Comparison

Rental Yield vs Cap Rate

Rental yield often starts with rent relative to price. Cap rate uses net operating income relative to property value.

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Quick Answer

Use rental yield for quick income screening. Use cap rate for operating-income-based valuation.

Best for

Rental yield is useful at the top of the funnel.

Also compare

Cap rate is better after expenses and vacancy are known.

Watch out

Gross rental yield can overstate attractiveness if expenses are high.

Two rentals with same rent

Two homes may each rent for $2,000 per month, but the one with higher taxes, insurance, and maintenance will show a lower cap rate even if gross rental yield looks similar.

Key Metrics

Gross rent
NOI
Purchase price
Operating expenses

Common Mistakes

Using gross rent as profit
Ignoring vacancy
Comparing yield without property condition

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use Rental Yield vs Cap Rate?

Use rental yield for quick income screening. Use cap rate for operating-income-based valuation.

Which calculator should I open next?

Start with Rental Yield Calculator, then use the related calculator workflow to validate the result from another angle.

Continue the workflow

Use this guide with the full Rental Property Calculators

Return to the hub to compare related calculators, export report workflows, and move into adjacent guide pages.

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