Rent Manager vs Stessa

A deeply configurable property management platform from London Computer Systems — popular with operators who need customization beyond AppFolio.

Custom (per-unit)

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Stessa

Stessa automates bookkeeping for rental property investors with bank-connected transaction tracking, online rent collection, and Schedule E tax reporting. A generous free tier covers unlimited properties, making it the go-to for self-managing landlords who have outgrown spreadsheets.

Free (Pro from $28/mo)

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Rent Manager vs Stessa: feature comparison

Feature	Rent Manager	Stessa
Online Rent Collection	✓	✓
Tenant Screening	✓	✓
Maintenance Request Tracking	✓	✓
Owner Portal	✓	✗
Accounting & Reporting	✓	✓
Lease E-Signature	✓	✓
Listing Syndication	✓	✗
Mobile App (iOS + Android)	✓	✓

Rent Manager — Pros & Cons

Pros

Extremely configurable — bend it to your workflow
Covers residential, commercial, storage, manufactured housing
Cloud or self-hosted deployment
Native call center / contact center features

Cons

Configuration tax — setup and onboarding take time
UI less polished than AppFolio
Custom pricing — no public tiers
Self-hosted option requires real IT resources

Stessa — Pros & Cons

Pros

Free tier covers unlimited properties with automated bank sync and daily transaction reconciliation
Schedule E tax reports generate automatically, cutting year-end accountant hours significantly
Pro plan ($28/mo) bundles 7 eSignatures/month with advanced portfolio-level reporting
Built-in maintenance request tracking added recently, removing the need for a separate landlord communication tool

Cons

No listing syndication — vacant units must be marketed on Zillow Rental Manager or Apartments.com as a separate step
Tenant screening is outsourced to RentPrep, adding friction and an extra sign-in versus AppFolio's or Buildium's native screening
eSignature quota is capped at just 1 per month on the $12/mo Manage plan; active landlords will quickly need the Pro tier
U.S.-only platform — international landlords and portfolios with properties outside the United States are not supported

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