May 2026 dataset · 15 U.S. providers documented · CC-BY 4.0
Median price
$5,000
across n=15 providers
P25 (lower quartile)
$1,440
25% of providers below
P75 (upper quartile)
$10,000
75% of providers below
Range
$525–$12,500
low end to high end
Short-term rental cost segregation studies typically deliver higher reclassification percentages than unfurnished long-term rentals — 25–35% of depreciable basis vs. 15–22% for SFRs — because furnished STRs contain FF&E (furniture, fixtures, equipment) classified as 5-year personal property under MACRS. Pricing variance across STR providers reflects delivery model and FF&E component capture depth, not the underlying tax framework.
Provider pricing table
Sorted by low end of pricing range. * marks Cost Seg Smart (this dataset is operated by Cost Seg Smart — see methodology).
Provider
Pricing range
Turnaround
Methodology
ASCSP
Cost Seg Smart*
$495–$2,995
Under 1 hour
Automated
—
DIY Cost Seg
$495–$1,295
~5 minutes (software); investor work varies
Diy
—
Room42
$525
Days
Automated
—
R.E. Cost Seg
$950–$5,000
5-10 days (Rapid) / 3-4 weeks (Engineered)
Hybrid
—
Overline IQ
$1,440
Days to weeks
Hybrid
—
SMF Cost Segregation Advisors
$1,500–$5,000
1-2 weeks
Hybrid
—
Modern CFO / FreeCostSeg
$1,800
1-3 weeks
Hybrid
—
Remote Cost Seg
$2,000–$8,000
2-3 weeks
Hybrid
—
Bedford Cost Segregation
$3,000–$8,000
3-5 weeks
Engineered
Yes
Dimov Tax & CPA
$3,000–$8,000
2-4 weeks
Hybrid
—
KBKG
$5,000–$15,000
4-8 weeks
Engineered
Yes
Engineered Tax Services
$5,000–$20,000
6-8 weeks
Engineered
Yes
CSSI
$5,000–$15,000
4-8 weeks
Engineered
Yes
Madison SPECS
$5,000–$15,000
2-4 weeks
Engineered
Yes
Cost Segregation Guys
$5,000–$15,000
1-3 weeks
Engineered
—
CostSegEZ
—
Software runs in ~2 minutes; investor work may take days
Diy
—
Titan Echo
Subscription model
Software runs in minutes; investor work may take days
Diy
—
What drives STR pricing variance
FF&E density. Fully furnished STRs (3-bedroom Airbnb with hot tub, full kitchen, outdoor furniture) capture more 5-year personal property than minimally furnished rentals. Higher FF&E density supports higher reclassification percentages.
Filing-deadline timing. STR investors often need studies completed before April 15 to apply current-year deductions. Automated tier ($495, under 1 hour) and hybrid Rapid Report ($950, 5–10 days) cover deadline-driven engagements. Engineered firms (4–8 weeks) miss this window in Q1.
STR loophole interaction. Properties using the IRC §469(c)(7) STR exception (≤7-day average guest stay + material participation) benefit most from front-loading depreciation. Provider must understand the loophole — not all do.
Component itemization. Strong STR studies itemize FF&E (beds, sofas, dining sets, appliances, electronics, outdoor furniture) as separate 5-year line items rather than burying in 'personal property' lump sum. Documentation depth matters for audit defense.
Methodology breakdown (15 providers)
Automated (n=2)
Hybrid (n=6)
Engineered (n=6)
Diy (n=3)
Cost Seg Smart positioning. Cost Seg Smart's $795 STR tier sits at the bottom of the documented STR price distribution. The pipeline accounts for furnished-rental FF&E intensity, so STRs receive a higher 5-year personal property allocation than equivalent unfurnished SFRs. For a basis-specific deduction model with STR-loophole math, see the Cost Seg Smart calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does cost segregation cost for an Airbnb in 2026?
Documented STR pricing across U.S. providers ranges from $495 (automated, sub-$300K) to $20,000+ (traditional engineered with full FF&E inventory). Median documented STR study price is approximately $3,500. R.E. Cost Seg's $950 Rapid Report (scope cap: ≤4 units, basis <$800K) covers the BiggerPockets-default STR segment.
Do STR cost segregation studies always cost more than long-term rental studies?
Pricing depends on provider model, not property classification. Some providers (Cost Seg Smart, R.E. Cost Seg) tier pricing by property value rather than rental classification. The FF&E component of an STR adds modest engineering scope but doesn't typically change the published price tier on a per-property basis.
Which providers specialize in short-term rental cost segregation?
Documented STR-specialist providers in the May 2026 dataset include R.E. Cost Seg (BiggerPockets-default, Yonah Weiss thought leadership), Cost Seg Smart (automated tier covering STR-specific FF&E reclassification), and SMF Cost Segregation Advisors (virtual site inspection, STR/SFR focus). Most large engineered firms (KBKG, CSSI, ETS) serve STR but don't specialize.
Methodology. Statistics computed from midpoints of each provider's published or estimated pricing range, filtered to providers serving short-term rental. Sample sizes reflect documented providers in the May 2026 dataset; the U.S. provider universe is larger. Each pricing claim cites at least one public source in the canonical dataset.csv. See full methodology.