Stessa vs REI Hub: Which Is Better for Rental Property Accounting?

Stessa vs REI Hub: Which Is Better for Rental Property Accounting?

Stessa and REI Hub occupy nearly identical market positions: both are specialized accounting tools for rental property investors, both connect to bank accounts automatically, and both produce the Schedule E reports and property-level financials that real estate investors need at tax time. The difference is in the pricing model, feature depth, and secondary functionality.

Pricing Comparison

Stessa

• Essentials: Free — unlimited properties, automated bank feeds, Schedule E reports, income statement, net cash flow, rent roll, landlord banking (1.88% APY), tenant applications and screening, vacancy advertising, automated rent reminders and late fees, 5 receipt scans/month
• Manage: $15/month ($12/month billed annually) — adds accelerated rent payouts, maintenance tracking, lease templates, 1 e-signature/month, 60+ legal forms
• Pro: $35/month ($28/month billed annually) — adds advanced transaction tracking, budgeting and pro forma analysis, capital expense tracking, project expense tracking, unlimited portfolios, advanced reporting with full chart history, 7 e-signatures/month, priority chat support, 3.24% APY banking

REI Hub

REI Hub uses a unit-count-based model with no feature gating between tiers—every plan includes every feature:

• Up to 3 units: $15/month ($9/month billed annually)
• Up to 10 units: $25/month ($15/month billed annually)
• Up to 20 units: $45/month ($27/month billed annually)
• Unlimited units: $80/month ($48/month billed annually)

The pricing model difference is significant: Stessa gives more features free or at low cost but gates advanced accounting on paid plans. REI Hub charges from the start but never withholds features based on tier.

Core Accounting Features

Transaction Tracking and Categorization

Both platforms connect to bank accounts and credit cards to automatically import and categorize transactions using Schedule E-compatible categories. REI Hub allows tracking income and expenses at the portfolio, property, or unit level—useful for multifamily investors who want per-unit profitability. Stessa offers portfolio and property-level tracking on the Manage plan, with unlimited portfolio management on Pro.

Reporting

Both platforms produce the core reports investors need: income statement (P&L), net cash flow report, balance sheet, Schedule E report, and rent roll. REI Hub also produces a full statement of cash flows and detailed tax packets including depreciation schedules and 1099 reports. Stessa's Pro plan adds budgeting, pro forma analysis, and capital expense tracking—features REI Hub does not offer.

Depreciation Tracking

REI Hub includes depreciation tracking at all plan levels: you can record asset basis, track accumulated depreciation, and include it in tax reports. Stessa's free and Manage plans have limited CapEx and depreciation tracking; the Pro plan adds this capability.

Secondary Features: Where They Diverge

Stessa's Property Management Layer

Stessa goes beyond accounting to include vacancy advertising synced to Zillow, tenant applications and screening via RentPrep, online rent collection with autopay and late fees, lease templates, e-signatures, maintenance tracking, and a landlord banking account. For landlords who want accounting AND basic property management in one place, Stessa offers significant value—especially on the free tier.

REI Hub's Accounting Focus

REI Hub is purely accounting. It does not offer rent collection, tenant screening, lease management, or maintenance tracking. This is a deliberate product choice. REI Hub's accounting features are deeper precisely because the platform does not try to also be a property management tool.

Who Should Use Stessa

• Landlords who want an all-in-one free solution: Stessa's free tier covers accounting AND basic property management—no other free platform matches this breadth
• Investors with complex portfolios: Stessa Pro's budgeting, pro forma analysis, and multi-portfolio management serve serious operators
• Landlords who want integrated banking with accounting auto-sync

Who Should Use REI Hub

• Accounting-first investors: if your primary need is accurate, CPA-ready books, REI Hub's dedicated focus and feature consistency across tiers is appealing
• Investors with 3-20 units who want all features from day one: REI Hub does not require upgrading for depreciation tracking, 1099 support, or cash flow statements—they are all included from $15/month
• Investors who already have a separate property management platform and need deeper accounting than those platforms provide

Verdict

Both platforms are excellent. The choice comes down to two questions: Do you need accounting only, or accounting plus property management basics? Do you prefer paying from day one for full features, or starting free and upgrading as you grow?

If you want the best free accounting tool that also handles basic landlord operations, Stessa's free Essentials plan is hard to beat. If you want the deepest pure accounting with no feature gating and are willing to pay from the start, REI Hub's unit-based pricing and consistent feature set is the better choice. For investors with under 10 units who are cost-conscious: start with Stessa free, then evaluate REI Hub when you need more accounting depth. For investors with 10-50 units who are serious about clean books: REI Hub at $15-27/month billed annually is a strong value.