Hemlane vs. SimplifyEm: 4 Major Differences To Consider in 2026

Every successful landlord knows that having the right property management software is key to running and growing their business. With that said, there are many property management software tools out there, but are all of them built equally? Through these series of articles, we are here to help you decide on which software will fit your needs for your rental properties. We will focus on the benefits of using Hemlane vs. SimplifyEm and give you our thoughts on which software is the best suited to improve your bottom line.

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The Hidden Cost of Transactions

With every rental property, you want to make sure you are receiving payments quickly while minimizing any risks of unpaid rent or payments being canceled at the last minute. This is why both Hemlane and SimplifyEm process payments through ACH and allow automatic payments to be scheduled. These transactions typically clear within a few business days, although processing times can vary.

But what differentiates Hemlane from SimplifyEm?

There are two differences worth considering before making your decision: transaction fees and what happens when a payment fails.

SimplifyEm currently advertises free incoming ACH payments on its Starter and Plus plans, with no merchant account or bank setup fees. Its online payment information also describes transaction fees that can vary by payment arrangement. Hemlane charges $0 for ACH rent payments on paid plans, so neither platform necessarily has an advantage on standard ACH fees.

If one of your tenants attempts to submit a payment and it doesn't go through, someone still needs to make sure the rent gets collected. Although this may seem minor, the additional tasks can add up. What happens when you have over twenty rental properties and don't realize a few tenants have failed payments? What should have been a straightforward transaction can turn into hours of follow-up.

With Hemlane, tenants can resubmit failed payments through the system. When there are insufficient funds in a tenant's account, Hemlane sends failed-payment notifications so you and your tenant can address the issue. You can also set up automatic late fees based on your lease terms and applicable laws.

SimplifyEm also offers payment tracking, tenant communication tools, and support for payment-related questions. Before choosing either platform, it's worth comparing how failed-payment notifications, retries, and late fees work in practice.

Tenants can also pay from their phones. Through the Hemlane tenant mobile app, renters can view payment requests, link a bank account, pay rent, and set up autopay. They can also message you or their repair coordinator, check balances, view lease details, and upload documents.

For this round, Hemlane's failed-payment notifications, resubmission options, and connected tenant app are useful advantages.

Managing Your Property at a Flat Fee

When selecting your property management software, you want to ensure you're getting the most out of the platform without it affecting your bottom line. Both Hemlane and SimplifyEm offer affordable systems for managing rental properties, but their pricing structures differ.

When breaking down the cost for SimplifyEm, there are several add-ons that can alter the price. For example, on Starter, listing a vacant property costs $3 per listing, and incoming applications cost $3 each. Automations such as rent notices, late fees, and owner reports are included in Plus or available as an add-on to certain Starter packages.

SimplifyEm's published monthly prices start at $35 for up to five units. One of its current pricing schedules lists $90 for 50 units and $150 for 100 units. However, other SimplifyEm pages show different figures, so confirm the applicable plan and price before signing up.

These additional costs can add up, especially as your portfolio grows. On the other hand, SimplifyEm offers extensive accounting, reporting, and administrative features at a relatively low subscription price.

Partner with Hemlane as your property management software and start managing multiple properties while building and adding your team to the platform. Hemlane provides tools to advertise rentals, organize your team, manage maintenance requests, and automate rent collection.

Our plans now include:

Getting set up to process payments online doesn't have to cost you a pretty penny. Both platforms offer affordable ways to manage rent collection and accounting, while Hemlane gives you the option to add hands-on services as your portfolio grows.

SimplifyEm is generally less expensive if you need bookkeeping software and plan to handle repairs and leasing yourself. Hemlane's Essential and Complete plans cost more because they include people who coordinate work that would otherwise fall to your team.

Get More Value with Repair Coordination

While some property managers like administrative tasks and making maintenance checklists, we know others would rather spend their time growing their business or enjoying their hobbies. Both platforms provide the ability to track and manage repairs, but Hemlane also offers a team that coordinates the work for you.

If you're looking for a way to step back from those 4 a.m. phone calls from tenants, Hemlane's repair coordination service may be the solution. On Essential and Complete, you can delegate troubleshooting, vendor scheduling, and repair follow-up to our team of coordinators.

As repairs come in, our coordinators first troubleshoot requests with tenants to determine whether a service call is needed. This can prevent unnecessary vendor visits and keep smaller issues from turning into larger expenses.

If servicing is needed, our repair coordinators work with your service professionals to schedule appointments with tenants. Complete also includes access to our vetted network of service professionals, along with repair price thresholds and approvals.

You'll receive updates through the platform as work progresses, while the coordination team manages the scheduling and follow-up. Essential includes end-to-end repair coordination and 24/7 emergency support. Complete adds broader tenant communication support and more control over repair approvals.

Our own data gives some perspective on the difference. Across more than 193,000 maintenance requests, repairs coordinated through Hemlane closed in a median of 10.1 days, compared with 14.7 days for repairs managed independently. You can read more about those results in our guide to evaluating property management software.

The results show an association, rather than proof that coordination alone caused faster repairs. Still, they offer a useful benchmark for property managers reviewing their maintenance process.

SimplifyEm provides task management, work orders, and vendor tracking, but does not advertise the same hands-on repair coordination service. If you already have a reliable maintenance team, those tools may be enough. If repairs are taking up too much of your calendar, Hemlane's coordinated service offers another approach.

Organize Your Portfolio with Ease

When the end of the year comes, it's important to make sure your paperwork aligns for tax season. This is why both platforms allow you to generate income statements and other financial reports for your business. Hemlane and SimplifyEm provide property managers with ways to organize transactions throughout the year instead of sorting through everything at tax time.

But as you grow your property management business and start bringing on clients, the platform you're using should be able to accommodate that growth too.

SimplifyEm offers detailed financial reports, income and expense tracking, owner statements, and tax-related reporting, including Schedule E reports. Its accounting tools are a strong option for property managers who want to manage their bookkeeping in-house.

We know how important it is to provide reports for clients in a timely manner while separating your information from theirs. Hemlane's portfolio organization tools allow you to group properties and switch between portfolios. You can generate income statements and cash-flow reports, review transactions, and give clients access to information about their rentals.

Hemlane's accounting features include bank synchronization, income and expense tracking, and QuickBooks integration. For property managers handling third-party owner funds, our trust accounting tools provide owner-specific virtual trust accounts and reconciliation features.

With a growing rental business, documentation and organization can get overwhelming. Both platforms address that challenge, although they take different approaches.

SimplifyEm emphasizes accounting and reporting features at a lower subscription price. Hemlane connects those financial tools with leasing, rent collection, and optional repair coordination services. If you manage multiple properties and owners, consider which approach fits the way your team works.

Which Platform Outshines the Other?

Although both platforms allow you to automate tasks and maintain organized rental records, Hemlane takes the lead when you're looking for more than property management software.

Hemlane offers an easy-to-use platform for both tenants and landlords, with tools for advertising, rent collection, leasing, and accounting. You can start with the basics and upgrade as your portfolio grows. With our in-house 24/7 repair coordination team on Essential and Complete, you can spend less time managing repairs and more time growing your business.

Hemlane is the better choice when your time is the limit, not the feature list. Complete also adds tenant communication support and access to our vetted network of service professionals. SimplifyEm remains a good fit if you want affordable bookkeeping and property management tools while handling repairs and leasing yourself.

But don’t take our word for it, you can try Hemlane for yourself, and see how much you can save!