Prices checked on October 15, 2026 Prices change. Confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
DealCheck is built for analyzing deals: its free Starter plan saves up to 15 properties and includes the rental cash flow calculator plus cap rate, cash-on-cash, IRR and other return metrics. Plus ($10/mo) and Pro ($20/mo) raise the limits. If you already use Stessa, its Pro plan ($28/month annual) adds budgeting and pro-forma analysis for properties you own.
Comparison
| Tool | Free plan | Paid | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| DealCheck | Starter $0: up to 15 saved properties and 5 comps | Plus $10/mo (50 properties) · Pro $20/mo (unlimited) · 14-day free trial | Rental, flip and multifamily calculators. Cap rate, COC, ROI, IRR and DCR. Sales and rental comps. PDF reports. Web, iOS and Android. |
| Stessa | Essentials (no pro-forma) | Pro $28/mo annual ($35 monthly) | Budgeting and pro-forma, advanced reports |
| Spreadsheet | Free | — | Fully flexible but manual. Good for one-off checks. |
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What to Calculate
- Net operating income (NOI) and monthly cash flow
- Cap rate and cash-on-cash return
- Debt coverage ratio (DCR), if you're financing the purchase
Once you buy, set up your books with rental bookkeeping software.
A Worked Deal Analysis (Illustrative Numbers)
Here's the math every deal tool runs, using made-up numbers for a small duplex. Swap in your own.
| Line | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross rent (2 units × $1,200) | $2,400 | $28,800 |
| Vacancy allowance (5%) | −$120 | −$1,440 |
| Operating expenses (taxes, insurance, repairs, management reserve) | −$800 | −$9,600 |
| Net operating income (NOI) | $1,480 | $17,760 |
| Mortgage payment (principal + interest) | −$1,150 | −$13,800 |
| Cash flow | $330 | $3,960 |
With a $250,000 purchase price, the cap rate is NOI ÷ price = $17,760 ÷ $250,000 = 7.1%. If you put $62,500 down plus $7,500 in closing costs ($70,000 cash in), the cash-on-cash return is $3,960 ÷ $70,000 = 5.7%. The debt coverage ratio is NOI ÷ annual debt service = $17,760 ÷ $13,800 = 1.29. All of these figures are illustrations, not market data.
Scaling the Analysis: 1, 4 and 10 Units
| Portfolio goal | Deals you might analyze per year (our assumption) | DealCheck plan that fits | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy 1 rental | 10–15 | Starter (up to 15 saved properties) | $0 |
| Grow to 4 units | 20–50 | Plus (up to 50 saved) | $10/mo |
| Grow to 10 units | 50+ | Pro (unlimited) | $20/mo |
DealCheck's free plan counts properties saved at any one time, so deleting old deals frees up space. All paid plans start with a 14-day free trial, and yearly billing is advertised with three months free. Check vendor for the exact annual total.
DealCheck Pros, Cons and Gotchas
- Pros: rental, BRRRR, flip, Airbnb and multifamily calculators on every plan. Sales and rental comps, creative financing scenarios and one-click PDF reports. Works on web, iOS and Android with cloud sync.
- Cons: the free Starter plan caps you at 15 saved properties, 5 property photos, 5 comps and 5 templates.
- Gotchas: rent and value estimates are a starting point. Confirm rents with local listings before relying on them.
Analysis vs Accounting: Don't Mix Them Up
Deal tools model a property before you buy. Bookkeeping tools record what actually happens after. Stessa Pro ($28/mo annual) bridges the two with budgeting and pro-forma for properties you own, so you can compare actual results against your original projections.
Five-Minute Screening Routine
- Enter price, rent and taxes from the listing.
- Apply your standard vacancy and expense assumptions (save them as a template).
- Check cash flow, cap rate and DCR against your purchase criteria.
- Pull rental comps to sanity-check the rent.
- Only then book a viewing.
Bought it? Set up rent and books with best landlord software and rental bookkeeping.
Common Mistakes in Deal Analysis
Using the Listing's Rent Estimate
Pull rental comps and check active listings nearby. DealCheck includes sales and rental comps, but treat every estimate as a starting point.
Forgetting Capital Expenses
Roofs, HVAC and water heaters wear out. Set aside a monthly reserve in your expense assumptions, even if the property looks new.
Ignoring Financing Scenarios
Small changes in rate or down payment can flip cash flow. DealCheck lets you model dozens of financing structures. Run at least a base case and a stress case.
How We Checked
We read each vendor's own pricing and feature pages on October 15, 2026: DealCheck pricing, Stessa pricing. We only state prices and features shown there. Where a vendor doesn't publish a number, we say "check vendor" rather than guess. Worked examples use the listed prices and simple, stated assumptions; your totals will depend on your plan, billing term and how tenants pay.
Not Sure Which Fits You?
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Start the Tool Picker →FAQ
Is there a free rental property calculator?
Yes. DealCheck's Starter plan is $0 for up to 15 saved properties, with no credit card required.
What metrics does DealCheck calculate?
Cap rate, cash-on-cash return, ROI, ROE, IRR, GRM, break-even ratio, DCR and more, according to its pricing page.
What is a good cap rate?
It depends on market, property type and interest rates. Compare cap rates of similar properties in the same area rather than relying on a single rule of thumb.
How is cash-on-cash return calculated?
Annual pre-tax cash flow divided by the total cash you invested (down payment, closing costs and upfront repairs).
What does DCR mean?
Debt coverage ratio: net operating income divided by annual mortgage payments. Lenders often look for a ratio above 1.
Does DealCheck have a free trial for paid plans?
Yes. Plus and Pro start with a 14-day free trial, and you can cancel without being charged.
Can I use DealCheck on my phone?
Yes. DealCheck lists web, iOS and Android apps with cloud sync, and premium access carries across devices.
Can I analyze a BRRRR deal?
Yes. DealCheck lists rental cash flow analysis for BRRRR deals, along with flips, Airbnb and multifamily properties.
Can I share an analysis with a lender or partner?
DealCheck lists professional investment reports you can share as interactive pages or PDFs.
General information, not tax advice. Ask a tax professional about your situation.
Sources
- DealCheck pricing: https://dealcheck.io/pricing/
- Stessa pricing: https://www.stessa.com/pricing/
All prices and features above come from these vendor pages, checked on October 15, 2026. Details we couldn't confirm there are left out.