If you manage rental properties, you already know the truth — the numbers don’t manage themselves.Between rent payments, repairs, tax prep, and tenant turnover, it’s easy to lose track of where your money really goes. That’s why most landlords eventually outgrow spreadsheets and start looking for better tools. The question is: which software actually helps — FourCasa, Stessa, or QuickBooks?
This post breaks down what matters most for landlords: automation, reporting, scalability, and peace of mind.
At a Glance: Stessa vs. QuickBooks vs. FourCasa The Big Picture
FourCasa | Stessa | QuickBooks (Online) | |
Best For | Landlords who want automation & simplicity | DIY landlords starting out | Businesses or landlords with accountants |
Real Estate Focus | 100% landlord-specific | Yes | No |
Automation Level | AI-powered bookkeeping + anomaly detection | Basic categorization | Manual setup & rules |
Pricing | From $4.99/mo | Free–$35/mo (was free) | $38–$275/mo |
Reports | Tax-ready by property/entity | Basic Schedule E reports | Advanced, but complex |
Document Handling | Unlimited receipts & matching | Limited | Manual uploads |
Multi-Entity Support | Unlimited LLCs at no cost | Basic | Needs configuration |
Ease of Use | Very high, built by landlords | Easy | Steep learning curve |
Stessa: Simple, Free, and Familiar — Until It's Not
Best for: DIY landlords with 1-5 properties who want to start tracking income and expense quickly.
Stessa built its name on being the free landlord tracker. You connect your bank, categorize transactions, and generate Schedule E reports for tax season. It’s friendly, easy, and built for real estate — not for general accounting.
✅ What’s good
⚠️ Where it falls short
Verdict: Stessa is a great starting point. But as your portfolio grows, it can’t keep up with deeper automation, analytics, or multi-property consolidation.
- Free plan for small portfolios
- Automatic bank syncs and property dashboards
- Built-in rent collection and tenant screening
- Limited automation — you’ll still clean up data manually
- Basic reporting — can’t customize or group entities
- No anomaly detection or smart alerts
- Paid tiers now required for premium features
QuickBooks: The Heavyweight (That's Not Built for Landlords)
Best for: Experienced investors or businesses that already use an accountant.
QuickBooks is powerful - but power comes with complexity. It's designed for every kind of business, not specifically for rental property management. You can make it work, but it takes time, setup and a good grasp of accounting.
✅ What’s good
⚠️ What’s not
Verdict: If you already live inside QuickBooks, it’s fine. If you don’t, it’ll feel like overkill for rentals — and a lot of work to maintain.
- Advanced double-entry accounting
- Rich reporting and analytics (P&L, Balance Sheet, etc.)
- Widely used by accountants and CPAs
- Complex setup — must create classes, properties, and rules manually
- No property-specific reports or rent tracking out of the box
- Expensive as you add users or portfolios
- Requires accounting knowledge or professional help
FourCasa: Built for Landlords Who Want Smarter, Simpler Control
Best for: Landlords managing 3-20 units who want hands-free accounting and real-time insights.
FourCasa was created because most tools force landlords to choose between “too simple” or “too complex.” It’s built to automate the busywork, keep your books tax-ready, and flag anything unusual — without the steep learning curve.
✅ What makes it stand out
⚠️ What to know
Verdict: FourCasa bridges the gap — smart automation without heavy setup. Perfect for landlords who want to grow without hiring a bookkeeper.
- AI-powered bookkeeping — catches duplicates, missed rent, or odd expenses automatically
- CPA-ready reports — clean, plain-English financials grouped by property or LLC
- Anomaly detection — alerts you before small mistakes turn into tax problems
- Unlimited document uploads — scan, match, and store receipts in one place
- Entity-level tracking — organize your portfolio by property, region, or LLC
- Forecasting & acquisition tools — evaluate deals and next-property potential
- No free tier (but includes a 3-month free trial)
- Geared toward landlords, not enterprise property managers
Feature Breakdown (At a Glance)
Feature | FourCasa | Stessa | QuickBooks (Online) |
Real Estate Focus | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
Automation | Full AI bookkeeping + smart rules | Basic Sync | Manual rules |
Anomaly Detection | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
Tenant Tools | Coming soon | ✔️ | ❌ |
Document Storage | Unlimited | Limited | Manual |
Forecasting Tools | ✔️ | ❌ | Limited templates |
CPA-Ready Exports | ✔️ | Partial | ✔️(with setup) |
Onboarding Time | Minutes | Quick | Hours-days |
Support | Priority landlord support | Limited | Tiered |
Which Should You Choose?
If you… | Go with |
Manage just a few units and want free tracking | Stessa |
Already use QuickBooks or work closely with a CPA | QuickBooks |
Want automation, portfolio insights, and CPA-ready clarity without spreadsheets | FourCasa |
Why FourCasa Stands Out
FourCasa gives landlords a single source of truth. If you've ever tried to reconcile multiple property manager's reports or wondered if your numbers actually add up. FourCasa fixes that problem. It’s designed for the kind of landlord who wears multiple hats — investor, operator, decision-maker — and wants less time chasing receipts and more time growing wealth.
👉 Built by landlords, for landlords.
Final Takeaway
Your first property might start with a spreadsheet. Your next few need something smarter.
Because managing rentals shouldn’t mean managing chaos.
✅ Start your free trial at FourCasa.com — and make bookkeeping the easiest part of being a landlord.
- Stessa gets you started.
- QuickBooks handles complexity (if you have support).
- FourCasa helps you scale — with automation, clarity, and control built in from day one.