PropBoss vs Excel Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are where every investor starts. PropBoss is where they graduate to when the manual work stops being manageable.
PropBoss
PropBoss replaces the spreadsheet with a purpose-built platform that automates data entry, syncs bank feeds, processes emails, files documents, and generates tax reports — no manual input required.
Excel Spreadsheets
Excel (or Google Sheets) is free, flexible, and familiar. Most investors start here — tracking rent, expenses, and loans in a spreadsheet they built themselves. It works fine at first.
features compared side by side
PropBoss-only capabilities in this comparison
Excel Spreadsheets-only capabilities listed
Feature comparison
Compare the workflow, not just the label.
The table keeps the SEO-friendly side-by-side detail, while the sections below explain when each tool is the better fit.
| Feature | PropBoss | Excel Spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|
| Income & expense tracking | Yes | Manual entry |
| Bank feed sync | Automatic | CSV import (manual) |
| Transaction categorisation | AI-powered | Manual |
| Tax reports (ATO-ready) | Yes | Build your own |
| Depreciation schedules | Yes | Manual formulas |
| Loan & LVR tracking | Yes | Manual formulas |
| Cash flow analysis | Yes | Build your own |
| AI email inbox processing | Yes | No |
| AI bill classification | Yes | No |
| Document storage & management | Yes | No |
| Ownership statement processing | Yes | No |
| PM email forwarding | Yes | No |
| Multiple entity support (trusts, SMSFs) | Yes | Separate tabs |
| 30-year cash flow forecasting | Yes | Complex formulas |
| Multi-user access | Yes | Shared file (no permissions) |
| Data validation & error prevention | Yes | Prone to errors |
| Mobile access | Yes | Poor on mobile |
| Audit trail | Yes | No |
What changes
What PropBoss does differently.
Zero manual data entry
Spreadsheets need you to type every transaction, every rent payment, every expense. PropBoss syncs your bank feeds, reads your emails, and categorises everything automatically. You review instead of entering.
Spreadsheets don't scale
At 1-3 properties, a spreadsheet is manageable. At 5+ properties across different entities, it becomes a second job. Formulas break, tabs multiply, and one wrong cell ruins your tax return. PropBoss handles 50+ properties without breaking a sweat.
Your documents live with your data
A spreadsheet tracks numbers but can't store the invoice, the ownership statement, or the insurance certificate. PropBoss links every document to the right property and transaction — searchable and organised.
Always accurate, always up to date
Spreadsheets are only as good as your last update. Forget to enter a transaction and your numbers are wrong. PropBoss pulls data from your bank and email automatically — it's always current.
Use Excel Spreadsheets when...
- You have 1-2 properties and minimal transactions
- You enjoy building and maintaining spreadsheets
- You want a completely free solution and don't mind manual work
- You have very simple finances with no entities or trusts
Use PropBoss when...
- You have 3+ properties and manual tracking is eating your time
- You're spending hours at EOFY reconciling spreadsheets with bank statements
- You've lost track of invoices, statements, or documents
- You want bank feeds synced and emails processed automatically
- You have properties across trusts, companies, or SMSFs
- You're worried about errors in your tax reporting
Next step
See the owner-side workflow in PropBoss.
Start free when you are ready to move property admin out of inboxes, spreadsheets, bank files and download folders.