When Story by J.P. Morgan shut down in September 2024, landlords and real estate investors using the platform had to find new ways to manage their rental finances. The closure created an opportunity for specialized alternatives that address what traditional banks often overlook: the unique financial workflows of property investors managing multiple rentals, entities, and tax categories. This guide examines eight alternatives through the lens of landlord banking, bookkeeping, and rent collection, helping property owners evaluate options that fit their portfolio management needs.

Key takeaways

• Banking-first platforms can centralize rental finances: Baselane combines property-specific banking and bookkeeping in one platform while also allowing investors to connect external bank accounts and credit cards for consolidated tracking.
• Property-level account organization matters: Creating separate accounts for each property, security deposit, and operating reserve helps maintain clean entity separation for tax reporting and compliance.
• Free platforms vary in feature depth: While several alternatives offer free tiers, the scope of banking, bookkeeping, and automation capabilities differs significantly across platforms.
• Rent deposit speed affects cash flow: Deposit timing varies by platform and plan, from as fast as 2 business days to standard 5-business-day processing.
• AI-powered bookkeeping reduces manual categorization: Platforms with automated transaction tagging assign expenses to properties and tax categories, though feature availability may depend on subscription level.

Why landlords need specialized financial solutions beyond traditional banks

Traditional business banking products were designed for general commercial operations, not the specific workflows of rental property management. Landlords managing multiple properties often face challenges that generic banking tools do not address directly.

The limitations of generic banking for real estate portfolios

Standard business banks can support multiple accounts, but they generally do not combine property- and entity-level banking with rental-specific bookkeeping and rent collection in one workflow. This approach can spread financial information across systems and create reconciliation challenges at tax time.

Common pain points include:

• Separate bank logins for each LLC: Investors with multiple business entities may need to manage credentials across different banking relationships
• Manual transaction categorization: Without real estate-specific categories, landlords often export transactions to spreadsheets for property-level tracking
• Monthly account maintenance fees: Traditional business accounts may charge monthly fees with minimum balance requirements
• No rent collection integration: Receiving rent payments and tracking them against specific properties requires additional software

Common financial pain points for property investors

Real estate investors face distinct financial management requirements that differ from typical small business operations:

• Property-level P&L tracking: Understanding net operating income for each rental requires separating income and expenses by property
• Entity compliance: LLCs and other business structures need separate financial records for liability protection
• Security deposit management: Security-deposit rules vary by state; some jurisdictions require deposits to be held separately or in interest-bearing accounts
• Schedule E preparation: Tax reporting requires categorizing expenses into IRS-defined categories for each property

These requirements have driven demand for platforms built specifically around rental property financial workflows.

Quick overview: J.P. Morgan alternatives

1. Baselane: Banking and bookkeeping platform for multi-property investors

Baselane combines property-specific banking and bookkeeping for landlords and real estate investors. Banking services are provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, and users can also connect external bank accounts and credit cards for consolidated bookkeeping and money movement.

Key capabilities for landlords and real estate investors

• Unlimited property-specific accounts: Baselane allows investors to open separate checking and savings accounts for each property, entity, security deposit, and operating reserve with no monthly account maintenance fees
• Automated transaction categorization (Smart): Baselane Smart automatically assigns transactions to the right property, entity, and 120+ real-estate-specific categories
• High-yield savings: Savings accounts earn up to [v="apyvalue"] APY², with deposits FDIC-insured up to [v="fdic_long"]¹ through Thread Bank's sweep program
• Virtual debit cards: Create virtual cards with custom spending limits for contractors, property managers, or co-hosts
• Schedule E tax reports: Baselane generates IRS Schedule E reports organized by property and entity for tax preparation

Rent collection and tenant management

Baselane includes rent collection with automated invoicing, payment reminders, and late fee calculation. Tenants can pay via ACH, debit card, or credit card through a secure portal. The platform also offers tenant screening with Equifax credit reports, criminal background checks, eviction history, and income verification.

Pricing structure

• Baselane (free tier): Unlimited banking accounts, basic bookkeeping, rent collection, 5-day rent deposits, Schedule E reports, physical and virtual debit cards
• Baselane Smart ($20/month when billed annually): Adds 2-day rent deposits, AI auto-tagging, advanced categorization rules, auto-receipt matching, cost segregation tracking, shared access with role-based permissions, and priority support

Baselane offers a 30-day free trial of Smart tier features.

What sets Baselane apart for J.P. Morgan Story users

Landlords who previously used Story by J.P. Morgan for its banking integration can find similar functionality in Baselane's approach. Baselane centralizes banking and bookkeeping workflows rather than requiring separate systems for each function. LeRoy Blaschko, who manages 30+ properties, describes the platform as having "centralized everything used to be pieced together with spreadsheets and apps."

The platform serves over 50,000 real estate investors and is the official banking partner of BiggerPockets, providing access to the largest real estate investor community.

2. Azibo

Azibo positions itself as a comprehensive landlord platform with no platform subscription fees. The service includes rent collection, banking features, and property management tools without monthly charges.

Primary focus

• $0 ACH rent collection: Landlords and tenants pay no fees for ACH rent payments
• Payouts as fast as 2 business days: Available without a monthly platform subscription fee
• Unlimited properties and portfolios: No artificial limits on free tier
• Maintenance request tracking: Built-in maintenance workflow management
• Expense tracking: Transaction categorization for rental properties

Organizational fit

Azibo serves landlords seeking rent collection and basic financial tracking without subscription costs. The platform offers banking features through its own banking relationships and includes lease agreement creation and tenant screening as add-on services. Andy Smith, an Azibo user, reports that "rent collection [is] easier, [and] tenants [are] paying more timely." The platform has a 4.7/5 ease-of-use rating on Capterra based on user reviews.

3. Stessa

Stessa, part of Roofstock, combines rental property accounting with connected bank feeds, online rent collection, and optional Cash Management accounts. It also offers native iOS and Android apps.

Primary focus

• ML-based transaction categorization: Automatic expense categorization on free tier
• Mobile apps: Full-featured iOS and Android applications
• Property performance tracking: Dashboard with NOI, cash flow, and portfolio metrics
• Vacancy marketing: Listing syndication to rental marketplaces
• Cash Management accounts: Optional cash management is available alongside Stessa's accounting tools

Pricing tiers

• Essentials (free): Unlimited properties (1 portfolio), basic reports, rent collection, 5 receipt scans per month
• Manage ($12/month annual): Schedule E reports, maintenance tracking, 1 eSignature per month, accelerated rent deposits
• Pro ($28/month annual): Unlimited portfolios, unlimited receipt scanning, 7 eSignatures per month, priority phone support

Organizational fit

Stessa fits investors who want mobile-first accounting workflows with connected bank feeds and the option to use Stessa Cash Management accounts. The platform has 104 reviews on Capterra with a 4.5/5 rating. Schedule E reports require the Manage tier or higher.

4. TurboTenant

TurboTenant offers property management tools with a focus on marketing vacant units and screening tenants. The platform provides a free tier for basic functionality with paid upgrades available.

Primary focus

• Rental listing syndication: Post listings to multiple rental marketplaces
• Tenant screening: Background and credit checks available
• Online rent collection: ACH and card payment processing
• Lease agreements: Digital lease creation and signing
• Maintenance requests: Tenant communication portal

Pricing structure

• Free tier: Basic listing, screening, and rent collection
• Essentials ($12.42/month, billed annually): Adds expanded leasing and landlord-management features
• Pro ($16.58/month, billed annually): Adds additional screening, payment, accounting, and automation features

Organizational fit

TurboTenant is positioned for landlords with smaller portfolios who need marketing and tenant screening tools. The platform emphasizes tenant acquisition workflows over financial management depth.

5. Avail

Avail, acquired by Realtor.com, provides property management tools for independent landlords. The platform integrates with Realtor.com's rental listing network.

Primary focus

• Listing syndication: Distribution through Realtor.com network
• Rent collection: Online payment processing with autopay
• Maintenance tracking: Request management and communication
• Lease templates: State-specific lease agreement creation
• Tenant screening: Credit, criminal, and eviction reports

Pricing structure

• Free tier: Basic features for landlords
• Unlimited Plus ($9/unit/month): Enhanced features including expedited rent payments

Organizational fit

Avail fits landlords who want integration with Realtor.com's rental ecosystem. The per-unit pricing model may be more cost-effective for smaller portfolios than larger ones.

6. RentRedi

RentRedi emphasizes mobile accessibility with native apps for landlords and tenants. The platform partners with REI Hub for accounting integration.

Primary focus

• Native mobile apps: Full functionality on iOS and Android
• Prequalification tools: Tenant screening before full applications
• Rent collection: Multiple payment methods including Cash App and Chime
• Built-in accounting and reporting: P&L, Schedule E, income and expense tracking, receipt categorization, and portfolio performance reporting; REI Hub is also available as an integration
• Maintenance coordination: Request tracking and vendor management

Pricing structure

One feature set, three billing terms: $29.95/month billed monthly, $20/month billed every six months, or $12/month billed annually

Organizational fit

RentRedi is designed for landlords who manage properties primarily from mobile devices. RentRedi now includes built-in accounting and reporting, while REI Hub remains an optional integration.

7. Landlord Studio

Landlord Studio centers on expense tracking and financial reporting for rental properties. The platform emphasizes mileage logging, receipt capture, and tax preparation.

Primary focus

• Expense tracking: Categorization for rental property expenses
• Receipt capture: Mobile receipt scanning and storage
• Mileage logging: Automatic tracking for property visits
• Financial reports: Income statements and cash flow analysis
• Rent collection: Basic online payment processing

Pricing structure

• Free tier: Limited features for smaller portfolios
• Pro (from $12/month): Enhanced reporting and unlimited properties

Organizational fit

Landlord Studio suits investors who prioritize detailed expense documentation and mileage tracking. The platform focuses on bookkeeping workflows rather than integrated banking services.

8. Hemlane

Hemlane targets landlords managing properties from a distance by offering coordination with local service providers. The platform emphasizes maintenance dispatch and tenant communication.

Primary focus

• Local agent network: Coordination with property managers and maintenance providers
• Maintenance dispatch: Automated service request routing
• Tenant communication: Centralized messaging portal
• Rent collection: Online payment processing
• Listing syndication: Vacancy marketing tools

Pricing structure

• Starter: $0/month with advertising, screening, and rental accounting tools
• Basic: $28 platform fee plus $2/unit per month
• Essential: $28 platform fee plus $20/unit per month
• Complete: $28 platform fee plus $58/unit per month

Organizational fit

Hemlane is designed for out-of-state landlords who need help coordinating local services. The platform addresses the operational challenges of remote property management rather than financial management depth.

When to choose Baselane for rental property finances

For landlords and real estate investors who want banking and bookkeeping combined in one platform, Baselane provides a structured approach to property-level financial organization. Baselane combines property-specific banking and bookkeeping for real estate investors while also supporting external account connections for investors who want to maintain existing banking relationships.

Baselane's approach addresses several workflows that Story by J.P. Morgan users may have relied on:

• Centralized banking: Open unlimited checking and savings accounts without monthly account maintenance fees, organized by property, entity, or purpose
• Automated bookkeeping: Baselane Smart can automatically assign transactions to the right property, entity, and 120+ real-estate-specific categories through landlord accounting features
• Rent collection integration: Receive payments directly into property-specific accounts with automated invoicing and late fee tracking
• Tax-ready reporting: Generate Schedule E reports and transaction ledgers organized for accountant review