Short answer: Pick DealCheck if you want comps, rent estimates, data import, mobile apps or flip and short-term rental math; it has a free plan and paid plans at $10 and $20 a month. Pick FirstDoor if you are buying a first long-term rental and want a free, plain-English Good / Okay / Pass verdict with no account; Pro is $9 a month.
At a glance
Both tools do the core math on a rental: cash flow, cap rate and cash-on-cash return. The difference is scope. DealCheck is a full analysis app for many kinds of deals, with comps and data import. FirstDoor does one job, scoring a long-term rental for a first-time buyer, and gives you a plain-English verdict without an account.
| Checked Oct 22, 2026 | FirstDoor | DealCheck |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Full deal score, free, no signup | Starter plan $0: up to 15 saved properties, 5 photos, 5 sales & rental comps; no credit card |
| Paid plans | Pro $9/mo or $79/yr | Plus $10/mo (50 saved properties, 10 comps) · Pro $20/mo (unlimited); yearly billing offered |
| Free trial | No trial; the score itself is free | 14 days on Plus and Pro |
| Account needed | No, not for the score | Yes, every account starts on Starter |
| Deal types | Long-term buy-and-hold rentals | Rentals, BRRRR, Airbnb, flips, multi-family & commercial, wholesaling |
| Return metrics | Cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR, 1% rule | Cap rate, COC, ROI, ROE, IRR, GRM, BER, DCR and more |
| Verdict | Good / Okay / Pass with plain-English red flags | Screens deals against purchase criteria you set |
| Rent estimates & comps | No, you enter the rent | Sales and rental comps, ARV and rent estimates |
| Property data import | No, you enter the numbers | From public records and listings |
| Reports | Pro: lender-ready PDF | Interactive or PDF reports |
| Compare deals | Pro: 2–3 saved deals side by side | Side-by-side property comparison |
| Projections | Pro: 5-year equity & total return, what-if stress test | Long-term cash flow and profit projections |
| Devices | Web, works in a phone browser | Web, iOS and Android apps |
| Formulas | Every formula and threshold published on one page | Built-in glossary with formulas for every metric |
DealCheck details are from its own pricing page as shown on Oct 22, 2026; they can change. Prices in USD.
When DealCheck is the better pick
Choose DealCheck if you want the tool to pull data for you or you are analyzing more than a simple long-term rental.
Good at
- You want sales and rental comps, ARV and rent estimates instead of researching rent yourself
- You want property details and photos imported from public records and listings
- You analyze flips, BRRRR, Airbnb, multi-family or commercial deals, or wholesale
- You want native iOS and Android apps
- You want IRR, ROE and many more metrics, creative financing scenarios and custom purchase criteria
Keep in mind
- There are more inputs and metrics than a first deal strictly needs, so there is more to learn
- The free Starter plan holds up to 15 saved properties and 5 comps at a time; more needs Plus ($10/mo) or Pro ($20/mo)
When FirstDoor is the better pick
Choose FirstDoor if you are buying your first long-term rental and want a straight answer fast.
Good at
- A Good / Okay / Pass verdict in seconds, free, with no account or credit card
- Plain-English red flags when an assumption looks optimistic, such as 0% management or thin DSCR
- Every formula and threshold is public on the methodology page, so you can check the math
- Pro is $9/month or $79/year for a lender-ready PDF, a line-by-line breakdown, a 5-year projection, a what-if stress test and unlimited saved deals side by side
Keep in mind
- No comps, rent estimates or listing import: you enter the numbers
- Long-term rentals only: no flip, short-term rental or rent-roll calculators
- No native app (it runs in your phone's browser), and it's a new product
Using both
They work well together. Screen a listing in FirstDoor in 30 seconds, and if it passes, pull comps and a rent estimate in DealCheck to check the rent you assumed. If the two show different cash flow, the gap is almost always an assumption (vacancy, maintenance, management or capital expenditures), not the math.
Run the same deal in both
The fairest test is one deal through both tools. Here is a $200,000 house renting for $2,000/month, 20% down at 7.40% for 30 years (Freddie Mac average, October 15, 2026), $2,400/yr tax, $1,200/yr insurance, 5% vacancy, 5% maintenance, 8% management and $6,000 closing costs. In FirstDoor:
If another tool shows a different cash flow for the same deal, the gap usually comes from assumptions: vacancy, maintenance, capital expenditures, management, or whether taxes and insurance are included. Line them up and the math should match.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to DealCheck?
Yes. FirstDoor gives a full deal score (cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, DSCR, the 1% rule and a Good / Okay / Pass verdict with red flags) free with no signup. DealCheck itself also has a free Starter plan. FirstDoor does not offer comps or property data import, so if you need those, DealCheck's free plan is the better free option.
Is DealCheck free?
Yes. As checked Oct 22, 2026, DealCheck's pricing page says every account starts on a free Starter plan with up to 15 saved properties, 5 photos and 5 sales and rental comps, with no credit card required.
How much does DealCheck cost?
As checked Oct 22, 2026, DealCheck Plus is $10 a month and DealCheck Pro is $20 a month, each with a free 14-day trial, and yearly billing is offered. Plus raises the limits to 50 saved properties and 10 comps; Pro makes them unlimited.
How much does FirstDoor cost?
The deal score is free with no signup. FirstDoor Pro is $9 a month or $79 a year and adds a lender-ready PDF report, a line-by-line breakdown, a 5-year projection, a what-if stress test and unlimited saved deals with side-by-side comparison. It renews automatically until you cancel.
Which is better for a first-time investor, FirstDoor or DealCheck?
For a quick, plain-English yes, maybe or no on one long-term rental, FirstDoor is built for exactly that. If you want comps, rent estimates, data import, mobile apps or flip and short-term rental math, DealCheck goes much deeper. Many investors screen in one tool and dig deeper in the other.
Why would FirstDoor and DealCheck show different cash flow for the same house?
Usually because of assumptions, not math. Check that vacancy, maintenance, management, capital expenditures, taxes and insurance match in both tools; with the same inputs the core numbers should line up.
Keep learning
Sources (checked Oct 22, 2026)
FirstDoor publishes this page, so we have a stake in it. DealCheck facts come only from its own pricing page, checked Oct 22, 2026, and can change, so confirm on its site before you buy. FirstDoor is not affiliated with DealCheck; trademarks belong to their owners. Educational content, not financial advice.