It's hard to beat a spread sheet for link budgets and cascades, especially since you write it yourself thus you re-learn lot's of concepts. I will usually do a spread sheet then compare that to results from AWR VSS, where things like VSWR, ripple, and compression point are easy to handle.
VSS is pretty slick (the RFA is a sub-set of it). It's main features are:
1) RF Budget analysis with swept frequency, mismatches, nonlinearities.
2) Distortion analysis that shows spur levels and sources.
3) Time domain simulator with real and complex envelope representation. I have used this to model PSK up and down conversion chains with PLL and AGC settling transients, and effects of phase noise.
Of course it links into MWO so you can include your mixers, oscillators, and amps. I have also used it to drive time-domain simulations in MWO via PWL source files.
All in all a very nice package:
https://web.awrcorp.com/Products/VSS_Simulator/Overview.php