-in-one.

Its core strengths cover the everyday and the financial: online rent collection, tenant screening, listings, and maintenance, plus automated bank feeds, AI receipt scanning, Xero integration, and Schedule E reports.

All of it is standard on PRO at $12 a month, with a free GO plan for up to three units. You get transaction-level reporting and unlimited receipt capture on the entry-level paid plan, with no second subscription to keep the books clean as the portfolio grows.

Stessa is built around portfolio monitoring and embedded banking.

Its strengths are a genuinely useful free Essentials tier with unlimited properties, automatic bank feeds, and a Cash Management account paying competitive APY with FDIC pass-through coverage, plus screening through sister company RentPrep.

The trade-off for landlords serious about their books: no Xero integration, simplified single-entry accounting, and unlimited receipt scanning and advanced reports locked behind the Pro tier at $28 a month, more than double PRO.

Landlord StudioStessa
Pricing & setup
Starting priceFree for up to 3 units, paid plans from $12/moFree Essentials, paid plans from $12/mo (billed annually)
Built for landlordsPurpose-built, accounting-firstInvestor portfolio dashboard
Xero integrationYes, two-way syncNot supported
Income & expense tracking
Automated bank feedsIncluded on all paid plansIncluded, even on free
AI receipt scanningUnlimited on PRO ($12/mo)Unlimited only on Pro ($28/mo)
Transaction-level reportingFull and customizableSimplified single-entry
GPS mileage trackingBuilt-inNot supported
Reporting & tax
Landlord-specific reports15+ built-inCore reports; advanced on Pro
Schedule E exportOne-click on paid plansOn Manage and Pro
Accountant accessDirect accountant portalReport sharing
Rent & tenants
Online rent collectionBuilt-inBuilt-in
Tenant screeningBuilt-in (TransUnion)Via RentPrep
Native mobile appiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
Best forLandlords who want real accounting depthInvestors who want a free dashboard and banking
Accounting Data Screens

Why landlords are choosing Landlord Studio over Stessa

Category reports for accounting
Reporting Document
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Landlord Studio

Appfolio

Income & expense tracking

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Manual expense tracking

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Recurring expenses

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Automated bank feeds

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Smart receipt scanner

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Automatic mileage tracker

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Portfolio dashboard

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Online rent collection

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Collect rent online

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Receipts and reminders

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Collect deposit online

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Control partial payments

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Tenant auto-pay

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Reporting & tax returns

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Integration with Xero

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Tax reporting

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Accountant collaboration

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Find & screen tenants

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Create a listing

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Manage applicants

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Screen applicants

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Property maintenance

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Track Maintenance Tasks

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Tenant Portal

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Document storage

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Native iOS and Android app

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Limited functionality

End to end property management software

From finding tenants and collecting rent to managing maintenance requests, our suite of features will help you save time and run a professional and scalable property portfolio.

FAQs

Is Landlord Studio a good Stessa alternative?

Yes. Landlord Studio is a strong Stessa alternative for landlords who want serious accounting. It adds Xero integration, transaction-level reporting, and unlimited AI receipt scanning on the $12-a-month PRO plan, alongside online rent collection, tenant screening, and one-click Schedule E reports.

Does Stessa integrate with Xero?

No. Stessa does not offer a Xero integration. Landlord Studio includes a two-way Xero sync on its paid plans, so your rental bookkeeping stays connected to your wider accounting.

Is Stessa free?

Stessa's Essentials plan is free and includes unlimited properties, bank feeds, and online rent collection. Advanced reporting, Schedule E, and unlimited receipt scanning require the paid Manage ($12/mo annually) or Pro ($28/mo annually) plans.

Can I track income and expenses by property in both?

Yes, both track income and expenses by property. Landlord Studio offers fuller, customizable transaction-level reporting, while Stessa uses a simplified single-entry approach designed for portfolio monitoring.

Which is better for tax time?

Landlord Studio includes one-click Schedule E reports on its entry-level paid plan plus a direct accountant portal. Stessa offers Schedule E reporting on its Manage and Pro tiers.

Can I switch from Stessa to Landlord Studio?

Yes. You can set up your properties in minutes, connect your bank feeds, and import historical transactions, with guided onboarding and support to help you move across.