Storage unit software keeps one record per unit: its size, rate and status, who rents it, what they owe, and which gate code opens the door. Stitch Storage runs that for 30 to 300 units and adds online rentals, autopay and late fees from $39 a month.
Start with the unit
Everything in a facility hangs on the unit. A good record shows:
- Unit number, size and type (interior, drive-up, climate controlled, outdoor).
- Asking rate and the rate the tenant actually pays.
- Status: vacant, rented, reserved, past due, or out of service.
- The tenant, lease and ledger tied to it.
If your list is wrong, every other number is wrong. See the guide on how to track storage unit rentals for a manual start.
The unit's life in Stitch
- Add the unit. Enter it or import it. Group by building, or place it on your facility map.
- Price it. Set the asking rate. Add a move-in special if you want one.
- List it. Vacant units show on your free facility page for online rental.
- Rent it. A tenant rents online or you run the move-in wizard in the office. The lease is e-signed, the first payment is taken and a gate code is issued.
- Bill it. Autopay charges the card or bank account each month. Money goes to your Stripe account.
- Watch it. If rent is late, a fee posts and the code can turn off.
- Clear it. When the tenant moves out, mark the unit vacant and it goes back on your page.
Worked example
Say you have 120 units. Total gross rent at asking rates is 120 x $100 = $12,000. You have 108 rented at an average of $95, so you collect $10,260. Physical occupancy is 108 / 120 = 90%. The economic picture is $10,260 / $12,000 = 85.5%. That gap is why economic occupancy matters. Your unit list in software makes the gap visible.
What the software should do for units
| Need | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Accurate list | Import and bulk edit |
| Status | One word per unit, always current |
| Rates | Asking versus in-place |
| Billing | Autopay by card and bank |
| Rental | Online with e-sign |
| Access | A code per tenant |
| History | Ledger and messages per tenant |
Billing storage units
Rent is due on the date you set. Stitch bills with the ledger as the record: charge, payment, late fee, credit. A tenant who pays by card uses Stripe Elements, so card details never touch Stitch. Bank (ACH) debits can take up to 4 business days to confirm, per Stripe. The platform fee is 0.3% on rent processed.
Cost
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Starter | $39 per month, up to 50 units |
| Pro | $99 per month, unlimited units |
| Additional facility | $59 per month |
Say you collect $10,260: the fee is 0.3% x $10,260 = $30.78. With Pro at $99, the total is $129.78 a month. No contract and your price never goes up. Compare plans on the pricing page.
Switching your unit list
Stitch has import presets for SiteLink, storEDGE, Easy Storage Solutions, Storage Commander, QuikStor, Syrasoft and spreadsheets. Free migration in 48 hours. See migration. For the whole product picture, read self storage software.
Setting up your units well
A clean unit list pays off for years. Use these habits from day one.
- Use the door number. Name each unit the way it is painted on the door.
- Record the true size. A "10x10" that measures 9x10 causes arguments.
- Keep types consistent. Pick words such as interior, drive-up, climate controlled and outdoor, and stick with them. See the climate controlled and drive-up definitions.
- Separate asking rate from in-place rate. Asking is for new renters. In-place is what current tenants pay.
- Mark units out of service. A unit with a leak should not show as rentable.
Billing details that trip up owners
Proration. A tenant who moves in on the 18th owes part of a month. Say the rent is $95 and the month has 30 days. From the 18th through the 30th is 13 days, so the prorated rent is 13 / 30 x $95 = $41.17. Stitch calculates this in the move-in wizard, so you do not do it by hand.
Billing day. You can bill everyone on the 1st or on each tenant's move-in date. First-of-the-month billing is easier to run. Anniversary billing is easier on tenants. Read the glossary entries for anniversary billing and first-of-month billing.
Late fees. Set the amount in your lease and the software applies it after your grace period. Check your state's rules.
Gate codes and units
A tenant's code belongs to the tenant, not to the unit. When they move out, the code ends. When they fall behind, the code can turn off under your rules. See gate access.
When to move from a spreadsheet
If you can name more than a handful of tenants who pay late, if you have missed a late fee, or if you have lost a night's sleep over who owes what, it is time. Start small: the free trial lets you test with real data, and migration from a spreadsheet is free.