Free short-term rental calculator — analyze any vacation rental or STR deal
STR investing isn't like traditional rentals. Calculate cash flow using nightly rate, occupancy, cleaning costs, and management fees — then stress-test against seasonal dips and regulatory risk.
Enter your Airbnb / STR deal numbers below. Results update instantly.
Monthly Cash Flow
-$630
Cap Rate
3.83%
Cash-on-Cash
-8.64%
DSCR
0.64x
Free — includes scenarios, risk radar & reports
Airbnb deals have different revenue drivers and cost structures than traditional rentals.
Enter nightly rate and occupancy percentage to model seasonal revenue — not just flat monthly rent.
Factor in cleaning fees, management costs, supplies, and higher insurance typical of short-term rentals.
See how drops in occupancy or nightly rate affect cash flow. Stress-test before you buy.
Go deeper with scenario modeling, DSCR calculations, amortization, and lender-ready reports.
Short-term rental analysis uses the same core metrics as traditional rentals — cap rate, cash-on-cash return, DSCR — but the inputs are fundamentally different. Instead of fixed monthly rent, STR revenue depends on nightly rate, occupancy, and seasonality.
Nightly Rate × Occupied Nights
Annual income from bookings. Cleaning fee revenue is separate — often offset by cleaning costs.
Gross Revenue − STR Expenses
After cleaning, management (15–25%), insurance, utilities, supplies, and platform fees.
Total Expenses ÷ (Nightly Rate × 365)
The minimum occupancy needed to cover all costs including debt service.
STR Revenue ÷ Long-Term Rent × 12
How much more the STR earns vs. a traditional lease. Below 1.5× usually isn't worth the extra risk.
Purchase Price: $350,000
Nightly Rate: $185
Occupancy: 68% (248 nights)
Gross STR Revenue: $185 × 248 = $45,880
Cleaning ($85 × 62 turns): −$5,270
Management (20%): −$9,176
Insurance, Utilities, Supplies: −$6,400
STR Net Operating Income: $25,034
Annual Debt Service: $20,400 (20% down, 7.5%, 30yr)
Annual Cash Flow: $4,634
Cash-on-Cash Return = $4,634 ÷ $78,000 = 5.9%
Compare this to a $1,600/mo long-term lease: $19,200/yr gross, ~$12,800 NOI after expenses. The STR earns nearly 2× the long-term rent — but after higher expenses, the net advantage narrows. That's why the Revenue Premium vs. LTR metric matters.
| Metric | Good Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy Rate | 65–75% | Varies heavily by market and season; over 80% may mean you're underpricing |
| Revenue vs. LTR | 1.5–3× long-term rent | Below 1.5× usually not worth the extra effort and risk |
| Operating Expenses | 35–50% of gross | Significantly higher than LTR (15–25%); management alone is 15–25% |
| Cash-on-Cash Return | 10–20% | Should exceed LTR targets to justify added complexity and risk |
| Breakeven Occupancy | < 55% | If you need 65%+ occupancy just to break even, the deal is fragile |
The biggest risk in STR investing is regulatory change. Cities can restrict short-term rentals with little notice. Always verify local STR regulations and factor in the possibility of converting to long-term rental as a fallback. DealForge lets you model both scenarios side by side.
Before buying any short-term rental property, verify these with the local municipality:
It depends on the market. Short-term rentals can significantly out-earn long-term rentals in high-tourism or high-demand areas, but they come with higher expenses (cleaning, furnishing, management, utilities) and regulatory risk. A good STR investment needs to cash flow even at 50–60% occupancy to account for off-season dips.
Start with the nightly rate and realistic occupancy for the market (check AirDNA or Mashvisor comps). Calculate gross revenue, then subtract STR-specific expenses: cleaning turnovers, management fees (15–25%), higher insurance, furnishing amortization, utilities, and supplies. Then run the same metrics as any rental: cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and DSCR.
Most STR investors target 65–75% occupancy as a baseline. Your breakeven occupancy depends on your nightly rate and expenses. A good rule: if the deal doesn’t cash flow at 55–60% occupancy, it’s too dependent on peak-season performance.
Airbnb can generate 1.5–3x the revenue of a long-term rental in the right market, but comes with higher expenses (30–50% of gross vs. 15–25% for long-term), more management effort, and regulatory risk. Long-term rentals offer stable, predictable income with less work. Many investors run the numbers both ways and choose based on cash flow and lifestyle preference.
Cleaning fees per turnover, furnishing and restocking costs, higher insurance premiums, platform fees (Airbnb takes ~3% from hosts), professional photography, dynamic pricing tools, higher utilities (guests use more), and property management fees (typically 15–25% of gross revenue). These can add up to 40–50% of gross revenue.
Explore other metrics with these focused investment tools.
This calculator is a quick screen. DealForge gives you the full picture: scenario modeling, risk radar, DSCR analysis, and lender-ready reports — all in one platform.
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