Stessa vs Buildium: which fits your rentals in 2026?
Pricing and features verified from vendor pricing pages on 2026-07-04.
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On pure cost, Stessa wins: it has a genuinely usable free plan while Buildium starts at $62/mo. For a landlord with one or two units, that difference compounds to $744+ a year. Stessa covers integrated banking — which Buildium doesn't. Who each fits: DIY rental investors who care most about accounting, taxes, and portfolio finances rather than heavy-duty tenant management. Professional property managers and growing portfolios that need trust accounting, owner reporting, and multi-staff workflows.
Pricing, side by side
| Starting price | Free tier | $62/mo |
| Pricing model | flat | flat, scales with unit count |
| Plans | Essentials — $0/mo Free forever; unlimited properties, bank feeds, basic reports, rent collection, vacancy marketing, up to 1.88% APY on cash Manage — $12/mo $12/mo billed annually ($15 month-to-month); adds maintenance tracking, Schedule E, 60+ legal forms, 1 eSignature/mo Pro — $28/mo $28/mo billed annually ($35 month-to-month); unlimited portfolios, advanced reports/budgeting, 7 eSignatures/mo, up to 3.24% APY | Essential — $62/mo Starting at $62/mo; incoming EFT $2.35/txn, $99 per bank account setup, inspections cost extra Growth — $192/mo Starting at $192/mo; incoming EFT $1.35/txn, 10 free bank accounts, enhanced screening $20 Premium — $400/mo Starting at $400/mo; incoming EFT free 12 months then $0.60, 100 free bank accounts, inspections included; Enterprise pricing above 5,000 units |
| Annual discount | Pay annually and Manage drops $15 to $12/mo, Pro $35 to $28/mo (~20% off) | Not stated on the live pricing page (fetched 2026-07-04) |
| Tenant screening | $29 credit report or background check, $49 complete package via RentPrep; landlord or applicant can pay | $17-$20 per report paid by landlord, or $35 applicant-paid option |
Feature checklist
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tenant screening | ✓ | ✓ |
| Online rent collection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accounting & reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maintenance tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Listing syndication | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leases & e-sign | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrated banking | ✓ | — |
| Landlord mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and trade-offs
Stessa
For- Genuinely useful free tier with unlimited properties and automatic bank feeds
- Best-in-class investor accounting: Schedule E, tax packages, portfolio dashboards
- High-yield cash management accounts (up to 3.24% APY on Pro)
- No per-transaction rent collection fees advertised on any tier
- Maintenance tracking and eSignatures locked behind paid plans
- eSignatures tightly capped (1/mo on Manage, 7/mo on Pro)
- Lighter on day-to-day tenant management than Buildium or Innago
- Complete screening package ($49) costs more than Innago or TenantCloud equivalents
Buildium
For- Full professional PM suite: trust accounting, owner portals, inspections, staff roles
- Scales from dozens to 5,000+ units with Enterprise tier beyond
- Listing syndication plus complete leasing workflow
- Large marketplace ecosystem and open API; 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Expensive for small landlords: $62/mo minimum before transaction fees
- Per-transaction EFT fees ($2.35 incoming on Essential) plus $99 per bank account setup
- Standard screening ($17-$20/report) is billed to the landlord unless the $35 applicant-paid option is used
- Property inspections cost extra on Essential ($99 setup + $40-$95/mo)
Frequently asked questions
Is Stessa cheaper than Buildium?
Stessa has a free plan; paid tiers start at $12/mo (flat). Buildium starts at $62/mo (flat, scales with unit count); not stated on the live pricing page (fetched 2026-07-04). Subscription price isn't the whole story — compare tenant-side ACH and screening fees too. Screening: Stessa $29 credit report or background check, $49 complete package via RentPrep; landlord or applicant can pay; Buildium $17-$20 per report paid by landlord, or $35 applicant-paid option.
What does Stessa have that Buildium doesn't?
Stessa: Integrated banking. Buildium: nothing at the checklist level.
Which is better for a small landlord with 1–5 units?
DIY rental investors who care most about accounting, taxes, and portfolio finances rather than heavy-duty tenant management. Professional property managers and growing portfolios that need trust accounting, owner reporting, and multi-staff workflows. If you're still unsure, start with whichever has the free tier — you can export your data and switch later.