CRELYTIC vs Archer: CRE Underwriting Software Compared
Archer is a specialized underwriting platform trusted by multifamily investors for rent roll parsing and comparable sales analysis. CRELYTIC is a full-stack CRE analytics platform covering multifamily, office, retail, industrial, and alternative asset classes. This guide breaks down pricing, features, and which platform fits your investment strategy.
| Feature | CRELYTIC | Archer |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (Monthly) | $6.99–$20 | $150–$400 |
| AI Rent Roll Parsing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comparable Sales Analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| DCF Modeling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Waterfall Calculator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Asset Class Coverage | 10 classes | Multifamily |
| Defeasance Calculator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Market Intelligence | ✓ Included | ✓ Premium |
| M&M Partnership | ✗ | ✓ |
| Portfolio Dashboards | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing Comparison: The Cost Difference
CRELYTIC Pricing
Starter Tier
$6.99/month
Up to 5 deals/month
Pro Tier
$12.99/month
Up to 25 deals/month
Unlimited Tier
$19.99/month
Unlimited deals
All tiers include: AI parsing, DCF, waterfall, defeasance, dashboards, market intel
Archer Pricing
Standard Plan
$150–$200/month
Per user, multifamily focus
Professional Plan
$250–$350/month
Advanced comps, analyst tools
Enterprise Plan
$400+/month
Custom licensing, white-label
Charges per user; deeply integrated with Marcus & Millichap data
Cost Comparison: A 2-person team using Archer Professional pays ~$500–$700/month (~$6,000–$8,400/year). The same team on CRELYTIC Unlimited pays $20/month (~$240/year)—a 96% cost savings.
Feature-by-Feature Analysis
AI Rent Roll Parsing
CRELYTIC
Extracts rent roll data from PDFs and Excel with 95%+ accuracy. Handles unit mix, lease terms, tenant financials, and renewal dates automatically.
Archer
Specialized rent roll parsing for multifamily. Integrated with Marcus & Millichap's database for deep market context. Industry-leading accuracy for MF assets.
Edge: Archer's M&M integration gives multifamily investors unique market comps; CRELYTIC is faster and works across all asset classes.
Comparable Sales & Market Comps
CRELYTIC
Provides market intelligence across multifamily, office, retail, and industrial. Coverage is broad but less specialized for individual MF markets.
Archer
Deep multifamily comps via Marcus & Millichap partnership. Hyperlocal rent and sale data. Ideal for MF underwriting in core markets.
Edge: Archer excels here for multifamily; CRELYTIC covers all asset classes equally well.
DCF & Financial Modeling
CRELYTIC
Full DCF with customizable hold periods, exit assumptions, sensitivity analysis, and scenario modeling. Multi-asset class support.
Archer
Comprehensive DCF focused on multifamily workflows. Integrates with parsed rent rolls and comps for rapid analysis.
Edge: Both are strong; Archer's integration with MF data gives slight edge for apartment investors.
Asset Class Coverage
CRELYTIC Advantage
CRELYTIC covers 10+ asset classes: multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, storage, data centers, healthcare, student housing, senior living, and more.
Archer is specialized for multifamily only. Excellent for MF but won't help you analyze office or industrial.
Win: CRELYTIC (if you invest across asset classes)
Waterfall Modeling
CRELYTIC Only
Dedicated waterfall calculator for preferred return analysis, IRR calculations, and equity distribution across investor classes—critical for syndications.
Archer does not offer waterfall modeling. Investors use spreadsheets or separate tools.
Win: CRELYTIC
Platform Positioning: Specialist vs Generalist
Archer is built as a specialized underwriting tool for multifamily investors, deeply integrated with Marcus & Millichap's data and workflows. CRELYTIC is a full-stack CRE analytics platform designed for investors across all asset classes.
◆ CRELYTIC's Breadth:
- ✓ Multifamily
- ✓ Office & Flex
- ✓ Retail
- ✓ Industrial
- ✓ Hospitality
- ✓ Data Centers
- ✓ Healthcare
- ✓ Storage
- ✓ Student Housing
- ✓ Plus 10 integrated tools
◆ Archer's Focus:
- ✓ Multifamily (specialized)
- ✓ M&M rent roll integration
- ✓ Hyperlocal comps
- ✓ Analyst collaboration
- ✓ Institutional workflows
- ✗ Limited to MF
- ✗ No waterfall tool
- ✗ No defeasance calc
- ✗ No lease analysis
- – Enterprise-only pricing
The Core Difference
If you're a pure-play multifamily investor with deep institutional relationships at Marcus & Millichap, Archer's specialized comps and workflows add value. If you're a generalist investor covering multiple asset classes or a smaller firm that needs waterfall modeling and defeasance analysis, CRELYTIC offers dramatically more leverage at 5% of the cost.
Who Should Choose Which Platform?
Choose CRELYTIC If:
- ✓ You invest across multiple asset classes
- ✓ You need waterfall modeling for syndications
- ✓ You want defeasance and debt analysis built-in
- ✓ You're budget-conscious ($6.99–$20/month)
- ✓ You prefer one platform over fragmented tools
- ✓ You value lease analysis and tenant scoring
- ✓ You're scaling from 5 to 100+ deals annually
Choose Archer If:
- ✓ You're a pure-play multifamily investor
- ✓ You rely on Marcus & Millichap comps
- ✓ You're already embedded in Archer workflows
- ✓ You prioritize hyperlocal MF market data
- ✓ Your firm has enterprise software budgets
- ✓ You need institutional analyst collaboration
- ✓ You're an M&M brokerage partner
The Bottom Line
Archer is excellent if you're a multifamily-focused investor with a five-to-six-figure annual software budget. The Marcus & Millichap integration and hyperlocal comps give serious MF investors a competitive edge in rent roll analysis and market benchmarking.
But if you analyze any asset class beyond multifamily—office, industrial, retail, or mixed-use—Archer won't help you. And if you need waterfall modeling or defeasance calculations (standard for syndications), you'll buy separate tools.
CRELYTIC, at $6.99–$20/month, gives you 10 tools (DCF, waterfall, defeasance, lease analysis, dashboards, market intel) plus support for all asset classes. For a multifamily investor on a budget or one who dabbles in other asset types, CRELYTIC delivers 95% of Archer's multifamily power at 1–2% of the cost.
Verdict: Archer wins on MF specialization and comps depth. CRELYTIC wins on breadth, affordability, and total-platform value.
Ready to Try CRELYTIC?
Start with the Engine at just $6.99/month. Analyze multifamily, office, industrial, or any asset class with waterfall modeling, defeasance calculator, and full market intelligence included.
Start Free Trial on CRELYTIC EngineOr explore Pro ($12.99/mo) for 25 deals, or Unlimited ($19.99/mo) for enterprise teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CRELYTIC better than Archer for multifamily?
For pure multifamily analysis with Marcus & Millichap data, Archer has specialized advantages. But CRELYTIC covers all asset classes and includes features Archer doesn't offer (waterfall, defeasance, lease analysis). If you invest beyond multifamily or need those syndication tools, CRELYTIC is superior. For pure-play MF investors, it depends on whether the M&M comps integration justifies Archer's $150–$400/month cost vs CRELYTIC's $6.99–$20/month.
How much does Archer cost vs CRELYTIC?
CRELYTIC: $6.99–$20/month per user (all tiers support unlimited users on same account)
Archer: $150–$400+/month per user. A 2-person team pays $300–$800/month; CRELYTIC Unlimited costs $20/month—a 96% savings.
Does CRELYTIC parse rent rolls like Archer?
Yes. CRELYTIC's AI rent roll parsing is as accurate as Archer's for multifamily. The difference is Archer integrates Marcus & Millichap data, while CRELYTIC offers broader market intel across all asset classes. For MF-only analysis, both are strong; CRELYTIC is faster and less specialized.
Can CRELYTIC replace Archer entirely?
For most multifamily workflows, yes. CRELYTIC covers:
- ✓ AI rent roll parsing
- ✓ Market comps analysis
- ✓ DCF modeling
- ✓ Waterfall calculations (Archer doesn't offer)
- ✓ Portfolio dashboards
The main gap: CRELYTIC's multifamily comps aren't as hyperlocal or M&M-integrated as Archer's, but they're sufficient for most analysis. If M&M data is critical to your decision-making, Archer has an edge.