Landlord Studio and TenantCloud have emerged as two powerful property management tools that can help simplify your operations and potentially maximize your rental property profits.

When choosing the best platform for your needs, the answer isn’t always obvious. Which one suits your needs better? Which offers superior features? Which one truly delivers the best value?

In this guide, we’ve rolled up our sleeves and done the heavy lifting for you, breaking down each software tool to give you an in-depth comparison.

We’ll also share details on Stessa, a rental property management software and a well-respected alternative used by over 200,000 investors.

Landlord Studio overview

Landlord Studio is a platform designed for self-managing landlords. It provides a convenient way to track your income and expenses and centralizes your property management tasks in one place. You can view rent payments, deposits, and financial summaries, all from the dashboard. It also offers features like tenant rent reminders and automated emails.

The platform allows you to store rental documents, log expenses, and manage receipts. It categorizes property-related charges for easier tax filing. Landlord Studio is accessible online and through mobile apps, making it easy to use wherever you are.

Pricing

Landlord Studio offers a free GO plan and a paid PRO plan priced at $15/month for the first 3 units with a 20% discount for annual billing. Every user starts with a free 14-day PRO trial and can automatically switch to the GO plan at the end of the trial period.

GO free plan

• First 3 units free
• Unlock unlimited free units by enabling the online rent collection service for at least one unit
• Manual income expense tracking
• Online rent collection
• Maintenance tracking
• Basic reports
• GPS mileage tracker
• Mobile app

PRO paid plan

The PRO plan includes everything in the GO plan, plus these features:

• $15/month for the first 3 units (extra $1 fee for each additional unit and a 20% discount for annual billing)
• Multi-user access
• Automated bank feeds
• Recurring expenses
• Unlimited receipt scanning and document storage
• Advanced reports
• Automated reminders
• Xero integration for accounting and tax preparation
• Full data export to Excel
• Data sharing in the app

Software features

Here’s a more in-depth breakdown of the tools Landlord Studio offers in their GO plan by category, including the additional features you’ll find in the PRO plan. 

Rental property accounting

• Manual income and expense tracking
• Mileage tracker
• Smart receipt scanning (limited)

PRO plan extra features:

• Automated bank fees
• Recurring expenses
• Unlimited receipt scanning
• Automated rent reminders

Online rent collection

• Online rent collection and deposit
• Tenant payable expense collection
• Partial payment blocking
• Automated rent reminders for ACH users
• Rent receipts for tenants
• Automated late fees applied

Reporting and tax returns

• Basic reporting
• Data export using PDF

PRO plan extra features:

• Advanced reporting
• Data export PDF and CSV
• Data sharing in the app
• Xero integration for rental property accounting

Find and screen tenants

• Unique property listing page creation
• Tenant applications
• Tenant screening reports
• Coming soon: listing syndication

Property maintenance

• Maintenance tracking and management
• Online tenant maintenance requests

Automation and management

• Calendar reminders for future events
• Document storage (up to 10 files)
• Manual templated emails
• Automated lease expiration reminders

PRO plan extra features:

• Unlimited document storage
• Custom email templates
• Automated rent reminders

TenantCloud overview

TenantCloud is a multifaceted rental property accounting and management software designed to simplify and organize operations for landlords, tenants, and service professionals. The software offers personal portals for each user type, facilitating online rent collection, communication, and maintenance requests.

You can access basic accounting information, perform background checks on potential tenants, schedule service reminders, and even create websites to list and market your properties.

The platform provides a separate portal for tenants, enabling them to complete online rental applications, make rental payments, and submit visual maintenance requests. Another unique feature is the ServicePro profile, which allows service professionals to advertise their businesses or services, receive new job opportunities, manage orders, and send quotes.

Pricing

TenantCloud offers 3 pricing plans for unlimited units, with one month free for annual billing and a free trial. The prices below are based on monthly billing:

Starter plan

$17/month

• Listings
• Scheduling
• Applicants
• Screenings
• Rent payments
• Maintenance requests

Growth plan

$32/month

• Lease builder
• Landlord forms
• Lead tracking for CRM
• Property message board

Pro plan

$32/month

• Tax reports
• Vendor network access
• Quickbooks Online sync
• Google Calendar sync
• Management fees

Business plan

Custom pricing (contact TenantCloud for further cost details) 

• Team and management tools
• Task management
• Customization
• Listings auto-refresh

Software features

All plans include the following features for an unlimited number of properties, units, and listings:

• Tenant screening
• Late fee settings
• Scheduling
• Full data export
• Maintenance management
• Email and feed notifications
• Messengers for tenants
• Applications
• Basic leads
• Rent payments (debit, credit, ACH)
• Vendor network and management tools
• AutoPay for tenants
• Premium leads
• Property specs
• Leads tracking CRM
• Application customization and tools
• Rent balance tracking
• E-signature
• Tax reports
• Google calendar sync
• Leads follow-up and timeline
• 1099 tax form

Landlord Studio vs. TenantCloud

Now, let’s compare some of Landlord Studio and TenantCloud’s key features to help you determine which software best suits your property management needs.

Listings

With Landlord Studio, you can create a unique property listing page on their website. The company doesn’t offer listing syndication to top listing websites but plans to introduce the feature soon. 

All TenantCloud subscribers can automatically post vacant listings to the platform’s partners, including Apartments.com and Realtor.com.

Tenant screening and leasing

Both Landlord Studio and TenantCloud subscribers can collect and manage tenant applications and run comprehensive screening reports online, including background and credit checks. 

In addition, the Lease Builder function on the TenantCloud Growth and Business plans lets you upload a lease PDF or create one online, while all plans offer e-signatures.

Online rent collection

Online rent collection with Landlord Studio is free for landlords. Tenants pay $2.50 per transaction. The platform lets you collect and deposit rent, block partial rent payments, automatically send rent reminders to tenants paying with ACH, automate late fees, and send tenant payment receipts.

TenantCloud uses Stripe for its online rent payments. You can receive online and mobile payments directly to your bank account, get notifications and track payment history, offer tenants autopay options, customize late fee and payment settings, and more.

Financial reporting

Landlord Studio offers advanced cloud-based accounting tools for seamless rental property bookkeeping, including bank feeds for quick expense reconciliation, automated income tracking, and generating over 15 industry-specific reports. The software also integrates with Xero for synchronized financial data handling and enhanced accounting accuracy.

TenantCloud offers property-related reports such as profit and loss statements, general income statements, general expenses, and a depreciation and amortization tracker. It integrates with QuickBooks Online to instantly synchronize income and expense transactions, improving productivity and efficiency.

Property maintenance

Landlord Studio provides an easy-to-use work order management system through its property maintenance feature. By helping manage and prioritize maintenance jobs, this feature helps you complete tasks promptly, hopefully reducing tenant complaints.

TenantCloud’s maintenance feature allows tenants to upload images and videos of issues, reducing the need for site visits. Each request has a unique number and follows stages from “new” to “resolved.” Landlords can fix issues themselves or delegate them to a service professional. It also aids in scheduling repairs and finding local contractors for home improvement tasks.

Tax management

Landlord Studio and TenantCloud each provide a Schedule E report that breaks down income and expenses by property in line with IRS tax categories. The report is crucial for rental property owners because it facilitates accurate reporting of rental income and expenses to the IRS, helping with tax compliance and optimization.

Landlord banking

Landlord banking is a dedicated financial management system for property owners, typically involving a separate bank account for rental activities within a single platform. 

It simplifies the tracking of rental income, expenses, and transactions, ensuring efficient bookkeeping and accurate financial reporting. This feature streamlines rental management and accounting, helping landlords avoid mixing personal and business funds. 

Landlord Studio and TenantCloud do not offer this feature, but Stessa does, which we’ll explore in the next section.

Stessa vs. Landlord Studio vs. TenantCloud

Ranked the #1 app for landlords (based on App Store ratings and total number of reviews, as of February 2024), Stessa caters to novice and experienced investors. No matter how large or small your portfolio is, the software organizes your financials to provide a real-time, detailed snapshot of your investments. With more accurate financial reporting, you can make well-informed investment decisions. 

Stessa automatically categorizes your income and expense transactions in compliance with the IRS Schedule E. The platform efficiently generates financial reports and reduces the need to sift through piles of paperwork, saving you time and energy. 

Landlords can also benefit from Stessa’s Cash Management deposit accounts for each property with high-yield interest rates that offer even more value (current rates can be found in the table below). Compare that to the national average of 0.07% on checking accounts as of February 2024, according to the FDIC.

Another bonus is Stessa’s mobile application, which is compatible with both iOS and Android, ensuring you stay linked to your portfolio from virtually anywhere. The added feature of automated receipt scanning is especially beneficial during tax season, facilitating financial tracking and management.

Pricing

Stessa’s tiered pricing model fits the different needs and budgets of residential rental property owners:

You can always start with the Essentials plan and upgrade to a paid plan as your portfolio expands and your needs evolve. 

Extra benefits for all Stessa users

Beyond its primary features, Stessa boasts some exceptional extras that can significantly benefit you as a real estate investor. For instance, they’ve partnered with The Real Estate CPA to provide an abundance of tax resources. This alliance ensures you’re well-equipped when it’s time to navigate the complex world of property-related taxes.

Stessa also offers seamless integration with your existing property management software. This feature means you have a detailed and up-to-date portfolio overview at your fingertips at any time, making tracking and managing your investments easier than ever.

Lastly, Stessa offers an active online community. Users can connect, share knowledge, and build relationships through the lively community forum. Whether you’re looking to learn from others’ experiences or offer your own expertise, the Stessa community is a valuable resource.

Analyzing your options

Property owners gain plenty of benefits with Landlord Studio and TenantCloud. However, these platforms may offer more tools than many investors require, especially for owners of smaller property portfolios. 

That’s where the simplicity and user-centric design of Stessa come into play.

Stessa’s balance of comprehensive functionality and ease of use makes it an attractive choice for managing your investments. Without excessive features to overwhelm you, Stessa provides the essential tools you need for effective rental property management.

So, if you’re seeking a platform that’s intuitive, efficient, and tailored to the needs of residential real estate investors, consider taking a closer look at Stessa. Its unique blend of features, integrations, and supportive community could be the key to unlocking your property management potential. Remember, the right tool can make all the difference in your investment business.

Sign up for a free Stessa account today.

*Stessa is not a bank. Stessa is a financial technology company. Terms and conditions, features and pricing are subject to change. This article, and the Stessa Blog in general, is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is not investment, tax, financial planning, financial, legal, or real estate advice.