STR Rule Watch vs Avalara MyLodgeTax: which STR compliance tool is right for you? (2026)
MyLodgeTax files your lodging taxes for a per-property fee. STR Rule Watch is the free/low-cost layer above it: whether the market is even legal for you, what the permit and tax rules are, and the exact per-city rate breakdown — verified and dated.
At a glance
| STR Rule Watch | Avalara MyLodgeTax | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Verified STR regulation database | lodging-tax filing service |
| Coverage | 98 US markets (60 cities, 10 counties, 28 statewide summaries) across 29 states, each field human-verified against official sources with a per-page 'last verified' date | 11,000+ tax jurisdictions |
| Pricing | Free tier; Host $5/mo; Pro $39/mo | Starter ~$27/mo per property + ~$299 setup fee |
| How rules are verified | Human-verified from cited official sources, with a real last-verified date on every page | It's a paid, per-property tax-filing service — $27/mo per property plus a ~$299 setup fee, with pricing above Starter hidden behind quotes |
What Avalara MyLodgeTax does well
- Automated lodging-tax calculation, filing, and remittance across 11,000+ jurisdictions
- Genuinely offloads recurring tax paperwork for operators who want it done for them
Where STR Rule Watch is different
- It's a paid, per-property tax-filing service — $27/mo per property plus a ~$299 setup fee, with pricing above Starter hidden behind quotes
- It handles tax remittance only — not permit eligibility, zoning, occupancy caps, or regulation-change tracking
Where Avalara MyLodgeTax wins
If you want someone to actually file and remit your lodging taxes each period, MyLodgeTax does that end-to-end — which STR Rule Watch does not; we tell you the rates and rules, we don't file for you.
Competitor details were verified from Avalara MyLodgeTax’s website on July 13, 2026 and may have changed since — confirm current features and pricing on their site. This comparison is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice.
See STR Rule Watch for your markets
Look up verified, dated short-term rental rules for any covered US market — free.