The Best REPS Hour Tracking Apps, Compared for 2026
Five apps are built specifically for tracking Real Estate Professional Status hours. We make one of them — here's an honest, sourced comparison of all five.
If you're claiming Real Estate Professional Status on your tax return — or using the short-term rental loophole — the IRS expects contemporaneous records of your hours. A dedicated tracking app beats a spreadsheet you update in December. Five apps are built specifically for this job: REPSShield, REPSLog, REPStracker, HourProof, and REPS Time.
We make REPSShield, so we're not a neutral party — but we've done the homework anyway. Every fact about the other four apps below comes from their own websites and app-store listings, checked on October 3, 2026. Where we couldn't find a feature listed, we say “not listed” rather than claiming it doesn't exist. Prices are each company's own list prices. If something has changed, email support@repsshield.com and we'll fix it.
The comparison
Scroll sideways on mobile — 22 features across all five apps.
| Feature | REPSShield | REPSLog | REPStracker | HourProof | REPS Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $10 (Essential) | $14.99 (Starter) | $29 | $19.99 (Premium; free plan available) | $14.99 |
| Annual price | $100 (Essential) | $149.99 (Starter) | $23.17/mo billed annually | $139.99 (Premium) | $149 |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | Not listedfree plan instead | Not listedfree plan instead |
| Free plan | limited, basic features | “never expires” | Not listed | core hour tracking | 5 hrs/mo, 1 property |
| iPhone app | Not listedAndroid + web today; iOS coming soon | ||||
| Android app | |||||
| Web app | Not listed | ||||
| Built-in timer | Not listed | ||||
| Voice logging | speak it, get a structured entry | paid tiers | Not listed | Premium only | Not listed |
| AI-assisted entry | Not listed | Premium only | Not listed | ||
| Receipt / document AI | Evidence attachments with AI analysis | plain-language note per receipt/PDF | Not listedupload only | Not listedattachments; “receipt evidence” is Premium | Not listed |
| Google Calendar sync | Not listed | Not listed“calendar sync” is Premium; provider unspecified | Not listed“Smart Calendar Sync”; provider unspecified | ||
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 calendar | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | ||
| Email sync (Gmail / Outlook) | one-way, AI-analyzed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Booking sync (Airbnb / Vrbo) | iCal feeds; stays become pending check-ins, never auto-logged hours | 24 named sites + any iCal | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| CSV import | CSV with AI column mapping | CSV (web app) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| PDF / CPA-ready export | Not listed“download your data”; format unspecified | Premium | paid plans | ||
| STR per-property test | 100/500-hour paths, per-property math | per-property 100/500-hour counters | Listed — real-time REPS/STR progress | Listed — 100-hour thresholds, multi-property | Listed — 750-hour + 100+ hour STR |
| Spouse / team logins | separate logins with roles | read-only or full-access team logins | Same-account model (separate logins not listed) | Not listed | Not listed |
| Custom categories | 30 built-in + unlimited custom | 13 built-in + custom | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Public API | scoped keys | scoped keys + MCP connector | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| ChatGPT / Claude logging | Not listedDIY possible via our public API | Not listed | Premium connector | Not listed |
“Not listed” means we couldn't find the feature on the vendor's own website or store listing as of October 3, 2026 — not that it doesn't exist.
Which app is best for you?
There is no single “best” REPS tracker — there's the best one for how you work. Here's our honest read:
Best for automation at the lowest paid price
REPSShield
If you'd rather have your hours found for you than log them by hand, this is the pitch: Google and Outlook calendars plus Gmail and Outlook mail are scanned automatically, AI turns what it finds into suggested entries, and you approve, edit, or decline each one. Voice entries, booking-stay check-ins, team logins with roles, and a public API round it out at $10/month — the cheapest paid tier in this table. The trade-off is real: there's no iPhone app yet (Android and web today), and there's no ChatGPT/Claude connector.
Best for iPhone-first investors
REPSLog
The most polished mobile experience here: a native iOS app on the App Store since January 2025 with a lock-screen timer, deep booking sync across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and any iCal feed, and the ability to log hours from ChatGPT or Claude. If your phone is where work happens, it's a strong pick. It costs more (from $14.99/month), voice logging is paywalled on paid tiers, and we couldn't find email sync listed on their site.
Best for a proven, no-frills mobile logbook
REPStracker
The veteran of the group, around since 2021: manual entries plus a built-in timer, evidence uploads, spouse and team hours in the same account, and a membership community with tax-expert webinars. If you want a simple logbook with a track record and don't need automation, it does the job. It's also the most expensive option at $29/month, with no calendar, email, or AI integrations listed and no web app listed.
Best free starting point for STR hosts
HourProof
Its free plan covers core hour tracking on iOS, Android, and web, which is a genuine way to start at $0. The $19.99/month Premium unlocks the interesting parts: AI-assisted and voice logging, calendar sync, receipt evidence, CPA-ready exports, and a ChatGPT/Claude connector. Know what you're buying, though — nearly everything beyond basic logging is paywalled, and we couldn't find booking sync, CSV import, or team features listed.
Best for disciplined manual loggers on a budget
REPS Time
The free-forever plan (5 hours/month, 1 property, no credit card) is the cheapest way to start tracking anywhere, and $14.99/month gets you unlimited properties and audit-ready PDF reports. It's quick-tap manual logging, full stop: no timer, no voice, no AI, and no evidence attachments listed. If you're disciplined about logging by hand and want to spend as little as possible, it's honest value.
Detailed comparisons
Frequently asked questions
See what automation finds in your calendar
Calendar and email sync, AI-assisted entries, voice logging, and audit-ready reports — $10/month after the trial, with a limited free plan.
No credit card required.
How we researched this page. We make REPSShield, so read this with that in mind. Every fact about the other product comes from its own website or App Store / Google Play listing, checked on October 3, 2026. If something has changed, email support@repsshield.com and we’ll fix it.
REPSShield is not a CPA or tax advisor. This page is for information only — talk to your tax professional about your situation.