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Software Comparison

DoorVault vs Stessa: Which Rental Property Software Is Right for You?

An honest look at both tools. Who each one actually serves, where each wins, and how to decide which fits your situation.

TL;DR

Stessa is free income/expense tracking built for self-managing landlords who want simple bookkeeping. DoorVault is AI-powered portfolio intelligence built for passive landlords who use property managers and need document processing, PM oversight, and deal analysis. If you manage your own properties and want basic tracking, Stessa works well. If you have a PM and need Knox AI to automate your back office, DoorVault is built for your situation.

Feature Comparison
DoorVault vs Stessa: Side by Side
Feature DoorVault Stessa
Knox AI document processingYes — reads 72+ doc types, extracts data automaticallyNo — no PDF extraction or AI document reading
Transaction auto-creation from documentsYes — upload a PM statement, transactions created instantlyNo — requires manual entry or bank sync categorization
AI chat assistantYes — Knox Chat answers portfolio questions, runs analysisNo — no AI assistant
Deal underwriting / analyzerYes — IDEAL Scoring v2.0, BRRR velocity, ROCKET/STEADY/SLOWNo — no deal analysis tools
Bank account integration (Plaid)Yes — all plansYes — all plans
Schedule E exportYes — all plans including freePaid — requires Stessa Pro ($12/mo) for tax package
Multi-entity / LLC trackingYes — per-entity P&L, Schedule E per LLC, EIN storageBasic — limited entity separation
Section 8 / voucher supportYes — HAP tracking, FMR limits, HQS inspection schedulingNo — no Section 8 specific features
BRRR phase trackingYes — pipeline view with phase management and capital velocityNo — no BRRR-specific tools
PM statement processingYes — Knox reads every line, anomalies flagged automaticallyNo — no automated PM statement reading
PM oversight toolsYes — PM Report Card, anomaly detection, fee verificationNo — no PM oversight or benchmarking features
Tenant managementNo — DoorVault is owner-side onlyBasic — tenant tracking, no rent collection
Rent collectionNo — handled by your PMNo — bookkeeping only, no collection
Mobile appMobile-responsive web — no native appYes — iOS and Android apps available
Free tierYes — 2 properties with full Knox AI featuresYes — unlimited properties with basic bookkeeping
Starting paid price$29/mo (Growth — 10 properties)~$12/mo (Pro — tax package + CPA portal)
Target userPassive landlords with PMs, BRRR investors, multi-LLC portfoliosSelf-managing landlords wanting simple free bookkeeping
Pricing Comparison
What You Pay at Each Tier

DoorVault

Free$0 — 2 properties
Growth$29/mo — 10 properties
Scale$79/mo — 50 properties
Enterprise$149/mo — unlimited

Stessa

Free$0 — unlimited properties
Stessa Pro~$12/mo — tax package, CPA portal
NoteOwned by Roofstock
Who Should Use What
Honest Use Case Breakdown

Use Stessa When...

  • You're a new investor with 1-2 properties managing them yourself
  • You want simple income/expense bookkeeping with no complexity
  • You're on a tight budget and need free software that handles basics

Use DoorVault When...

  • You have a PM and need automated statement processing and PM oversight
  • You want Knox AI to read documents and create transactions automatically
  • You're a BRRR investor who needs phase tracking and deal underwriting
Pros and Cons
Honest Assessment of Both Tools

DoorVault

Pros

  • Knox AI reads and processes any document automatically
  • PM statement processing catches billing errors automatically
  • Deal underwriting, BRRR tracking, IBC capital strategy
  • Multi-LLC entity management with per-entity Schedule E

Cons

  • Free plan limited to 2 properties
  • No native mobile app (mobile-responsive web only)
  • Not the right tool if you self-manage and collect rent directly

Stessa

Pros

  • Free tier supports unlimited properties
  • Good iOS and Android mobile apps
  • Simple, clean interface for basic bookkeeping

Cons

  • No AI document processing or PM statement automation
  • No deal underwriting or BRRR tools
  • No PM oversight or anomaly detection features
FAQ
DoorVault vs Stessa: Common Questions
Is Stessa better than DoorVault?
It depends on your situation. Stessa is better for self-managing landlords who want free bookkeeping with no complexity. DoorVault is better for landlords with property managers who need AI document processing, PM oversight, and deal analysis. If you're self-managing 1-2 properties and just want income/expense tracking, Stessa's free tier is hard to beat. If you have a PM and need Knox AI automation, DoorVault is the better fit.
Does Stessa have AI features?
Stessa does not have AI document processing comparable to Knox. Stessa offers bank transaction auto-categorization via Plaid, but does not read and extract data from PDFs, process PM statements line by line, or provide an AI chat assistant for your portfolio. DoorVault's Knox AI reads 72+ document types and creates transactions automatically from uploaded documents.
Stessa vs DoorVault for taxes: which is better?
Both tools export Schedule E data. Stessa's paid Pro plan (~$12/mo) adds a tax package and CPA portal. DoorVault includes Schedule E export on all plans including free, with transactions auto-created from PM statements and documents rather than requiring manual entry. For landlords with PMs, DoorVault's automated data capture means less manual entry before the export.
Which is better, Stessa or DoorVault, for multiple properties?
Stessa allows unlimited properties on the free tier with basic bookkeeping. DoorVault's free plan is capped at 2 properties but includes AI document processing. For multiple properties with a property manager, DoorVault's automated PM statement processing and anomaly detection saves significant time. For self-managing landlords with many properties wanting free software, Stessa's unlimited free tier has an advantage.

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