About
Stessa is a comprehensive, free-to-start property management platform purpose-built for real estate investors and landlords. It covers the full investment lifecycle—from evaluating and acquiring deals to day-to-day operations and tax reporting—all within a single intelligent platform. At its core, Stessa automates bookkeeping by connecting live bank and transaction data, categorizing income and expenses automatically, and generating CPA-friendly reports including Income Statements, Net Cash Flow reports, and Schedule of Real Estate Owned. At tax time, built-in Tax Package reports keep deductions organized and accessible. Beyond finances, Stessa provides integrated RentPrep tenant screening (background and credit checks) that has been shown to reduce tenant default rates by up to 25%. Landlords can draft leases from 50+ legal templates and send them for eSignature via DocuSign without leaving the platform. Automated rent collection supports ACH, credit card, and debit card payments, handles payment reminders, and charges late fees on your behalf. For investors looking to grow, Stessa partners with Roofstock to deliver institutional-grade property underwriting insights and real-time deal alerts. A built-in landlord banking feature lets owners open high-yield accounts per property, directly linked to bookkeeping. Stessa is ideal for individual landlords, real estate investors managing multi-property portfolios, and anyone looking to replace manual spreadsheet workflows with an automated, data-driven system. Users report saving an average of $4,000 and 100+ hours per year.
Key Features
- Automated Bookkeeping & Tax Reporting: Live bank data connections auto-categorize transactions and generate CPA-ready tax packages, Income Statements, Net Cash Flow reports, and more — eliminating manual spreadsheet work.
- Integrated Tenant Screening: Run comprehensive background and credit checks via RentPrep directly within Stessa. Proprietary screening has been shown to reduce tenant default rates by up to 25%.
- Automated Rent Collection: Collect rent via ACH, credit card, or debit card. Stessa handles payment reminders, late fee charges, and deposits automatically — no property manager required.
- Lease Drafting & eSigning: Access 50+ state-specific legal lease templates, edit them as needed, and send for eSignature via DocuSign. Executed documents are automatically stored in your account.
- Deal Sourcing & Portfolio Analytics: Evaluate acquisition opportunities with institutional-grade insights powered by Roofstock, receive real-time deal alerts, and monitor portfolio performance through live dashboards.
Use Cases
- A landlord with 5–20 rental units using Stessa to automate bookkeeping, replace spreadsheets, and generate tax-ready financial reports at year-end.
- A real estate investor evaluating new acquisition opportunities using Stessa's Roofstock-powered deal insights and buy-box alerts.
- A property owner streamlining the tenant onboarding process by running background checks, drafting leases from legal templates, and collecting eSignatures — all within one platform.
- A self-managing landlord automating monthly rent collection via ACH with automatic late fee enforcement and payment reminders sent to tenants.
- An investor managing a growing portfolio who wants real-time performance dashboards, per-property bank accounts, and consolidated net cash flow reports without hiring a property manager.
Pros
- Genuinely Free Core Plan: Essential bookkeeping, reporting, rent collection, and leasing features are available at no cost, making it accessible for landlords at any portfolio size.
- Replaces Multiple Fragmented Tools: One platform covers the full landlord workflow — accounting, screening, leasing, banking, and deal sourcing — reducing the need for multiple subscriptions.
- Proven Time & Cost Savings: Investors report saving an average of $4,000 and over 100 hours per year through automation of bookkeeping, tax prep, and rent collection.
- Trusted by a Large Community: Over 350,000 landlords use Stessa, with highly rated mobile apps (4.8 / 4.5 / 4.5 stars), indicating strong product quality and community support.
Cons
- Highly Niche Use Case: Stessa is built exclusively for real estate investors and landlords — it has no applicability outside of property management workflows.
- Advanced Features Require Paid Plan: Premium capabilities such as landlord banking, priority support, and advanced reporting are gated behind the paid Stessa Pro subscription tier.
- Limited Third-Party Integrations: While DocuSign and RentPrep are built in, broader integrations with accounting platforms like QuickBooks or third-party CRMs are limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stessa really free to use?
Yes. Stessa's core features — including bookkeeping, financial reporting, rent collection, and lease management — are available on a free plan. A paid Stessa Pro tier unlocks additional premium features like landlord banking and enhanced support.
What types of properties does Stessa support?
Stessa supports a wide range of residential investment properties including single-family rentals, multi-family units, short-term rentals, and commercial properties. It is purpose-built for investment properties rather than owner-occupied homes.
How does tenant screening work in Stessa?
Stessa integrates with RentPrep to run background checks, credit checks, and eviction history reports directly within the platform. Landlords can initiate screening without leaving Stessa, and the proprietary process has been shown to reduce tenant defaults by up to 25%.
Can I manage multiple properties in Stessa?
Yes. Stessa is designed for portfolio management and supports multiple properties under a single account. Each property gets its own financial tracking, tenant ledger, and reporting, while also rolling up into portfolio-level dashboards.
How does Stessa simplify tax time?
Stessa auto-categorizes income and expenses throughout the year using live bank connections, and generates a Tax Package report at year-end. This includes all the reports your CPA needs — Income Statement, Schedule of Real Estate Owned, and more — reducing the time spent on tax preparation significantly.
