Comparison

HourProof vs STR Tax Loophole Tracker

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HourProof

Easily track material participation hours for rental properties to generate IRS-ready documentation. Log activities, monitor progress towards thresholds, and create audit-ready reports from your phone.

Highlights
  • Activity logging with timer or manual entry
  • Visual progress bars for participation goals
  • CSV report generation
  • Organize properties into groups
  • Cloud sync across devices
  • AI-assisted activity entry
  • Voice input for hands-free logging
Features
Read full description

HourProof is the easiest way for rental property owners to track material participation hours and build IRS-ready documentation. Whether you manage short-term rentals (STR) or long-term rentals (LTR), HourProof helps you log activities, track hours toward your participation goals, and generate audit-ready reports — all from your phone. KEY FEATURES: • Activity Logging — Log property management activities with category, duration, property, and description. Use the built-in timer or enter manually. • Goal Tracking — Monitor progress toward 100-hour (STR) and 750-hour (LTR) material participation thresholds with visual progress bars. • Export Reports — Generate CSV reports grouped by property, category, or date range. • Property Groups — Organize properties into groups with combined hour goals for aggregate tracking. • Cloud Sync — Your data syncs across devices with secure Firebase cloud storage. PRO SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES (paid): • AI-Assisted Entry — Describe what you did in plain English. AI extracts the category, duration, and property details automatically. • Voice Input — Speak your activities hands-free. Speech recognition converts your words into structured log entries. • Evidence Attachments — Attach photos, receipts, documents, and emails as contemporaneous evidence for each activity. • Basic Reminders — Set reminders to log your hours. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES (paid): • Calendar Sync — Connect Google Calendar or import Airbnb/VRBO booking calendars to auto-generate activity suggestions. • Receipt Scanning — Snap a receipt and log the activity instantly with OCR. • CPA-Ready PDF & CSV Exports — Advanced reporting with audit narrative and Schedule E pre-fill. • iCal Feeds — Import up to 10 Airbnb/VRBO/Hospitable booking feeds. • Groups & Collaboration — Unlimited participants and shared property tracking. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS: HourProof Pro: $12.99/month or $129.99/year. HourProof Premium: $24.99/month or $249.99/year. Both plans include a 14-day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at the end of the trial. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings → Subscriptions. Built by real estate investors, for real estate investors. HourProof gives you peace of mind that your records will hold up if the IRS ever asks. Note: HourProof is for record-keeping purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Please consult your CPA for tax guidance. Terms of Use: https://www.hourproof.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.hourproof.app/privacy

About

STR Tax Loophole Tracker

This app helps short-term rental investors document their property management hours to qualify for a significant tax loophole. It offers AI-powered logging, evidence uploads, and real-time dashboards to build an audit-proof record.

Highlights
  • AI speech-to-text logging
  • Evidence uploads (photos, receipts)
  • Real-time dashboard with hour tracking
  • Multi-property and team tracking
  • Customizable activity categories
  • CSV import and export
  • Cloud sync and backup
Features
Read full description

STR Tax Loophole: Hour Tracker The only app built specifically to help short-term rental investors document material participation hours and qualify for the STR tax loophole under IRS Reg 1.469-1T(e)(3)(ii). If you own a short-term rental with an average guest stay of 7 days or less, you may be able to reclassify your rental losses as non-passive and use them to offset your W-2 or active income. The tax savings can be substantial, but only if you can prove it. The IRS requires a contemporaneous log of every hour you spend managing your property. A spreadsheet won’t hold up. STR Tax Loophole gives you the documentation that will. ▸ AI SPEECH-TO-TEXT LOGGING Say what you did. The app transcribes your voice, identifies the property, category, and duration, and creates a timestamped entry automatically. Log an activity in under 30 seconds without typing a word. ▸ EVIDENCE UPLOADS Attach photos, receipts, invoices, and contractor documents directly to any entry. Build an audit-proof evidence trail that supports every hour you claim. The IRS values documentation with corroborating proof. This gives you exactly that. ▸ REAL-TIME DASHBOARD See your total hours, hours by property, hours by category, and progress toward the 100-hour threshold at a glance. Visual charts and stat cards update as you log, so you always know where you stand. ▸ MULTI-PROPERTY TRACKING Track hours across every rental you own. Each property gets its own activity history, category breakdown, and qualification status. See which properties are on track and which need attention. ▸ TEAM & SPOUSE TRACKING Add your spouse, property manager, cleaners, and contractors as team members. Track their hours alongside yours. A key requirement for qualification is proving that you personally spent more time on the rental than anyone else. This makes that comparison clear. ▸ CUSTOM CATEGORIES Organize your entries by activity type: guest communication, cleaning coordination, maintenance, bookkeeping, market research, renovation, and more. Categories align with IRS-recognized material participation activities so your log tells a clear story. ▸ CSV IMPORT & EXPORT Already tracking hours elsewhere? Import your existing data via CSV. Need a hard copy for your CPA or tax attorney? Export your complete log with one tap. Compatible with any spreadsheet or tax preparation workflow. ▸ CLOUD SYNC & BACKUP Your data syncs across iPhone, iPad, and desktop. Log an entry on your phone at the property and review your dashboard on your laptop at home. Daily cloud backups ensure nothing is ever lost. ▸ SECURE & PRIVATE Two-factor authentication, passkey support, and encrypted cloud storage protect your data. Your financial records stay private. ▸ WHY THIS MATTERS The STR tax loophole can save investors tens of thousands of dollars per year through bonus depreciation and cost segregation. But one audit without proper documentation can erase those savings entirely. CPAs and tax attorneys consistently say the same thing: the investors who qualify are the ones who keep detailed, contemporaneous logs. STR Tax Loophole was designed to make that effortless. ▸ WHO IT’S FOR Short-term rental owners on Airbnb, VRBO, or direct booking platforms. Real estate investors pursuing cost segregation and bonus depreciation strategies. Anyone whose CPA has told them they need to track their material participation hours. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Use: https://thestrtaxloophole.com/terms

Screenshots

HourProof4 screens
STR Tax Loophole Tracker3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: STR Tax Loophole Tracker at free against HourProof's free with in-app purchases. STR Tax Loophole Tracker also leads on ratings volume (11 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. HourProof sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and STR Tax Loophole Tracker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HourProof against 5.0 for STR Tax Loophole Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: STR Tax Loophole Tracker has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HourProof ships an update every 3 weeks, STR Tax Loophole Tracker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HourProof versus STR Tax Loophole Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHourProofSTR Tax Loophole Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings211 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShilpee HaldarM12Invest LLC

Customer experience

HourProof

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

STR Tax Loophole Tracker

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

HourProof

Subscriptions4
  • HourProof Pro (Monthly)14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly14 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly14 Days trial$79.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium Yearly$149.991 Year
2 purchases

STR Tax Loophole Tracker

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$214.991 Year

Questions

Is HourProof free?
HourProof is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is STR Tax Loophole Tracker free?
STR Tax Loophole Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HourProof or STR Tax Loophole Tracker?
HourProof and STR Tax Loophole Tracker are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 11 ratings respectively.
Do HourProof or STR Tax Loophole Tracker have ads?
Neither HourProof nor STR Tax Loophole Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HourProof or STR Tax Loophole Tracker?
HourProof ships an update every 3 weeks, and STR Tax Loophole Tracker fortnightly. Most recently, HourProof was updated on September 10, 2026 and STR Tax Loophole Tracker on July 23, 2026.

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