If your priority is clean books, not tenant finding, Landlord Studio and Stessa are the two names that come up most. Both are accounting-first landlord tools, both handle rent collection, and both are popular with DIY landlords. But they take opposite approaches: Stessa is the effortless, mostly-free option that automates categorization; Landlord Studio is the deeper, paid reporting engine with bank feeds and granular financials.
We set up both with the same properties, income, and expenses to compare real-world bookkeeping. Here's our honest, independent comparison.
Short answer: Stessa wins on price and simplicity — its free Essentials tier handles basic accounting beautifully. Landlord Studio wins on depth — for ~$12/month you get advanced reports, bank feeds, and per-unit profitability that Stessa's free tier can't match. Choose based on how much detail your bookkeeping needs.
At a Glance
| Feature | Stessa | Landlord Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✅ Essentials (full accounting) | ✅ Go (3 units) |
| Paid Plan | Manage $144-180/yr | Pro ~$12/mo + Pro Plus $28/mo |
| Accounting Depth | Good, simple | 🏆 Deeper, more detailed |
| Auto-Categorization | 🏆 More aggressive | Good |
| Bank Feeds | Yes | 🏆 Yes, more reliable |
| Rent Collection (tenant ACH) | $2.50 (waived on paid) | ~$1.75 |
| Reports | Schedule E, basic | 🏆 Advanced, per-unit |
| Best For | Free, simple bookkeeping | Detailed financial tracking |
Pricing verified August 2026 from official pricing pages; per-unit fees and tenant transaction fees noted where relevant.
Hands-on verification (August 2026): we created test accounts on Landlord Studio and Stessa, walked the accounting, Schedule E export, and rent-tracking flows on each side by side, and compared setup time, fee structures, and day-to-day usability inside the live dashboards — no marketing-page claims. Full rubric and test log: How We Test Landlord Software.
Pricing — Free vs ~$12/month
Stessa: The Essentials tier is genuinely free — property tracking, income and expense tracking, and Schedule E export with no cost. The paid Manage plan costs $144-180/year, adding rent collection, unlimited receipt scanning, and deeper tenant features.
Landlord Studio: The Go plan is free for up to 3 units. The Pro plan is about $12/month billed annually (includes 3 units, then roughly $1/unit extra), and Pro Plus is $28/month with advanced rental management and automated payments.
The real pricing question: if you only need basic accounting, Stessa's free tier covers it. If you need advanced reports and bank feeds, Landlord Studio's ~$12/month is cheaper than Stessa's $144/year for comparable paid features — while adding more depth.
Accounting Depth — Landlord Studio's Edge
This is the core difference. Landlord Studio is built as a bookkeeping tool: advanced reports, per-unit profitability, bank feeds, and more detailed financial breakdowns. For a landlord who treats their portfolio like a business, that depth matters — you can see exactly which property earns what, per month.
Stessa is simpler and more automated. Its categorization is more aggressive and hands-off, which suits landlords who want "set and forget" tracking. The trade-off: less granular reporting. Community reviews consistently note this split — Stessa is easier, Landlord Studio is more powerful.
Rent Collection Fees — Small but Real Difference
Both offer online rent collection, and tenants pay the transaction fees. Landlord Studio charges tenants about $1.75 per ACH transaction; Stessa charges $2.50 on its free tier (waived if you're on the paid Manage plan). It's a small difference per payment, but it adds up for landlords with many tenants paying monthly.
Schedule E & Tax Season
Both generate Schedule E reports. Stessa's Schedule E export is famously clean and automatic — most landlords find it sufficient. Landlord Studio's reports are more detailed and customizable, which is genuinely useful if your tax situation is complex (multiple properties, partnerships, depreciation tracking).
Mobile Experience & Ease of Use
Stessa has a reputation for being more intuitive — receipts snap, categories auto-fill, and the dashboard is approachable for non-accountants. Landlord Studio's mobile app is functional and has handy features like a rent calendar, but reviews note it's less polished and slightly less intuitive than Stessa. If ease of use is your top priority, Stessa pulls ahead.
Our Verdict
Choose Stessa if you want genuinely free, simple, automated bookkeeping — its Essentials tier handles most landlords' tax needs with zero cost.
Choose Landlord Studio if you treat your rentals as a business and need advanced reports, bank feeds, and per-unit profitability — ~$12/month is a fair price for real bookkeeping depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Landlord Studio or Stessa better for accounting?
Landlord Studio offers deeper financial reporting — advanced reports, bank feeds, and per-unit profitability breakdowns — while Stessa is simpler and automates transaction categorization more aggressively. Choose Landlord Studio for detailed bookkeeping, Stessa for effortless basic tracking.
How much does Landlord Studio cost?
Landlord Studio has a free Go plan for up to 3 units. The Pro plan is about $12/month billed annually (includes 3 units, then about $1/unit extra), and Pro Plus is $28/month. Stessa's free Essentials tier covers basic accounting, with Manage at $144-180/year.
Which charges tenants less for rent collection?
Landlord Studio charges tenants about $1.75 per ACH transaction, while Stessa charges $2.50 per ACH on its free tier (waived on the paid Manage plan). If tenants pay by card, both pass higher card fees to tenants — compare current fee schedules before choosing.
Do both support Schedule E for taxes?
Yes. Both generate Schedule E reports from tracked income and expenses. Stessa's Schedule E export is known for being clean and automatic, while Landlord Studio's reports are more detailed and customizable, which some landlords prefer for tax prep.
Should I use Landlord Studio or Stessa?
Choose Landlord Studio if you want deeper financial reporting, bank feeds, and are willing to pay ~$12/month for advanced bookkeeping. Choose Stessa if you want a free, simple accounting tool with automatic categorization and don't need deep reports — its Essentials tier is genuinely free.