# Underwrite vs Rabbu: Free STR Tools vs. Full Investment Analysis > Rabbu's free calculator is a useful starting point. But when you need to make an actual buy decision — and defend it to a lender — you need more than a revenue estimate. Canonical: https://www.underwriteapp.com/blog/underwrite-vs-rabbu If you've looked up any address on Rabbu's free Airbnb Calculator, you know how useful it is. Enter an address, get an occupancy estimate and annual revenue projection, browse comparable listings — all free, no account required. It's a great first look. The question is: what happens after that first look? When you find a property that looks promising on Rabbu, the next step is figuring out whether it's actually worth buying. That requires a financial model with your specific financing, a market thesis you can defend, and documentation your lender will accept. Rabbu doesn't produce those things. Underwrite does. --- ## What Rabbu Does (and Does Well) Rabbu is a free STR market intelligence platform that makes money through its property marketplace — connecting investors with listings, management services, and financing. The analytics tools are free because they drive people toward that marketplace. The core free tools are genuinely good: - **Airbnb Calculator** — enter any U.S. address, get occupancy, ADR, and annual revenue projection with comparable listings - **Market Finder** — compare STR performance across markets (RevPAR, occupancy, ADR) - **ROI scoring** — rough ROI estimates for browsing properties Rabbu's free tier competes directly with AirDNA's free Rentalizer. For casual browsing and initial market screening, it's excellent — and the price (free) is unbeatable. --- ## What Underwrite Does Differently Underwrite is built for the moment after you've identified a promising property. You paste a Zillow or Redfin URL. Underwrite runs a full investment analysis — not just a revenue estimate, but everything you need to make and defend a buy decision: - **Financial model** — DCF, cash-on-cash return, IRR, NOI, and DSCR built around your specific purchase price, down payment, and financing terms - **Market narrative** — written analysis of *why* the market supports the projected revenue, what the demand drivers are, and what risks to watch - **Investor pitch deck** — formatted for lenders, LPs, and partners - **Renovation scope** — cost estimates and renders for value-add potential The deliverable is a complete investment package, ready to share. Under 15 minutes. --- ## Feature Comparison | Feature | Underwrite | Rabbu (Free) | Rabbu Paid ($99/mo) | |---------|-----------|-------------|---------------------| | Revenue / occupancy estimate | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Comparable listings | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | Market-level ROI scoring | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | | ZIP-level occupancy data | Partial | ❌ | ✅ | | Financial model (DCF, CoC, IRR) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | DSCR calculation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | AI investment narrative | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | Investor pitch deck | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | Renovation scope | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | Lender-ready PDF | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | | Property marketplace | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | | Deal alerts | ❌ | Separate subscription | Separate subscription | | Free to start | ✅ (Quick Screen) | ✅ | — | --- ## The Key Difference: Screening vs. Underwriting Rabbu is excellent for **screening** — identifying which markets and properties are worth a closer look. The free calculator gives you a quick read on whether a property is even in the ballpark. Underwrite is built for **underwriting** — determining whether a specific deal makes financial sense at a specific price, with your specific financing, and producing documentation that supports that conclusion. These are different steps in the investment process. Investors who confuse them make expensive mistakes. **Screening tells you:** "This Asheville cabin could generate $58,000/year in STR revenue." **Underwriting tells you:** "At $485,000 with 20% down and a 7.2% DSCR loan, this property generates $58,000 gross, $34,200 NOI, a 10.3% cash-on-cash return, and covers DSCR at 1.24x. Here's the financial model. Here's the market thesis. Here's the pitch deck for your lender." The first is useful for shortlisting. The second is what you need before writing a check. --- ## When to Use Rabbu Rabbu is the right tool when: - **You're browsing markets and haven't found a specific property yet.** The Market Finder is great for comparing ADR and occupancy across markets. - **You want a quick sanity check** on whether a property is even worth looking at more closely. - **You're looking for properties to buy through the Rabbu marketplace.** Their marketplace integration is a feature if you're open to their property sourcing. **Who Rabbu is best for:** Investors in early research mode, first-timers who want a free starting point, and anyone using the Rabbu marketplace to source deals. --- ## When to Use Underwrite Underwrite is the right tool when: - **You've found a specific property and need to decide whether to make an offer.** You need a financial model, not just a revenue estimate. - **You're talking to a lender.** DSCR loans require professional documentation. Underwrite produces it. - **You're bringing in a partner or LP.** The investor pitch deck is formatted for exactly this conversation. - **You screen multiple deals a month.** The 5-Pack ($299 for 5 full analyses at $60 each) is built for investors who move quickly. **Who Underwrite is best for:** Active deal hunters, investors who've moved past browsing into actual deal evaluation, and anyone who needs to share their analysis with someone else. --- ## The Free Tier Comparison Both Underwrite and Rabbu offer free access. They're different in what they give you. **Rabbu free:** Unlimited address lookups. Revenue estimate + comp listings. No account required. No financial model. **Underwrite Quick Screen (free):** Revenue estimate, key metrics (CoC, cap rate, NOI), and a pass/proceed verdict — no credit card required. When a deal looks promising, upgrade to a Full Analysis ($79) for the complete package. The Quick Screen is designed to match Rabbu's free calculator feature-for-feature — and then offer a natural upgrade path when you're ready to move from browsing to buying. --- ## The Honest Bottom Line | Question | Better tool | |---------|-------------| | What does a vacation rental typically earn in Asheville? | Rabbu | | Should I buy this specific Asheville property at $485K? | Underwrite | | I want to browse properties across multiple markets | Rabbu | | I need to submit a pro forma to my DSCR lender | Underwrite | | I'm in early research mode and not sure where to invest | Rabbu (free, great starting point) | | I found my deal and I need to make a decision this week | Underwrite | If you're still figuring out which markets to look at, start with Rabbu's free Market Finder. It's good at that. When you find a specific property you're seriously considering — one you'd actually consider making an offer on — that's when you run it through Underwrite. **[Screen your next deal for free →](/sign-up)** --- *Rabbu pricing and feature data was last verified April 2026. Rabbu's business model and product may change — verify current offerings at rabbu.com.*