Published June 5, 2026 · 8 min read

HourProof vs REPSlog vs REPStracker: Best REPS Tracker for Real Estate Material Participation

If you are looking for a REPS tracker to document material participation hours for the STR tax strategy or real estate professional status, three purpose-built apps have emerged: HourProof, REPSlog, and REPStracker. This comparison covers what each one does, where each falls short, and which fits different investor situations — based on publicly available information as of mid-2026.

All three apps target the same core problem: the IRS expects contemporaneous records showing when you worked, what you did, and how long it took. Spreadsheets reconstructed after the fact are a known audit vulnerability. These apps exist to fix that.

Side-by-side comparison

HourProof

HourProof is designed specifically for STR investors and real estate professionals who need to build and defend a material participation position. It tracks hours per property, shows progress toward customizable goals (100 hours for STR, 750 hours for REPS, or anything in between), and keeps contemporaneous records tied to timestamps, categories, and evidence.

The standout features that no direct competitor currently matches:

• Receipt OCR: Photograph a repair receipt and HourProof extracts the activity details automatically, logging both the time spent and the supporting evidence in a single step.
• Airbnb / VRBO iCal sync: Pull your reservation calendar directly from Airbnb or VRBO via iCal URL. HourProof is the only app in this category that supports platform-native iCal syncing in addition to Google Calendar.
• CPA-ready PDF export: Generate a formatted activity report ready to hand to a tax professional. REPSlog and REPStracker export CSV only.
• Free plan: HourProof has a free plan available after download. REPSlog and REPStracker both gate access behind trials before requiring payment.
• Android support: HourProof runs on both iOS and Android. REPSlog is iOS-only. REPStracker has no Android app.
• Lower price: At $9.99–$12.99/month (or $49.99–$99.99/yr), HourProof is significantly less expensive than REPSlog ($14.99–$19.99/mo) and substantially less than REPStracker ($32.00/mo or $304.99/yr).

The one area where HourProof currently lags: multi-participant tracking. If you need to formally log spouse or contractor hours to prove the “more than anyone else” prong of Material Participation Test 3, REPSlog and REPStracker both support this explicitly. HourProof tracks the owner’s hours only.

REPSlog

REPSlog (CarmelTech LLC) is the most feature-complete alternative to HourProof. It has AI-assisted entry with a built-in model (no API key required), calendar integration, evidence attachments, and — its clearest differentiator — multi-participant tracking for spouses, cleaners, and co-hosts.

The gaps: REPSlog is iOS-only, exports CSV rather than a formatted PDF, has no iCal or Airbnb sync, and costs more ($14.99–$19.99/month). It also has no free tier after the 14-day trial. For investors who need to document that no other person outworked them — a specific requirement under Test 3 — REPSlog is worth evaluating seriously.

REPStracker

REPStracker (repstracker.com) has been available since 2021, making it the oldest option in this category. It supports both LTR (750hr) and STR (100hr) goal tracking, has evidence attachments, and includes multi-participant tracking.

The limitations are significant. At $32/month or $305/year it is the most expensive option by a wide margin — nearly three times the cost of HourProof. User reviews note limited feature development over several years. There is no AI, no receipt scanning, no calendar sync of any kind, no PDF export, and no Android app. For most investors, the pricing alone makes it hard to justify over the alternatives.

Which one is right for you

• Most STR self-managers: HourProof. Lowest price, most features, free tier, Android, receipt OCR, Airbnb iCal sync, and CPA PDF export.
• If multi-participant tracking is critical: REPSlog. Specifically useful when you need to prove spouse or cleaner hours for the “more than anyone else” requirement.
• REPStracker: Hard to recommend at current pricing given the feature gaps versus both alternatives.

What all three get right

All three apps solve the core problem better than a spreadsheet: they create timestamped, per-activity records that are difficult to reconstruct after the fact. The IRS treats contemporaneous records — created at the time of the activity — as more credible than year-end logs built from memory. Any of these tools is a better documentation practice than an annual spreadsheet.

Read more about how to document rental property hours for the IRS and which material participation test applies to your situation.

Related reading

• The 7 material participation tests explained
• Real estate professional status requirements
• Why contemporaneous logs matter
• STR vs LTR tax treatment
• Track REPS hours with HourProof

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