Estavo vs. Stessa
Stessa is a well-built income and expense ledger. But landlord operations go beyond bookkeeping — and that's the gap Estavo fills.
Stessa's free tier is genuinely useful: unlimited properties, bank feed sync, and a reasonable category system. For landlords who only need a transaction log, it covers the basics at no cost.
The problem shows up when the definition of "managing a property" expands beyond logging income and expenses. Insurance policies renew. Mortgages have due dates. Utilities get disconnected. Maintenance requests pile up. Stessa has no model for any of these — it's a ledger, not an operations platform.
Estavo's unified transaction ledger handles the same bookkeeping, but it's built on top of a full data model: ObligationPolicy records that surface urgent renewals automatically, maintenance work orders linked to vendors, and a Property → Unit hierarchy that matches how Schedule E actually works.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Stessa | Estavo |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Schedule E categories enforced at entry | General categories — not Schedule E mapped by default | All 15 IRS Schedule E categories built in from day one |
| Property → Unit hierarchy | Property-level tracking only; duplexes show blended numbers | Unit is the income-generating entity; multi-unit costs prorated correctly |
| Obligation tracking (insurance, mortgage, utilities) | No renewal date tracking or urgency computation | ObligationPolicy: type, term dates, renewal date, provider — surfaces in Today view |
| Urgency computed from renewal dates | No built-in alert engine | Action at 30 days, Urgent at 14 days — computed at query time, never stale |
| Maintenance request tracking | No work order system | Open → in_progress → completed, linked to unit and vendor |
| Schedule E export (all plans) | Full tax report requires premium subscription | Schedule E export included on free and all paid plans |
| Unified transaction ledger | Separate income and expense views; not one unified ledger | All transactions (credits and debits) in one sortable, filterable table |
| Guest welcome / short-term rental flows | No STR-specific features | Booking transactions include check-in/out, guest name, platform; lease_type per unit |
| Vendor management | No vendor contact records | Vendor records with contact info, linked to expenses and maintenance requests |
| Bank feed auto-import | Auto-sync from connected accounts (free tier) | CSV import in MVP; bank sync in Phase 2 roadmap |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android native apps | Progressive Web App (installable) in Phase 1; native Expo app in Phase 2 |
| Free tier | Unlimited properties, basic reports | 1 unit free permanently — full Schedule E, obligations, and maintenance included |
When Stessa is the right choice
- →You want immediate bank feed auto-import
- →You manage simple single-family rentals only
- →Basic income/expense tracking is all you need
- →You have no active obligations to track
When Estavo is the right choice
- →You have multi-unit properties (duplex, triplex, or more)
- →You need insurance, mortgage, or utility renewal alerts
- →You manage maintenance requests and vendor relationships
- →You have short-term rentals with platform income tracking
Common questions
Is Stessa really free?
Stessa's free tier covers unlimited properties with basic income and expense tracking and bank feed sync. Full tax reports require a premium plan ($15–$30/month). Estavo's free tier covers 1 unit permanently — with full Schedule E export, obligation tracking, and maintenance requests included. No upgrade needed for core workflows.
What does Estavo do that Stessa doesn't?
Estavo tracks obligations — insurance renewals, mortgage due dates, utility contracts, HOA dues — as structured records with computed urgency. Your Today view surfaces what's expiring without reminder setup. Stessa has no equivalent. Estavo also handles maintenance requests linked to vendors, a correct Property → Unit hierarchy, and guest welcome flows for short-term rentals.
Should I switch from Stessa to Estavo?
If Stessa's ledger is working for you and bank feed sync is important, there's no urgent reason to switch. The gap appears when you need obligation tracking (a single missed insurance renewal can void a claim), multi-unit cost proration for accurate Schedule E, or maintenance work orders tied to vendor records. Estavo's free tier makes it easy to try with your first unit.
Try Estavo free — no spreadsheet import required.
Free for 1 unit, forever. Set up your first property's obligations and transactions in under 15 minutes.