( guides · comparison )
LA MARAISIENNE OR DossierFacile ?
WHAT EACH ONE DOES, AND why they are not the same tool
DossierFacile is the free French government service that checks and secures the documents of your rental file (dossier de location). La Maraisienne is a paid service that writes your presentation and designs your file so that it convinces. They do not answer the same question: DossierFacile proves your documents are genuine; La Maraisienne gets you chosen among genuine files. Many of our users use both. Here is the comparison, point by point, in good faith.
What DossierFacile is
DossierFacile is a digital public service run under the French housing ministry. You upload your documents, operators check them (usually within 24 hours), a watermark is applied to each one to prevent fraudulent reuse, and you get a labelled file that you share by link. It is free, reliable, and more and more agencies and platforms (PAP in particular) integrate it directly. According to the ministry, a DossierFacile file increases your chances of getting a viewing by 24% (source).
What DossierFacile does not do, and does not claim to do: it writes nothing for you, does not present your situation to the landlord, and does not design your file beyond a standard format. If your situation is simple (permanent contract, income three times the rent, guarantor in France), it is often enough.
What La Maraisienne is
La Maraisienne is an online service, run by a small Paris-based business, that turns your information and documents into a written, designed rental file. You follow a flow adapted to your situation (employee, student, couple or flatshare, freelancer, performing arts worker, expat), an AI writes your presentation from what you tell it, you review it, and you download a single clean PDF that you send to landlords yourself. It is paid: €14.90 to €24.90 per month, cancellable in one click, with unlimited updates during your subscription.
What La Maraisienne does not do: it does not verify the authenticity of your documents, issues no label, does not list apartments and does not connect you with landlords.
Point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | DossierFacile | La Maraisienne |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | The French State (public service) | A private company |
| Price | Free | €14.90 to €24.90 per month, no commitment |
| Document verification | Yes, by operators, with a label | No |
| Anti-fraud watermark | Yes, on every document | Yes, on appendix pages |
| Writing your presentation | No | Yes, by AI, reviewed and editable by you |
| File design | Standard format | PDF built to be read in two minutes |
| Situation-specific flow (freelancer, intermittent, expat) | Adapted document list | Adapted document list and a presentation that explains the situation |
| Sharing format | Link to an online file | PDF you send however you like |
| Guarantor | Included | Included, all plans |
| Foreign documents | Accepted | Accepted |
| Apartment search | No | No |
When DossierFacile is enough
Your situation is standard, your documents are complete, and you mostly apply through platforms that integrate DossierFacile. The label does the job: it tells the landlord everything is genuine and compliant. Adding a written presentation can still make a difference in a tight market, but it is not essential.
When La Maraisienne adds something
As soon as your situation needs explaining. A freelancer, a performing arts worker, someone arriving from abroad, a couple with two different statuses, a flatshare of four: the landlord is not only checking whether your documents are genuine, they are trying to understand who you are and why your file holds together. That is the role of the presentation, and that is what La Maraisienne’s AI writes from what you tell it. See our pages Freelancer, Expat and How to write a good presentation.
It also matters when you apply directly to private landlords, by email or in person: a PDF that reads in two minutes works better than a link to open.
How to combine them
The method we recommend: verify your documents on DossierFacile, for the label and the watermark. Then build your La Maraisienne file with those same documents, and include your DossierFacile link in your presentation. The landlord gets both: proof that everything is genuine, and a file they want to read. See the samples · See the plans.
( FAQ )
Frequently asked questions
Does La Maraisienne replace DossierFacile?
No. The two services do different things: DossierFacile verifies, La Maraisienne writes and designs. You can use one, the other, or both.
Why pay when DossierFacile is free?
You are not paying for the same thing. DossierFacile is free because it is a public verification service. La Maraisienne charges for writing and design, which DossierFacile does not offer.
Can a landlord require a DossierFacile file?
They can ask for it, and many appreciate it, but they cannot reject a complete file solely because it is not labelled. The documents that can be required are fixed by the decree of 5 November 2015, not by a format.
Is my La Maraisienne file checked by anyone?
No. You are responsible for the sincerity of your documents. That is precisely why we recommend also going through DossierFacile.
Can I put my DossierFacile link in my La Maraisienne file?
Yes, in your presentation. It is the strongest combination.