7 Confidence Checks: Free Cash-on-Cash Calculator
Calculate cash-on-cash return based on annual cash flow and total cash invested.
Your Inputs
Use yearly numbers if you have them. If you only know monthly rent, we’ll convert it.
Used to estimate annual rent income.
Parking, storage, laundry, etc.
Reduces income for empty months.
Taxes, insurance, maintenance, HOA, management, utilities paid by owner.
Financing (for cash flow)
Cash-on-cash uses cash flow after debt payments. Add mortgage details if you have them.
Principal + interest + taxes + insurance (if included).
If you already know yearly debt payments, enter it here.
Tip: If you enter both annual debt service and monthly mortgage payment, this calculator will use the annual debt service.
Cash Invested
This is the total money you actually put in, not the full property price.
Results
Calculated instantly when you click Calculate.
Cash-on-cash return
0%
Based on annual cash flow divided by total cash invested.
Annual gross income
$0
Effective income (after vacancy)
$0
Annual debt payments
$0
Annual cash flow
$0
Total cash invested
$0
Enter your numbers and tap Calculate.
Related Tools
Cash-on-Cash Return Calculator
If you’re buying a rental property with cash out of your pocket, you usually want one simple answer first: what percent return am I getting on the cash I actually invested? That’s exactly what cash-on-cash return is for.
What Is This Tool?
This Cash-on-Cash Return Calculator helps you measure how much cash a property is paying you back each year, compared to how much cash you put into the deal.
Unlike cap rate, cash-on-cash return looks at financing. If you’re using a mortgage, it factors in the debt payments, because that affects what you actually keep.
How This Tool Works (Simple Explanation)
- You enter rent and any extra income you expect (like parking or laundry).
- You set a vacancy rate if you want a more realistic number.
- You add operating expenses, the normal costs of running the property.
- You add mortgage payments (monthly or annual).
- You enter your cash invested (down payment, closing costs, repairs, and any upfront costs).
- The tool calculates annual cash flow and divides it by total cash invested to get your cash-on-cash return.
The result is a percentage that answers, “How hard is my cash working for me every year?”
Why You Should Use This Tool
When you compare rental deals, it’s easy to get distracted by the purchase price or the rent number alone. Cash-on-cash puts the focus back on what matters: the return on the money you personally invested.
It’s also useful for stress-testing a deal. You can bump vacancy, increase expenses, or adjust mortgage payments, and see how quickly your return changes.
Step-by-Step How to Use
- Enter your monthly rent (and any other yearly income if you have it).
- Set a vacancy rate if you want to account for empty months.
- Add your annual operating expenses.
- Enter your mortgage payment (monthly), or annual debt service if you already know it.
- Fill in your cash invested: down payment, closing costs, repairs, and other upfront costs.
- Click Calculate to see annual cash flow, cash invested, and your cash-on-cash return.
Benefits
- Shows a clear return percentage based on your actual cash invested.
- Includes debt payments, so the number matches real-life cash flow.
- Vacancy adjustment helps prevent “perfect world” projections.
- Breaks down the math into income, expenses, debt, and cash flow.
- Works well for quick comparisons across multiple properties.
- Great for testing different rent or expense scenarios.
- Mobile friendly, easy to use while browsing listings.
- No clutter, just the calculation you need.
Use Cases
- You’re comparing two rentals with different down payments and closing costs.
- You want to check if a deal still works after including mortgage payments.
- You’re deciding between putting cash into a rental or another investment.
- You want to see how vacancy affects the return on your cash.
- You’re estimating returns on a property that needs repairs upfront.
- You’re reviewing a deal where rent looks good, but expenses might be high.
- You’re analyzing a property management option vs self-managing.
- You’re building a short list of rentals before doing deeper due diligence.
- You’re tracking yearly performance on a property you already own.
- You’re trying to set a realistic rent target to hit a return goal.
Features
This calculator keeps the inputs practical. You can enter rent monthly, expenses yearly, and debt either monthly or yearly. It will handle the conversions and show each part of the result clearly, so you can tell where the deal is strong and where it’s tight.
It also focuses on what most investors actually mean by cash-on-cash: cash flow after operating expenses and debt service, divided by the cash you had to put in to acquire and stabilize the property.
FAQs
What is cash-on-cash return?
It’s the annual cash flow you keep (after expenses and debt payments) divided by the total cash you invested upfront.
Is cash-on-cash the same as ROI?
Not exactly. Cash-on-cash focuses on yearly cash flow versus cash invested. ROI is broader and can include appreciation, loan paydown, and sale profit.
Do I include repairs in cash invested?
Yes, if they’re upfront costs you had to pay to get the property ready. Anything you pay out of pocket at the start belongs in cash invested.
Should I include principal paydown as part of cash flow?
Cash-on-cash is usually based on actual cash you receive. Principal paydown builds equity, but it’s not cash in your pocket today. Many investors track it separately.
Can I use any currency?
Yes. Use the same currency for all inputs. The percentage result stays correct.
What if I don’t know the exact expenses yet?
Start with reasonable estimates. Then update the numbers as you get better info. The goal is to avoid being surprised later.
Related Tools
If you’re comparing deals quickly, a cap rate calculator can be helpful. For a deeper view of monthly performance, a rental cash flow calculator is the next step. And if you want to compare rentals to other investments, an ROI calculator gives you a broader picture.
SEO-Optimized Conclusion
Cash-on-cash return is a simple way to judge a rental property based on the money you actually invest. Use this Cash-on-Cash Return Calculator to estimate cash flow, total cash invested, and your return percentage in seconds. Add your numbers above, test a few scenarios, and get a clearer view before you commit to a deal.