SMB landlord software comparison
Comparing Revun vs SimplifyEm for US and Canadian landlords who want more than bookkeeping
The short version
SimplifyEm is a US-based property management platform founded in 2006 that has built a loyal following among solo landlords and small-portfolio investors who want solid accounting tools without a steep learning curve. It covers the essentials well: rent collection, lease management, expense tracking, and basic tenant screening available as a pay-per-use add-on. The platform is best suited to independent landlords managing fewer than 100 US residential units who prioritize accounting accuracy and affordability over advanced communications or automation features. Landlords managing Canadian properties, or those who need native VoIP, AI-assisted workflows, or a fully bundled platform, will find meaningful gaps.
Feature by feature
| Capability | Revun | SimplifyEm |
|---|---|---|
US + Canada compliance | Province and state rules, tax forms, and privacy frameworks built in. | Built for the US; Canadian landlords report provincial lease gaps and cross-border support friction |
All-in-one, no paid add-ons | Leasing, payments, maintenance, comms, and accounting in one price. | Core accounting and lease tools included, but screening, listings, and applications cost extra per use |
Native email, SMS, VoIP, video | Every conversation logs to the unit. No third-party phone system. | No built-in VoIP, SMS, or video; landlords must use separate tools for tenant communications |
Tenant screening included | Credit, identity, income, and references inside the leasing pipeline. | Screening available as a pay-per-report add-on (published pricing starts around $19.95 per applicant), not bundled |
AI automation | AI drafts replies, summarizes threads, and triages maintenance. | No AI automation layer; reviewer data consistently flags automation as a platform weakness |
Per-unit pricing, no minimums | Flat per-door. No unit floor, no monthly minimum to start. | Per-unit tiers with a low entry price, but annual billing locks in the cost and add-ons accumulate for active landlords |
Built-in property accounting | Trust accounting and owner statements native, not an integration. | Strong US-focused accounting with IRS expense categorization, bank reconciliation, and owner reporting across all tiers |
Free tier for small owners | Free for 1-2 units with the full core workflow. | No permanent free tier; offers a 15-day free trial only before requiring a paid subscription |
Comparison reflects published product capabilities and positioning. Verify current details with each vendor.
Why operators switch
SimplifyEm was built for the US market. Canadian landlords using it have reported issues with Ontario lease forms, provincial compliance gaps, and the inability to call US support lines from a Canadian phone plan without paying international rates. Revun is designed from the ground up for both US and Canadian jurisdictions, with localized lease templates, compliance tooling, and support that does not require a cross-border workaround.
SimplifyEm has no built-in VoIP, SMS broadcast, or video calling. Landlords who want to reach tenants by phone or text must bolt on separate tools and manually reconcile conversations. Revun ships email, SMS, VoIP, and video in a single inbox tied directly to tenant records, so every communication is logged without a third-party integration.
SimplifyEm charges per screening report (published pricing starts around $19.95 per applicant) and has no meaningful AI automation layer. Ninety percent of reviews on G2 flag automation as a weakness. Revun includes AI-assisted workflows and tenant screening as part of the platform subscription, meaning landlords with high turnover do not face escalating per-transaction costs as their portfolio grows.
A fair look
Pricing
SimplifyEm published pricing starts around $35 per month for up to 5 units on a monthly plan, with annual plans reducing that figure meaningfully. Add-on costs for tenant screening, rental applications, and lease forms are billed separately per use. Verify current rates directly with SimplifyEm before making a purchasing decision.
Landlords and small property managers operating in both the US and Canada, or US-only portfolios where tenant communications, AI-assisted workflows, and bundled screening matter more than standalone accounting depth.
Independent US landlords managing fewer than 50 units who want proven bookkeeping, IRS-ready reporting, and a familiar interface at a predictable monthly cost, and who do not need built-in communications or Canadian compliance support.
Switching is handled
SimplifyEm stores tenant records, lease data, and financial history that can be exported from its reporting module as CSV or PDF files. Revun's onboarding team can ingest exported rent rolls, tenant contact lists, and historical transaction data so that your accounting history carries over and tenants receive portal invitations on day one. Most landlords moving from SimplifyEm complete the switch in under a week.
FAQ
Yes, particularly if you manage properties in Canada, want communications (email, SMS, VoIP, and video) built into the same platform, or want tenant screening bundled rather than billed per applicant. SimplifyEm has strong US accounting, but Revun covers a broader feature set without add-on fees stacking up as your portfolio grows.
SimplifyEm is primarily built for the US market. Canadian landlords have reported gaps in provincial lease templates (notably Ontario), and support is delivered via US phone lines that require international calling from Canada. Revun is built for both US and Canadian jurisdictions from the start.
Yes. Export your tenant data, lease records, and financial history from SimplifyEm and Revun's onboarding team will help you import it. Most landlords complete the migration in less than a week with no gap in rent collection or tenant access.
SimplifyEm published pricing starts around $35 per month for up to 5 units, with add-ons charged separately for screening, applications, and lease forms. Revun uses flat per-door pricing with no unit minimums and is free for 1 to 2 units, so landlords with active tenant turnover typically pay less in total once add-on costs are factored in.
One platform for leasing, payments, maintenance, communications, and accounting across the US and Canada.
