Most bookkeeping software for rentals charges a monthly or yearly fee. Some tools, including ours, charge once. Neither is right for everyone. This guide lays out the real trade-offs so you can pick the one that suits how you run your rental.
We sell one-time-purchase tools, so we have a point of view. We have tried to be fair about where a subscription is the better fit.
How the Costs Add Up
A subscription is a small number that repeats. A one-time purchase is a bigger number that doesn't. Here is a made-up example to show the shape of it. It is not the price of any particular product.
- A subscription that costs $30 a month is $360 a year.
- After three years, that is $1,080.
- A one-time purchase costs the same on day one as it does in year three.
Swap in your own numbers. Look at the total for the number of years you expect to run your rental, not just the first month. Our tools are priced at $69 for the Starter Kit and $99 for the Command Suite, each paid once.
Where a Subscription Can Be the Better Choice
A monthly fee can pay for things a one-time tool doesn't do. Think about whether you need any of these:
- Automatic connections. Some subscription tools pull in bank transactions or booking-platform payouts for you. Our tools don't connect to booking platforms, so you add payouts and expenses yourself.
- Access from anywhere. Cloud tools keep your records on a company's servers, so you can sign in from any device. A local-first tool keeps your records in your own browser instead.
- Shared access. Our tools keep your records in your own browser, so they aren't built for several people working in the same account at once. If a bookkeeper, partner or property manager needs to see your records, whether to share your login is your own decision, so think it through before you do.
- Ongoing development. A fee can fund a steady stream of new features. Ask any vendor what you get after the first purchase.
Where a One-Time Purchase Can Be the Better Choice
- No recurring bill. There is no renewal date to track and no price increase to absorb at renewal.
- Simple needs. If you mostly need to log income and expenses, sort them into Schedule E-style categories, and run monthly reports, you may not use the extras a subscription charges for.
- Records on your own device. With a local-first tool, your records are designed to stay in your own browser, and you save JSON backups yourself. Our guide to JSON backups explains how.
- Predictable budgeting. If you manage a handful of properties on a tight margin, one fewer monthly charge is one fewer thing to review.
The Trade-Off With Local-First Records
Keeping records in your own browser has a cost as well as a benefit. You are responsible for your backups. If you clear your browser data or switch computers without a backup file, you could lose your records. A cloud service usually handles this for you, which is part of what its fee pays for.
That is why we suggest saving a backup file on a regular schedule and keeping a second copy somewhere safe. Our monthly bookkeeping routine builds the backup into the last step.
Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Bookkeeping Tool
- What does it cost over the number of years I expect to use it?
- How many properties does it handle, and what happens if I add one?
- Where are my records stored, and how do I get a copy out?
- If I stop paying, or the company changes, can I still reach my records?
- Does it connect to my booking platforms or bank, or do I enter things myself?
- What support and updates are included, and for how long?
- Can I export something my CPA can use?
Ask these of us too. If an answer isn't clear on a product page, write to support@jaziento.com before you buy.
A Simple Way to Decide
- If you want automatic bank or booking feeds and access from any device, a subscription may suit you.
- If you are comfortable entering your own numbers, want to pay once, and are happy to save your own backups, a one-time tool may suit you.
- If you aren't sure, start with how many properties you have and what you want to be able to do each month. The comparison of the Starter Kit and Command Suite shows what each one covers.
Whichever tool you choose, the habit matters more than the software. Logging income and expenses a little at a time makes tax season much easier for you and for your CPA.