business plan maker software free download

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🤖 Free Business Plan Generator (AI-Powered)

Starting a business is an exciting journey, filled with aspirations and ambitions, yet crafting a solid business plan can sometimes feel like navigating through a dense fog. The AI-Powered Business Plan Generator shines a light on this path, offering a straightforward way to outline your vision, strategies, and financial forecasts. By providing customized, coherent business plans, this tool assists in laying down the foundation of your entrepreneurial dream, ensuring every aspect is addressed. It simplifies the planning process, enabling you to focus on bringing your business idea to life with confidence and clarity.

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Writing a business plan can often feel like navigating through a dense forest without a map. You know your destination—securing investment, defining your business strategy, or setting clear objectives—but the path isn't always clear. Enter the AI-powered business plan generator, a tool designed to illuminate the way forward. This guide will walk you through the essentials of crafting a comprehensive business plan, touching upon the traditional elements that captivate stakeholders. In the final stretch, we'll introduce how an AI-powered business plan generator can streamline this process, making it more accessible and less time-consuming.

How to create a Business Plan

Now that you're familiar with the executive summary, let's tackle how you can create the rest of your business plan.

You can start manually by outlining your plan's structure and filling in the details step by step, or opt for a business plan generator to streamline the process.

Either method requires careful consideration of each section to ensure your plan is thorough and compelling.

Manual Methods for creating a Business Plan

You'll start with the Executive Summary, distilling your business idea into a compelling snapshot that captures attention.

Next, you'll outline your Company Overview, providing a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for.

Then, lay out your Business Objectives, Products and Services, and your Market Analysis Approach to build a solid foundation for your plan.

Executive Summary Essentials

Although it's often crafted last, the Executive Summary stands as the crucial opener of your business plan. It distills key aspects such as your mission, product highlights, and financial ambitions for quick investor insight. It encapsulates your company's essence for investors and maps out the business plan development milestones.

Ensure it crisply outlines your executive summary, underscoring the company's financial goals. This will help capture investors' attention right off the bat.

Company Overview

Begin your company overview by detailing your business's foundational elements, including its name, location, and the team driving its operations.

Here's what to include:

• A clear description of your business structure and ownership.
• The mission statement that defines your business's purpose.
• An outline of the products or services you offer.
• Background information that paints a picture of your company's history and objectives.

Business Objectives

To set your business on the path to success, start by defining clear and measurable objectives that reflect both your immediate and long-term aspirations.

Align your business objectives with strategic objectives to meet financial goals.

Conduct market research to fine-tune your target market strategies .

Ensure company goals are realistic and adaptable, setting a course for growth and market competitiveness.

Regular updates keep your plan relevant.

Products and Services

After setting clear business objectives, focus on articulating the core of your offering by detailing the products and services your business provides. Your description should also include:

• Unique features and benefits of each product or service.
• Specific products' competitive advantages.
• Your strategy for sales, distribution, and supply chain.
• Trademarks and market placement for your products and services.

Market Analysis Approach

A thorough market analysis is crucial for your business plan as it reveals the dynamics within your target market and guides your competitive strategy .

You'll identify potential customers, understand established market trends, and analyze how competitors differentiate themselves.

This knowledge shapes your sales plan and informs your marketing and sales efforts, highlighting opportunities in an otherwise crowded marketplace and showcasing your grasp of the competitive landscape.

Marketing and Sales Strategies

Crafting a marketing and sales strategy requires precise identification of your target customers to ensure your message resonates and spurs action. Here's how to proceed:

• Define your target market for the new product.
• Develop a pricing and sales channel approach.
• Design a marketing plan with promotional tactics.
• Analyze market trends to refine your strategy.

Stay focused on meeting customer needs and differentiating from competitors.

Financial Analysis and Projections

Diving into the financials, you'll need to gather historical data and conduct a thorough analysis of revenue streams , costs, and profit margins to inform your projections for the next three to five years.

Your financial plan hinges on these insights.

Operations Plan

To ensure your business runs like a well-oiled machine, start by mapping out your key operational processes and procedures. Your operations plan is a vital section of your business plan. Here's what to include:

• Outline technology's role in business operations.
• Develop a comprehensive staffing plan.
• Establish a robust inventory management system.
• Implement quality control measures to provide additional assurance of product or service excellence.

Funding Requirements

Having established the operational foundations of your business, let's now focus on determining the capital necessary to fuel your growth and operational needs.

Outline your funding requirements by presenting clear financial data, including projected income, balance sheets, and cash flows.

You'll need this to secure funding from venture capital firms or potential investors, ensuring they grasp how their capital will propel your business towards its targets.

Appendices and Exhibits

When crafting your business plan, don't overlook the appendices and exhibits; these sections provide the substantiating details that reinforce your proposal's integrity. Include:

Documents that outline key personnel qualifications and experience.

Details on intellectual property, such as patents.

Additional information for financial institutions, like credit histories.

Contracts, leases, or other legal documents relevant to your business.

Using a Business Plan Generator

You might wonder why you'd use a Business Plan Generator—these tools streamline the planning process, making it easier for you to focus on the core aspects of your strategy.

To get started, you'll follow a series of steps that help structure your executive summary, goals, and market analysis within a proven framework.

The benefits are clear: using a generator can save you time and provide you with a professional, investor-ready plan.

Steps to use the Business Plan Generator

To create a business plan using a generator, start by selecting a template that aligns with your industry and business type.

Here are the steps to use a business plan generator:

• Identify Your Business Details : Start by providing the name of your business and the industry it operates in. This foundational step sets the stage for the tailored guidance the generator can offer.
• Describe Your Offerings : Clearly articulate what products or services your business sells or offers. This will help the generator understand the value proposition of your business.
• Define Your Target Audience : Specify who your ideal customers are, including demographic information. Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating a focused and effective business plan.
• Outline Your Marketing Plan : Detail your strategies for promoting your business. This includes how you plan to reach your target audience and differentiate yourself from competitors.
• Detail Your Operational Strategy : Explain how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis. Include information on your supply chain, logistics, and any other operational details.
• Provide Financial Information : Input how much money you need to start your business and project how much revenue it will generate. This financial planning is critical for assessing the feasibility of your business idea.
• Set Business Objectives : List what you aim to achieve with your business in the short term and the long term. These goals will guide the direction of your business strategy.
• Click on Generate : After entering all the necessary information, click the "generate" button to create your personalised business plan. This plan will be tailored to the specifics of your business, providing a roadmap for success.

Benefits of using a Business Plan Generator

Harnessing a business plan generator can significantly streamline the process, saving you both time and effort as you craft a detailed blueprint for your venture.

Here are the benefits:

• Provides a structured framework to write a business plan efficiently.
• Helps identify opportunities in new markets.
• Enhances financial literacy through budgeting and forecasting tools.
• Clarifies business objectives, aiding in communication with stakeholders.

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

When crafting your business plan these tips collectively form a comprehensive business plan, providing a roadmap for your business and presenting a compelling case to investors and lenders.

Here are the tips for creating a business plan:

• Articulate your mission and vision succinctly.
• Outline your offerings and financial ambitions.
• Provide a snapshot of your business's financial health and market potential.
• Clarify the business structure ( sole proprietorship , partnership, corporation).
• Highlight ownership details.
• Showcase key employees, emphasizing their expertise.
• Define short- and long-term goals for your business.
• Align goals with your strategic direction.
• Establish a direct link between financing needs and future growth.
• Describe your offerings and emphasize how they meet market needs.
• Support claims with market research.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of your competition.

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Free Business Plan Generator

Do you still spend hours writing and creating a business plan? Not after today. Upmetrics’ free business plan generator simplifies writing a business plan and helps you create a comprehensive and compelling lean plan in seconds.

Sounds exciting? Let’s learn more about getting started with our free business plan generator and using it to draft your plan.

Using Upmetrics’ Free Business Plan Generator

Need help using the free business plan generator? Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a business plan using the free generator in no time.

Creating a business plan requires filling in 4 critical fields—company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and financial overview. Let’s start with the first.

1. Enter the Company Overview

Provide a company overview in approximately 3-4 sentences, including your business’s name, service offerings, USPs, mission, goals, and target market. Here’s an example for you:

2. Add Marketing Details

The next step—provide marketing details. Start by answering how your business plans to attract new customers and what you want to achieve with your business.

You may also include details about your marketing budget and preferred marketing channels. Here’s an example for your reference:

“i.e. We will attract customers through a strong online presence, social media marketing, and in-store promotions. Offering loyalty programs and hosting community biking events will help build a loyal customer base.”

3. Enter Competitor Information

After adding the marketing details, provide the name of your primary competitor(s) and explain how you are distinct from your competitors.

Describe whether your offerings have any competitive advantages or differentiators. Here’s how it can be done:

“i.e. Our primary competitor is ‘Wheels & Gears,’ but what sets us apart is our personalized customer service and expert bike repair services. We also differentiate ourselves by focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable products.”

4. Provide Financial Overview

Finally,—provide an overview of your business financials. Include what your startup costs are, what your financial strategy would be, and your first-year sales.

We are creating a lean business plan, so it may not require a detailed description of your business financials. Here’s an example for your understanding:

“i.e. Our expected business costs are $87,000 and that includes rent, inventory, equipment, and staff salaries. Our financial strategy is to minimize overhead costs and optimize inventory turnover. We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year.”

5. Click on Generate a Business Plan

You’ve filled in all the necessary fields. It’s time to click “Generate a Business Plan” and see it yourself.

Your lean business plan is ready; you may make a few changes and go ahead with it or choose an AI business plan generator for comprehensive planning.

Make detailed business & financial plans in minutes with

Upmetrics’ AI Business Plan Generator

Plans starting from $7/month

Business Plan Example that will Inspire You

We created this sample CycleWave business plan using Upmetrics’ free generator. Remember, it’s your first draft—you can always go back and re-generate or edit it later.

CycleWave Business Plan

Introduction

Welcome to the business plan for CycleWave, a bicycle retail and repair shop dedicated to providing high-quality bikes and expert maintenance services. Our mission is to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling while offering exceptional customer service.

Market Overview

The cycling industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing interest in health, sustainability, and alternative transportation methods.

The target market includes cycling enthusiasts, commuters, and local community members.

Strong market potential due to growing awareness of the need for eco-friendly and sustainable products.

Competitive Analysis

Primary competitor: Wheels & Gears.

Differentiation factors

• Personalized customer service
• Expertise in bike repair services
• Focus on eco-friendly and sustainable products.

Highlight the advantages of our unique offerings to attract customers away from competitors.

Marketing Plan

Utilize a solid online presence through a professional website to showcase our products, services, and promotions. Implement social media marketing strategies to engage with customers and build brand awareness.

Host community biking events to foster a sense of belonging and attract potential customers. Offer loyalty programs to incentivize repeat business and build a loyal customer base.

Operational Plan

Secure a suitable retail location with ample space for displaying bicycles and providing repair services. Employ knowledgeable staff with expertise in bike repair and customer service.

Create efficient processes for inventory management and maintenance repairs to ensure fast turnaround times. Maintain an attractive and organized store layout to enhance the customer experience.

Financial Plan

Our expected business costs are $87,000, allocated as follows:

• Rent: $30,000
• Inventory: $40,000
• Equipment: $10,000
• Staff Salaries: $7,000

We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year, allowing us to gradually cover expenses and increase profitability.

Conclusion and Call to Action

In conclusion, CycleWave aims to thrive in the bicycle retail and repair industry by offering high-quality bikes, expert maintenance services, personalized customer care, and eco-friendly products. Join us in promoting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling.

If you want to support our mission and become part of our cycling community, please contact us or visit our store today!

Upgrade to Make Comprehensive Plans in Minutes

Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is undoubtedly a better way to business plan. However, you may need an upgrade to create a comprehensive, investment-ready plan.

AI business plan generator like Upmetrics make business plan creation a breeze with their modern AI-powered features.

AI writing assistant helps you write, rewrite, edit, or translate sections of your plan, while the forecasting assistant provides revenue and expense stream suggestions for accurate projections.

You also get to access the massive library of 400+ sample business plans . So, all you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI .

What are you waiting for? Business planning starts @ $7 per month.

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a free business plan generator.

The free business plan generator is a free-to-use version of Upmetrics’ business plan software. It uses AI-powered features to help users create a business plan. Since it can only create a lean business plan, you need Upmetrics’ advanced features for detailed planning.

Is it really free to use?

Yes, Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is 100% free to use, but the features that come with it are also limited. So, you may consider getting a premium subscription for advanced business planning features.

What information will I need to provide to use the tool?

You must fill in the necessary details to create a business plan using the free generator. The information required may include a company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and a financial overview.

What type of businesses should use your free business plan tool?

Startups and small businesses starting up or operating on tight budgets should consider getting a free business planning tool to create a lean business plan.

Is there a limit to how many plans I can create with your software?

No. As of now, there’s no limit to the number of business plans you can create using Upmetrics’ free business plan generator.

Is a sample plan as useful as creating my own custom version?

Using a sample business plan or template is one of the easiest ways to create your business plan. All you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Create Your Business Plan in Minutes

15,000+ clients

Business Plans Generated

Avg. Generation Time

Countries Supported

How it Works

Start With Your Idea

Craft Your Vision: Jumpstart your business journey with a brief description of your business. Acknowledge your business type and let us seamlessly transform it into a meticulously structured plan.

Series Of Guided Questions

Easily navigate through each section with Plannit's step-by-step guidance. Enter your own detailed solutions or leverage with AI-generated content and receive helpful prompts and ideas along the way. Plannit's AI capabilities provide insightful and precise content for market analysis, financial projections, marketing strategies, sales plan and more.

Collaborate With Your Partners

Bring your team over! PlannitAI provides a dedicated space where you can invite team members to view, shape and refine your online business plan. With or without the help of our AI model You can reword, rephrase, prolong and shorten sections to your liking. Collaborate in real-time to ensure your business strategy benefits from diverse insights and expertise, leading to a well-rounded and robust plan.

Present With Confidence

With a polished, expertly crafted plan in hand, You have already won half the battle. Confidently present business strategy to investors, stakeholders, or financial institutions. Start your journey with Plannit AI and transform your vision into a reality, creating a pathway for that entrepreneur life.

Try Plannit AI Today

Who can benefit from plannit.

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Analyze your ventures through extensive business plans aligned with your vision and goals.

Business Owners

Back your business with a solid plan that aligns with your objectives. Perfect for small businesses.

Educational Institutions

Develop your business understanding and vocabulary by analyzing your business idea and creating a plan.

Startups Accelerators

Work alongside your founders as they build their plan to ensure they have a solid roadmap for scalability.

Funding Ready Business Plan

Executive summary, company overview.

Problem Statement

Business Description

Mission Statement

Business Model

Products and Services

Additional Features

Revenue Model

Market Analysis

Target Market

Market Size and Segments

Unique Value Proposition

Risks and Mitigations

Identified Risks

Mitigation Strategies

Financial Overview

Income Statement

Marketing and Sales Plan

Focus On Your Vision

Language support.

Key Features & Benefits

Ai editing companion.

Modify and regenerate sections of your business plan using premade or custom prompts. Our AI will help you refine your plan to perfection.

Multi-User Collaboration

Invite team members with easy sharing to collaborate on your business plan in real-time. Communicate and make changes together. Collaborate with your partners in real-time as you perfect your plan.

Education Center

Immerse yourself in a rich library of articles, tools, templates, webinars and resources for continuous business and professional growth. Learn all about the key aspects of starting, running and growing a business.

Powered by Chat GPT

Our algorithms are powered the latest in AI technology to ensure the most accurate and relevant output. We use OpenAI's GPT 4o and 4o-mini engines for the perfect blend of accuracy and speed.

Business Resources

We recommend a variety of useful tools and resurces that help sustain your growth. We only recommend the best in the business. Filter your needs and equip yourself with the best tools.

Your plan in your language. We offer a choice of over 150 worldwide languages to ensure the best fit for your business plan.

Financial Projections

Take an additional questionnaire about your financial trajectory and get a detailed financial projection + 3 year income statement for your business.

Tools and Templates

Plannit's comprehensive suite that accompany business planning. From pitch decks to financial models, we have you covered.

Plan Export

Download your business plan in an editable .docx format. Fully edit & share your plan with investors, partners, and stakeholders.

Plannit Business Ecosystem

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Initiate with Your Business Concept: Lay the Groundwork: Start by introducing your business idea into Plannit AI's Business Plan Generator. This first step is crucial, as it sets the tone for a tailored, insightful business plan that truly resonates with your vision. Capture the Essence: Our platform is designed to grasp the nuances of your concept, ensuring that the generated plan accurately reflects the core and potential of your business.
• Navigate Through the AI-Guided Questionnaire: Tailored Interactive Experience: Plannit AI’s AI-guided questionnaire is your interactive guide through the planning process. It meticulously gathers information about your business's objectives, strategies, and market positioning, ensuring a comprehensive and reflective plan. Intelligent Feedback and Suggestions: As you progress through the questionnaire, benefit from smart prompts and suggestions, ensuring that your plan is not just detailed but also strategically sound and aligned with industry standards.
• Generate Your Plan with Advanced AI: Intuitive Plan Creation: With the questionnaire complete, Plannit AI's advanced algorithms intelligently analyze your responses. They then craft a detailed, customizable, and strategically aligned business plan, providing you with a structured, coherent, and actionable format. Benefit from AI-Powered Insights: Plannit AI offers AI-driven insights and suggestions, ensuring your plan is not just a document but a strategic tool equipped with tailored AI prompts and an in-app plan editor. Get inspired by browsing through our sample business plans, a collection of successful strategies across various industries.
• Finalize Your Plan with Confidence: Dynamic Adaptation and Refinement: Plannit AI recognizes that a business plan is a living document. Our platform allows for continuous adaptation and refinement, ensuring your strategy remains agile, relevant, and aligned with your evolving business goals. Professional Presentation and Sharing: Once your plan meets your standards, utilize Plannit AI's export features to present your plan professionally. Choose between various formats for exporting your business plan, ready to impress stakeholders, attract investors, or guide your team. Review and Adapt: Ensure your business plan is a living document, ready to evolve with your growing business. Plannit AI's dynamic platform allows you to adapt your strategy as new opportunities or challenges arise.
• Roadmap for Success: At its core, a business plan acts as a strategic guide, providing detailed steps on how your business will achieve its objectives. It helps you navigate the startup phase, manage growth effectively, and tackle unforeseen challenges with a well-thought-out strategy.
• Securing Funding: For startups and businesses looking to expand, a business plan is crucial for securing loans or attracting investors. It demonstrates to potential financial backers that your business has a clear vision, a solid strategy for profitability, and a plan for delivering returns on their investment.
• Informed Decision-Making: A well-prepared business plan offers valuable insights into your market, competition, and potential challenges. This information is vital for making informed decisions, from day-to-day operations to long-term strategic shifts.
• Market Analysis and Strategy: It allows you to conduct an in-depth analysis of your target market, understand customer needs, and position your product or service effectively. The marketing strategy outlined in your business plan helps in identifying the best channels and tactics to reach your audience and achieve market penetration.
• Financial Planning: One of the most critical components of a business plan is the financial forecast. It outlines your funding requirements, expected revenue, profit margins, and cash flow projections. This section is essential for budgeting, financial management, and ensuring the financial viability of your business.
• Goal Setting and Performance Measurement: A business plan sets clear, measurable goals and objectives. It provides a framework for monitoring performance, measuring success, and making necessary adjustments to stay on track.
• Aspiring Entrepreneurs: If you're at the idea stage, looking to transform your vision into a viable business, Plannit AI offers the tools and guidance to bring your concept to life. Our platform helps you articulate your business idea, define your target market, and develop a solid plan to turn your dream into reality.
• Students and Educators: For students delving into the intricacies of business planning and educators teaching the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, Plannit AI serves as an invaluable resource. It provides a practical, hands-on tool for learning and teaching how to create detailed business plans, analyze markets, and understand financials in a real-world context.
• Startup Founders: In the dynamic startup environment, Plannit AI is the ideal partner for founders looking to pivot quickly, secure funding, or understand their competitive landscape. With our AI-driven insights and market analysis tools, startups can make informed decisions and adapt their strategies to thrive in competitive markets.
• Small Business Owners: For small business owners seeking to optimize their operations, expand their customer base, or explore new markets, Plannit AI offers targeted solutions. Our platform simplifies the planning process, enabling owners to focus on growth while managing the day-to-day challenges of running their business.
• Consultants and Freelancers: Consultants and freelancers specializing in business development, strategic planning, or financial advising will find Plannit AI a powerful addition to their toolkit. It allows them to provide clients with comprehensive, data-driven business plans and strategies, enhancing the value of their services.
• Non-Profit Organizations: Leaders of non-profit organizations can leverage Plannit AI to plan initiatives, secure funding, and manage resources more efficiently. Our platform helps non-profits articulate their mission, set achievable goals, and measure their impact, ensuring they can make a difference in their communities.
• Innovators and Inventors: Individuals looking to commercialize innovative products or technologies can use Plannit AI to navigate the complexities of bringing new ideas to market. From patent strategies to go-to-market plans, our platform covers all bases, ensuring innovators can focus on what they do best.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Government Agencies: Government and SBA backed entities can greatly benefit from integrating Plannit AI into their services, enhancing their ability to support a larger number of clients more efficiently. By facilitating quicker, more in-depth business plan development, these organizations can spend more time assisting with plan execution and less time on creation, ultimately serving their communities more effectively.
• Anyone with a Business Idea: Ultimately, Plannit AI is for anyone with a business idea, regardless of industry, experience, or stage of business development. Our mission is to democratize business planning, making it accessible, understandable, and actionable for everyone.
• Interactive Questionnaire and ChatGPT Integration: Plannit AI transforms the business planning process into an engaging conversation. Through our advanced ChatGPT integration, we offer a questionnaire that dynamically adapts to your responses, ensuring your plan is personalized, comprehensive, and aligned with your business goals.
• Dynamic Planning Environment: Unlike static templates provided by many, Plannit AI introduces a living platform that grows with your business. It features real-time updates, strategic insights, and a feedback mechanism that keeps your business plan current and actionable.
• Extensive Educational Resources: Our Education Center is packed with articles, guides, and sample plans to bolster your planning process. It's designed to arm you with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of your industry confidently.
• Enhanced Collaboration and Customization: Recognizing the collaborative essence of business planning, Plannit AI supports team efforts with multi-user editing, annotations, and feedback features, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your strategy.
• Customer Success Stories: Our users' achievements are a testament to Plannit AI's effectiveness. These success stories illustrate how diverse businesses have utilized our platform for strategic planning and growth.
• Tailored Business Plan Creation: Our platform stands out with its tailored approach, featuring customizable templates that directly cater to your business type and industry, making plan creation straightforward and relevant.
• Content Generation:: ChatGPT helps draft various sections of a business plan, from executive summaries to marketing strategies, by providing structured and coherent text based on the prompts given.
• Strategic Insights: It can offer suggestions on business strategies by analyzing trends and providing examples from a wide range of industries.
• Financial Planning: While it can't replace professional financial advice, ChatGPT can guide the structure of financial projections and statements, helping you consider important financial aspects of your plan.

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

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When you’re starting a business, developing a strong business plan will be one of the first steps you take. Your business plan will cover everything from a detailed explanation of your products or services and pricing model to at least three years of financial projections—plus much more. Therefore, whether you’re not sure how to get started or you’re just looking to make the process easier, you may want to turn to business plan software for help.

In this guide, we'll break down five of the best business plan software options—discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more—so you have all the information you need to decide which solution is right for your small business.

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Tell us where you're at in your business journey, and we'll direct you to the experience that fits.

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The 5 best business plan software options

The right business plan software will make the process of writing your business plan much simpler. Like many business software solutions, however, there are a number of different business plan software options out there—each of which has a unique set of features, user experience, and price.

This being said, if you're looking for a place to start your search for the best business plan software, you can explore the five top options below:

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

1. LivePlan

Best overall business plan software.

If you want template-rich, modern-feeling business plan software, then LivePlan may be the right pick for you. LivePlan excels with their user interface, which feels updated and slick, and also offers intuitive, easy-to-use features and options.

Their step-by-step instruction will help you kick things off from the beginning, and you can take advantage of their online learning center to continue to gain business skills.

Affordable plans, including pay-as-you-go option

No long-term contracts or cancellation fee; 60-day money-back guarantee

Modern, intuitive interface; cloud-based, can be used on Mac, PC, as well as tablets

Ability to create unlimited plans in one account; over 500 customizable templates

Variety of business resources including video tutorials, step-by-step instruction, and general customer support

Limited integration options

Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections

Can be difficult to learn

Ability to create an unlimited number of business plans on one account

More than 500 business plan templates spanning various industries

Integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online

Real-time tracking of financial data with accounting integrations

Ability to export your business plan to Word or PDF

Expert advice and step-by-step instruction included

Performance dashboards for tracking against budgets and sales goals

Ability to create and export a one-page pitch executive summary

Annual plan: $15 per month, billed every 12 months

Six-month plan: $18 per month, billed every six months

Pay-as-you-go plan: $20 per month, billed once every month

2. GoSmallBiz

Best for multiple business management tools in one platform.

Next on our list of the best business plan software options is GoSmallBiz, which is much more than just a business plan software. With GoSmallBiz, you have access to business continuity planning software with features that cover creating a roadmap, working through business and legal forms, building a website, and more.

In this way, GoSmallBiz is great for startups or newer businesses looking to access multiple business management tools through one platform.

Unlimited business consultation and extensive library of online resources

Multiple business tools in one software

Website consultation analysis and business assessment

Industry-specific business plan templates with emphasis on financial projections and statements

Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives

Limited business plan features

Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word

Outdated interface

Industry-specific business plan templates with step-by-step building wizard

Ability to create financial statements and projections

Free website hosting and website builder

Customer relationship manager with integration with MailChimp

Digital marketing dashboard with social media and Google Analytics integrations

HR document builder

Corporate minutes writer

Business documents library

Business courses library

Unlimited business consultation

$39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation

Best for simple, fast business plan creation.

If you're looking for free business plan software, Enloop will be one of your closest options—they offer an all-inclusive seven-day free trial, no credit card required. Additionally, unlike some of the other options on our list, Enloop is strictly dedicated to business plan creation, including automated text writing, financial forecast comparisons, and a real-time performance score that tracks your progress.

This being said, if you'd prefer the most straightforward, fast, and simple way to write your business plan, Enloop will be a platform worth considering.

Simple and straightforward software, solely dedicated to business plan creation

Seven-day free trial

Automatic text generation available to streamline the writing process

Affordable plans with annual discount option

Limited additional educational resources

Only one template option

No integration options

Ability to create three business plans with customizable text, images, tables, charts, and over 100 currency symbols and formats

Includes automatic text generation for each plan section that you can then customize

Automatically generated financial statements

Includes financial performance comparison analysis (using three ratios with Detailed plan and 16 with Performance plan)

Real-time performance score to track your progress

Ability to invite users to edit (two with Detailed plan, five with Performance plan)

Pass/fail report and certificate to help you identify issues with your plan

Free plan: Seven-day free trial with no credit card required

Detailed plan: $19.95 per month or $11 per month, paid annually

Performance plan: $39.95 per month, or $24 per month, paid annually

Best for startups looking to acquire funding or find investors.

Part of the Startups.com suite, Bizplan gets top marks for their user interface—it’s intuitive, easy to use, and modern. You’ll work with a step-by-step business plan builder to get exactly what you’d like from your business plan. It may remind you of a modern website builder, since it has drag-and-drop tools to build templates.

Moreover, for one subscription fee, you have access to all of the tools in the Startups.com network, including self-guided courses, how-to guides, masterclass videos, and more. All in all, with a direct connection to Fundable, Bizplan is a top business plan software option for startups looking to acquire funding and find investors.

Subscription gives you access to all Startups.com tools

Lifetime access subscription option

User-friendly drag-and-drop business plan builder

Excellent educational resources

Connection to Fundable great for businesses looking for capital

No free trial

No templates based on industry

No mobile access

Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building

Financial command center to track all business financials in one place

Unlimited account collaborators

Ability to share business plan online with investors

Online resources including self-guided courses, masterclass videos, how-to guides, mentorship access

Unlimited software use for Fundable, Launchrock, and Startups.com

Monthly plan: $29 per month

Annual plan: $20.75 per month, billed at $249 per year

Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee

5. PlanGuru

Best for financial planning and budgeting.

Finally, for some of the strongest financial features among business plan software options, including budgeting and forecasting, you might check out PlanGuru. Whereas the other solutions we've reviewed were first and foremost focused on writing a business plan, PlanGuru is dedicated to business financial planning —providing the tools you need to create budgets, financial forecasts, reports, and more.

Therefore, if you need a software solution that can streamline the financial piece of your business planning processes, PlanGuru will certainly have the most to offer.

Extensive financial tools and detailed forecasting, budgeting, and reporting capabilities

Substantial library of resources

Cloud-based and desktop options

14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee

Expensive, especially for additional users

Only focuses on the financial aspect of business planning; no templates or tools for basic business plan writing

Difficult to use without prior financial knowledge

Cloud-based version of software, as well as locally installed Windows version (desktop version has a few more features)

Works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Excel

Budgeting and forecasting for up to 10 years

Over 20 standard forecasting methods

Formula builder to create custom methods

Ratios and KPIs

Dashboard and reporting tools

Help guides, video tutorials, knowledgebase, and live U.S.-based customer support

14-day free trial

$99 per month (additional users $29 per month)

$899 per year (additional users $299 per year)

What to look for in business plan software

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide, which, if any, of the best business plan software solutions on our list is right for your business.

So, if you're trying to figure out how to choose between the various options out there, it might be helpful to compare your top choices based on the following criteria:

Features: As we've seen different business plan software solutions offer different features. You'll want to look carefully at the feature list of any software and determine what features are most important for your business needs. Do you need an extensive library of templates with detailed customization? Would you prefer software that includes an online learning center for business skills? Are you looking for a solution that combines business plan writing with other tasks? It may be useful to list out your ideal feature set, so you can compare individual software plans to that list.

Price: Although you might be able to find some free business plan software options (or at the very least, free trials), in most cases, you'll need to pay a subscription fee to access the platform you choose. Therefore, you'll want to think about what your budget is for this business tool and what type of software is most cost-effective for your needs.

User experience: User experience can vary widely among different business plan software options. You’ll find some programs that are newer or have been recently updated. Others might have the kind of interfaces that felt new years ago but are now pretty out of date—and, subsequently, make them a little harder to use. The right user experience for your needs is genuinely a matter of opinion and comfort—nevertheless, it's worth testing thoroughly testing out a platform to ensure that it can truly work for you before investing in a monthly or annual subscription.

The bottom line

There's no doubt that properly crafting your business plan is important for the future growth and success of your small business. Luckily, the right business plan software should make the process much simpler.

This being said, whether you opt for one of the best business plan software options listed here, or another platform entirely, you'll want to take the time to compare multiple solutions and ensure you choose the one that's right for your business.

As we mentioned, it can be helpful to think about the features you're looking for, your budget, and your user-experience preferences ahead of time—that way, you'll have a set of criteria in mind as you explore different solutions.

Ultimately, perhaps the best thing you can do to find the right software is to actually test out the platforms themselves—either by using a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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Home » Blog » 8 Best Free Business Plan Software Tools of 2024

8 Best Free Business Plan Software Tools of 2024

• October 12, 2022

Table of Contents

Whether you’re a startup or an established business, having a well-crafted business plan is essential to your success. Not only will it give you a roadmap to follow, but it will also help you secure funding and attract top talent.

There are a lot of business plan software options out there, so how do you know which one is right for you? To help you make the best decision, we’ve compiled a list of the eight best free business plan software programs.

Review of the Best Free Business Plan Software

Coro is a free business plan software that helps you create a professional and successful business plan. Coro offers many features that make it easy to get started, including templates, financials, and more.

With Coro, you can be sure that your business plan will be comprehensive and well-organized. In addition, Coro offers support and resources to help you through the process of creating and implementing your business plan.

• Templates for different types of businesses.
• Available in English and Spanish . 
• Comes with a built-in CRM system.
• Free remediation for 14 days.
• Has three months audit trail.
• Coro allows users to collaborate with others on their business plans, making it ideal for businesses that have multiple stakeholders.
• The software includes financial tools that help users track and forecast expenses and income. 
• The software offers various marketing and sales management features, including the ability to create and track campaigns. 
• Coro provides user analytics that helps businesses measure the performance of their business plans. 
• It entails all threats such as malware & ransomware, phishing, hacking & access control, insider threats, and data governance.
• The free version has some limitations regarding features and functionality.
• Coro Free – $0 per User / Month.
• Coro Flexible Pay monthly with no commitment $8.99 per User / Month (Billed Monthly).
• Coro Annual – For companies who want to save costs, SAVE 22% by paying $6.99 per User / Month (Billed Annually).

Read Also: Can I use Business Plan Software to present to investors?

Cuttles offers a 7-day free trial, and in this period, you can get familiar with its features and examine if it is suitable for your business before moving to a paid plan. You can create a custom business plan with Cuttles in just minutes.

Cuttles allows you to include all the information you need in your business plans, such as your company’s mission statement, market analysis, product or service description, financial projections, etc.

In addition, Cuttles offers a variety of templates that you can use to create your custom business plan.

Features of Cuttles

• Step-by-Step Wizard.
• Pitch Presentation.
• Financial Templates.
• Investor Management.
• Social Sharing.
• Business Plan Templates.
• Collaboration.
• Easy to use
• Fast navigation between sections.
• Pre-filled information.
• Produces high-quality professional document templates.
• Allows you to apply your company logo and other branding elements
• Tailors the text to reflect your unique voice and style
• Users can customize the expected outcomes based on realistic goals.
• Cuttles takes a lot of time to set up. 
• For Seed Plan Founders startup at €8 per month billed annually (save 58%)
• For Grow Plan founders startup with €16per month billed annually  (save 44%)
• For Series PlanFounders startups, €48 per month is billed annually (save 39%) 

InPhase is a free business plan and business intelligence software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners to visualize and create their vision for the growth of their businesses.

With an easy-to-use interface and all the tools you need like, InPhase makes it simple to brainstorm ideas, document them in your own words, and share your vision with others. It attracts investors or simply communicates your ideas more clearly.

• Adeptly execute plans
• It comes with templates.
• It has a library of resources.
• Ability to create “What If” scenarios.
• It has an intuitive interface.
• Eliminate duplicated activities
• Encourage user engagement
• Identify critical problems faster.
• Make compliance easy
• It does not have a mobile application
• Free Version: It costs $0 and is free for each user
• Basic Plan: It costs $14,98 per month for each user.

Read Also: Crafting a Comprehensive Business Plan Writing Framework  

Learnspot is a powerful Spain-based, user-friendly business plan software designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners create effective financial plans for their companies.

With an intuitive interface, various valuable templates, and an extensive library of financial formulas and calculations, Leanspot makes it easy to create professional financial plans with minimal effort.

What’s more? They have a free version and a free trial.  They also have business intelligence capacities. However, it is geared far too heavily toward a Spanish audience.

• User-friendly interface.
• Collaborative editing.
• Built-in sharing tools.
• Powerful tracking tool.
• Built-in commenting tools to get feedback.
• Assesses the feasibility of your business idea.
• Access to SWOT
• Extensive support and guidance
• Formats different combinations of data according to industry best practices.
• It caters more to Spanish users.
• For startups, Advance €30/per month
• For Advisors First month is free after 18€/month
• For Investors, Individuals €99/month

Enloop is a great option for those looking for a free business plan software program. It offers a free trial for a full week with no obligation to provide credit card information included. Enloop is solely focused on the creation of business plans. 

It features automated text writing, comparisons of financial forecasts, and a real-time performance score that monitors your advancement. The clear and straightforward instructions provided while using the software make it simple, even for those who have never created a business plan.

• Automatic financial statements generation
• Financial Performance Analysis
• Real-time performance analysis
• Plans are reasonably priced and offer an annual discount
• Automatic text generation is available to help with the business plan writing process.
• It only has one template option
• Free Trial: A 7-day free trial, access to most features so you can familiarize yourself with the software.
• Detailed Plan: It costs $19.95 per month.
• Enterprise Plan: It costs $39.95 per month.

Recommended reading: 5 Best HCM Software in 2024 (Reviewed)

Business Plan Quick Builder

The Business Plan Quick Builder is an online tool that helps users accelerate the process of creating a business plan. 

Business Plan Quick Builder’s algorithm efficiently creates a complete business plan. For example, the generated business plan lets users know the different aspects of their businesses. Plus, it also includes accurate financial projections of the businesses. 

In addition, Quick Builder can also be used by those who want to update their existing business plans.

• Financial forecast
• Automatic text generation
• PDF Support
• It has over 400 templates to choose from
• It saves time
• It is efficient
• It can only be used online.
• Free Plan: It costs nothing and comes with the basic essential features.
• Basic Plan: It costs $9.99 monthly 

ESM+Strategy

Every successful business has a well-defined strategy. Without a clear direction, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day grind and lose sight of your goals. That’s where ESM+ comes in. 

This software helps you map out your goals, track your progress, and make adjustments on the fly. It also provides tools to help you implement your strategy and get the most out of your team. From project management to task tracking, it has got you covered.

• Automation software for the Balanced Scorecard
• Visual charts and online reporting.
• Cascading Balanced Scorecards
• Dynamic strategy maps
• Instant-generated strategic reports and papers in PDF, PPT, and Excel.
• Personal Balanced Scorecards and employee reviews
• Data Visualization
• Customizable user interface
• Mobile app not available for macOS and iOS
• Basic Plan: Costs $0, it has valuable features like Excel Exports, Balanced Scorecard Designer, SWOT, Porter’s 5 Forces, PESTEL , and Change Agendas. It also allows users to create measures, goals, and strategic initiatives
• Pro Plan: It costs $880 monthly. It has features in the basic plan and other remarkable features like an unlimited number of users, Balanced Scorecard Automation, Custom Balanced Scorecard Templates, KPI Tracking , Initiative Prioritization, Excel Data Loading, Strategy Execution Library, and Strategic Initiative Project Management. It also allows its users to design dynamic strategy maps.
• Enterprise Plan: Contact ESM+Strategy for pricing. It has features in the pro plan and other features like several Scorecards, Configuration Instructions, Views of organizational/scorecard structure, Views with Cascading and Alignment, Permission framework based on scorecards, API integrations, etc. 

Data consolidation across scorecards, Loading Excel data across many scorecards, Dashboards tailored to each scorecard, Zapier connectors With onboarding. Users also get free data buildout.

Recommended reading: The 6 Best OKR Software Tools to Help You Achieve Your Goals

Workfacta is a simple yet powerful tool that helps businesses track employee productivity. By tracking employee login times, activity levels, and project deadlines, businesses can clearly see which employees are meeting their targets and which ones are falling behind. 

In addition, Workfacta provides employees with a clear set of deadlines and milestones to hit, helping them stay on track and motivated. As a result, Workfacta is an invaluable tool for any business that wants to improve employee productivity .

• Goal Setting and Tracking
• Strategic Planning
• Forecasting
• Key Performance Indicators
• KPI Monitoring
• Progress Tracking
• To maximize user experience, sorting and filtering options could be improved.
• Free Forever: It costs $0 and allows up to 3 users and 1 team. It has basic features like a weekly meeting schedule, three discussion items, team performance, two dashboard widgets, etc.
• Business Premium Plan: It costs $49 monthly per user, and it contains features in the free plan, unlimited users, flexible weekly meetings, Quarterly Execution Score Targets, company performance, and supports up to 3 teams.
• Enterprise Plan: Contact Workfacta for pricing. It has additional features like Xero integration, Number API, Cross-team features, enterprise widget, etc.

The first step is to define your business goals and objectives clearly. What are you hoping to accomplish? Next, you’ll need to analyze your industry and target market thoroughly. What is the current landscape, and what trends are you seeing? This will help you to create realistic financial projections. Once you have all this information, you can start developing your business plan. 

Yes, there are business plan templates available on Microsoft Word. However, the quality of these templates can vary greatly. Some are very simplistic and lack the level of detail that is often required in a business plan. Others are more comprehensive and can provide a good starting point for developing a business plan. The bottom line is that it is important to carefully evaluate any template you consider using to ensure that it meets your needs.

A business plan is a formal document that outlines the goals of your business. Examples are Executive Summary, Products and Services, Market Analysis, Sales and Marketing Plan, Operational Plan, Financial Plan, and appendix. With a well-written business plan, you’ll be on your way to achieving your entrepreneurial goals.

A business plan’s length depends on your business’s size, and complexity, a rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t be more than 30 pages. If you are seeking investment, your business plan will need to be even shorter, as investors do not have time to read through a long document.

You should avoid including information irrelevant to the business. There shouldn’t be grammatical or spelling errors, as this can make the business appear amateurish. Lastly, the document should be concise; avoid using flowery language or excessively long sentences.

Final Thoughts

When searching for the best business plan software, it is essential to look beyond the program’s price. Ultimately, the best business plan software can be defined by its ability to help you create, edit, and manage your business plan effectively and efficiently.

Whether it provides templates or allows you to create your own from scratch, offers powerful collaboration tools, or helps you organize financial information and projections. The best free business plan software should always aim to meet your specific needs and help take your business to the next level.

If you still can’t decide, we recommend giving Coro a try. It’s a tremendous all-around software that offers a free trial, so you can see if it’s the right fit for you.

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Free Online Business Plan Maker

Create a compelling and convincing business plan online with Venngage. Templates available for your every need, whether it's business plans, financial plans, marketing plans, and more.

Not a designer? No problem. With our easy-to-edit templates and online business plan generator, anyone can create a professional business plan for free. Over 40,000 businesses already use and trust Venngage.

Design from one of our business plan templates

Choose from hundreds of business plan templates. see all business plan templates, launch a profitable business with a visually engaging business plan.

Your business is unique and impactful — so should your business plan. Make sure the plan you share with investors, lenders, and other stakeholders is not only packed with key data and information but visually engaging too.

Looking to make your business plan stand out from the pack? Venngage's unique business plan templates add serious style to your ideas. Venngage's Business Plan Builder is a fraction of the cost of hiring a writer — you can even try creating a business plan for free.

Whether you're looking for a traditional business plan format or something more creative, Venngage's easy-to-edit business plan templates let anyone design business plans. No experience required. Free business plan templates available.

Nothing's better to convince your stakeholders than some sweet data that speaks volume. Engage and persuade your investors by visualizing your business plan data with Venngage's unique charts, graphs and diagrams.

Create a winning business plan with Venngage in 5 steps:

Design an unforgettable and convincing business plan today:

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Save money and hours of design time with Venngage's easy-to-edit templates and free business plan generator. Free online business plan templates available.

Easy-to-Use Editor

Venngage's online business plan builder is intuitive to use. The drag-and-drop editor means faster and better designs even when you don't have design experience.

Download Business Plans

Download your document with one click as an image (PNG), PDF, Interactive PDF or PowerPoint file. Add it to your Google Docs or Slides, Word doc or existing PowerPoint slides (paid plans only).

Visualize Business Plan Data

Persuade your stakeholders and tell a story with your business plan data through charts, graphs, maps and diagrams. Copy and paste your data or upload it in a .csv file in one click.

Brand Your Business Plans

Use Venngage's My Brand Kit to automatically import your brand identity. Then, add your brand colors and fonts to any business plan designs with one click.

Collaborate In Real Time

Collaborate with your whole team with Venngage's real-time collaboration. Leave helpful feedback through comments and create impactful business plans.

Easy-to-edit professional business plan templates

• Our team of professional designers have created a collection of unique, online business plan templates that anyone can customize. Pick a simple template, add your text and data and you're done.
• Or choose a more creative template and play around with the fonts, photos, icons, colors, and more.
• Whatever the case, Venngage's drag-and-drop free business plan generator lets anyone create a beautiful, professional business plan without any design experience.
• Share a public link for free from our online business plan creator. Don't worry. You can go back and edit your design at any time.

One-click branding with My Brand Kit

Show off important metrics with professional data visualizations

Collaborate with your whole team throughout the design process.

Business Plan Maker FAQs

How much does venngage's business plan builder cost.

Anyone can make a business plan for free and share a link to their work. Our Premium ($19/month) and Business ($49/month) plans include premium, professional business plan templates and features, plus access to multiple download formats.

How can I write my own business plan?

Your business plan can include these sections: executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization management, service/product line, marketing & sales, funding requests, financial projections, etc. Add sections to your business plan as you see fit — depending on the kind of plan you're creating. No matter the type of business plans you're making, Venngage has a template for that.

Can I download my business plan?

Yes! You can download your business plan in PNG, PDF, Interactive PDF, or PowerPoint formats (paid plans only). It's free to share a public link. It's also free to create an account and test out our online business plan maker with a free business plan template.

Wow your clients and investors at first sight — Create a convincing and winning business plan with Venngage's online business plan generator

Popular business plan templates you can edit right away

Nonprofit organization business plan template, business operational plan template, real estate investment business plan template, business continuity and disaster recovery plan template.

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You can do this! Tour LivePlan to see how simple business planning can be.

Have an expert write your plan, build your forecast, and so much more.

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Business Plan Builder

A guided business plan builder that's simple & fun

Tackle your business plan in no time with AI assistance and step-by-step instructions from our business plan writing software.

Trusted by over 1 million small business owners

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35-day money-back guarantee Get started risk-free

It's like having a business coach guide you through the process

Expert Guidance

Get simple instructions every step of the way

LivePlan's step-by-step instructions, examples, prompts and definitions of key business terms guide you through each phase of creating a professional business plan.

Access a library of over 550+ sample business plans for inspiration, chat with support for additional help, or join an expert-led webinar to get additional business planning tips and wisdom.

AI-Powered Planning

Welcome to a world without writer's block

LivePlan's business plan builder asks you questions about your business, you simply plug in the answers. It's as easy as that. Get expert guidance, instructions, and examples at each step.

Not sure where to start? The AI-Powered LivePlan Assistant will automatically generate ideas for each section of your plan and offer improved versions of your writing, adjusting for tone, voice, and grammar or spelling errors.

Automatic Financials

Forget the formulas and focus on your vision

Forget the complex formulas and spreadsheets — with automatic financials and drag-and-drop forecasting you can finish faster and be confident your numbers are accurate.

Instantly get tailored revenue and expense suggestions to add to your forecast using the AI-Powered LivePlan Assistant.

Growth Planning

Manage your growth with a data-driven process

Markets change faster than ever and technology evolves at breakneck speed. Be ready to adapt quickly, stay focused, and make decisions that are best for your business with growth planning.

LivePlan's business plan builder will teach you this simple, repeatable, four-step process to help keep your business healthy — no matter what stage you're at.

How We're Different

More than business plan writing software

LivePlan isn't just a business plan builder — it's a comprehensive business planning system to help you plan, fund, and grow.

Plenty of support to help you succeed

Inspiration powered by ai.

Use LivePlan's online business plan builder to instantly generate ideas at each step of your plan. You can also access 550+ sample plans to find one that matches your industry.

Guidance from business experts

Stay on track with video walkthroughs, webinars, and more from business planning experts.

If you ever get stuck, our team will help

If you ever have a question, you can instantly chat with a LivePlan expert.

Create a plan and build your business dreams

Frequently asked questions.

LivePlan is way more than business plan writing software , and far more powerful than a business plan template. Not only does it guide you through each step of writing your business plan - which you won't get from a template - you won't have to use spreadsheets to do your financials or create charts and graphs. As your business evolves, LivePlan's business plan builder helps you track your performance, lets you define the tasks needed to grow your business, and contains competitive industry benchmarks. No other template or tool comes close to the support, guidance, and ease that LivePlan brings to creating a business plan.

No! With LivePlan's online business plan builder you can dive right into starting your business plan with no preparation necessary. Working through LivePlan's business plan writing software, you'll be guided through where you need to supplement your knowledge of your market and industry. Of course, as you create your business plan you may need to gather additional data to add important details to your plan.

The Small Business Administration, or SBA, requires business plans to be formatted in a specific way and include details indicating your business is viable. All LivePlan business plans follow SBA-approved formatting so you can ensure they include everything the SBA would expect to see.

LivePlan contains a number of powerful tools packed into one easy-to-use software. With LivePlan you can: Build a pitch, write and share a business plan, hammer out financial forecasts, build a one-page business plan, compare your performance against industry benchmarks, and so much more .

Absolutely. To experience planning in LivePlan, visit our interactive product tour or watch some of our getting started videos .

Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology.  

Capterra carefully verified over 2 million reviews to bring you authentic software and services experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI.   Learn more.

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The 3 Ultimate Free Business Plan Software

Free business plan software options

Non-software options for business plan creation, final thoughts.

A new business generally needs two things. First, it needs a reason to exist. What are you going to bring to the marketplace that no one else is providing or how are you going to provide an existing product in a “better” fashion? Second, you’re going to need some cash. Even if you’re just going to be making websites in your bedroom, you’ll need some money for internet access, food, and some software or hosting.

These two problems can both be addressed through a solid business plan.

A business plan tells you – and anyone you decide to share it with – what your core function is. It helps you focus in on the things that you do best and it gives you metrics to determine what your success looks like. I say, “It gives you,” but really it’s just a template for managing your own thoughts.

In the same way that a blueprint is the physical manifestation of a building plan, a business plan is the physical manifestation of your business goals. Could you build a house without drawing up a blueprint? Sure. Is it a super good idea that we’re all about to adopt? Not even close.

In addition to putting your own thoughts on paper and making the organization process more structured, a good business plan is also your pitch. When you go into the bank, you’re going in with a clear message about what you do, who buys it, and how much you’re expecting them to spend with you over time.

The forecasting and economic consolidation that happens in your business plan makes talking to the bank – or VC or neighbor or rich uncle – that much easier.

To help you pull a plan together, there are – of course – plenty of software solutions. These range from the simple to the complex. You can opt for a solution that basically just lays the material you create out or one that helps you with every step of the process.

Today, we’ll look a few free business plan software options to help get you started. I’ll also give you a few non-software solutions, just in case you want to get your hands a bit dirty.

This article looks at three free business plan software options. See the full list of free business plan software solutions here .

Note: Your hands may not get dirty, except in a metaphorical sense. Much depends on the type of pen you employ.

1. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software solution. There are a few different versions, depending on how many business plans you want to make, but for one plan, you can get a free account. As an additional little bonus, if you happen to teach business at a high school or university, StratCloud has a free version of its Unlimited offering. Interested in products with similar features? These StratPad alternatives could be what you are looking for.

That little bonus points to what StratCoud is really all about. The company provides workshops, videos, and educational blogs for entrepreneurs. It makes the bulk of its revenue not through subscriptions, but through the introductions it provides via StratPad Connect.

There, business coaches, accountants, and other professionals can connect with new businesses. Those leads generate a small fee from the professional, paid to StratPad. You’re not paying, so you’re the product – but it’s a pretty tame version of the old adage.

StratPad comes with follow along instructions and ends up generating a very clean and classic looking business plan. I like the layout of the system and I’m apparently not the only one. StratPad claims over 100,000 businesses are currently using its service.

Enloop is another free option for those seeking a single business plan. The company attempts to bring a little bit of credibility with its offering by scoring your business plan. Once it’s been scored, bankers or investors can look to see how well you did.

The score encompasses some basics like cash flow and growth. It updates as you update the document, so you can see what metrics are having the biggest – in Enloop’s mind – impact on your business’s viability. Sharing the actual score is only available to paid users.

Enloop also makes it easy to collaborate on plans, and the free version of the service gives you one additional user. You’ll be able to forecast up to 36 months out for financials, and all of it can be dropped into a PDF. Want to find software solutions with comparable features? These Enloop alternatives are a good place to start.

3. Plan Cruncher

This is my wildcard entry into the mix. Plan Cruncher isn’t really a business plan software. Instead, it takes the information you give it and generates a sort of elevator pitch/cover letter for your business plan.

When you’ve input all the details, you’ll end up with a one-page overview of the business, including what you’re going to do, who’s involved in the project, where you are in the funding process, and what you’re looking for next.

I like this for two reasons. First, it’s kinda fun. The final product is covered in these little logos that Plan Cruncher has come up with, so you get a nice visual view of the business. Second, it makes you summarize the whole thing. You’ll be entering details in 140 character boxes and chopping your offering down into small consumable chunks. This is a great way to determine what the core parts of your business really are.

Plan Cruncher has just the one version. It’s free and you end up with a nice PDF when it’s all said and done. That being said, it is 100 percent focused on tech startups looking for cash from investors. If you roll into the bank with this thing, it better be because you’re the founder of Plan Cruncher and you brought it along to demonstrate what the service does. No banker is going to care about this.

Software doesn’t always have to be the solution. I mean, sure, you’ll need some software to make any business plan, but we’re talking about Microsoft Office style programs. These resources are excellent alternatives to software.

The Small Business Administration (SBA)

The SBA wants you to succeed in business and it’s got a whole host of resources to help you generate your own business plan on its website. One of the things you’ll miss out on by using software is a solid education.

By building your own plan, you’ll be forced to learn how the whole thing works, what investors are looking for, and what all the terms means. You’ll be forecasting and analyzing before you know it. The SBA has a great set of instructions on how to get up to speed before you head down to your bank.

Speaking of which…

Your bank [Wells Fargo as an example]

Many major banks have free business planning tools to help you get started. On the Wells Fargo site, for instance, you can learn about how business plans work, use some tools to bring the whole thing together, and even do some competitive analysis.

As a major benefit, you’ll be working with the company that you’re going to be asking for money, right out of the gates. If you don’t like your bank’s offering, you can always find another bank that has better tools. Most of them are available without an account.

The SCORE network

Another SBA shout out. The SCORE network hooks successful business folk up with the next crop of winners. You can reach out to knowledgeable, local, mentors who can help you craft a business plan. These people are there to help and to make business better.

That means 1) there’s not a cost associated with reaching out and 2) they’re not going to do your homework. If you show up with all your research and a good start, a mentor can help you put some finishing touches on or send you in search of more details. If you show up with nothing, expect to get nothing in return.

That’s probably a little unfair. I’m sure you can get help finding your way if you haven’t kicked things off yet. Just don’t expect to drop off your bank records and walk out with a plan that they’ve drawn up for you.

The Business Model Canvas (BMC)

We’ll end on another quirky one. The BMC was developed by Swiss business consultant Alexander Osterwalder. The BMC breaks a business into nine basic building blocks and then has you fill out all those blocks. The result is a sort of brainstorm of business planning that fits on a single page.

This is a popular framework for lean start-ups, as you can present the entirety of the plan in a single slide – with more detail than Plan Cruncher provides. If that sounds intriguing,  check out Alexander Cowan’s overview of the BMC for more details on how it actually works.

A business plan can help you understand and champion the growth of your business. Thinking through your business’s core functions and challenges can give you a better understanding of where you should be spending your time.

You’ll also be in a better position to get the funding you need, when you need it. Business planning may be the least exciting part of starting your business, but it’s one of the most important. If you’ve got any other tools or software options that you’ve used and loved, let me know in the comments.

Was this article helpful?

About the author.

Andrew Marder

Andrew Marder is a former Capterra analyst.

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AI Business Plan Generator for Crafting beautiful designs

• Write a prompt to generate a first draft business plan.
• Pick a style first and the Visme AI Business Plan will generate the text and visual graphics.
• Add customization to any section of your business plan and share as a FlipBook document.

Generate business plan with AI

Brought to you by Visme

A leading visual communication platform empowering 27,500,000 users and top brands.

Business Plans Created With Visme’s AI Business Plan Generator

Ai business plan prompt 1.

Develop a comprehensive business plan for a charity, outlining initiatives and fundraising strategies to support community causes.

AI Business Plan Prompt 2

Create a business plan for a travel agency, highlighting services, target markets, and marketing strategies for growth.

AI Business Plan Prompt 3

Draft a business plan for a wellness center, emphasizing services, client acquisition, and revenue projections.

AI Business Plan Prompt 4

Prepare a business plan for an educational institute, focusing on curriculum, marketing, and student enrollment strategies.

How it works

How to generate AI business plans with Visme

Save time and create eye-catching business plans quickly with Visme AI Designer. Input text prompts for the AI generator right inside the Visme template library. Generate stunning ready-to-go business plans quickly.

• First, log in to your Visme dashboard. Then, access the business plan template section by clicking on Create New -> Project -> Documents -> Business Plan. On the results page, scroll down and choose the “Generate with AI” option.
• A popup will appear where you must type in a prompt describing your business plan in detail. Explain your brand voice and tone in the prompt and ask the AI to include certain aspects you want the business plan to feature.
• Visme Chatbot will propose suitable styles. Choose the one that matches your business plan’s visual strategy, then let AI create the first draft content and design. Preview and edit your AI-generated business plan, or generate again.
• Visme lets you customize your project from end to end. First, choose a color theme, then adjust the text, or add photos, videos and graphics from Visme’s free assets gallery. Create new and unique visuals with Visme AI tools.

Other types of documents you can create with Visme AI Business Plan Generator

AI Business proposals

AI Newsletters

AI One-Pagers

AI Magazines

AI Training Manuals

AI Marketing Playbooks

AI Press Releases

AI Sales Playbooks

AI Whitepapers

AI Catalogs

Features of the ai business plan generator, ready-to-go business plans in seconds.

Visme’s free AI business plan maker produces results in just seconds. From a detailed text prompt, the generator offers a first draft business plan that’s ready to go with customization. It gives you a head start and saves lots of precious time you can invest in other aspects of your business.

Customize every part of your business plan

Customization and personalization with Visme is easy and user friendly. The app provides a range of options like altering the color theme, modifying text and fonts, inserting images, videos and graphics from the Visme royalty free asset gallery. Create and customize new visuals with other Visme AI tools.

Distinguish your business plans with interactivity and data visualization

Visme offers plenty of interactivity options for your business plan. Present your plan using a flipbook effect, add animation to text, graphics, shapes or objects in your design. For data heavy plans, Visme has a selection of over 60 graphs, charts and data widget to display information visually. Additionally, use diagrams, roadmaps and timelines to show other types of information.

Add your branding

Maintain your brand's integrity effortlessly even when working with AI-generated business plans. Set up your brand kit using AI-powered Visme Brand Wizard or manually. Incorporate your brand's color scheme, font pairing, logo design and other brand assets to ensure everything aligns with your company's branding.

Share online, privately or download

Present and share your business plans generated with Visme AI Designer using a flipbook effect to stand out from the crowd. Alternatively, you can download them in various formats, including PDF, share on social media or schedule them to be published as posts on your social media channels. Additionally, you can share your business plans as private projects with a password entry.

More than just an AI Business Plan Generator

Beautify your content

Unique Elements & Graphics

Browse through our library of customizable, one-of-a-kind graphics, widgets and design assets like icons, shapes, illustrations and more to accompany your AI-generated documents.

Stay Up-To-Date

Tables & Dynamic Fields

Add user-friendly tables to your docs and connect them to live data or add variables, Dynamic Fields, to keep your plans up-to-date.

Make it engaging

Interactivity

Share AI-generated business plans online with animated and interactive elements to grab your audience’s attention and promote your business.

More AI tools in Visme

Ai image generator.

The Visme AI Image generator will automatically create any image or graphic. All you need to do is write a prompt and let AI magic do the rest.

Visme AI Writer helps you write, proofread, summarize and tone switch any type of text. If you’re missing content for a project, let AI Writer help you generate it.

AI Text-to-Speech Generator

Convert text to speech with the AI Text-to-Speech generator. Input copy, select from 6 voices. Language detection and audio generation are automatic.

AI TouchUp Tools

The Visme AI TouchUp Tools are a set of four image editing features that will help you change the appearance of your images inside any Visme project. Erase and replace objects that you don’t want in your photos.

Save yourself hours of work with AI Resize. This feature resizes your project canvas and adjusts all content to fit the new size within seconds.

The Brand Wizard

The AI-based Visme Brand Wizard populates your brand fonts and styles across a beautiful set of templates.

Make the most of Visme's features

Choose the perfect visual from our extensive photo and video library . Search and find the ideal image or video using keywords relevant to the project. Drag and drop in your project and adjust as needed.

Incorporate 3D illustrations and icons into all sorts of content types to create amazing content for your business communication strategies. You won’t see these 3D designs anywhere else as they’re made by Visme designers.

When you share your Visme projects, they’ll display with a flipbook effect . Viewers can go from page to page by flipping the page like a digital magazine. If you don’t want the flipbook effect, you can disable it and share as a standard project.

Remove the background from an image to create a cutout and layer it over something else, maybe an AI-generated background. Erase elements of the image and swap them for other objects with AI-powered Erase & Replace feature.

Create scroll-stopping video and animation posts for social media and email communication. Embed projects with video and animation into your website landing page or create digital documents with multimedia resources.

With Visme, you can make, create and design hundreds of content types . We have templates for digital documents, infographics, social media graphics, posters, banners, wireframes, whiteboards, flowcharts.

Design and brainstorm collaboratively with your team on the Visme whiteboard . Build mind maps and flowcharts easily during online planning and strategy sessions. Save whiteboards as meeting minutes and ongoing notes for projects.

Edit your images , photos, and AI image-generated graphics with our integrated editing tools. On top of the regular editing features like saturation and blur, we have 3 AI-based editing features. With these tools, you can unblur an image, expand it without losing quality and erase an object from it.

Who can benefit by using our AI Business Plan Generator?

Entrepreneurs.

• Craft ready-to-use business plans to outline your vision and strategies
• Generate and design sections for financial forecasts and market analysis
• Customize every aspect of the business plan to match your company branding

Small Business Owners

• Design polished professional business plans without any design skills
• Add images, videos, and icons that best represent your brand
• Fast-track your business plan writing process with a premade template
• Reduce the time it takes to create a business plan with AI
• Customize sections to add all the necessary details to your plan
• Impress investors with a professionally designed business plan

Consultants

• Generate business plans focused on strategic recommendations
• Customize your business with ways to expand your consultation business
• Include your brand colors, text and icons to maintain brand consistency

Non-Profits

• Draft business plans that outline mission, fundraising, and impact goals
• Get inspired by professionally designed business plan templates
• Create detailed sections to showcase why readers should invest in your company

Franchise Owners

• Create a business plan customized towards franchise and operational goals
• Add sections for marketing strategies specific to franchise expansion and new management
• Generate multiple business plans for different types of investors and VCs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can i get better results with the ai business plan generator.

Like any AI generator that depends on a text prompt, the prompt is everything. To get better results with the AI Business Plan maker, you need better prompts. Write the prompt to be as detailed as possible. Include all the content topics you want the business plan to cover. As for style elements, there’s no need to include them in the prompt. Focus on choosing the style that you like from the Chatbot suggestions. Try to select the style that already features the color palette and shapes that you like. AI will change icons and photos based on text it generates.

How many AI business plans can I generate?

Visme AI Business Plan Writer is available in all plans with higher credits/usage available in Premium plans. Note: AI credits are spread amongst all AI features. So if you use other AI features, your credits will be reduced.

Can I use a generated business plan without customizing it?

It’s in your brand’s best interest to edit the generated business plan at least a litte. FIrst of all, fact check everything as AI is known for sometimes offering wrong information. Second, double check the tone and voice of the writing and scan for repeated words and phrases. Finally, revise all visuals to ensure they match your brand’s visual strategy. Change visuals individually after the business plan is generated.

Is the Visme AI Designer a third-party API?

No, Visme AI business plan creator was developed in-house and is a unique tool. However, it does use third-party APIs: ChatGPT and Unsplash.

What other content types can I generate with Visme AI Designer?

Right now Visme AI Designer generates presentations, documents and printables. We are working on supporting more content types and will be rolling them out soon.

What types of documents can I generate with Visme AI Designer?

You can generate over 35 types of documents with Visme AI Designer, including business proposals, reports, newsletters, plans, ebooks, whitepapers, and more. For a full list of documents, please register with Visme and visit the templates section of the Visme app.

What our users say about us?

“Visme just saved me so much time and effort, and it actually allowed me to present something more attractive and more user-friendly for the end-user.”

“Of all the tools that I’ve used in my role as a Chief Experience Officer, there is nothing as helpful and as effective as Visme for me. It’s been the primary tool that I’ve used to be successful at my job.”

Home > Business > Business Startup

• 5 Best Business Plan Software and Tools in 2023 for Your Small Business

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

A business plan can do a lot for your business. It can help you secure investors or other funding. It can give your company direction. It can keep your finances healthy. But, if we’re being honest, it can also be a pain to write.

Luckily, you don’t have to start from scratch or go it alone. Business plan software and services can help you craft a professional business plan, like our top choice LivePlan , which provides templates, guidance, and more.

You’ve got quite a few choices for business plan help, so we’re here to help you narrow things down. Let’s talk about the best business plan tools out there.

• LivePlan : Best overall
• BizPlanBuilder : Most user-friendly
• Wise Business Plans : Best professional service
• Business Sorter : Best for internal plans
• GoSmallBiz.com : Most extra features
• Honorable mentions

Business plan software 101

The takeaway, business plan software faq, compare the best business plan software.

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LivePlan: Best overall business plan software

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *With annual billing

LivePlan has been our favorite business plan software for a while now, despite the stiff competition.

There’s a lot to like about LivePlan. It has pretty much all the features you could want from your business plan software. LivePlan gives you step-by-step instructions for writing your plan, helps you create financial reports, lets you compare your business’s actual financials to your plan’s goals, and much more. And if you ever need inspiration, it includes hundreds of sample business plans that can guide your writing.

LivePlan software pricing

But the best part? You get all that (and more) at a very competitive price. (You can choose from annual, six-month, or monthly billing.) While LivePlan isn’t quite the cheapest business plan builder out there, it’s not too far off either. And if comes with a 60-day money back guarantee. So there’s no risk in trying LivePlan out for yourself.

With a great balance of features and cost, LivePlan offers the best business plan solution for most businesses.

BizPlanBuilder: Most user-friendly

Need something easy to use? BizPlanBuilder fits the bill.

BizPlanBuilder doesn’t have a flashy, modern user interface―but it does have a very clear, intuitive one. You’ll be able to see your plan’s overall structure at a glance, so you can quickly navigate from your title page to your market trend section to that paragraph on your core values. And as you write, you’ll use a text editor that looks a whole lot like the word processing programs you’re already familiar with.

BizPlanBuilder software pricing

Data effective 3/13/23. At publishing time, amounts, rates, and requirements are current but are subject to change. Offers may not be available in all areas.

BizPlanBuilder also offers lots of helpful guidance for actually writing your plan. It gives you pre-written text, in which you just have to fill in relevant details. It offers explanations for what information you need to include in each section of your plan and way. It even gives you helpful tips from experts, so you’ll have all the information you need to plan like a pro.

So if you want planning software with almost no learning curve, you’ll like BizPlanBuilder.

Wise Business Plans: Best professional service

• Custom quote

Unlike all the other companies on this list, Wise Business Plans doesn’t offer software. Instead, it offers professional business plan writing services―meaning someone does all the hard work for you.

Now, you might think that sounds expensive―and you’re probably right (you have to request a custom quote for your plan). But there’s a lot to be said for expertise, and Wise Business Plans has plenty of that. Your business plan will get written by an experienced writer (with an MBA, no less). They’ll get information from you, do their own research, and then write your plan. You get one free revision, and you can always pay for more.  

Wise Business Plans service pricing

Your end result will be a polished, entirely original business plan. (You can even get printed copies.) And best of all, you won’t have to spend your precious time working on the plan yourself. Wise Business Plans takes care of all the hard parts, and makes your business look good while doing it. Sounds like a service worth paying for, right?

Put simply, if you want the most professional business plan possible, we recommend using Wise Business Plans’s writing service.

Business Sorter: Best for internal plans

Many businesses need plans to show to people outside the company (to get financing, for example). But what if you just need a plan for internal use? In that case, we suggest Business Sorter.

Business Sorter uses a unique card-based method to help you craft the perfect business plan. (You can watch a demo video to see how it works.) You’ll plan some of the usual things, like finances and marketing. But Business Sorter also lets you make plans for specific teams and team members. It also emphasizes more internal matters, like operations, that might get overlooked in a business plan for outsiders.

Business Sorter software pricing

After you’ve made your business plan, Business Sorter also helps you stay accountable to it. You can create tasks, give them deadlines, and assign them to team members―giving you basic project management tools to make sure your business plans become business actions. (Oh, and did we mention that Business Sorter has the lowest starting prices of any software on this list?)

It all adds up to a business plan software that works great for internal planning.

GoSmallBiz: Most extra features

Want to get way more than just business planning software? Then you probably want GoSmallBiz.

See, GoSmallBiz offers business plan software as part of its service―but it’s just one part of a much bigger whole. You also get everything from discounts on legal services to a website builder to a CRM (customer relationship manager) to business document templates. And more. In other words, you get just about everything you need to get your startup off the ground.

GoSmallBiz software pricing

Don’t worry though―you still get all the business planning help you need. GoSmallBiz gives you business plan templates, step-by-step instructions, and the ability to create financial projections. And if you get stuck, GoSmallBiz will put you in touch with experts who can offer advice.

If you want business planning and much, much more, give GoSmallBiz a try.

• PlanGuru : Best financial forecasting
• EnLoop : Cheapest tool for startups

We recommend the software above for most business planning needs. Some businesses, though, might be interested in these more specialized planning software.

Honorable mention software pricing

PlanGuru: Best financial forecasting features

PlanGuru is pretty pricey compared to our other picks, but you might find its forecasting features worth paying for. It has more forecasting methods than other software (over 20) plus it lets you forecast up to 10 years.

EnLoop: Cheapest tool for startups

EnLoop doesn’t have our favorite features or interface, but it does have really, really low pricing plus a seven-day free trial. It's the most affordable software for startup business planning and still provides all the essential features like financial analysis, team collaboration, charting, and more.

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. * With annual billing

Several of our previous favorite planning software, including BusinessPlanPro and StratPad, seem to have gone out of business.

A business plan is a written, living document that tells the story of your business and what you plan to do with it. It serves as the source of truth for you—the business owner—as well as potential partners, employees, and investors, but it also serves as a roadmap of what you want your business to be.

Why you need a business plan

While some small-business owners don’t see the point of creating a formal business plan, it can have some concrete benefits for your business. For example, one 2016 study found that business owners with written plans are more successful than those that don’t. 1

Still too vague? Then let’s get specific.

If you ever seek business funding (from, say, banks, angel investors , or venture capitalists ), you’ll have to prove that your business deserves the money you want. A formal business plan―complete with financial data and projections―gives you a professional document you can use to make your case. (In fact, most potential investors will expect you to have a business plan ready.)

Even if you’re not seeking funding right now, a business plan can help your business. A formal plan can guide your business’s direction and decision making. It can keep your business accountable (by, for example, seeing if your business meets the financial projections you included). And a formal plan offers a great way to make sure your team stays on the same page.

What to include in your business plan

Not all business plans are created equal. To make a really useful business plan, you’ll want to include a number of elements:

• Basic information about your business
• Your products/services
• Market and industry analysis
• What makes your business competitive
• Strategies and upcoming plans
• Your team (and your team’s background)
• Current financial status
• Financial and market projections
• Executive summary

Of course, you can include more or fewer elements―whatever makes sense for your business. Just make sure your business plan is comprehensive (but not overwhelming).

How business plan software can help

With so many elements to include, business plan creation can take a while. Business plan software tries to speed things up.

Most business plan software will include prompts for each section. In some cases, you can just fill in your business’s specific information, and the software will write the text for you. In other cases, the software will give you specific guidance and examples, helping you write the text yourself.

Plus, business plan software can help you stay organized. You’ll usually get intuitive menus that let you quickly flip through sections. So rather than endlessly scrolling through a long document in a word processor, you can quickly find your way around your plan. Some software even lets you drag and drop sections to reorganize your plan.

Sounds way easier than just staring at a blank page and trying to start from scratch, right?

Choosing business plan software

To find the right business plan builder for your business, you’ll want to compare features. For example, would you rather write your own text, getting prompts and advice from your software? Or would you rather go with a fill-in-the-blank method?

Likewise, think about the elements you need. If your plan will have a heavy focus on finances, you’ll want to choose business plan software with robust financial projection features. If you care more about market and competitor analysis, look for software that can help with that research.

You may also want to find business plan software that integrates with your business accounting software . Some plan builders will import data from Xero, QuickBooks, etc. to quickly generate your financial data and projections.

And of course, you’ll want to compare prices. After all, you always want to end up with software that fits your business budget.

The right business plan software can make your life easier. With LivePlan ’s wide breadth of features and online learning tools, you can’t go wrong. Plus, BizPlanBuilder 's one-time pricing makes it easy to invest while Business Sorter has a low starting cost. And if you're business is looking to grow, GoSmallBiz and Wise Business Plans will scale with you.

But of course, different companies have different needs. So shop around until you find the software that’s best for you and your business.

Now that you've got a business plan, take a look at our checklist for starting a small business.  It can help you make sure you have everything else you need to get your startup off to a good start!

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• Best Project Management Software and Tools in 2023
• 4 Cost Management Techniques for Small Businesses

Creating a business plan can take anywhere from a couple hours to several weeks. Your timeline will depend on things like the elements you choose to include, whether you use software or hire a writing service, and how much research goes into your plan.

That said, much of the business plan software out there brags that it can help you create a fairly detailed plan in a few hours. So if you’re going the software route, that can help you set your expectations.

If you want to get the most out of your business plan, you should update it on a regular basis―at least annually. That way, you can continually refer to it to inform your company’s strategies and direction.  

At the very least, you should update your business plan before you start looking for a new round of funding (whether that’s with investors or lenders).

Thanks to business plan software, you can easily write your own business plan rather than pay someone to do it for you. And in most cases, software will cost you less than a professional business plan service.

There are some times you might want to go with a service though. If time is tight, you might find that it’s worth the cost of a service. Or if you’ve got big investor meetings on the horizon, you might want the expertise and polish that a professional service can offer.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether business plan software or a business plan service will work better for your company.

Methodology

We ranked business plan software and tools based on features, pricing and plans, and connections to project management and other services. The value of each plan and service, along with what it offers, was a big consideration in our rankings, and we looked to see if what was offered was useful to small businesses or just extra. The final thing we looked at was the ease of use of the software to see if it's too complex for small businesses.

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Sources 1. Harvard Business Review, “ Research: Writing a Business Plan Makes Your Startup More Likely to Succeed .” Accessed March 13, 2023.

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• Best Business Plan Software

10 Best Business Plan Software In 2024

Updated: Sep 24, 2024, 3:33pm

Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often has features to make it easier, more nuanced and overall better. It could even make the difference between bringing investors on board and going it alone. Forbes Advisor found the best business plan software that has the features you need at an affordable price.

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The Best Business Plan Software of 2024

Forbes advisor ratings, methodology, how to choose a business plan software, benefits of business plan software, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

Featured Partners

From $8 monthly per user

Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more

On monday.com's Website

Yes, for unlimited members

$7 per month

Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more

On ClickUp's Website

$9.80 per user per month

Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP

On Wrike's Website

Yes, for one user and two editors

$9 per user per month

Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more

On Smartsheet's Website

• Wrike: Best overall
• Smartsheet: Best for goal management
• LivePlan: Best for financial forecasting
• Aha!: Best for roadmapping
• Bizplan: Best for beginners
• IdeaBuddy: Best for ideation
• iPlanner: Best for no-frills business planning
• Enloop: Best for automatic business plan creation
• AchieveIt: Best for consultant groups
• Business Sorter: Best for teams

Best Overall

Starting price

Free; $9.80 per user

Team messaging

Roadmapping

Wrike is a project management (PM) tool that works well as business plan software because it gives you tools to help you gather and compare your data. Wrike makes it easy to start your business plan with its collaboration tools, business plan templates , drag-and-drop interface and goal management features. Another benefit of using Wrike to build your plan is that you see your ideas and goals from multiple views: Gantt chart, calendar or board views.

There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to use Wrike for your business plan. First, you can map out exactly what your business goals are in a project, invite teammates to collaborate and message business partners to discuss everything. Plus, you can export your data when you’re ready to put all the details into a presentation to hand over to potential investors.

Wrike offers a free plan that’s good for putting your vision down in task and project form, but you may want to upgrade to a paid plan to invite collaborators, get custom workflows and add more views and automations. Paid plan pricing ranges from $9.80 per user, per month, to $24.80 per user, per month, both billed annually.

Learn more: Read our full Wrike review .

Who should use it:

Wrike makes it easy for any new business owner to create a business plan and collaborate with others on the financial and operational goals. Plus, it provides value after you finalize your business plan because it’s a good pick for a PM tool.

• Roadmapping ability
• Multiple views (Gantt, calendar and board)
• Business plan templates included
• Goal management via projects and tasks
• Free plan available
• Affordable plans
• No pitching tools
• No financial tools

Best for Goal Management

$9 per user, per month

(billed annually)

(added cost)

Using PM software like Smartsheet is a good idea for starting a business plan because it includes all the tools you need to collaborate and plan across multiple teams or stakeholders. It’s especially good for real-time goal management. Get your ideas in place, go over market and competitive research from other teammates and finalize everything together.

Smartsheet won’t help you write your business plan, but it does give you a place to compile all the data and then you can use one of its free business plan templates. As you figure out your milestones, you can invite an unlimited number of viewers to see how it’s going. The only downsides are that Smartsheet doesn’t have a native messaging app (you’ll have to use an integration), only commenting allowed and there’s no free plan.

Paid plans from Smartsheet cost $9 per user, per month, or $19 per user, per month (billed annually for both). The low-priced Pro plan limits you to 10 editors, but the Business plan allows unlimited editors (but it also has a three-user minimum).

Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review .

Smartsheet lets you make changes in real time, so it’s a good option for those who are just starting to piece together a plan and looking for a way to manage ideas and goals before finalizing a business plan.

• Discounts for nonprofits available
• Automations on every plan
• Popular integrations allowed on low-tier plan
• 30-day free trial
• No free plan
• Only 10 viewers allowed on low-tier plan
• Three-user minimum on Business plan

Best for Financial Forecasting

$15 per month

One of the strongest cases for using LivePlan to create your business plan is its financial forecasting. It isn’t just a single feature, rather it’s a tool that lets you turn your balance sheet and cash flow statements into charts, graphs and what-if situations to help you show possible investors the best- and worst-case scenarios for your business.

There are two plans available: Standard or Premium (there is no free plan). The low-priced plan, which costs $15 per month (billed annually), doesn’t limit your contributors or guests and includes instructions to help you complete a business plan. It even includes the financial forecasting features and more than 500 sample plans to get you started.

The Premium plan costs $30 per month (billed annually), but it’s full-featured. You get a milestone planner and industry benchmark data, which can save you research time. Another timesaver: At this plan level, you can integrate QuickBooks or Xero to add your financial data seamlessly.

LivePlan is business plan software that includes prompts and accounting software integrations, making it great for new business owners that want easy financial forecasting.

• Unlimited guests and contributors
• Export finished business plan as PowerPoint presentation
• Includes step-by-step instructions with prompts
• 35-day money-back guarantee
• No free trial

Best for Roadmapping

$59 per user, per month

Every business plan starts with strategy and Aha! makes it easier to map out what you plan to do to get from point A to point Z. Aha! is primarily roadmapping software that product teams use to plan features, products or bug fixes. Any business in any industry can use it to shape ideas and strategy into plans and milestones.

Much like product development, business plans have phases and Aha! is ideal for the first few phases of business planning. Although you won’t find a scorecard feature with Aha! Roadmaps, you can score and prioritize your business vision and goals. Finally, you can present your plan to viewers (stakeholders) before you create your official business plan and secure funding.

There are three plans from which you can choose: Premium at $59 per user, per month; Enterprise at $99 per user, per month; and Enterprise+ at $149 per user, per month, all billed annually. The only reasons to upgrade to either Enterprise plan is if you want to add on automation, development tools and custom worksheets and tables.

Aha! Roadmaps is a great tool to help you strategize and get your ideas for your business in one place. You can use the presentation feature to share your business’s roadmap on your way to creating your finalized business plan.

• User-friendly interface
• Ability to score and prioritize ideas
• Share roadmaps with others
• Expensive for business plan creation
• Has a bit of a learning curve

Best for Beginners

$20.75 per month

Bizplan is specifically for business plan creation. It offers a guided walkthrough of each section you need for a complete business plan to use for funding or pitching to partners. Plug in the information, from your mission and goals to financial forecasts, and Bizplan will do the math and create the visual charts you need to get your point across.

Bizplan is very easy to use because it includes prompts and questions that take away the manual effort of figuring out what you need, so you can simply focus on providing the answers. When you’re satisfied you included all the data needed, you can invite stakeholders and consultants to look it over and add comments for approval or change requests. A unique feature of Bizplan is it gives you access to Fundable, a crowdfunding platform, on which you can share your business plan to try to generate funding.

Monthly pricing costs $29, but you can opt for annual pricing that averages to $20.75 per month. If you expect to need business plan software for much longer than a year, there’s a lifetime access option for $349 flat. All plans come with all features and access, including business courses, business planning tools and a route to investors.

If it’s your first time creating a business plan, Bizplan is a great choice to help guide you through all the sections you need to include in your plan for potential investors and partners.

• Monthly, annual and lifetime plans
• Unlimited business plans
• Unlimited collaborators
• Step-by-step instructions
• Modular, drag-and-drop interface
• Online business courses
• Access to Fundable
• Financial forecasting
• No roadmapping tools
• Lack of customization
• Only integrates with Xero

Best for Ideation

Free; $6 per month

IdeaBuddy is a basic business plan tool that lets you start for free, which is great for beginners who aren’t quite ready to create a plan. The idea plan feature is great because it lets you lay out your business plan on one page, giving you an overview. There are built-in sticky notes for brainstorming and custom templates to start you off with a bit of a guide (or just create your own).

Another great feature of IdeaBuddy is the whiteboard, which lets you drag and drop various elements, draw on it and collaborate with others to come up with your perfect business idea. That feature is locked behind the highest tier, so you’ll have to pay $22 per month (billed annually) to use it. However, that plan also gives you up to 10 collaborators and 10 ideas.

Other plans are more limiting: The free plan is for a solopreneur who has a single idea to work on and the Dreamer plan is $6 per month while the Founder plan is $12 per month, both billed annually. The Dreamer plan is also limited to one idea, but you get one collaborator while the Founder plan gives you up to three ideas and three collaborators. Plus, you’ll get access to the paid plans to export and share your plan with viewers.

IdeaBuddy is just what it sounds like: It’s best for ideation. You can create a full-fledged business plan, but this program is best suited for the very beginning stages of business creation.

• Free forever plan
• Affordable paid plans
• Monthly and annual billing options
• Easy to use
• Export to Word, Excel or as PDF
• Flexible whiteboard feature
• May be too basic for some users
• Doesn’t offer much guidance

Best for No-Frills Business Planning

$55 for one year

Business plan software doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective, and iPlanner certainly fits that bill. It’s been around since 2007 and it doesn’t appear to have updated its look or functions. The browser-based business planning software gives you a place to build out your business model and a business plan.

There are two different software options from iPlanner: Strategy Designer and Startup Framework. The Strategy Designer costs $59 for three plans, but it’s a one-time fee for the year. Choose it if you want a more condensed and no-frills kind of business plan. You can export it to Word or as a PDF.

The iPlanner Startup Framework is $55 per year, which gives you one plan to create. It’s similar to the Designer version, but you can create a business model, separate financials and build a team with various roles (view only, project owner or consultant).

iPlanner is best for those who have created a business plan before and don’t need hand-holding or fancy features.

• Business modeling option
• Samples on site for demoing
• Export to Word or as PDF
• No free plan or trial
• Not a lot of guidance
• Outdated interface

Best for Automatic Business Plan Creation

$11 per month

Enloop is a unique business plan app that generates a business plan for you based on information you provide. You can edit the text Enloop writes for you to make it more specific or change numbers in your financial forecasts as you see fit. Enloop offers a scorecard that updates as you change things, finish sections and make your business plan overall better.

Then Enloop compares your financial forecasts to industry standards, so you don’t have to do the research. The software shows you up to 16 ratios, such as sales, inventory and payables and then shows you what the average is for your industry as it compares to your financials. Enloop then gives you either a pass or fail so that you can modify your plan before you put anything into play.

Although Enloop doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial for one week so you can see if it’s right for you. The Detailed plan costs $11 per month while the Performance plan is $24 per month, both billed annually. The biggest difference between the two plans is how many financial ratios Enloop analyzes: The Detailed plan only gets three ratios and Performance plan gets 16.

Enloop is best for those who have some experience creating business plans, not necessarily for those who are starting from scratch as there are no brainstorming or strategizing tools included. Use Enloop to create business plans quickly.

• Three business plans for each tier
• Generates a business plan automatically
• Compares your financials to industry standards
• Seven-day free trial available
• Scorecards indicate odds of success
• No messaging team members through app
• Not meant for strategizing

Best for Consultant Groups

$80 per, user per month

Not everyone wants to go it alone when creating business plans and consultants are often hired for industry expertise and business plan creation. AchieveIt offers generous plans that won’t limit the number of plans and projects you can create, so you can work on multiple business plans at one time.

Specifically, AchieveIt is planning software meant for medium to large teams to work on projects simultaneously. For business planning, it’s a great option for those strategizing and analyzing a variety of data points with multiple people—all of AchieveIt’s plans have a minimum requirement of 20 users.

Plans are pricey, especially when you consider the user minimum. Core, the lowest-priced plan, costs $80 per user, per month, and Plus is $90 per user, per month, both billed annually. So, it’s going to cost $1,600 per month, at least, which puts this software out of reach for most small businesses.

AchieveIt is a good choice for large businesses that need planning software and for business plan purposes, it makes most sense for established consultant groups.

• Unlimited plans and projects
• Collaboration tools
• Goal management
• 20-user minimum
• Pricier than most competitors
• Integrations at added cost

Best for Teams

Business sorter.

$10 per month

When you’re ready to craft your business plan, it can help immensely to have business planning software like Business Sorter. The cloud-based app makes it easy for you to start a plan and kicks off your business planning with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Then, you can follow a guide to build your plan with each section divided by areas. After which, you can choose cards to help steer you toward the right objectives and goals for your business.

You won’t find roadmapping tools in Business Sorter, but the card system keeps you on track (and even gives you goals you may not have considered). As you prioritize goals, you’ll find steps you need to take that guide you to completing your business plan. Every plan allows multiple users, so you can collaborate on what takes precedence.

Plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, and allows you to have three users on board. For 10 users, the Medium plan costs $30 per month, billed annually, and if you need 30 users, the Large Team plan will run you $80 per month, billed annually. It’s one of the most affordable business planning apps for teams.

Although Business Sorter doesn’t offer a messaging tool, it’s still one of the best options for teams. You don’t have to pay per person, but you can add multiple people to the account to work on creating business plans.

• Easy-to-use business plan templates
• Free trial available
• Card system helps guide your goal setting
• Create up to 40 business plans
• Plans limit user count
• No messaging in app
• Very limited integrations

Forbes Advisor carefully considered a variety of software to choose the right business planning apps for this ranking. We compared features, ease of use, costs and collaboration. We ranked each company based on these factors using a 5-star rating system. The highest possible score is 5 out of 5 stars.

Here are the details of the factors we considered:

• Features: We looked at general and unique features of each app and gave more credit to software that provides better functionality for business planning.
• Cost: Regardless of your business size, cost is an important factor to consider when you’re adding new software to your tech stack. We awarded a higher score to those that offer free trials, free plans and affordable options.
• Ease of use: Programs that have a steep learning curve aren’t likely to be adopted by you or your team, so we chose software that’s user-friendly. Drag-and-drop interfaces or guidance through features and tools are helpful for any team.
• Customer reviews: An important factor for any software is how the general public views the program. We considered other ratings and studied the pros and cons listed by other users of the software to help us with our ranking.

Technically, you don’t need business plan software, but using it can make the entire experience easier and you’ll have better odds of creating a solid plan. You don’t even have to choose software made specifically for business planning—project management software is great for roadmapping and goal management. Aside from looking for software that includes financial forecasting, you’ll want collaboration tools, a user-friendly interface, affordable plans and ways to brainstorm or roadmap for your business idea.

One of the most important sections of any business plan is the financials. If you haven’t already done the research and calculations, look for a business plan app that automatically calculates these numbers for you.

Collaboration is also key if you’re working with a partner, team or consultants. At the very least, look for software that lets you invite viewers to see the work you’re doing, but the best business plan software lets users leave comments or work on a plan in real time simultaneously.

Ease of use is nearly as important as pricing. You’ll need software you and your team will use without spending too much downtime learning how to use it. It also makes no sense to choose a cost-prohibitive tool for creating a business plan—most of the software Forbes Advisor suggests is appropriate for small business budgets.

Finally, depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, you may want a tool that offers features that make it easy for you to create a roadmap for your business. If you’re in the early stages, these tools can help with brainstorming, prioritizing goals and managing your goals before you finalize your actual business plan.

Most business plan software helps guide you through the creation of a business plan with prompts, suggestions or tips. So, using business plan software is especially helpful for new business owners who don’t know all the sections to include to increase the odds of getting funding or luring a partner to join your operation.

Business plan software can also automate some processes, such as calculations of financials or comparisons of those finances with industry standards. Some business planning apps give you whiteboards or editable cards you can use for brainstorming. Other features may include scorecards to let you know if you’re on the right track or roadmapping tools to give you an overview of your business plan.

The biggest benefit of business plan software is that it helps you organize and prioritize all of your goals so you can more easily analyze and then compile the data you need to create your business plan. After that, you can create your plan from scratch or if you’re using business planning software made specifically for crafting plans, you can piece it all together and then export it as a PDF or to Microsoft Word.

Which business plan software is the best?

Forbes Advisor suggests Wrike, Smartsheet or LivePlan to help you write your business plan. Depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, one tool or another may be better for you.

How do I create my own business plan?

There are several steps you should follow to create a good business plan, but there are different types of plans you can create. Every business plan starts with a strong executive summary and includes your business goals and financial forecasting. Follow a guide on how to create a business plan to ensure you include all the sections needed.

What are the different types of business plans?

There are many types of business plans you can create and the one that makes the most sense for you depends on your situation. A standard business plan is meant for when you need to present to investors or a bank for financial help. A lean plan doesn’t include all the summaries and background information a standard plan does, so it’s more suitable for established business owners. There are also one-page business plans that are more like pitches. You may also run across operational, tactical, strategic and contingency business plans. We created a simple business plan template that you can use to get started when launching a side gig or small business.

Is business plan software secure?

As  with most types of software, the best business plan software programs offer many levels of security. When choosing this type of software, you want to look for security features that include multifactor authentication (MFA), intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, documentation that shows frequent security updates and patches, data encryption and privacy protection.

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Amy Nichol Smith spent more than 20 years working as a journalist for TV and newspapers before transitioning to software and hardware product reviews for consumers and small businesses. She has been featured in publications such as L.A. Times, Tom's Guide, Investopedia and various newspapers across the U.S.

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Business Plan Software

Trusted By Over 30 Million Users & Leading Brands

Why edrawmax to make your business plan, write and design custom business plans for free with easy-to-customize templates..

Strategic planning: A business plan software helps plan a business's long-term strategy for growth and expansion.

Finances distribution: You need finance and capital to start and run a business; a business plan allows you to allocate the financial resources in the right place.

Marketing strategy: Marketing is the key to running a successful business. A business plan enables you to follow a definite course to grab funds, shares, and customers.

Creating business plans is a breeze

Professionally designed templates: EdrawMax offers users pre-designed business plan templates that require customization.

Handy canvas and symbols: The canvas is easy to handle, and symbols are dragged and dropped to the page; there is no need to follow unnecessary steps.

Eye-catchy brand colors: A business plan has a background theme and a business logo that reflects your brand image. EdrawMax provides a custom brand color palette to choose a custom color among all the color shades.

Share your Business Strategy

Share group folder: A group folder allows you to share a folder having files with your team members. You can add or remove any member from the folder.

Multiple export options: A business plan is shared with partners, employees, and stakeholders in different file formats. EdrawMax provides multiple formats like PDF, JPG, XLSX, PPTX, DOCX, HTML, SVG, VSDX, and PNG.

Send on social media: Share your Business Plan on different social media platforms and enable yourself to deliver all your business information to the relevant teams.

Deliver an engaging presentation

Accuracy checker: A business plan shout not have any mistakes and discrepancies because it is forwarded to officials. EdrawMax provides you with a spell-checker tool to achieve a mistake-free plan.

Find and review data: EdrawMax has a full-text search tool to compare your data and text across the document.

Detailed elaboration: Press the F5 key to enable full-screen mode. It will help you explain each point in detail and with more clarity.

More Features Of Business Plan Software

I make all the diagrams and maps using EdrawMax comprehensive tools and symbols, and these help me illustrate all my ideas and plans. I use connecting tools and drag and drop the symbols to the canvas. The export options have made my work a lot easier, and I can also export all my file into Visio format without any inconveniences.

I love how it is so easy to use and handle. The customer service is helpful, and I am learning new things to do with it. It has essential features like a spell-checker, community comment tool, team management.

The data import and export feature is so easy to do in EdrawMax. I can add my own saved data to the maps and diagrams, plus I can draw the required symbols if I don't find ones in the library. Using EdrawMax in multiple systems has made me work more efficiently.

How to Make a Business Plan?

Edraw Business Plan Templates

Business Plan FAQs

More Resources

Business plan maker.

Professional business plan templates for beginners and highly-customized drawings experience for experts!

Powerful business plan templates

Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion..

Put your ideas to work with simple templates for every business plan

Every successful business took a lot of planning to get there, and these templates will be cornerstones of your future success. Whether you're looking to attract new business, pitch your services or reimagine your company, with these simple, customizable templates at your fingertips you can turn complexity into something tangible. These templates can become marketing assets or simply remain internal touchpoints for your team. And as your dreams change, you'll always have this template to refer to – it's easy to change what exists on paper. If you're a small business, focusing on your niche can help you dominate in your field, and you can forge a plan to figure out exactly what that niche might be and how to target your ideal customer . When it's time to share your vision with stakeholders, craft a presentation that outlines your plan succinctly and with style. Let these templates from Microsoft Designer be your partner in business strategy for years to come.

Best business plan software of 2024

For planning your business finance

Best overall

Best budget, best established, best for speed.

• How we test

The best business plan software makes it simple and easy to plan your business finances in order to present them to a bank or investors.

1. Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best basic 4. Best established 5. Best for speed 6. FAQs 7. How we test

The whole point of a business plan is that it allows you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, not least via your Unique Selling Point (USP) ,and make product or service comparisons with competitors.

Of course, even the best business plan relies on estimates and guesstimates, as it's impossible to predict market changes, developments, and future performance under such conditions. 

Ultimately, though, a business plan will demonstratively prove why your business is a solid enough investment to risk putting money into, and shows that you have properly and thoroughly researched your market, and details the real potential of a new business opportunities.

Here then are the best business plan software providers currently available.

You may also be interested in our featured business guides on best business laptops , best business computers and best business smartphones .

The best business plan software of 2024 in fill:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Bizplan is the online business planning tool that claims usage of 30,000 startup founders from the Startups.co platform. They use a guided creator that can break the big project down into the component pieces that get tracked with a Progress Tracker, and expert guidance each step of the way including templates that can be dropped in, and completed, along with simple integration of visuals along the way.

Additional resources are also provided via the Bizplan Academy, with lessons on relevant topics, for example, “Building a Brand: How to Tell a Powerful Brand Story,” and “Critical Path Your Way to Higher Revenues,” among the many offerings. Those that need even more assistance also can take advantage of an expert consultation from a financial expert.

• ^ Back to the top

2. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive, and powerful software package in the business planning space. Education is provided via a series of case studies at their PlanGuru University and a whole slew of video tutorials.

The feature set includes flexible budgeting that can handle a simple small business, or a larger multi-department operating budget, and financial forecasting that uses multiple methods, including intelligent and turn-key methods - twenty methods in total. Historical results can also be imported with the general ledger import utility which can then applied to produce a rolling forecast. They also offer PlanGuru Launch, a service to bring in expertise and is charged per hour of assistance.

A significant downside is Planguru charges a higher cost than other software options. The cheapest option is around $75 per month for one business entity when billed annually. While there is no free trial, PlanGuru does offer a 30 day money back guarantee. 

Our expert review:

Enloop is a great choice for business planning software for the cash strapped business as it is the rare offering that has a free tier. Step up up to the next tier, and this is no barebones product, as it has over 100 currency symbols, can automatically generate bank-ready financial reports, and even has automated text writing that can sync with financial data to turn it into text. There is also a real time performance score assigned, that dynamically changes as the business plan is strengthened.  

The plans start with the Free tier, which is limited to a single business plan with simple text, no images, and does not offer any advanced features. The next plan up is the Detailed plan, that supports three business plans, and offers a significant 55% discount when paid annually, making it even better value. This plan costs around $20 per month. For a more comprehensive package you can buy the Performance plan costing around $40 per month.

Read our full Enloop business plan software review .

4. LivePlan

LivePlan is business planning software that offers a simple pricing scheme as there is only a single plan to choose from. As they have a 15+ year track record, they offer a clean and simple interface, that can create business plans that look like they were done by an expert consultant, and the software includes a live dashboard that can track day-to-day performance. Those with writer’s block will benefit from the over 500 included sample plans that can be turned to for inspiration.  

Rather than complicate things with too many tiers to choose from, LivePlan only has a single plan which can be paid for monthly or annually.

5. Business Sorter

Business Sorter promises to simplify and speed up business planning and claims to be able to flesh out a plan in an hour or two, via a novel 273 card sort system that covers many common situations.

The ability to reword cards is included, or also to add cards to the already expansive deck, so no worries if there is not a pre-made card for your situation. Unlike some sites that have videos, the educational resources here are provided as PDFs and Word files, which can be quicker to access, but harder to follow for some learners. 

The lowest tier plan, Basic is fully featured, and includes up to three team leaders. 

Read our full Business Sorter review .

Other business plan software to consider

We've only covered some of the most popular business plan software platforms out there, but there are a number of other notables worth mentioning, plus a wide variety of providers of business plan templates. Below we'll briefly cover a range of some of the additional options out there that are worth considering to get your business plan right.

Go Business Plans is more of a consultancy than a software solution, but is worth mentioning for the simple fact that it's one of America's biggest business plan companies. While software might be able to do the job for you, if you're looking for significant funding, it's probably useful to get some professional advice, not least in terms of strategic planning, feasibility studies, and financial projections to ensure you have a solid base for your business plan.

Wise Business Plans provides a very wide range of templates to work from in constructing a business plan. These are particularly designed with funding in mind, no matter what kind of business you run. What is especially helpful is that Wise doesn’t simply deal with business plan templates for a diverse range of business types, the company also provides plan templates for franchises and non-profits.

Plan Writers  is another bespoke service that essentially listens to what you want and then puts the plan together for you. Again, this technically falls outside of business plan "software", but the chances are you'll use a software package as a platform to build from, and Plan Writers can then help you build up from that base.

Bplans is another provider of business plan templates, but goes beyond that with additional pitch and SWOT analysis templates. There are also business plan guides, industry reports, and a free course on writing a business plan. Bplans also publishes a lot of free-to-use articles on business planning, financials, and tax reporting, to help ensure you can keep your figures and projections accurate and compliant.

We've also listed the best free software for small business .

A business plan is essentially your roadmap to profitability from an initial investment. Whether it's your own money, or a loan from a bank, it's still a good idea to set up a business plan for yourself.

Main things to look to are a SWOT analysis to provide an idea of your business idea's strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify a unique selling point (USP) that will give your business an edge.

While business plans inevitably demand the use of figures, and while these can be impossible to be accurate with, at least by making intelligent guesses you can set yourself targets to work towards.

That's another common feature of a plan, so that specific periods you can review your business progress and make adjustments to your plan as required. This allows you to use real figures for your projections, allowing you to better plan ahead.

Which business plan software is best for you?

When deciding which business plan software to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

How we tested the best business plan software

To test for the best business plan software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each business plan software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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Jonas P. DeMuro is a freelance reviewer covering wireless networking hardware.

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