business plan software comparison

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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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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.

On a similar note...

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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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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Blog Business

8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024

By Krystle Wong , Jan 01, 2024

Gone are the days of staring at blank pages and struggling to structure a business plan effectively. With user-friendly interfaces and a wide range of business plan templates catering to various industries, creating business plans that are polished, professional and data-driven can now be done in a fraction of the time.

For startups, business plan software guides them through the crucial early stages with comprehensive business plan templates and financial modeling tools. Established businesses on the other hand benefit from the software’s collaborative features, enabling seamless teamwork as they pivot, innovate and pursue new growth opportunities.

In this article, let’s delve into exploring the seven best business plan software for 2024. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with a groundbreaking idea or a seasoned business owner ready to elevate your enterprise to new heights, these software solutions have all you need to create a solid business plan.

Click to jump ahead:

What is a business plan software?

• 7 Best business plan software for 2024

Factors to consider when choosing a business plan software

7 steps to create your own business plan, business plan software faq, key takeaway.

A Business plan software is a specialized digital tool designed to assist entrepreneurs, startups and established businesses in creating, organizing and presenting comprehensive business plans. 

Business plan software significantly reduces the time and effort required to create a comprehensive business plan . The availability of business plan templates, financial modeling tools and automated features streamlines the process of business planning and eliminates the need for starting from scratch.

Some advanced business planning software even integrates market research capabilities. This feature provides users with access to market trends, industry benchmarks and relevant data. Access to such data helps users make informed decisions and demonstrate a thorough understanding of their target market.

8 Best business plan software for 2024 

1. venngage.

Venngage specializes in transforming traditional business plans into captivating visual stories. Visuals can communicate complex information effectively, ensuring your ideas stand out and resonate with your audience.

When it comes to business planning, conveying your ideas with impact is just as important as the content itself. In this digital age, visual storytelling has emerged as a powerful way to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression. That’s where Venngage steps in.

With a rich library of templates, Venngage offers a variety of themes and styles to suit different industries and business types. Customize your business plans with our user-friendly drag-and-drop tools by adding your brand elements, customizing colors, fonts and visuals to make your business plan truly unique. Check out our library of sample business plans to get started today.

However, while Venngage excels in visual storytelling, it might not be the go-to tool for in-depth financial forecasts and analysis. Users seeking extensive financial modeling might want to complement Venngage with a comprehensive business planning tool.

Pricing options:

Create your first 5 designs with Venngage for free and upgrade to a premium or business plan for $10/month per user and $24/month per user respectively to enjoy premium features. For larger teams who need extra support, controls and security, the enterprise plan starts from $499/month for 10+ seats.

Can I collaborate with team members using this business plan software?

Yes, absolutely! Venngage offers collaborative features that allow you to work seamlessly with multiple team members when creating business plans. You can invite team members to join your Venngage account and they can contribute to the design process in real time. 

Can I export my business plan to different file formats?

Upgrade to a premium or business plan on Venngage to export your professional business plan to different file formats. After designing your business plan, you can choose to export it as a high-quality PDF document, which is ideal for sharing and printing. Additionally, Venngage allows you to export your business plan as an image file (PNG or JPG), making it easy to use in presentations or on your website. 

Is this business plan software suitable for startups or established businesses? 

Venngage is great for entrepreneurs and businesses looking to enhance their business plans with visually engaging infographics and visual assets.

Instead of sharing a lengthy, 50-page document that may bore your audience and fail to effectively convey your message — present your business plan with infographics. Here’s how you can create a business plan infographic that will wow your readers and showcase your business at its best. 

2. LivePlan

Source: Screenshot from LivePlan

In the realm of business planning software, LivePlan stands out as a reliable and user-friendly tool. With a focus on seamless financial forecasting and budgeting capabilities, LivePlan streamlines the planning process, helping businesses transform their visions into reality.

The software’s financial forecasting tools provide users with the ability to project revenue, expenses and cash flow accurately. This financial insight is invaluable for making informed decisions and setting realistic goals.

For hassle-free data integration, the business plan software offers seamless integration with accounting software . This feature allows users to import financial data effortlessly, saving time and reducing manual data entry.

While LivePlan excels in financial planning and user-friendliness, some users may find the customization options for design and layout to be limited. For businesses seeking highly tailored visual aesthetics, LivePlan’s template-based approach might be less ideal.

The standard plan is available at $20/month for monthly billing and $15/month for annual billing. For businesses seeking extensive financial tools to support their operations and growth, the Premium plan costs $20 for the first month and $40/month (monthly billing) or $30/month (annual billing) for subsequent months.

LivePlan facilitates seamless collaboration among users within your account, allowing multiple individuals to work on the same plan concurrently. To prevent conflicting edits, LivePlan restricts access to specific sections, allowing only one user to edit at a time while others observe the locked section.

You can export your business plan by using the print to PDF feature. This generates your plan content in a standard file format compatible with Adobe Reader and other free reader programs. Alternatively, you can export your plan to Microsoft Word (2007 or later).

A great tool for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs looking for easy-to-use software with solid financial planning tools.

3. Upmetrics

Upmetrics is an AI-powered business planning software that helps businesses of all sizes and industries write their business plan.

With Upmetrics AI Assistant, you can write your plan faster, get answers to any business-related queries, and prepare financial forecasts in no time. 

Besides, the subscription includes access to 400+ sample business plans, various informative guides, and video tutorials to keep your business plan writing process on track. 

Additionally, it has collaborative features, so that everyone on the team can share their insights. Not just that, the software provides you with an AI pitch deck generator, so you can make a stellar pitch.

As an AI business plan builder , Upmetrics is suitable for entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses to write their plans at any stage. Although it has various cover page designs and immense customization options, it might still lack visual appeal. 

Pricing plan options 

• Starter plan – $7 monthly 
• Premium plan – $14 monthly 

Yes, you can collaborate with your team members while using Upmetrics. It offers collaboration tools that allow you to work effortlessly with your team on the business plan. You can invite team members to collaborate, assign tasks, and track the progress together. 

You can download your business plan as a PDF or directly as a document in Word. Besides, you can share the business plan directly to any email, and they will get the viewer access to the plan. 

Upmetrics is a versatile business planning software suitable for startups and established businesses. But its financial planning features, step-by-step guidance, and AI Assistant make it more useful for startups writing business plans for the first time.

4. BizPlan by Startups.com

Source: Screenshot from BizPlan

If you’re a startup aiming to raise investments, BizPlan is the one for you. As a universal professional business plan builder, BizPlan offers the added advantage of seamless integration with all the tools within the Startups.com network.

Designed with startups in mind, BizPlan’s step-by-step approach allows you to break down the entire scope of work into manageable steps and the built-in Progress Tracker tool keeps you on track towards success.

Once you subscribe, BizPlan opens the door to utilizing all the tools offered by Startups.com, making it a one-stop shop for your entrepreneurial needs. Whether it’s lifetime access to the service, connectivity to Findable to attract financial investments, a wealth of online educational programs or the ability to connect multiple owners to a single account, BizPlan delivers comprehensive support.

While the business plan software offers an array of benefits, it’s essential to consider the possible downsides. The absence of a free version and a mobile app, along with a lack of industry-specific templates for business plans may be worth considering before making your decision

Pricing plan options:

• Monthly plan ($29 per month)
• Annual plan ($20.75 per month or $249/year)
• Lifetime access (one-time fee of $349)

Bizplan encourages collaboration with partners, team members, advisors and subject matter experts by allowing threaded comments throughout the entire plan. It provides control over who can access sensitive financial data and enables convenient cloud-based access from anywhere.

Bizplan provides multiple options for sharing your business plan with others. You can generate an online version of your plan, which can be set as private by default or made publicly accessible through a unique shareable URL. Additionally, Bizplan offers the option to create a custom-branded PDF of your business plan. 

BizPlan is great for entrepreneurs and small businesses who value a vast collection of resources and need support in financial analysis.

Source: Screenshot from Enloop

Enloop emerges as one of the best business plan tools for startups, catering to entrepreneurs who crave a streamlined planning process. With the ability to automatically generate basic text for each section of your plan, Enloop saves time and effort in crafting your business vision.

A highlight of the business plan tool is its automatic generation of financial projections, offering accurate insights based on your entered data. This powerful feature empowers entrepreneurs to make informed decisions and project future outcomes with confidence.

For those with a penchant for strategic thinking, Enloop’s “what-if” scenario analysis becomes an invaluable tool. It allows users to explore various business strategies and assess their potential impact on plan outcomes, enabling sound decision-making.

Enloop doesn’t stop at generating numbers; it goes a step further by providing a business plan grading system. This insightful feature assesses plan quality, giving users valuable feedback to refine and enhance their business plans.

However, it’s essential to consider the software’s limitations as customization and design options are relatively limited. Additionally, the basic version of Enloop might not meet the needs of all users, as it lacks certain advanced features. 

• Seven day free trial (no credit card required)
• Detailed plan ($19.95/month or $11/month when billed annually)
• Performance plan ($39.95/month or $24/month when billed annually)

Enloop’s online business plan writing app lets you invite and collaborate with anyone on your business plans using the ‘Invite & Share’ feature.

Enloop allows you to download your business plan in PDF format whenever you’re ready. The plans remain accessible in your paid account, encouraging regular updates to keep track of your business’s health and have an up-to-date plan ready for financing needs.

Suitable for entrepreneurs seeking a tool that simplifies financial forecasting and scenario analysis.

6. PlanGuru

Source: Screenshot from PlanGuru

PlanGuru’s standout feature lies in its ability to forecast all three financial statements – income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement so that users can make data-driven decisions.

Creating detailed analyses becomes a breeze with PlanGuru’s general ledger import utilities, allowing seamless historical data import. The software facilitates budget vs actual reporting and enables building rolling forecasts with just a few clicks each month.

Unlimited budgeting flexibility is another advantage offered by the business plan builder. Users can craft simple high-level small business budgets or delve into intricate multi-department operating budgets with ease.

With scenario analysis capabilities, PlanGuru empowers users to interpret the financial impact of specific events accurately. This feature enables making critical investments and strategic decisions with confidence, knowing thorough due diligence has been performed.

Given its sophisticated features, PlanGuru may be more suitable for financial professionals and analysts looking for in-depth financial analysis and budgeting tools. Users not familiar with financial modeling may face a steeper learning curve when utilizing Enloop’s robust capabilities.

• Single entity ($99/month or $75/month when billed annually)
• Multi-department consolidations ($299/month or $225/month when billed annually)

You can add up to 3 users with the multi-department consolidation plan. Additionally, all plans allow you to add on $29/month (billed monthly) or $25/month (billed annually) for each extra user.

What other apps does PlanGuru integrate with?

The cloud-based platform is also accessible as a Windows-based desktop version, giving you the freedom to choose the format that suits you best. Additionally, PlanGuru seamlessly integrates with MS Excel, QuickBooks Online and Xero, providing further flexibility and convenience in using the software.

The cloud-based version is suitable for SMBs or nonprofits budgeting for a single entity while the multi-department consolidations plan is for companies with multiple departments needing consolidated budgets.

7. Business Sorter

Source: Screenshot from Business Sorter

With Business Sorter’s card sort system, crafting the foundation of your plan becomes a breeze. Featuring 273 cards covering various business situations, the business plan generator offers flexibility, allowing users to customize their plan by adding their cards or modifying existing ones, tailoring the plan to their specific needs.

The platform also provides the convenience of viewing your plan on any device, including smartphones, which not many business plan apps have. Additionally, guidance is at hand with Business Sorter as the software provides valuable tips and advice for every key step, empowering users to implement their business strategy with confidence.

While Business Sorter excels in its interactive features, it may not offer as extensive financial analysis tools as other business plan software. For businesses requiring advanced financial modeling capabilities, Business Sorter might not fully meet their requirements.

• For small teams with up to 3 users ($10/month or $80/year)
• For medium teams with up to 10 users ($30/month or $240/year)
• For large teams with up to 30 users ($80/month or $640/year)
• For enterprises with unlimited users (custom pricing)

Your business plan can be edited by only one user at a time. When a user opens a plan, it automatically locks to prevent any data loss and remains locked until the user finishes their work and exits the plan.

You can print each business plan directly from the plan summaries on your dashboard. 

Suitable for both entrepreneurs and businesses looking for an interactive and visually appealing planning approach.

9. AchieveIt

Source: Screenshot from AchieveIt

AchieveIt stands as a versatile software for business plans, designed to simplify the planning process for businesses of all sizes and planning methods. With AchieveIt, you can easily build plans, ensuring alignment and engagement among your employees and optimizing plans for seamless execution.

Regardless of your preferred planning method, AchieveIt empowers you to construct plans effortlessly, providing a flexible solution for any planning use case. The software ensures your plans are well-aligned with your organization’s objectives, engaging all team members for successful plan execution.

The business plan tool provides robust tracking and reporting features, allowing businesses to monitor the progress of their plans and measure performance against set goals. Users can create customized dashboards to visualize key performance metrics, making it easier to identify trends and insights.

That said, In comparison to most business plan software, AchieveIt’s pricing might be relatively higher with its extensive features. On top of that, for users new to strategic planning software, AchieveIt may present a learning curve during the initial adoption phase.

The business plan software packages for AchieveIt varies based on factors like organization size, required functionality and the number of users. AchieveIt being an enterprise-level software offers custom pricing to cater to the specific needs of each business. For accurate pricing details, it’s best to contact their sales or customer support team.

AchieveIt allows team members, stakeholders and advisors to have shared access to the platform, providing them with visibility into the latest updates and progress on the plans. Users can assign tasks to team members and track their progress within the platform. 

Can AchieveIt integrate with existing systems?

AchieveIt’s Data Integration API lets you import key metric data from existing systems, saving time and reducing errors by eliminating the need for data entry in multiple places.

AchieveIt is best suited for medium to large-sized businesses and organizations that require a comprehensive and collaborative strategic planning platform. It caters to teams and enterprises seeking to improve their planning processes, track performance and drive organizational alignment to achieve business objectives effectively.

No idea what your business plan should look like? Check out these business plan examples for inspiration. 

When searching for the best business planning software, you may be wondering — what features should I look for in business plan software? You want to make sure it meets your specific requirements and streamlines the planning process effectively. Here are the top six factors to consider:

Ease of use

The software should have a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of creating a business plan. Look for intuitive navigation, clear instruction and a layout that makes it easy to input and organize your information.

Features and business plan templates

Check the range of features and business plan templates the software offers. Look for a diverse selection of business plan templates catering to various industries and business types. The software should provide essential sections like executive summaries, market analysis, financial projections and more.

Financial modeling tools

Your business plan software should allow you to input financial data and generate accurate and comprehensive financial projections. These business plan creation tools are vital for assessing the financial viability of your business.

Collaboration and sharing

If you’ll be working with a team or seeking feedback from others, consider software that enables real-time collaboration and easy sharing. The ability to work together seamlessly can enhance productivity and improve the quality of your business plan.

Built for fast-moving teams that need to be on the same page, Venngage’s real-time collaboration enables you to polish your design with your team in real time, leave comments on each other’s work,and save your designs in one shared folder. With your  Venngage Business  account, you can easily invite and manage your team members to collaborate on a design, all in real time.

Security and data protection

Since a business plan contains sensitive information, prioritize software that prioritizes security. Ensure that the software uses encryption and data protection measures to keep your data safe from unauthorized access.

Exporting and sharing options

Check the software’s export options. You’ll likely want to share your business plan with others, so ensure it can be exported in popular formats like PDF or PowerPoint.

Are you an entrepreneur starting a new business or expanding your existing business? This guide on how to create a small business plan might come in handy for you. 

Creating business plans can be a crucial step in setting your entrepreneurial vision on the right track. To help you through the process, here are 7 steps to guide you in crafting a comprehensive business plan:

Step 1: Executive summary

Start with an attention-grabbing executive summary. This section provides an overview of your business. In your executive summary, make sure to highlight your mission, goals, products or services, target market and the unique value you offer. Keep it concise, yet compelling.

Step 2: Company description

Give a detailed description of your company. Explain your business’s history, its legal structure (e.g. sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation) and the reasons why your business will succeed in the market.

Step 3: Market analysis

Conduct thorough market research to understand your industry, target market and competition. Identify your ideal customers, their needs and preferences. Analyze your competitors and highlight your competitive advantages.

Step 4: Products and Services

Describe your products or services in depth. Explain their features, benefits and how they meet the needs of your target customers. Emphasize what sets your offerings apart from the competition.

Step 5: Marketing and sales strategy

Outline your marketing and sales strategies to reach your target audience. Explain your promotional activities, pricing strategies, distribution channels and sales tactics. Detail how you plan to acquire and retain customers.

Step 6: Financial projections

Project your financial performance over the next three to five years. Include estimated revenue, expenses and cash flow. Detail your startup costs and funding requirements if applicable. Be realistic and supported by market research.

Step 7: Implementation plan

Create a detailed roadmap for executing your business plan. Set specific goals and milestones. Break down tasks and assign responsibilities. Include timelines and a plan for measuring progress.

A great tip here is to start with a well-structured outline. This guide on how to create a business plan outline will help you in creating your blueprint to easily identify your business’ resource needs, including finances, personnel and equipment. 

Is my business data safe with business plan software?

Most reputable business plan software providers prioritize data security and employ encryption and other measures to keep your business data safe from unauthorized access.

What are the benefits of using business planning tools?

Business planning tools offer time efficiency, professional presentation, error reduction, collaborative features and accessibility, making it easier to create a comprehensive business plan that impresses investors and stakeholders.

Do I need any specific skills or expertise to use business plan software?

No, many business plan software solutions are designed to be user-friendly, requiring no specific skills or expertise. They often come with templates and step-by-step guidance to assist you through the planning process.

In the dynamic landscape of 2024, businesses are on the lookout for innovative tools to stay ahead of the curve and drive their growth. These 7 business plan software picks for 2024 offer a wide range of features, from user-friendly interfaces and real-time collaboration to sophisticated financial analysis tools and customizable dashboards.

Whether you’re looking for user-friendly platform business planning tools that aligns with your business planning processes or a business plan writing software that allows you to tailor the business plan according to your industry, goals and unique requirements — I’m quite certain I’ve got them all covered. 

The value of these business plan software options lies not only in their efficiency but also in their ability to save time and reduce errors. By integrating with existing systems through Data Integration APIs, users can seamlessly import key metric data, eliminating redundant data entry and streamlining the process.

If you’re still unsure about which is the right business plan software for your business, you can always take advantage of free trials or video tutorials and demos offered by software providers. Testing the platform firsthand will give you a practical understanding of its usability and suitability for your business.

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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Home Marketing 10 Business Planning Software Solution Compared

10 Business Planning Software Solution Compared

Starting a new business can feel exciting and hopeful, but this good feeling can quickly fade when you think about the tedious and time-consuming process of creating a business plan. It’s that necessary but oh-so-dreaded step that has business owners procrastinating and lamenting over how to make one professionally and correctly.

Thankfully, business plan software can remove the guesswork and make the process much easier. While it won’t create the plan for you (some come close!) it can be a time-saver and lead you in the right direction, which is crucial if you are submitting the plan to investors.

By the time you finish reading this business plan guide, you will:

• Know which business plan software will fit your budget
• Know which business plan software will match your current needs, whether you are looking to get investors or simply better organise your company and plan future financials
• Be able to shortlist some software tools to help you narrow down your choices

We also created a comparison chart that includes pricing and some top features so you can compare at a glance.

Let’s quickly discuss how business plan software can help you and why it may be the missing link to getting your business started correctly.

Why Business Plan Software?

A business’ lifecycle will require the creation of a business plan depending on the need. Below are three reasons why you may want to create a business plan.

• Secure funding : Before they hand over money, investors will want to see a comprehensive business and financial plan that includes projections and a well-thought-out strategy and goals.
• You’re starting a business : A business plan can help you determine future profits (or lack thereof) and provide a roadmap for the future. Essentially, it can be your safety net and tell you whether or not your business idea has merit.
• Your startup is stagnant and/or needs strategic planning : A business plan can help you dig into data to organise your business into a plan that will make you more competitive and ready to scale.

The problem: Creating a business plan is a big job, and if you are new to business, you may not know what to include or how to craft it to ensure you are doing it correctly. It’s a tedious process with a lot of items to consider, many of them you may not even be aware of.

Business plan software can walk you through each section of the business plan and also provide professional templates and expert advice. With the right software, you will be able to create a professional business plan that reflects the current state of your company and projects its future growth and potential to all stakeholders, in the best way possible.

The 10 Best Business Plan Software Tools

Below are 10 of the best business plan software tools on the market. We hand-picked these tools because they satisfy most of the needs our community encounters when creating a business plan. Each offers unique features, and your choice will depend on your current needs.

• LivePlan : Best intuitive and cost-effective business plan software
• Business Plan Pro : Best business plan software for small businesses (not cloud-based)
• Enloop : Best business plan software with a free version
• BizPlanBuilder : Best user-friendly, cost-effective option with financial forecasting and management
• Bizplan : Best for startups interested in raising capital
• GoSmallBiz : Best for small businesses and nonprofits looking for a comprehensive suite of business management tools at an affordable price
• PlanGuru : Best business plan software focused on financial planning and budgeting
• Business Sorter : Best for small businesses looking for a fast, simplified planning process without sophisticated financial forecasting
• MAUS MasterPlan Lean : Best for businesses looking for a fast, simplified planning process with financial forecasting
• iPlanner.NET : Best template-heavy business plan software for a low price

Below is a comparison chart to help you quickly assess the top features and pricing of the 10 best business plan software tools and match them to your needs.

Let’s go into more detail on each tool, its pricing and notable features.

#1 LivePlan

Best intuitive and cost-effective business plan software

LivePlan is an excellent solution for the beginning entrepreneur (or entrepreneur at any stage) who needs a step-by-step process to create a professional business plan. LivePlan also offers a comprehensive online learning centre that teaches you how to create and manage companies, make your investor pitch, write your business plan, and more.

We like LivePlan’s simple, intuitive interface and its one-page business plan that gets you thinking about answers to essential questions as it relates to your business strategy.

Once you complete your one-page business strategy plan, graduate to customise one of LivePlan’s 500+ SBA-approved business plan templates and create a custom plan, step-by-step.

Connect LivePlan to your financial software, and with the financial dashboard, track your budgets, revenue, expenses, and current and future sales as you progress toward achieving your goals.

• One-page business plans
• Detailed business plans
• 500 SBA-approved industry-specific templates
• Step-by-step instructions
• Financial forecasting
• Build financial reports
• Financial software integration
• Financial performance tracking
• Market research tools

No free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee

LivePlan has a straightforward pricing plan that changes depending on how far ahead you want to pre-pay. If you pay annually, it breaks down to $15/month. If you pay every six months, the cost is $18/month. The pay-as-you-go plan is $20/month with the first month billed at $10.

LivePlan also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee.

#2 Business Plan Pro

Best business plan software for small businesses (not cloud-based)

Business Plan Pro was created by the same company that created LivePlan. It is an off-line version of LivePlan’s cloud-based solution, without the bells and whistles of cloud-based software.

Similar to LivePlan, Business Plan Pro includes more than 500 professional templates to customise for your business. It also offers Easy Plan Wizard , step-by-step guidance from business planning expert Tim Berry, founder of the software and the website Bplans.com.

With Business Plan Pro, you will get detailed step-by-step instructions with error checks to help you craft a foolproof plan. Also, access financial spreadsheets, 11,000+ industry profiles to compare and match your business plan to, a graphic forecaster, QuickBooks import, and settings for nonprofits.

• Industry-specific templates
• Not cloud-based

Pricing: 60-day money-back guarantee

The Standard Edition  costs a one-time fee of $99.95 and is robust enough to create a custom professional business plan. The Premier Edition  costs a one-time fee of $159.95. It includes additional features such as plan templates, business valuation, Excel import function, 24-month extended financial data, visual cash planning, and advanced financial analyses.

Best business plan software with a free version

Enloop is a simple business plan solution perfect for the entrepreneur who wants to try before they buy. Enloop is one of the few tools that provide a free version.

One unique feature of Enloop is automated text writing (Autowrite) which auto-generates the business plan text from data you already inputted. Another unique standout feature is TextSync which automatically syncs your financial data into your text when you make changes to your numbers. No manual updating required.

The blue data bubbles below show the data-sync technology and act as editable fields that pull in the data from your financial forecasts.

We like Enloop’s forecasting comparisons that predict losses and analyse performance. Enloop helps you discover problems before they happen by comparing your financial ratios against industry averages.

Enloop also has a scoring feature that rates your business plan in real-time so you can adjust and watch your score improve over time.

One downside to Enloop is the lack of integration with financial software. You have to input your financial data manually. Enloop also only comes with a single business plan template.

• Business plan scoring
• Multi-user access
• Automated text writing
• Data-synced text

7-day free trial offered

All of Enloop’s plans include every feature (automated text writing, data-synced text, real-time performance score, pass/fail reporting, text formatting, charts, and country currency formatting). Still, you will need to upgrade if you want additional users and financial ratios. The Free  plan includes 16 financial ratios analysed and no additional users.

Premium plan pricing starts at $19.95/month, billed monthly for the Detailed  plan, which includes three financial ratios and two shared users. The premium Performance  plan costs $39.95/month billed monthly and adds on up to 16 financial ratios and five shared users.

All pricing plans include the creation of three business plans. Additional business plans are offered at $9.95 each per month.

#4 BizPlanBuilder

Best user-friendly, cost-effective option with financial forecasting and management

BizPlanBuilder is one of multiple products offered by the company Business Power Tools, a 30-year business veteran created to help entrepreneurs start, run, and grow businesses.

BizPlanBuilder is for the serious entrepreneur who wants a comprehensive solution for creating business projections for investors and/or a future roadmap for growth. Even though the tool is robust and future-thinking with many years of financial projections offered, it’s also known for its user-friendliness with built-in step-by-step instructions, comments, advice, and video tutorials.

Below is the easy-to-use dashboard with a document-builder wizard that offers template text to customise, and simple navigation between sections.

BizPlanBuilder shines with its full set of CPA-tested financial models, including “Assumptions” pages, perfect for helping the beginner with more complex financial topics. Tell your financial story with meaningful financial projections that will impress investors and help you forecast correctly.

• Not-for-profit proposals

Pricing : No free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee

Pricing starts at a one-time fee of $97 for the Windows app and a one-year subscription to the online cloud-based BizPlanBuilder. Add team members for $10/year per user. The second plan is strictly cloud-based at $27/month and offers additional features such as incentive stock options templates, expanded dashboard, and LLC formation doc templates. Add new team members for $1/month per user.

Best business plan software for startups interested in raising capital

Part of the Startup.com suite of business products, Bizplan is a comprehensive solution for entrepreneurs seeking to get investment for their business ideas. In addition to the business plan builder, you also get expert-taught masterclasses, access to 20,000 experts for individual counselling, plus a funding platform (Fundable) where you can pitch directly to investors. Signing up for Bizplan also grants you access to Startup.com’s other product, Launchrock.com to help you acquire customers.

Bizplan’s step-by-step builder walks you through each section, so you don’t get confused or miss essential elements. Its sleek, easy-to-use interface includes drag-and-drop templates and a progress tracker for monitoring.

Similar to other business plan software tools, Bizplan helps you forecast your financials, allowing you to set limits, project revenue, and access multiple financial worksheets and templates. Organise your financial activity into an easy-to-use dashboard Bizplan calls your Financial Command Center .

• Access to Launchrock.com
• Access to Fundable.com
• Access to guides, mentors, and masterclasses

Bizplan offers two pricing choices, monthly or lifetime. Monthly pricing is $20.75/month billed annually, and $29/month billed monthly.

You can also purchase lifetime access to Bizplan and the full suite of offerings for a one-time fee of $349.

#6 GoSmallBiz

Best for small businesses and nonprofits looking for a comprehensive suite of business management tools   at an affordable price

GoSmallBiz is a comprehensive suite of business tools created by NFL Hall of Famer and entrepreneur Fran Tarkenton in 1996. The product suite includes everything small businesses need to run and grow a business. Within that suite is the business plan builder.

Similar to other business plan builders, Gosmallbiz offers a step-by-step interface that allows you to go through each section smoothly. Also, the tool offers multiple financial report templates to help you track and manage finances.

Though GoSmallBiz’s business plan builder is somewhat limited compared to others on the market, its standout feature is its inclusion of additional business management tools and consulting:

• Unlimited business consultation
• Customer relationship manager
• Digital marketing dashboard
• Website builder
• Website analysis
• HR document builder
• Corporate minutes writer
• Business roadmap
• Business docs library
• Business courses
• Business management tools
• Access to expert training and advice
• Mobile application

No free trial; 30-day money-back guarantee

Pricing is fixed at $39/month for all features and offerings.

#7 PlanGuru

Best business plan software focused on financial planning and budgeting

PlanGuru is a financial business plan software solution for the small business that wants to budget, forecast and manage finances efficiently. PlanGuru is different from other business planning software tools in that it focuses solely on financial planning. So if you are in the market for a standard business plan builder, this may not be the software for you.

PlanGuru’s strength lies in its financial capabilities, as seen in the dashboard below. Below is a view of the income spreadsheet, one of multiple reports available with Planguru.

Users can budget and forecast up to 10 years into the future.

In addition to robust financial planning, budgeting, reporting and analysis, PlanGuru also offers analytics, which includes graphics, chart projections, and insights into financial performance.

PlanGuru also provides PlanGuru University (PGU) to teach businesses about budgeting, forecasting, and planning, and how to use the platform. The business planning tool also provides video tutorials for all of its features.

• Detailed financial plans
• Financial ratios
• Export to PDF, Word, and Excel
• Advanced reporting Excel add-in
• Analytics reporting
• PlanGuru University

Pricing: 14-day free trial; 30-day money-back guarantee

The pricing for the cloud-based version is $99/month billed monthly or $899/year (single entity). PlanGuru also offers a Windows-based version for the same price if you need multi-department consolidations.  

#8 Business Sorter

Best for small businesses looking for a fast, simplified planning process without sophisticated financial forecasting

Business Sorter appeals to the on-the-go business owner who wants to speed up the time it takes to compile a professional business plan. The platform touts that you can create a full business plan in only one to two hours using its unique 273-card-sorting system.

Business Sorter has you choose one of its pre-made cards (or create your own) and sort your business objectives for six different areas: finance, sales, goods and services, people, operations, brand and marketing.

Business Sorter is not as feature-rich as some of the other tools in our list as it doesn’t have the same depth of financial integration and planning. But, it is a good option for users who want a simple, quick, and efficient way of creating a business plan.

• 273-card-sorting system
• Multi-user access and assignments

14-day free trial offered

Pricing starts at $10/month billed monthly or $80/year billed annually for up to three users. Premium plans start at $30/month billed monthly or $240/year billed annually for up to 12 users. Every plan includes all features, but pricing increases with additional users.

#9 MAUS MasterPlan Lean

Best for businesses looking for a fast, simplified planning process with financial forecasting

MAUS Business Systems has been serving customers since 1990. Its tool suite helps Advisors and small to medium-sized businesses with business planning, financial planning, exit planning, quality assurance, human resources and more. MAUS’ business plan creation product is called MasterPlan Lean .

Similar to Business Sorter, MasterPlan Lean takes the headache out of the business plan creation process and enables users to create comprehensive business plans quickly. In contrast to Business Sorter, MasterPlan Lean includes financial forecasting and more sophisticated financial planning, but the software is more expensive as a result.

The software speeds up the business plan creation time by walking you through questions and answers and a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis that will become the basis for your finalised business plan.

One standout feature is the software’s task planner which enables you to assign tasks as action items and track their progress among your team to ensure they get completed. The software also sends regular reminders and emails to team members with the status of their deliverables.

Create forecasts and track your financial progress with cash flow, budgets, and five-year forecasts, and compile charts and reports to view and send to stakeholders.

• Task planner

7-day free trial; 30-day money-back guarantee

MAUS MasterPlanLean costs $299/year for up to three user licenses. The Business Planning Pack  plan jumps up to $499/year with five user licenses and also includes the software KPI dashboard, Virtual CFO Pro, milestones and projects.

The monthly plan Business Planning & HR Pack priced at $97/month is available for businesses that want a more comprehensive software suite with HR functionality. This plan includes everything in the Business Planning Pack plus Performance Review, MAUS Job Descriptions, and MAUS HR & Operational Policies & Procedures.

#10 iPlan n er.NET

Best template-heavy business plan software for a low price

iPlanner.NET has been in business since 2002 providing online software and services to help entrepreneurs, investors and companies with business planning, modelling and financial forecasting.  

iPlanner.NET isn’t the slickest or nicest looking software, but it’s an inexpensive, hard-working option for those who don’t need the bells and whistles of other tools but want the basic framework to build a business plan from pre-made templates. With the help of team experts, iPlanner.NET allows you to create a business modelling framework and forecast your financials with automatic calculations and real-time assistance.

The dashboard walks you through each section and provides notes to help you customise the text for your business.

Input, track, and forecast your finances with sections for revenue, expenses, assets, funding, and projections.

• Access to experts

Pricing is based on the subscription duration and the number of projects. The Professional  plan is for the entrepreneur or business owner who will be creating one business or financial plan. Pricing for the Professional  plan depends on the subscription duration: $24 for three months; $39 for six months; $55 for 12 months.

The Corporate  and Corporate Plus  plans are for serial entrepreneurs, business coaches and mentors who need multiple projects. Pricing will vary depending on the subscription duration and the number of projects. As an example, a 12-month subscription with up to 25 projects costs $111.

The Best Business Plan Software: How to Narrow Down Your Selections

To start narrowing down your selections, first determine what your goal is for creating your business plan. What is the most important factor?

If your goal is to attract investors , take a look at LivePlan , BizPlanBuilder , and BizPlan  first.

If you desire a comprehensive tool  for your small business that includes more than just a business plan builder, look at BizPlan , GoSmallBiz , and MAUS MasterPlan Lean.

If you are looking for sophisticated financial forecasting  and planning, BizPlanBuilder  and PlanGuru  are two options to try. The other tools have financial capabilities as well (except Business Sorter), so they may also be worth a look.

If you want an offline (not cloud-based) solution , try Business Plan Pro, BizPlanBuilder or PlanGuru.  

If the speed of creation  is most important, try Business Sorter  and MasterPlan Lean .

If your budget  is a top concern, most of the tools we discussed are not that expensive. Some have money-back guarantees and free trials. Enloop  is the only tool discussed with a Free plan, so this may be a good first option to try.

Next, look at the comparison chart again to focus your selections. Once you narrow down your choices, try a few, and If they don’t have a free trial or free plan, they may offer a money-back guarantee.

Here is a list of the tools again for quick access:

• Business Plan Pro
• BizPlanBuilder
• Business Sorter
• MAUS MasterPlan Lean
• iPlanner.NET

Business plan software will remove the difficulty and slash the time it takes to create a comprehensive, investor-ready, business-improving plan. Regardless of the tool you use, expect a more seamless process and a professional plan to guide your business for the years to come. Happy planning!

Marcus Taylor is the founder of Venture Harbour. He’s also an early-stage investor, advisor & the youngest Patron of The Prince's Trust.

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7 Best Business Plan Software for Startups in 2024

• Resources for Planning a Business
• Best Business Plan Software

Last Updated: January 23, 2024 By TRUiC Team

Launching a new startup is an exciting yet challenging endeavor. Crafting a comprehensive business plan is a critical first step for any founder to outline their vision, objectives, and strategy. It acts as a roadmap to help guide important decisions and next steps as a company grows.

With so many options available, finding the right business planning tool can be daunting. The best software should be affordable, user-friendly, and offer a robust set of features to aid in financial modeling, strategic planning, and more.

In this review, we'll explore some of the top business plan software solutions designed specifically for entrepreneurs. We'll compare capabilities, ease of use, templates and resources, integrations, pricing, and more. Whether you’re looking to create an investor-ready plan or simply organize your strategy, choosing the right tool can help you get started on the right foot.

Best Business Plan Software for Startups: LivePlan

Top Business Plan Software Solutions

In this review, we'll look at seven of the best business plan software platforms — discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more — so you can decide which one is right for your startup.

Best Business Plan Software for Startups 2024:

• LivePlan - Best Overall
• Bizplan - Easiest to Use
• Enloop - Best Automation Features
• PlanGuru - Best Financial Forecasting
• IdeaBuddy - Best for Idea Validation
• iPlanner - Best for Nonprofits
• Wise Business Plans - Best Professional Services

The following tools all have their own great features. Based on its affordable pricing and usability, LivePlan is our top business plan software choice for startups.

Try LivePlan today or continue reading to explore your options!

Best Business Plan Software: LivePlan

LivePlan is the overall best business plan tool, offering a large number of features at an affordable price.

Visit LivePlan

1. LivePlan - $15/month to $30/month

We love LivePlan overall because it offers great value at an affordable cost. The software lets you quickly create a business plan from anywhere in the world using what is arguably the best business plan software available on the market. It does everything better than its competition and costs way less.

What’s more, the online “cloud-based” platform is easy to use and you are under no contract or obligation to keep paying for the service. Even better, if you decide to stop service for whatever reason, Palo Alto Software, the makers of LivePlan, will keep your account active and data preserved for at least a year should you decide to reactivate your account later.

• Create an unlimited number of business plans
• A forecast feature for those less mathematically inclined. Plug in data, and it will generate charts, graphs, figures, and even the profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statements
• 500+ business plan templates spanning all major industries
• Real-time financial data tracking
• Performance dashboards track sales and budgeting
• Create one-page pitch plans for potential investors
• Milestone scheduling feature — Some people will use it when working with others on their plan; it will let you assign milestones to people.
• Low-cost annual plans
• Affordable pay-as-you-go plans
• No cancellation fees
• Data saved for 12-months, even after cancellation
• Clean, modern platform
• Cloud-based; works on any business machine (Linus, Windows, Mac)
• Integrates with Quickbooks and Xero to import your data easily
• Knowledgeable customer support to get help with your plan
• No valuation capabilities
• Templates built on Palo Alto Software’s earlier software Business Plan Pro require some modifications to be used on LivePlan

Insider Information

Talking to the nice people at LivePlan we learned some inside information that we wanted to share with our readers.

Here's what we learned:

• LivePlan has been used by contestants on ABC's hit show "Shark Tank" to win over angel investors to help them get their ideas and businesses funded.
• Accountants use LivePlan as an added-value service to sell to their clients.
• Businesses continue using LivePlan because of a feature called “Dashboard” which lets you manually enter your actuals or pull actuals from Quickbooks online to do comparative forecasting and analysis.
• LivePlan helps with business continuity planning (BCP).
• LivePlan executives use LivePlan to make important business decisions.
• "Dashboard" does profit and loss, cash flow, and balance sheet reports and lets you compare and contrast your actuals from your forecasts to be able to show to investors.
• LivePlan lets you create business plans in 1/5th the time it takes using templates.

Customer Reviews

LivePlan receives great feedback from customers. LivePlan reviews average 4.5 stars out of 5 on GetApp. LivePlan is an easy company for us to recommend for the best business plan software.

2. Bizplan - $29/month, $249/year, $349 lifetime

Bizplan rates high on our list because they offer a lifetime plan that gets you "forever access" to their business plan software. As an added bonus, you also receive free access to Startup Courses and LaunchRock, a landing page builder.

• Easy, "fill-in-the-blanks" plan builder
• Publish your business plan online
• Unlimited business plans
• Bizplan takes care of the financials
• Cloud-based (use any browser on any computer)
• Options to add more graphics and photos
• Low-cost yearly plans
• Create unlimited business plans
• Xero to import your data easily
• Excellent and responsive customer support (email/chat/phone)
• Free access to Startup.com and LaunchRock.com
• Discount at Fundable.com (connect with lenders and investors)
• Can't export in Word
• Doesn't currently integrate with QuickBooks
• No free trial
• No third-party app integrations

Talking with BizPlan insiders, we learned that the premise behind BizPlan is to help startups easily create professional business plans to give them a leg-up with lenders and investors.

Here's what else we learned:

• BizPlan's does all your financial calculations for you.
• BizPlan strives to be an all-in-one solution for Startups needing funding.
• BizPlan is constantly making improvements to its software.

BizPlan receives great feedback from customers. BizPlan reviews average 4.4 stars out of 5 on GetApp. Still a relatively new option, BizPlan already has over 30,000 satisfied customers. As their platform grows, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them integrate even more valuable features. Keep a close eye on this one.

3. Enloop - Free to $39.95/month

If you’re looking to try before you buy, Enloop is a strong choice as one of the only business planning software tools with a free trial.

• User-friendly platform
• Compare your financials against your industry's performance
• Bank ready financial statements (Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash flow)
• Lets multiple team members work on a business plan
• 36-Month detailed financial reports
• Sync date and text into your business plan
• Real-time performance rating
• Generated business plan Pass/Fail report
• Multiple currency formatting
• Seven-day free trial (no credit card required)
• Advanced financial ratios
• Financial projections
• Video tutorials to help you with the writing process
• No phone or chat support, just a "contact us" form.
• Three business plan limit per account
• Doesn't integrate with QuickBooks or Xero
• No financial forecasts beyond 36-months
• No 30-day money-back guarantee

We learned that the premise behind Enloop is to make business planning easier for entrepreneurs. Enloop achieves this by making software simple to navigate through and takes risks off the table with their no credit card needed seven-day free trial. Their business plan creation software offers financial forecasting features for up to 36 months.

• Enloop utilizes 16 financial ratios to get your business ready for investors.
• Enloop offers some sample business plans that are easy to modify.
• Enloop's performance score increases as you create your detailed plan.
• A new business or small businesses benefit the most from Enloop's solutions.

Enloop receives fair feedback from customers. Enloop's reviews average 3 stars out of 5 on PCMag. Enloop's main complaint is its lack of instructional text for writing mission statements and other key sections. What they rank high on is their efficiency and the speed at which the software lets you write a business plan.

Even beyond the free version, Enloop Basic is just $9.95/month ($6/month when paid annually), so they’re one of the least expensive tools for writing a business plan.

4. PlanGuru - $99/month to $299/month

PlanGuru is a good option if you’re looking for considerably more robust software that offers quite a bit more. The most notable feature we like is the valuation tool, only present on the desktop version of the software. PlanGuru lets you calculate the valuation of your business using three different methods. No other business plan software offers this that we know of.

PlanGuru also offers budgeting, forecasting, and performance tools to help you put together a business plan. In the main, PlanGuru allows you to get a custom-tailored three financial statement budget model up and running out of QuickBooks or Xero in a matter of minutes. PlanGuru's business plan writing software takes you through a setup process where it asks you questions such as:

• What's the first month of your fiscal year?
• How many historical years do you want to import?

And, once you answer these questions, PlanGuru then generates a model for you that you can then populate with your historical data if you have it. Then you can go through PlanGuru's 20+ projection methods.

Some financial data projection methods include:

• Expenses, like payroll, etc.
• Balance sheet items, like accounts receivable, accounts payable, crude expenses, prepaid expenses, loans, etc.

These are only a few of the features the business plan software offers. Here are some more.

• Budgeting/Forecasting Software
• Analytics Service for Financial Performance & KPIs
• Valuation calculations (desktop software only)
• Desktop and cloud-based options
• Free 14-day trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
• Great customer support and knowledgeable sales staff
• Lower-cost yearly plans offered
• Advanced financial calculations
• Business valuation calculations
• No contracts
• Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero
• Costlier than LivePlan and most other business plan software options
• Additional cost per user can add up quickly

The great thing about PlanGuru is that the only thing you have to worry about is the income statement and balance sheet projections because the cash flow statement is automatically generated.

Then once you have the cash flow statement, income statement, and balance sheet in place, you can then lock down the budget.

• PlanGuru's desktop version has three different types of valuation methods that calculate the worth of your business.
• PlanGuru has some really nice reporting tools that pull together your financial statements into table formats, say, for the bank, line-by-line.
• PlanGuru also has some nice charts, graphs, scorecards, and some easily digestible reports that can help you visualize how your company is performing.
• Exports to Excel, PDF, and Word documents --and, there's even a tool that lets you create customized reports.
• You can print your plan off too to show partners, lenders, and investors.
• PlanGuru now offers a cloud-based version of its software, though it will take some time to catch up to the rich features offered by the current desktop software version.
• With PlanGuru you also get free updates, bug fixes, and new releases as they become available.

Important Note: These tools are important because investors may want to see not only historical performance but also projections.

5. IdeaBuddy - Free to $35/month

IdeaBuddy makes our list because of what's behind their approach. IdeaBuddy focuses on helping entrepreneurs develop their idea first, then share it, and then refine it into a plan. If you have a business idea and don't know what to do next, IdeaBuddy could be what you're looking for in a business plan software.

• Single-page business plan pitch (Idea plan)
• Clean modern design platform combined with great financial tools
• Marketing plan for selling and promoting your products
• Market overview plan where you create targeted customer profiles, identify your competition and calculate the market potential
• Business plan creation that includes forecasting performance and cash flow projections
• A proprietary algorithm calculates a final score for your idea providing recommendations for improvement after you complete "Story Mode"
• Idea Journal, that is an internal business plan for you to show potential investors
• A lifetime plan costs only $178
• Great for developing ideas
• Great for doing market research
• Pay-as-you-go plans offered
• Email-only customer service
• Software lag time issues
• Fewer software options than most other small business options

IdeaBuddy has some great features that are fantastic from idea conceptualization down to cost projections and the laying out of steps to take to start a business. We would have liked, however, to been given more KPIs that would notify us of tasks, help with idea validation, and help us measure other objectives to better monitor the health of our business. Another thing lacking was the design of the finished plan--it contained some noticeable structural issues.

IdeaBuddy has received some outstanding customer reviews on GetApp. IdeaBuddy has earned a 4.6-star rating out of 5 possible stars.

6. iPlanner - Starts at $55/year

iPlanner is a comprehensive business plan software that has been aiding entrepreneurs since 2007, providing a robust framework for developing business plans, models, and financial forecasts online.

• Unlimited Team Members & Collaboration
• A La Carte Pricing Model vs Packages
• Discounts for Serial Entrepreneurs & Business Coaches
• Solid amount of industry knowledge and experience.
• They've got two trademarked business planning services, Startup Framework™ and Strategy Designer™
• All of their business planning packages allow you to have unlimited collaborators and assign people three different roles: Project Owners, Advisors, and Viewers.
•  Their Startup Framework software has a business modeling section where you can design a business model canvas and strategize as much as you need before diving into your plan.
• Doesn't have a month-to-month option for either of their services. Their Strategy Designer is payable only annually, while their Startup Framework is available for 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month payments.
• They don't offer refunds
•  Their website is pretty old school and tough to navigate.
•  Unlike other business planning software, iPlanner doesn't offer a free version or trial. However, you can take a tour of their Startup Framework software or view a demo of the Strategy Designer to get a feel for them.

iPlanner's Business Planning Software

If a simple framework is all you're looking for, iPlanner can help you out. They don't have many bells and whistles, but at these price points, they offer a good value for nonprofits and corporations.

7. Wise Business Plans - Pricing by Request

Wise business plans website is a little confusing to navigate, and pricing is by request only, which can get frustrating. They do have a lot of options for different kinds of business plans for various types of business types, which makes them versatile. They also have business building and funding options as well. And, if you wish to establish business credit, they offer net-30 accounts that get reported to Equifax business.

• Claim to be the only business plan company to write for Fortune 100 and 500 companies
• Business formation services
• Business license searches
• EIN services
• Digital marketing services
• Business website design and branding
• Has a lot of helpful information
• Helpful options for forming your business
• Options to help after you start your business
• Helps small businesses establish business credit
• Not an actual business plan software
• Expensive by comparison
• Website is difficult to navigate
• Pricing is by request only
• Limited products and features
• Turnaround is one month
• Requires some work on your end

Business Plan Software Pros and Cons

• By using business plan software providers, you’ll be able to create a solid outline for your business. Although some of the options above are better than others, each will walk you through from start to finish.
• No matter how you look at it, business plan software is cost-effective. As long as you actually use the tool, you’ll generate significantly more value than you’re spending on monthly subscription fees.
• If you spend the time to create a solid plan, you’re much more likely to hold yourself accountable. Think of planning software like an accountability buddy for entrepreneurship.
• Your business plan tool will help set realistic financial goals, and most can also keep your bottom line in check by integrating your accounting software.
• Business planning software enables you to collaborate with partners, mentors and investors.
• Some of the business plan tools don’t offer support and can have slightly buggy features. That said, if you’re serious about writing a solid plan, go with a tool that’s constantly updated and well made.
• Although some business plan tools have a collaboration feature, none of them can review it when you’re done. All business planning tools lack a human touch.

How to Choose the Right Business Plan Software

With the array of business planning tools available, it can be daunting to select the right one for your needs. Here are some tips for choosing a business plan software solution:

• Consider your skill level – Opt for software like a wizard-guided template if you are less experienced in writing plans. Choose more advanced software with greater flexibility once you know what you are doing. Look for drag-and-drop tools to easily organize sections.
• Determine your budget – Prices range from free to several hundred dollars. Know how much you can spend before shopping.
• Compare features – Look for software with the specific tools you need, like financial projections, sample text, customizable templates, and more.
• Evaluate the financial tool capabilities – The software should provide extensive financial tools like forecasting, modeling, projections, and dashboards to streamline financial planning.
• Check reviews and ratings – Get feedback from other users about their experience with the software. High reviews indicate easier, more user-friendly software.

Which Is the Best Business Plan Software?

You know the unique requirements of your startup better than we do. These are all quality services that offer business planning software tools for entrepreneurs like you. Feel free to read over our full reviews if you’d like to know more about any of them or even visit the websites directly.

In general, we do prefer LivePlan because they have a huge library of business plan templates, and we love their convenient dashboard. They're the planning software that is most likely to help you via customer support, continue updating their tool, and figure out ways to make your business experience better. Enjoy!

What is the purpose of a business plan?

The purpose of a business plan is to provide a structured outline and roadmap for a business's goals, strategies, and operations. It serves as a guide for decision-making, resource allocation, and management. 

Furthermore, it can be a crucial tool for attracting investors, securing loans, and ensuring that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the business's direction and objectives.

What does business plan software do?

Business plan software assists entrepreneurs and businesses in creating, organizing, and refining their business plans. It provides tools, templates, and guidance to streamline the planning process. 

Features often include financial forecasting, market analysis, visual aids like charts and graphs, collaboration capabilities, and even integration with other business tools. This software aims to simplify the task of creating a thorough and professional business plan.

How do you write a business plan?

To write a business plan, start by writing an executive summary that provides an overview of your business idea, products/services, market opportunity, and projected growth. Outline your company description, industry analysis, target customers, competitive advantage, marketing and sales plans, operations, management team, and financial projections.

How long should a business plan be?

The length can vary based on the complexity of the business, its stage, and its intended audience. In general, it might range from 15-50 pages. However, the key is to ensure that the plan is comprehensive yet concise. 

For many situations, especially when seeking investment, a more detailed one is preferable. Yet, for internal purposes or for businesses at very early stages, a shorter, more concise plan might suffice.

Are there business plan templates on Word?

Yes, Microsoft Word has business plan templates you can download and customize. The templates provide section headings, instructions, sample text, and tables to input your specific business information.

What is Palo Alto Software?

Palo Alto Software is a company that's been around since the late 1980s. They created business management software for startups and existing businesses. The software has since been updated and rebranded as LivePlan and today happens to be one of the most sought-after business plan software available in the marketplace.

Individual Business Plan Reviews

Featured articles.

What Is a Business Plan?

Lean Startup Business Plan Guide

How to Write a Business Plan

Starting a Business | Buyer's Guide

6 Best Business Plan Software

Published June 10, 2020

Published Jun 10, 2020

WRITTEN BY: Blake Stockton

This article is part of a larger series on Starting a Business .

Business plan software gives you the tools to create financial projection tables, charts, and other documents you need to plan your business. Software is often better than using a free template because it gives you step-by-step directions and educational materials to help you complete a clear business plan. We review the best business plan software below so you can determine which software is right for your business.

The six best business plan software for 2020 are:

• LivePlan : Best overall business plan software for small and medium sized businesses
• BizPlan : Best for tech startups that need a business plan that appeals to investors
• Enloop : Best for entrepreneurs short on time and need recommended biz plan content
• GoSmallBiz.com : Best for a new small business that also needs marketing and operation tools
• Business Sorter : Best for visual thinkers who want to try an innovative approach to creating a plan
• PlanGuru : Best for businesses that need to create in-depth financial projections

How We Evaluated Business Plan Software

To evaluate the various business plan software, we reviewed factors we believe are essential no matter what type of business plan you’re creating. Primarily, we reviewed pricing and the availability of a trial or money-back guarantee. We also researched the business plan software overall quality and ease of use. Additionally, we reviewed customer service availability, additional services offered, and the quality of educational materials.

LivePlan: Best Overall Business Plan Software for Small Businesses

LivePlan is a well-designed software for business owners looking to create either a one-page plan or a lender-ready plan. What separates LivePlan from competitors is the extended money-back guarantee and quality of educational materials. The software has financial projections that are easy to complete and looks great as a finished product.

Visit LivePlan

LivePlan Pricing

• Pay As You Go : $20 per month
• Six-month Plan : $108 every six months
• 12-month Plan : $180 every 12 months

LivePlan Features

• One-page business plan: If you’d like to create a simple plan, LivePlan provides a fill-in-the-blank template to get your ideas down quickly.
• Educational materials: LivePlan walks users step-by-step through the business planning process with several video tutorials and examples.
• Financial data: As you answer financial questions, LivePlan populates easy-to-read financial charts and graphs.
• Customer service: Phone, email, and online chat support is available for customers Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Why We Like LivePlan

LivePlan provides the necessary tools to get your biz plan created. If you’re creating your first business plan, the educational materials serve as a mini online course to help you complete your plan. LivePlan leads in its 60-day money-back guarantee—most guarantees are one to two weeks. Additionally, if you find that you cannot finish your business plan, LivePlan has a network of writers who can assist.

Bizplan: Best Business Plan Software for Tech Startups

BizPlan is a software aimed for high-growth startups. Typically, these types of businesses are looking to raise funding from an investor, not a bank. BizPlan provides several unique features including a drag-and-drop builder, startup educational materials, and access to a fundraising platform.

Visit Bizplan

Bizplan Pricing

• Monthly : $29 per month
• Annual : $20.75 per month ($249 per year)
• Lifetime Access : $349 one-time

Bizplan Features

• Drag-and-drop user interface: Create a business plan with the elements needed for your type of business.
• Online fundraising platform: Included with the business plan software is access to Fundable.com, an online fundraising platform that connects you to potential investors.
• Lifetime pricing: Bizplan is the only company that provides lifetime access for a one-time $349 fee.
• Startup courses: In addition to the biz plan software, receive access to over 650 videos and 1,000 how-to guides for creating a successful high-growth startup.
• Customer service : Phone, chat, and email availability Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Why We Like Bizplan

BizPlan is perfect for the business looking to raise funds from an investor. One unique feature it provides is the “pitch” document. This doc outlines the most important aspects of your business. It’s easy to share with investors who want a snapshot of your business. We also like the positive online reviews regarding Bizplan’s customer service: fast response, and pleasant to work with.

Enloop: Best for Completing a Business Plan Fast

Enloop is an easy-to-navigate business plan software that focuses on helping customers get their plan completed quickly. It does this through its automated text and performance score that acts as a digital mentor. For an additional monthly fee, Enloop provides an analysis of your financial ratios, which help determine your company’s potential financial health.

Visit Enloop

Enloop Pricing

• Seven-day free trial (no credit card required)
• Detailed plan : $19.95 per month or $11 per month with annual payment
• Performance plan : $39.95 per month or $24 per month with annual payment

Enloop Features

• Automated text: The plan comes with standard business plan text that you can customize and any financial text gets updated automatically from the financial data.
• Financial ratios: Enloop does a great job explaining 16 different financial ratios that indicate the financial health of your business.
• Performance score: As you complete your business plan and enter your financial information, Enloop calculates a completion score from 0-100, which serves as motivation to complete the plan.
• Customer service: Enloop’s service is limited to messages and a help database.

Why We Like Enloop

Enloop provides several features that makes it an appealing business plan software. Users can complete their business plan quickly with their templated text. Enloop also saves time by having financial numbers discussed in the text updated automatically when changed in the financial data and tables section. We also like the one-week free trial that requires no credit card information to start.

GoSmallBiz.com: Best for Additional Small Business Tools

GoSmallBiz.com provides a comprehensive toolkit that those starting a new business will find helpful. In addition to the biz plan software, it provides a website, customer relationship management (CRM), text-based business consultations, and legal business documents. No other biz plan software offers this suite of tools—all for one cost.

Visit GoSmallBiz.com

GoSmallBiz.com Pricing

• Suite of business products : $39 per month

GoSmallBiz.com Features

• Business plan: Save time by choosing a business plan template specifically for your industry and then use a step-by-step wizard to complete it.
• Educational materials: As you create your business plan, you’ll find video tutorials teaching you about different sections of a biz plan.
• Unlimited business consultations: Submit your specific business questions to knowledgeable business consultants and receive an answer within two days.
• Other tools: In addition to the business plan, use GoSmallBiz.com’s software to do additional tasks such as building a website, tracking basic accounting, writing corporate minutes, and creating legal documents.
• Customer service : Available by phone Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.

Why We Like GoSmallBiz.com

GoSmallBiz.com is perfect for the new small business owner looking to save on software needed for their business. We particularly like the ability to get answers specific to your business questions from business consultants. GoSmallBiz.com also has high-quality videos and educational materials throughout. For those new to entrepreneurship, learn best-practices through its downloadable app, videos, and blog.

Business Sorter: Best Business Plan For Visual Learners

Business Sorter uses an innovative card sorting system to help users determine what information needs to go in their business plan. If you’d like the plan to be a team effort, you can assign certain sections to individual employees. Business Sorter provides a test drive with a 14-day free trial with no credit card required to start.

Visit Business Sorter

Business Sorter Pricing

• Small Team : $10 per month or $80 per year (three users)
• Medium Team : $30 per month or $240 per year (10 users)
• Large Team : $80 per month or $640 per year (30 users)
• Enterprise : Customer (unlimited users)

Business Sorter Features

• Card sorter planning system: When first starting the business plan, you’ll be presented with 273 digital cards to sort through and prioritize what’s essential in your plan.
• Team-oriented: Assign certain portions of the business plan to specific employees via email.
• Multiple plans: Create up to 40 plans for your business or other businesses you own at no additional cost.
• Guidance: Business Sorter provides advice every step of the way so you can complete the fundamentals of your business plan in under two hours.
• Customer service : No phone support, but it does have email support, frequently asked questions, and a detailed biz plan guide.

Why We Like Business Sorter

We really like the innovative biz plan creation process behind Business Sorter. Instead of you trying to determine the most critical aspects of your business on your own, Business Sorter walks you through specifics for each section in 273 different digital cards. The desired cards— which indicate sections—then get added to your plan. We also like the overall ease of use and modern design of the software.

PlanGuru: Best for In-depth Financial Forecasting

PlanGuru is a software specially designed for financial analysis and forecasting. You may want to use this software if financial projections and budgeting is essential to your business philosophy and your type of business. With PlanGuru you can use over 20 different forecasting methods to better understand how your business may perform financially in the future.

Visit PlanGuru

PlanGuru Pricing

• Monthly : $99 per month
• Annual : $299 per year
• PlanGuru Launch : $250 an hour

PlanGuru Features

• Detailed financial analysis: Integrate the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement into one comprehensive financial model.
• PlanGuru Launch: Hire PlanGuru to formulate a financial plan for your business and then learn from its experts about how to track and manage the plan.
• PlanGuru Analyst: This product is when PlanGuru sets up your financial plan, then tracks it for you, and sends updates—for a fixed monthly fee.
• PlanGuru University: This is a seven hour online class that teaches you how to understand and track the finances in your business.
• Customer service: A ticket submission service is available for customers.

Why We Like PlanGuru

For the financially-minded small business owner, PlanGuru has all the tools to implement and track your financial plan. The projections are typically the most challenging part of any business plan. Still, if you will ever need funding for your business, you must have the projections. Use PlanGuru University to learn more about your financials, and then “wow” investors with a detailed financial forecasting model.

Bottom Line

Now that you’ve read through the best business plan software available in 2020, it’s time to decide: which plan is best for you? For the typical small business, LivePlan will provide all the tools they need to write a funding-ready plan. A tech startup may want to consider BizPlan. If you want to write your plan quickly, choose Enloop. PlanGuru is best to complete detailed financial projections. Whichever software you choose, remember, business planning is an exercise to chart your business’s bright and exciting future!

About the Author

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Blake Stockton

Blake Stockton is a staff writer at Fit Small Business focusing on how to start brick-and-mortar and online businesses. He is a frequent guest lecturer at several undergraduate business and MBA classes at University of North Florida . Prior to joining Fit Small Business, Blake consulted with over 700 small biz owners and assisted with starting and growing their businesses.

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Business Plan Software

Find the best Business Plan Software

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Showing 1 - 20 of 56 products

AchieveIt is a cloud-based solution designed to help medium to large organizations in healthcare, government, utilities, enterprise, education, and more organize and integrate multiple plans, progress updates, and reports in a cen... Read more about AchieveIt

4.7 ( 21 reviews )

Aha! is the world's #1 product development software. We help more than 1 million product builders bring their strategy to life. Our suite of tools includes Aha! Roadmaps, Aha! Ideas, Aha! Whiteboards, Aha! Knowledge, and Aha! Deve... Read more about Aha!

4.7 ( 525 reviews )

InPhase is a cloud-based business management solution that offers enterprise reporting and analytics. It is used by businesses of all sizes across sectors such as finance, housing and health care. The solution supports integr... Read more about InPhase

5.0 ( 8 reviews )

LivePlan supports entrepreneurs and small-to-medium sized business in planning, funding, and growing their business. Creating a dynamic business plan is easy in LivePlan. Step-by-step guidance, examples, and expert support help y... Read more about LivePlan

4.5 ( 133 reviews )

E2open’s Sales and Operations Planning/Financial Planning solution is designed for medium to large enterprises in the discrete manufacturing, consumer goods and chemicals industries. E2open features advanced supply chain plan... Read more about Steelwedge

No reviews yet

Wrike is a cloud-based project management platform for teams of 20+ that is suitable for both large enterprises and SMBs. It supports remote work for various teams. This solution comes with Gantt charts, calendars, workload view f... Read more about Wrike

4.3 ( 2601 reviews )

Productboard

Productboard is the customer-driven product management system that empowers teams to get the right products to market, faster. It provides a complete solution for product teams to understand user needs, prioritize what to build ne... Read more about Productboard

4.7 ( 150 reviews )

BizPlanBuilder

BizPlanBuilder is designed to help businesses and advisors launch and fund new ventures. It offers tools for crafting pitch presentations, financial projections, and investor management tools. The solution also allows users to com... Read more about BizPlanBuilder

5.0 ( 2 reviews )

Planium Pro

Planium Pro is a strategic business planning software that helps startups and small as well as mid-sized companies develop strategic business plans. It provides financial modeling tools for building financial projections, budgets,... Read more about Planium Pro

4.8 ( 6 reviews )

STRATWs ONE

STRATWs ONE is a cloud-based solution that provides businesses with tools to manage projects and track organizational performance on a centralized platform. Professionals can create action plans, monitor the due dates of tasks and... Read more about STRATWs ONE

4.5 ( 94 reviews )

Actio is a business management solution, which assists organizations with risk mitigation, action tracking, strategic planning and budgeting, among other processes. Professionals can schedule meetings, manage key performance indi... Read more about Actio

4.2 ( 13 reviews )

Vizologi inspires you to develop brainstorming ideas, provides access to analyze competence, markets, and trends, and is a builder to create unique and creative business plans for your startup. It combines the simplicity of the bu... Read more about Vizologi

4.4 ( 13 reviews )

Strategic Product Management

Product Management Dashboard is a strategic project planning solution designed to help businesses streamline product development operations and evaluate market potential, pricing, cost and other factors using the Jira application.... Read more about Strategic Product Management

Valutico helps users generate business valuations by powering a forecasting, peers selection, and comparable transactions analysis process on a SaaS platform delivering expert-grade results.... Read more about Valutico

4.5 ( 30 reviews )

SOVEUR MONEY

SOVEUR MONEY is a business management platform that caters to entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses. SOVEUR MONEY provides key features for business collaboration that help users create and share business plans with team... Read more about SOVEUR MONEY

Intecplan is a business plan software. It generates the financial projection by economic sector, with values obtained from Census Economic Surveys and economical sites. This software includes an online manual with samples, cases, ... Read more about Intecplan

5.0 ( 19 reviews )

Cuttles is a fully interactive and guided pitch and business plan software that helps entrepreneurs build, understand and grow their business. The Cuttles web app has all the features and in-app guides and examples you need to cr... Read more about Cuttles

5.0 ( 4 reviews )

IdeaBuddy is a cloud-based business process management software that helps businesses in accounting, nonprofit, finance, IT, computer software, and other industries create business plans, collaborate with team members, and forecas... Read more about IdeaBuddy

HabitStack is a user-friendly productivity tool that helps individuals build positive habits, improve daily routines, and achieve goals. With habit tracking, customizable reminders, and analytical insights, users can stay accounta... Read more about HabitStack

Business Plan Quick Builder

The AI Automated Business Plan Generator. Creates a unique business plan from easy to use templates. Over 400 custom templates for virtually every type of business from antique dealer to wine producer. - Unique AI enhanced algori... Read more about Business Plan Quick Builder

4.3 ( 4 reviews )

Best Business Plan Software Review (2024 Update)

• by IdeaBuddy Team
• October 20, 2023
• 1 share 1 0 0
• 10 minute read

Table of Contents Hide

The key features of a business plan software, the most popular business plan software in 2024, best business plan software: the verdict.

Sure, you can try to flesh out your idea and plan your future business by using a Word document or spreadsheet. But a good business plan software makes the whole process a lot easier.

These handy business tools help you structure your thoughts and build a business model that’s both workable and presentable. This in turn lets you seize on good opportunities in real-time.

Plus, business plan software usually comes with automated calculations, budgeting, and forecasts. You can assess the feasibility of your idea and then build a robust business plan.

Finally, business plan software saves a huge amount of time as it guides you through the entire planning process.

So, in this piece, we will first look at the key features a reliable business plan software needs to have. We’ll then provide a rundown of the best business plan tools available in the market.

If you’re an experienced business owner, skip right to the business plan software review. But if you’re still new to business making, start with the features. This will help you decide which of the selected software works best for you.

Here is a list of the key product features you should look for in a business plan software. Make sure that your preferred tool ticks all the boxes!

• Step-by-step guide – Business planning wizard is especially convenient for first-time founders, as it provides help at all stages of the business plan.
• Modularity – This allows first-time founders to build and test the basic business idea, gradually expanding the scope and moving towards its other aspects.
• Financial projections – If you’re venturing into a new industry or founding a business for the first time, make sure to find a business planning software that comes with a robust financial planning feature .
• Editable templates – Designing a business plan from zero can lead to significant time loss, so find a tool that offers built-in business plan templates, that can fit your industry and niche.
• Integrations – Being able to connect your business plan software with other tools can streamline your business workflow quite a bit.

So these were the features of a reliable business plan software. Let’s now review best-in-class tools and see how they can work for your niche and expertise.

In order to help you select the right business plan software , we broke down the list into two categories – traditional business plan software and innovative business planning software.

Innovative business planning software:

Traditional business plan software:

We will now dive into a detailed review of each software, pinpointing features, pros, cons, and pricing, as well as who they’re best suited for.

Innovative business planning software

IdeaBuddy is an innovative business plan software that helps aspiring entrepreneurs and teams develop their ideas. With IdeaBuddy, you can create a business model, develop your business idea, make financial projections, validate a business concept, and get a modern business plan.

All this comes with a step-by-step guide and editable templates. Plus, you will have access to documentation that brings an added level of support.

At its core, IdeaBuddy gives a spin to traditional business planning — the tool is simple, easy, and fun to use. Also, it lets you focus on key aspects of your business first. It then gradually leads you towards more complex aspects. As a result, you end up with a customizable and comprehensive business plan.

At first glance, that’s due to its simplicity and stunning visual appearance; also, it is very versatile.

IdeaBuddy Features

So, suppose you’re still sketching your idea. In that case, IdeaBuddy has its own business canvas called Idea Plan , which will help you build a business model.

It’s reminiscent of Business Model Canvas and Lean Canvas, but with its own flavor. Like with any other canvas, your goal is to build your business model by posting idea notes until you’ve covered all your business elements.

Business Guide

The next cool feature is Business Guide , a step-by-step guide that takes you through the five stages of the business planning process.

It helps you create your marketing and sales strategy , define your target customers, compare yourself with the competition, and plan all the other elements of your future business.

IdeaBuddy has automated financials and calculators, which will help you outline your startup expenses, loan payments, profit margins, cash flow, and many other important financial metrics.

After you develop the idea through the Business Guide, IdeaBuddy documents the entire planning process and converts it into an investor-ready business plan, which is quite useful and hassle-free.

IdeaBuddy Features Overview

• Business canvas
• Step-by-step business planning guide
• Automatic financial projections
• Business plan builder
• Idea validation tool

👍 IdeaBuddy Pros

+ Attractive visual appearance + Innovative step-by-step business guide + Idea templates

👎 IdeaBuddy Cons

– Limited features in the free trial – Some of the features are ‘coming soon’

IdeaBuddy Pricing

Dreamer plan – Starts from $15 per month / $5 per month (billed annually), and in this plan you are getting the essential tools to help you flash out your idea.

Founder plan – Starts from $25 per month / $10 per month (billed annually), and in this plan you will get everything you need to plan and start your business.

Team plan – Costs $35 per month / $20 per month (billed annually), and this is the perfect plan for bigger teams, and collaboration.

Who is this IdeaBuddy best suited for?

IdeaBuddy caters to startup founders and entrepreneurs who are working in dynamic markets. Its modularity helps less experienced founders master the essentials first, then move onwards. This business plan software helps build a sustainable business. Its variety of modules are all customizable to your needs.

You have a brilliant business idea, but don’t know where to start? IdeaBuddy can help you will that. Get started today!

Cuttles is an online web app for writing business plans and turning ideas into profitable startups.

Entrepreneurs and startups will get the help they need when starting their business using a business canvas or creating their business plans with budgets and other financial forecasts.

The one-pager offers a simple business plan that has creative visual assistance. At the same time, the finance tool allows you to track your finances and budgets.

You can turn any idea into a business and meet potential investors with proper planning tools and resources. And you can track your progress and performance with a simple roadmap feature.

Cuttles Features

• Budgets and forecasts
• Roadmapping tool

👍 Cuttles Pros

+ Visualize and share one dynamic dashboard + Great budgeting and runway feature + User-friendly

👎 Cuttles Cons

– Some features are still under development – Need more customization, especially when it comes to the financials, such as revenue

Cuttles Pricing

• Dreamer Plan – For the entrepreneur with a great business idea ($15/month)
• Startup Plan – For startups working together to bring one business idea to life ($30/month)
• Unlimited Plan – For entrepreneurs and startups with more ideas to pursue ($50/month)

Who is Cuttles best suited for?

Cuttles can work for newbie founders and solo entrepreneurs still figuring out their business plans. Cuttles is easy to use and comes with powerful visualization capabilities. But, more experienced business owners may have issues with a lack of features and little customization. This is particularly palpable in the financial aspects of your business plan.

Traditional business plan software

LivePlan is a cloud-based business plan software, which comes with a step-by-step wizard that guides you through writing the plan on autopilot. In turn, you can focus on the content, leaving the format of your plan to the software.

LivePlan can track day-to-day performance using a live dashboard. You need to choose from the over 500 included sample plans that can be turned into inspiration in just minutes. It also does automated financial calculations and forecasts for you.

LivePlan Feature Set

• Business Plan Templates
• Financial Projections
• Fundraising Management
• Track actual performance
• Step-by-step wizard

👍 LivePlan Pros

+ Attractive interface + Includes hundreds of sample plans + Simplified pricing of a single-tier + Automated financial calculations

👎 LivePlan Cons

– No free trial – No mobile version – Steep entry price – Outdated design – Can be overwhelming to use, even after the tutorials – Difficult to review projections and actual performance

LivePlan Pricing

LivePlan comes with a simple pricing scheme and two packages. The standard package lets you create a business plan and a premium package includes financial tools, key performance indicators and sync with QuickBooks.

Standard plan pricing:

• Monthly plan for $20/month (1 business plan)
• Annual subscription for $180 (1 business plan)

Premium plan pricing:

• Monthly plan for $40/month (1 business plan)
• Annual subscription for $360 (1 business plan)

Who is LivePlan best suited for?

LivePlan works for mid-size companies and enterprises. It features a walkthrough and educational tutorials, but first-time founders may find it less intuitive. It can also be overwhelming to use, especially when it comes to financing and projections. Overall, LivePlan is aimed towards more experienced users and comes with a traditional feature set. If you want to learn about more modern, market-relevant solutions, keep on reading.

Read Also: Best Liveplan Alternatives (Reviews And Pricing)

Enloop is an online business plan writing and financial forecasting app to create and manage your business plans.

You can choose from over 100 currency symbols and formats to set up your financial reports for your local currency.

It generates basic text for each section of your plan. You can edit the text, add images and tables. You can also insert financial forecast data into your text. It will be updated automatically whenever you change your financials.

Also, it automatically generates financial forecasts as bank-ready reports in your business plan. It can do hard accounting work for you and explain everything in simple terms.

Enloop Features

• Business plan
• Progress tracker
• Drag and drop templates
• Revenue projections
• Team collaboration

👍 Enloop Pros

+ Free plan, and a free trial + Compatibility with various platforms + Unique features like AutoWrite & TextSync

👎 Enloop Cons

– Doesn’t integrate with Quickbooks, Xero, or other accounting software like other business planning software. Therefore, you must import your own financial data. – Lack of assistance for beginner founders

Enloop Pricing

Enloop pricing is feature-based and comes with a free plan, as well as a free trial period.

• Free tier – Limited to a single business plan with simple text, no images, and no advanced features.
• Detailed plan – $19.95 monthly supports three business plans, detailed financials, and 3 ratios analyzed.
• Performance – For $39.95 monthly, it supports three business plans, detailed financials, and 16 ratios analyzed.

Who is Enloop best suited for?

Enloop is praised for its ease of use as well as a robust financial projections and calculations feature set. As such, it might work for first-time founders or owners with little experience who want to test and try their ideas. Plus, it comes with a free plan that has very limited possibilities, but could work for the bare necessities of business planning.

Bizplan is an online business planning software, which is part of a Startups.com platform.

It comes with a guided business plan creator that allows you to make a modern business plan. It also offers expert feedback on every step of the way, including models that can be dropped in and completed, along with quick incorporation of visuals along the way.

And if you get stuck, the Bizplan Academy offers additional resources that can come in handy when starting a business and making a business plan.

Those who need even more assistance can also take advantage of an expert consultation from a financial expert that starts at $999.

Bizplan Features

👍 bizplan pros.

+ Intuitive and user friendly, with drag and drop modules + Good to use for existing businesses + Financial tools that help make automatic financial projections + Fundraising management and collaboration tools

👎 Bizplan Cons

– Overwhelming interface that makes its use slightly difficult at times – Confusing data importing that is often misaligned with existing data formats – Doesn’t offer training

BizPlan Pricing

BizPlan brings simple pricing models that let you get a taste of all their features. Each model includes unlimited business plans, collaborators, and all available features.

• Monthly price: $29
• Annual price: $249
• Lifetime plan: $349

Who is Bizplan best suited for?

Bizplan is best suited for founders with some experience in setting up a business. While the step-by-step wizard can come in handy, some users cite the sheer availability of features to be overwhelming. At first, it takes the focus off the actual planning. Besides, the tool lacks options to customize business planning, which can be a challenge for less experienced founders or those working in a particular niche.

Upmetrics is a useful software if you want to create a business plan. It features a business plan editor, which refines your business plan to make it a lot more impressive.

Furthermore, finance modeling estimates the profit that you will be making from the business in the future. The pinboard is a handy feature that organizes the business inspiration materials in the right order.

Upmetics Features

• Collaboration
• Financial Templates
• Pitch Presentation
• Social Sharing
• Step-by-Step Wizard

👍 Upmetrics Pros

+ Highly customizable and fast + Cloud-based + User-friendly + Supports real-time collaboration + Can be tailored to specific industries

👎 Upmetrics Cons

– No dashboard – Needs more inbuilt templates – No free trial – Lacks investors module

Upmetrics Pricing

• Solo – For a team of entrepreneurs who just started planning, monthly price: $5.42 / annual pricing: $65.5 — 1 workspace, 2 members / workspace, 5 canvases / workspace
• Team – For teams & companies that need to manage multiple business initiatives, monthly price: $8.25 / annual pricing: $99 — 5 workspaces, 5 members / workspace, 8 canvases / workspace
• Premium – For large organizations and professional consultants, monthly price: $29.09 / annual pricing: $349.08 — unlimited workspaces, members and canvases.

All the prices are billed annually.

Who is Upmetrics best suited for?

Given its simplicity and ease of use, Upmetrics can get the job done for less experienced business owners. Besides, its real-time collaboration capabilities can streamline business planning and decision-making.

However, if you’re planning a mid- or large-scale enterprise, you may find some features to be missing at the moment. For instance, there is no investors module, which could be useful for startups looking for capital.

So these were the ins and outs of the best business plan software. Now, assess your business stage , identify the features you need, and select the right tool for you.

That’s the safest way you get a tool that naturally fits your business making. You will avoid paying for features you will hardly use or getting a tool without the capabilities you desperately need.

In case you’re just starting out or need a hand, check out how IdeaBuddy can take your business idea from scratch to a fully-fledged business plan.

IdeaBuddy Team

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Best Business Plan Software: Which is the Right Solution for You?

Getting your business started might not be as hard as you think. There are a number of business planning tools out there, and finding the best business plan software for your needs will help you get going. There are loads of business plan software options, and finding the best business plan software will ensure that you have the best tools for your budding start-up.

Entrepreneurs have a range of challenges when it comes to starting up a new business. One of the biggest ones is getting the cash to fund operations, and few new companies are profitable from the get-go. When you go looking for investors, you will need to have a solid business plan and some projections that show how your idea can be turned into a profitable business.

Luckily for you, there are a number of business planning software platforms to help. Every business planning software platform will offer you something different, and some will be better suited to your business idea than others. These platforms can also help you take your company to the next level, and deliver the kind of data analysis that will allow your company to compete on a larger scale.

Finding the Best Business Plan Software

Table of Contents

When you decide to take your idea to the marketplace, you need to have something to show potential investors. The business plan that you generate will also help you to stay focused, and make sure you are accomplishing the things that will make your business a success.

Here are some of the best business plan software options in the market today, so you can find the one that best suits your business’ needs.

Live Plan by Palo Alto Software

Whether you need a strategic business plan or a funding plan to attract potential investors to expand your established company, Live Plan is of the top options on the road towards your goals.

Palo Alto’s platform is built for companies that are just starting up, or already have a business that is up and running. It has full compatibility with industry-standard QuickBooks and Xero accounting systems, although it will not allow you to import information directly from a spreadsheet.

Live Plan’s main focus is on business planning with loads of features from a one-page business pitch, to business plan writing guidance, and financial forecasting. It also features a dashboard, which shows you how things are going at a glance.

LivePlan provides instructional videos and text descriptions of what needs to be done throughout the business plan’s building process. Furthermore, the free blog has hundreds of articles on business planning subjects. You don’t have to think about how to use it, as the company and community have already done loads to make the platform accessible.

The platform also offers you access to the latest market analysis and company trends. It has step-by-step support and guidance on where to find financial support, making it one of the best options for business plans to write.

LivePlan is priced at just $19.95 a month, with annual purchase discounts and a free trial offer, the platform is ideal for any size company. Unless you feel happy with the service, you will be supported with a money-back guarantee for 60 days, regardless of which plan you sign up for.

Visit LivePlan

• When it comes to advantages, Live Plan has all wonderful bright sides that suit whether a new venture or an existing business. There’s probably a lot to see in this section.
• There are more than 500 templates in the LivePlan program to meet your needs. LivePlan also provides technology integration like Xero and QuickBooks Online, to take you out of stress from data entry. As a result, it’s much easier to update your business plan as needed.
• The platform also helps you to export your project to a creditor or investor which will help if you need to present it. Benchmarking feature is another powerful tool of LivePlan.
• LivePlan provides companies like yours with the ability to compare the numbers and goals of your business, so you can see where you fall relative to these benchmarks.
• It would be better if Live Plan can adjust third-party integrations. Currently, there’s a lack of a spreadsheet option to import financial data. It currently only provides the ability to import financial data from QuickBooks or Xero.
• As a result, the data or time period is not controlled by you. This is a turnoff for companies that are set up to keep track of their monthly finances and use their own spreadsheets. Overall Live Plan does a lot for the money and is a good fit for startups, or SMEs.

Read our full review of LivePlan here.

Created in 1996 by Fran Tarkenton, GoSmallBiz is a proven business plan software providing a simple-to-use tool for business planning that includes step-by-step templates with built-in advice modules.

GoSmallBiz offers a range of online learning tools for those who are starters to business planning, including business mentoring, business courses, and weekly updates. It also provides users with guidance from an actual CEO and specialist in business planning, so you can take comfort in knowing that you will never be steered in the wrong direction.

The platform also offers hundreds of company-specific models creating the exact business owners requiring documents. And, after setting up automatic reminders, its virtual calendar management will schedule meetings, appointments, and customer events.

The financial statements and projections are other great features of the platform. Business owners should carry out a detailed analysis of sales and profit and look at profits, cash flow, and balance sheets. These tasks are easy to do with GoSmallBiz.

GoSmallBiz is priced at a reasonable $39 a month, but you can choose their 60-day free trial if you want to see how it’s going to work with your business model before making any decision.

• With GoSmallBiz, you have access to unlimited business consultations and mentoring for any business-related matter. In addition, consultants are selected for their knowledge and experience in running a small business. All senior advisors have run small businesses themselves.
• Senior advisors have in-depth knowledge in one or more of the disciplines: tax, accounting, marketing, finance, advertising, technology, and general business. Such participants are chosen based on their wide range of experience rather than on industry knowledge.
• An additional strength of GoSmallBiz is customized reporting. One size certainly doesn’t suit all when it comes to reporting. Therefore, instead of requiring users to use the same reporting forms, GoSmallBiz provides customized reporting so as to meet customers’ needs.
• Lastly, GoSmallBiz gives you a chance to test the water before you decide whether the service fits your needs or not with a 60-day free trial.
• The financial tools that GoSMallBiz includes are powerful but can be hard to use to create properly formatted balance sheet forecasts, income statement and cash flow statements without using a spreadsheet or preparing your own statement.
• There’s a lack of exporting capabilities as well, along with certain targeted integrations with common third-party software, particularly accounting and business intelligence applications. Like Live Plan, this may not be the best choice for an established company.
• Nonetheless, since GoSmallBiz defined itself primarily as a one-time business plan document, rather than a long-term planning method, it’s understandable that the company has not included these features.

Visit GoSmallBiz

EquityNet was created in 2005 as the only patented and original equity crowdfunding platform with only $2.1 million USD in funding. The platform matches competent investors with start-ups looking to raise from $10,000 to $10 million USD.

It has managed in the last 12 months to raise more than $115 million USD with more than 100,000 entrepreneurs and investors using the site. The platform includes two plans for value: one for investors and one for businessmen.

EquityNet also offers, along with its crowdfunding platform, cloud-based software that empowers you to build a business plan that will be accessible to investors and help them decide whether your business is worth investing in.

In reality, you don’t have to use EquityNet to raise funds at all, you can actually use the technology to evaluate and optimize your business planning.

The thing that sets EquityNet apart from others in this list of business plan software is that the software is not focused primarily on the development of business plans.

It is really a tool for both those looking for investments and those looking to invest. Nonetheless, its bundled business planning platform is well built and can help speed up the funding of start-ups.

In terms of fees, EquityNet is priced at $199 per month for analytical tools and crowdfunding. The platform also offers you a free version of business planning features, which lets you check out business and funding profiles, build your business plan as guided and view investor profiles.

• Equity Net offers unique services that match entrepreneurs with investors with a business planning tool to allow this process. EquityNet is not for any business and is expensive compared to other options on this list. The platform works best for those looking for funding from outside and the free version may appeal to entrepreneurs who want to create impressive charts and graphs.

The primary focus of Equity Net is also its drawback: it is a platform built for acquiring equity from investors. Equity Net’s development is based on crowdfunding contributions from investors you don’t know. If you just need a plan to sell your local Angel investor on your ideas, EquityNet is probably overkill.

Visit EquityNet

Recognized as a solid platform with loads of features and intuitive design, PlanGuru offers great value for small to medium-sized businesses, making it one of the strongest business plan software options.

PlanGuru provides financial statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements as one of the top budgeting and forecasting software. In addition, the business plan app provides over 20 forecasting techniques to assist with tasks such as developing personalized market drivers, including non-financial information as well.

PlanGuru Analytics, a cloud-based finance dashboard, and reporting tool is a fully customizable interface that helps accountants and financial advisors to monitor key business performance tracking financial KPIs. PlanGuru also provides a sophisticated Excel reporting add-in that allows accountants to manage PlanGuru data in Excel and generate reports.

For comprehensive product information, users can watch tutorial videos or go through training material on its website.

PlanGuru pricing plans are available with 3 options:

• PlanGuru Startup ($99) with a fully integrated balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement and more, you can create forecasts for up to 10 years.
• PlanGuru Basic ($399) includes setup plus 60-day money-back guarantee, import services for QuickBooks & Excel, and more.
• PlanGuru Enhanced ($799) with standard features plus team account sub-totaling feature; combine unlimited prediction number; company valuation tool; qualified accountant engagement tools.
• Plan Guru (PG) is a friendly and flexible application for creating cash flow reports. It also builds a perfect budget and forecast for users, as well as compares the budget to your actual results. The platform keeps your company on track the cash and KPI’s automatically. As a first time user, the learning curve is shallow, which means that it is easy to use.
• The platform has a good layout and similar to excel format. PG has also a very responsive and knowledgeable support team. Finally, for those in management that only want to check the KPI’s they can sign in with Analytics, and get a quick idea of how things are going.
• PG is limited to monthly subscriptions, and the minimum monthly cost of $99 is higher than many competitors. It does provide a cloud-based version and costs an extra $45/month, so PG requires you to download your laptop and just run on Windows PC.

Visit PlanGuru

It is important to create a business strategy for business success, and business planning technology will make it easy and achievable. StratPad is one of many excellent resources for small businesses that can assist with the development of business plans, financial forecasting and more.

The StratPad business plan software includes several great features. The entire software setup is clear, simple to use and well-organized. StratPad is one of the best educational tools for free business planning. It also has an integrated system that links startups to sources of financing.

One of StratPad’s key tools is focused on creating business plans. Other tools include the ability to make financial projections that are both simple and complex. Through StratPad, you can even get support by applying for funding.

While the program itself is very useful, being able to go online and gain support from qualified business coaches makes this a very valuable tool, which separates StratPad from other business software

Entrepreneurs can use StratPad to monitor and report progress when discussing their business plan with partners and coworkers. StratPad also provides useful workshops video tutorials, online webinars and business toolkits for download.

• The simplicity of this platform is a consistent praised by real-world users. StratPad provides a free account without trial options as well as lots of educational resources such as workshops, video tutorials, interactive webinars, and downloadable business toolkits.
• The app is very easy for new users and has a step-by-step building process with detailed explanations at every turn. Also, it automatically makes charts, graphs and appendices for you based on the data you give. The platform also enables you to sync with QuickBooks to make information entry easier.
• StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software suitable for business owners and advisors who need a simple tool to create and ensure that their data is secure and accessible.
• StratPad isn’t the cheapest product in the marketplace. While it does give you many tools, it isn’t going to be a great way to go for startups with little cash at their disposal.
• Its services cost 29.99 GBP/month, while service providers such as LivePlan keep charging just $19.95 USD/month. The ability to add comments to the business plan is missing from StratPad.
• In addition, StratPad lacks examples of quality business plans that users can learn from.

Visit StratPad

Atlas Business Solutions Ultimate Business Plan

Atlas Business Solutions (ABS) Ultimate Business Planner 5.0 will start with a fairly user friendly-looking wizard that will take you through the process of creating a business plan and financial forecasting. Its Ultimate Business Planner works to help determine whether your business idea is worth pursuing or whether you need to reevaluate your vision for a more successful business.

The good part here is that it has advanced functionality, even though the software can still help start-up entrepreneurs.

The window-based software has over 1000 sample business plans to test and integrate with Microsoft Excel, Adobe PDF, and QuickBooks to walk you through the business planning process. Ultimate Business Plan also offers plenty of features for starting your business and helps you out with many forms and documents needed including financial projections and forecasts.

There’s also a lot of available resources such as valuable date from the SBA as well as free technical support for a limited time. Ultimate Business Planner is priced at $99.00 per year for a single-user license. The more users you add, the bigger the discount becomes, so for 10 users, the cost is just $549.

• This is one of the cheaper options compared to other software and user-friendly, given all the features that are included. Simple reports are easy to make, use, and print.
• The platform provides a multi-user option, that way different departments of the company can enter information independently from one another. It allows your company to edit the narrative to improve the wording if it is generated automatically, which is a nice selling point.
• There are no big downsides to the platform, although it isn’t the cheapest option there is. Overall it is a solid platform and could work well for your company.

Visit Atlas Business Solutions

If you’re looking for software that can support your business not only for business planning also when you seek new investors, check out Enloop. The platform is a straightforward and sophisticated software package for writing business plans online. Use Enloop to guide you through every step, avoid mistakes and save time.

Two features that differentiate Enloop are Autowrite and TextSync. With Autowrite, Enloop generates the framework of the business plan text using the information that you have carefully entered (such as financial forecasts and history of management).

While the Autowrite feature provides a higher degree of structure for business plans, TextSync feature is what makes Enloop stand out. By using TextSync feature, the items are automatically updated and the “data bubbles” are synced whenever there’s a change in numbers.

Businesses with simple text and no images may find Enloop a perfect choice as the software allows them to try out its business plan functionality for free with a no-charge version. You’ll need to pay at least $19.95 USD a month for anything else. Enloop helps business owners create business plans quickly and easily with a paid version as well.

• Enloop’s prices are quite competitive and it is also an appropriate alternative for those with a limited budget. Enloop offers unique features like AutoWrite, which provides the main text for your business strategy automatically, while TextSync syncs your data to keep the plan updated.
• The advanced and professional packages are included with its lowest-priced plan. There is also a free version, but it still lacks some of the features you’ll probably need eventually. You can access to app anytime with cloud-based software. Enloop is also compatible with every major OS.
• Enloop doesn’t integrate with Quickbooks, Xero, or other accounting software like other business planning software; therefore, you must enter your own financial data and it doesn’t also have a lot of assistance for beginners. Aside from that, it is an amazing option for businesses that need to get their plan together!

Visit Enloop

NetEkspert iPlanner.NET

NetEkspert is known for helping entrepreneurs and businesses create business plans, design financial models and optimize opportunities for project funding, NetEkspert has likely raised its reputation with the launch of iPlanner software.

iPlanner.NET is an enterprise performance management software with features such as dashboard, key performance indicators, qualitative analysis, and strategic planning. iPlanner.NET is available as SaaS code for system requirements.

Building a fast business plan is fairly easy with support from iPlanner.NET. However, the software seems more aimed at helping consultants and advisors build business plans for their clients rather than users building a business plan for their own use.

Because of this focus, most of its planning and guidance tools are created for consultants, instead of advanced business plan creation.

iPlanner.NET pricing plans are based on the number of project entities saved in the program.

A business unit or a non-profit agency usually produces a one-year Strategic Plan plan. There are six levels of pricing, ranging from A to F. Since iPlanner.NET comes with fewer features for actual business planning, the process is much simpler and the price is fairly affordable.

• The iPlanner.NET designer offers a clear and flexible setup for collaborative planning among many various group members in an organization. All of their business planning packages enable you to have infinite partners and allocate people three different roles: Project Owners, Advisors, and Viewers.
• The platform has the ability to work in an offline mode and then be integrated back into the online mode could be useful for some businesses. iPlanner’s costs start at $49 USD/year, which is much cheaper than many comparable services on the market.
• One definite upside is the multiple output tools, where the final document can be exported to Microsoft Word, HTML, or as a PDF file.
• iPlanner doesn’t have a month-to-month package for either of their services or offer a free version or trial. It also requires that the users have basic English skills, which may be a downside to an international startup that doesn’t have English speaking employees.

Visit iPlanner

The Business Plan Shop

Business Plan Shop is a great choice that you can’t ignore if you need to build a simple business plan. The program is user-friendly and provides the right areas to cater to stakeholders. It does an excellent job of making financial projections easy for non-accountants to make.

Financial forecasting is easy with The Business Plan Shop as the software will take care of this tricky part of any business for you, and craft all the documents that you need to get your funding approved: a monthly first-year cash flow forecast and a full set of 3 or 5-year financial statements.

You can export your document in PDF or MS Word format once you have created your financial forecast and written your business plan. Most of the formatting is handled by its technology, which saves you time and ensures you get a professional-looking file that improves your reputation with investors.

The Business Plan Shop offers a functional business plan creation tool for a three-month subscription, starting at $25. If you’re heading to long-term service, you can go with the Pro Yearly option, which is priced at $96.

The price for The Business Plan Shop’s services is attractive because you just need to only $8 per month. Additionally, you have 7 days to test the software with no need for adding payment information.

• Whether the plan is about creating a financial forecast or writing a winning business plan, The Business Plan Shop has you fully covered. You’re given plenty of opportunities to customize business plan elements. Plus, clear guidance and examples are also available at every step of your business planning process.
• The Business Plan Shop provides support for writing a good business plan, but mostly for people who have a decent understanding of the elements which need to be in the documents. Beginners or those looking for guidance on how to write a plan may find it less useful or may want to run their results past a consultant.
• The ability to import financial information from accounting software like QuickBooks and Xero, but not spreadsheets, may also be a turnoff for established businesses, as they likely have their own spreadsheets.

Visit Business Plan Shop

There are so many options for your company when it comes to the best business plan software, you might find it hard to know where to start.

Be sure to look through the features that a platform offers, and get the one that you think will offer your company the most for its money.

Most of the platforms on this list work from a subscription business model, so you won’t have any trouble switching to another platform if you want to try something else out later on.

The Winner?

The pick for us is clearly, LivePlan – they offer the most features in a well designed package for a reasonable monthly fee. Their offering is modern, clean and packed full of features so we have no hesitation recommending them as the best option for creating your business plan.

If you’d like to read more about LivePlan, check out our full review .

Nicholas is an experienced Finance Journalist who has written for a number of prominent online publications. He grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a father that would read him the Wall St. Journal along side of other bed-time fare. He has traveled extensively, and been lucky enough to study a changing global economy in person. Nicholas spent many years in the Southern Cone of South America, sometimes in the middle of the countryside where livestock starts its journey to all points of the globe. Today he is thoroughly bemused with the stance that Central Banks have taken in the wake of the 2008 meltdown. There is no telling what will come out of the global financial system next, but he is glad that he lives somewhere that gold can be bought and sold readily! [email protected]

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Business Plan Builder

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

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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 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 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 software

LivePlan isn’t just a tool to easily create a business pitch, plan, and financials — 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 the LivePlan Assistant 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 walk–throughs, 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, how does a business plan builder like liveplan compare to free templates or other tools.

LivePlan is way more than business planning 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 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.

Do I need to have anything ready, like research or financials, before using LivePlan to build my business plan

No! Using LivePlan you can dive right in to starting your business plan with no preparation necessary. Working through LivePlan, 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.

What is SBA approved formatting and will LivePlan help me create a business plan for the SBA?

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.

What are all the things I can do in LivePlan?

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 .

Can I explore LivePlan before signing up?

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

Affiliate & Editorial Disclosure

To keep our website running, we partner up with some of the companies featured in our reviews. This means that SmallBizGenius may receive a commission when you sign up for a service or purchase a product using one of our links.

Our website also includes reviews of products or services for which we do not receive monetary compensation; information included in these reviews has been collected by SmallBizGenius.

Product/service details may vary. Please see the issuer’s website for current information. Opinions expressed on the pages of this website belong to the author and do not represent the views of companies whose products and services are being reviewed.

Some pages may include user-generated content in the comment section. The opinions expressed in the comment section do not reflect those of SmallBizGenius.

Best Business Plan Software: Our Top Picks for 2024

Written By Julija A.

Updated: February 6, 2024

To choose the best business plan software for your needs, you must consider several factors. Not all products and businesses are created equal, and some need more detailed financial projections than others.

Thankfully, there are various software solutions on the market you can choose from to assist you with your business planning. But where should you start?

To help you with that, we have researched and compiled a list of the top-rated programs that can make it easier to get your business off the ground and ensure its long-term success.

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• Unlimited plans
• 35-day money-back guarantee
• Insightful tutorials

Jump to Review

• 30-day free trial
• Valuation tool

• 7-day free trial
• Several free business plans
• Competitive prices

• Business process monitoring
• Revenue projection tool

• 15-day free trial
• Business guide
• Flexible pricing options

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Business Plan Software Pros and Cons

Now, let’s review some key advantages and potential disadvantages of these programs.

• They are cost-effective and efficient, providing excellent long-term value.
• Business planning tools help you set reasonable goals and track your progress.
• They allow you to work on the business plan with multiple people and easily share data with mentors and investors.
• Many have video tutorials, extensive knowledge libraries, and even forums, while others have help centers with short but useful guides, at the very least.
• Specific platforms have limited free-trial options. So, check what features your favorite business plan program offers as part of a free trial.
• Some software doesn’t provide live chat, phone, or quick-support options. So, getting in contact with customer service representatives may be a problem if you need urgent assistance.

Although business planning software offers a wide selection of useful features, choosing the one that’s ideal for your needs comes down to evaluating several factors.

Everyone’s requirements are different, so take your time choosing the right software for you. Once you’ve made your decision, all you need to do is put the program to work, define your business plan and operating budget , and get you’ll be able to get the project off the ground in no time!

Choosing Business Plan Software: Things To Consider

Deciding on the best business plan software for your needs can seem daunting – there are so many options available, and it can be difficult to know where to start. However, in our business plan software reviews, we pointed out a few key factors you should keep in mind to narrow down your options.

Both free and paid options are available, so you’ll need to decide what’s right for you. We did not mention any free business planning software in this review, but if you’re on a limited budget and are looking for free software, pay attention to the number of features it allows you to use and how many collaborators you can have onboard.

When using software to devise a business plan, the features offered by the tool are a top priority. Not all of them will be relevant for every business, so it’s important to take into account which features are more important for the type of business you’re running.

Number of Co-Workers

Another important thing to consider is the number of collaborators that you will need to include in the making of your business plan. You won’t need software with unlimited collaborators if you only need to share your project with a few people, but at the same time, the software has to support the number of coworkers you need working with you.

Educational Resources and Tutorials

Next, consider whether you’ll need access to educational resources. Some software options come with templates and tutorials that can help you get started, as well as help you optimize your business plan for the long term.

When it comes to business planning software, user experience is extremely important. The user interface should be intuitive and easy to use, as the last thing you need when devising a business plan is to deal with a clunky interface. That said, you should always thoroughly test out a platform before committing to it for the long term.

Integrations

Last but not least, check out how many integration options your shortlisted platform has and what those are. Programs such as QuickBooks, Xero, and Microsoft Excel are all highly useful and commonly used tools, so having them integrated with your business planning software can make your life easier.

Top 5 Picks: Business Plan Software

1.LivePlan Review

• Pricing: Standard plan: $15/$20 per month, Business plan: $30/$40 per month
• Number of plans: Unlimited
• Free trial: Yes (35-day money-back guarantee)

LivePlan offers high functionality at an affordable price. It boasts an intuitive, user-friendly interface with plenty of useful features, making it easy for users to write detailed business plans . So, if you’re looking for sophisticated, modern business plan software, LivePlan should be among your shortlisted options.

You’ll find there are many things you can use Liveplan software for. Some business plan features it offers are:

• Over 500 sample plans.
• Easy export to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• One-page pitch builder, which creates an infographic version of your business plan.
• Automatic financials – the program creates charts, tables, and reports for you.
• Financial performance tracking, which also helps you plan a budget and offers seamless integration with financial tools.
• Step-by-step guidance: You receive instructions with prompts, definitions, and tutorials as soon as you log in.

The premium package adds performance indicators, a milestone planner, benchmark data for metrics comparisons, and more.

Who Is It For?

LivePlan is among the finest business plan software solutions for businesses and entrepreneurs who need:

• An affordable business planning tool with a variety of useful features.
• To create many reports, as the software lets you create as many as you wish or need.
• Help with creating a report, since the platform has a comprehensive step-by-step guide and tutorials.
• To access their plans for extended periods, as the program saves data for more than a year, even after cancellation.

On the other hand, LivePlan itself is an advanced tool, so there is a learning curve for beginners.

LivePlan has two plans catering to startups, small and large businesses, and long-time investors. The subscription can be paid either monthly or annually.

If you choose the former option, the Standard package will cost you $20 a month, while the monthly price of the Premium plan is $40.

If you opt for the annual subscription, you’ll only have to pay $15 per month for the Standard and $30 per month on the Premium plan. This generous discount makes LivePlan arguably the best business plan software for individuals and businesses willing to commit to a subscription for a longer period.

Key Features

2.PlanGuru Review

• Pricing: Plan Guru App: $99 per month or $899 per year, Plan Guru Desktop: $99 per month or $899 per year
• Free trial: Yes (30 days)

PlanGuru is a good choice if you want robust software that offers a variety of features. The most notable one is the valuation tool, which is only available on the desktop version of the software at the time of writing.

In short, PlanGuru is a business planning software solution committed to helping businesses with their financial planning, providing the tools they need to create reports, budgets, forecasts, and more.

PlanGuru offers two types of plans: Advisor and Business/Non-profit. These are largely the same, with a few slight differences, and the company lets you choose between a cloud-based app and a desktop application.

Whichever option you choose, you gain access to an unlimited number of scenarios per company and can import up to five years of actual results. Furthermore, each plan entitles you to a pre-built three-way forecasting structure and lets you benefit from over 20 standard forecasting methods.

That said, PlanGuru is more of a financial planning tool than business plan writing software.

The desktop application has some additional features. For example, the valuation tool is currently available on the desktop version only. Also, some other features that are only available on the desktop version are the payroll utility, the breakeven tool, and an unlimited number of consolidated projections.

PlanGuru would make an excellent business plan tool for those who:

• Appreciate a comprehensive resources library.
• Wish to compare their finances to the performance of a given industry.
• Are used to importing files using QuickBooks Online, Xero, Excel, or QuickBooks Desktop.
• Need business valuation calculations (PlanGuru is one of the best business planning software solutions with this feature).

On the other hand, you may wish to look elsewhere if you:

• Need a tool focusing on basic business plan writing.
• Have a limited budget. PlanGuru is expensive, especially if you need to include additional users.

Pricing is on the high side with PlanGuru. A subscription will set you back $99 per month or $899 per year, and on top of that, adding additional users costs an extra $29 per month or $299 per year. So, ensure you can get the most out of this software to make writing your business plan worth the time, effort, and cost.

3.Enloop Review

• Pricing: Detailed plan: $11/$19.95 per month, Performance plan: $24/$39.95 per month
• Number of plans: 3
• Free trial: Yes (7 days)

If you’re looking for simple software to create a business plan, Enloop is an excellent option. Dedicated to business plan creation, it offers features such as automated text writing, financial forecast comparisons, and auto-generated financial reports.

Enloop is one of the best business plan software options available on the market if accessibility and ease of use are your priority. It features a simple interface and it’s suitable for users who don’t need more than a few business plans, although more plans can be unlocked for an additional monthly cost.

Both of Enloop’s pricing plans share most of the program’s feature set, such as automated text writing, colored charts, real-time performance score, data and text synchronization, and country currency formatting with over a hundred currency symbols and formats.

The main differences between the two plans come down to the number of team members who can be included in the project, and the number of financial ratios that the app can analyze.

You should consider Enloop if you only need up to three business plans, which is the account limit. However, you might want to keep it shortlisted even if you need more, since it’s possible to unlock additional business plans for an extra $9.95 per month.

Furthermore, you’d likely find this business plan creator software appealing if you intend to have multiple people working on a business plan. The Detailed plan allows two shared users, while the Performance package allows five.

You’ll also find Enloop helpful if you:

• Have a limited budget.
• Value text, tables, and image formatting.
• Wish to have access to helpful written and video tutorials.

On the flip side, Enloop might not be a good fit if you need:

• QuickBooks or Xero integration options.
• More than five co-workers working on your business plan.
• Responsive customer support, as it can only be reached via a contact form.

Enloop offers both monthly and annual subscription options, and the latter allows you to save about 50% if you wish to commit for the long term.

So, if you opt for the Enloop business plan software, the price is as follows:

• $19.95 per month for the Detailed plan
• $39.95 per month for the Premium package

If you choose the annual subscription, the prices are:

• $11 per month for the Detailed package
• $24 per month for the Premium plan

4.Bizplan Review

• Pricing: Monthly plan: $29 per month, Annual plan: $20.75 per month, Lifetime plan: $349
• Free trial: No

Bizplan is yet another tool popular among many businesses due to a variety of benefits it offers. You can include as many collaborators as you wish and create an unlimited number of business plans, have access to a range of useful tools, and use the company’s extensive educational resources, and more.

Bizplan is among the top business plan software options with a number of helpful features that young businesses can benefit from. For example, you can:

• Set your business goals and monitor the progress from a single dashboard.
• Ask for advice or detailed guidance from acclaimed mentors your dedicated advisor connects you to.
• Access courses that can help you scale your business, including customer acquisition and business planning.

Moreover, Bizplan boasts an extensive library of interviews and guides you can use, and you can join the Startup Therapy Podcast for insights on how to deal with issues that every new business experiences.

Among other features, this business planning software also has:

• Revenue-projection tool
• Equity fundraising platform
• Automatic financial projections
• Easy-to-use templates for reports generation
• Extensive library of educational content
• Unlimited business plans, tables, and sections
• Exemplary customer support you can contact via email, live chat, and phone

Bizplan is one of the business plan software providers that grants users access to all of its features with a single plan, with no limitations on the number of plans or collaborators. It caters to startups and seasoned business people, offering ample resources, business plan creation opportunities, and convenient monitoring.

One of the few downsides of this software is the lack of a free trial, which means you’ll have to subscribe if you wish to try the program out.

There are three subscription options with Bizplan:

• Monthly, which costs $29 per month
• Annual, which costs $20.75 per month ($249 per year)
• Lifetime, which costs $349 for lifetime access

Given that no other provider among our shortlisted options offers a lifetime plan, it’s safe to say that Bizplan is the best business plan software for users who wish to commit to a high flat cost rather than worry about subscription costs in the long-term.

5.IdeaBuddy Review

• Pricing: Dreamer plan: starting from $6 per month, Founder plan: starting from $9 per month, Enterprise plan: custom pricing
• Number of plans: Unspecified
• Free trial: Yes (15 days)

IdeaBuddy is a handy tool that can help you with many things, including testing your business ideas, financial planning, and more. It is particularly useful if you have a business idea but aren’t sure how to implement it. The software can accommodate a variety of people and companies, including entrepreneurs, managers, startups, and business schools.

IdeaBuddy is an excellent small business planning software that has five main features:

• Idea validation
• Financial plan
• Business plan

The idea plan feature allows you to map and structure your idea easily and efficiently on a single page without much effort. The process is simple, resembling a website building tool, and it provides you with an overview of the business model upon completion.

As its name suggests, the idea validation feature provides insights into how likely your idea is to become a thriving business.

The business guide gives you valuable insights into how to start your business. It can help you assess how big your target market is, perform competition analysis, allow you to better understand who your prospective customers are, and evaluate the idea’s overall market potential.

The financial plan helps you evaluate your income on monthly, quarterly, and annual bases, complete with long-term cash flow projections and detailed financial reports.

Finally, the business plan feature helps you create a shareable plan that you can edit and export to Word or PDF.

IdeaBuddy is business plan maker software especially suitable for individuals and startups that need guidance when it comes to implementing their business ideas. It is also useful for people with limited budgets. Furthermore, nonprofits and schools benefit from IdeaBuddy’s 30% off policy.

On the other hand, you might not find the platform to your liking if you:

• Wish to test all the features before committing, since the free trial has a very limited feature set.
• Need responsive customer support assistance, since you can contact them only via a contact form.

IdeaBuddy has flexible pricing options, making it one of the best business plan software solutions if money is an issue. You can see some of them in the tables below:

DREAMER PLAN

FOUNDER PLAN

As for the cost and details of the Enterprise plan, you need to contact IdeaBuddy directly via the contact form.

What is the best free business plan software?

Various business plan template software solutions offer a free basic version or a free trial. However, free business planning software usually lacks essential features that a growing business might need.

Which business plan software is the best?

It depends on your professional needs. For example, those who need a valuation tool would find PlanGuru the most convenient, while others might prefer LivePlan if they’re prioritizing flexibility and value.

What is the best business plan software for startups?

LivePlan, Bizplan, and IdeaBuddy are among the finest business planning software for startups. LivePlan provides high functionality for the price, Bizplan has extensive educational resources, while IdeaBuddy guides startups through different planning and implementation stages.

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10+ Best Business Plan Software and Tools in 2024

If you ask any successful sports coach how they can win so many games, they will tell you that they have a unique plan for every single game they coach. To win any of their opponents, they need to prepare a specific game plan tailored to each of their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Otherwise, they will get crushed.

The same logic applies to doing business. If you want to start a business , developing a robust business plan will be one of the first steps you should take. It’ll cover everything from a detailed explanation of your products/ services and pricing model to at least three years of financial projections - plus much more.

So, whether you are not sure how to get started or you are just looking to make the process easier, you may want to turn to business plan software and tools for help .

In this guide, we’ll break down 10+ of the best business plan software and tools - discussing their key features, pros, cons, pricing plans, and more - so you’ll get all the necessary information to decide which one is right for your business.

We should begin right now!

Table of contents

What is business plan software?

Pros and cons of using business plan software, features to look for in business plan software, 1. liveplan, 3. planguru, 5. gosmallbiz, 6. business plan pro, 7. bizplanbuilder, 9. upmetrics, 10. iplanner, 11. business sorter, 12. maus masterplan, 13. the business plan shop, over to you.

First and foremost, a business plan is a detailed road map highlighting the future of business operations. It’s not limited to established organizations but can be written for small businesses to forecast their operations.

Business plan software is specifically designed to guide you through each step of your business plan and fill any gaps. That way, you will be more efficient in clarifying direction, attracting financing, developing team members, and eventually reaching your business goals.

As a business owner, it’s essential to consider whether new software or tools will benefit your business or needlessly add to your overhead. So, before purchasing business plan software, thoroughly weigh the following pros and cons against your business needs.

As a matter of fact, business plan software offers several benefits, including:

Step-by-step guidance . Business plan software has a detailed step-by-step guide to help you make the right choices for your business. It takes the guesswork out of aligning your business’s structure and cash flow forecast with future goals. This is specifically helpful if you are not sure how to begin.

Statement and report generation . Many small business owners don’t have a strong financial background or understanding of the strategic aspects of a business plan. That’s where a business plan tool comes in handy - it creates reports, graphs, and documents based on the information you’ve entered. These generated statements and reports can undoubtedly save you a considerable amount of time.

Accurate reporting . Creating a business plan from scratch by yourself may result in missed mistakes, skewing the data, and rendering reports - and hours of work - useless. A well-designed business plan software often comes with guarantees for accountability and accuracy in any reports generated under that program.

Customization . Business plan tools typically offer the option to personalize your reports. It also gives you the freedom to test out multiple scenarios depending on your long-term business goals, providing you more confidence in your business.

Easy to update . It’s so simple to adjust or replace any ideas or numerical calculations for a different outcome using a business plan tool. Certain features also keep you up to date on your business’s current situation and give you an insight into your future endeavors.

However, business plan software can also come with a few downsides, such as:

Lack of flexibility . Some business plan software only allows for specific customizations, which could limit personalizing your business plan. This includes sticking to available templates the software provides and being unable to rewrite the script or customize certain points in the data (unless you upgrade to a more expensive subscription plan).

Missed industry insights . As you aren’t writing the base coding that makes up a business plan tool, there may be discrepancies between your industry and the developed software. This could lead to missing out on essential industry insights and practical experience.

Expensive price tag . Depending on each type, some business plan tools can be pricey. They can range from basic plans to premium versions; however, it’s difficult to know whether the premium plan will assist you or just create a dent in your budget.

There are a lot of reasons to buy business plan software, but there are also some drawbacks that might turn you away from the investment. Therefore, weigh your options according to your business’s specific needs and determine which is right for you.

If you decide to purchase business plan software, it’s worth considering several key features to make sure that the process of creating your plan is smooth. Below is more about the specific features to look for in a business plan software application.

Step-by-step wizard . Step-by-step wizards take much of the guesswork out of trying to decide which sections to work on and in which order. This feature can take you through each section and make sure you’re including everything your plan needs.

Templates . Setting up a business plan from scratch can be tough. That’s why it’s great to have a jumping-off point. Many tools include dozens, if not hundreds, of templates to choose from. Many templates are geared toward particular types of businesses, so you can pick one that is right in line with the business you’re planning.

Financial projections . Most software applications can provide you with financial tools, so you can lay out your case for a successful venture. With some options, you plug in the numbers for expenses, cash flow, revenue, etc., and churn our financial projections. The easier this process is, the better your business plan creation experience is.

Charts and graphs . The tool you choose should be able to turn the financial data into eye-catching charts and graphs automatically. This will make your business plan more enticing to potential investors.

Integrations . Some software integrates with popular accounting programs, such as QuickBooks or Xero . This is useful when transferring financial details from your accounting software into your business plan, so that your plan is free from mathematical errors.

Contributors . Many businesses aren’t being launched by one person only. When multiple people are involved, you’d like all of your collaborators to contribute to the development of your business plan. That’s why you need to verify the number of contributors who can make edits to the plan. Some software caps this number, while others allow for unlimited contributors.

Additional services . Some software providers offer access to additional services that new entrepreneurs may find helpful, such as digital marketing help, website design services, and direct contact with consultants who can provide knowledgeable advice.

10+ best business plan software and tools

LivePlan can be the right pick for you, in case you want template-rich, modern-feeling business plan software. With more than 500 free and full-length sample business plans for inspiration, together with step-by-step assistance, you can start without any hassle.

The platform offers advanced financial services that automatically calculate financial outcomes for the five upcoming years. Plus, if you’re a Xero or QuickBooks user, you can easily import your data into the system to gain an in-depth view of how your business is performing from a financial standpoint.

You can start with a one-page business plan before moving to a complete professional plan that can be used to pitch to investors. The final business is not only high-quality but also professional. As all the charts and graphs are well-organized and easy-to-understand, you’ll love them.

Key features:

• More than 500 templates
• One-page business plan with a fill-in-the-blank template to jot down your ideas
• Access to educational materials
• Availability of financial charts and graphs
• Industry benchmark comparison
• Intuitive, modern interface
• A huge number of customizable templates
• Bank-level security
• Affordable plans
• Able to work on multiple active plans simultaneously
• Variety of business resources, including step-by-step instruction, video tutorials, and general customer support
• 60-day money-back guarantee
• Require a learning curve
• Can’t customize financial projection dates
• Limited third-party integrations

Pricing plans:

• Pay-as-you-go plan: $20/ month (billed monthly)
• 6-month plan: $18/ month (billed every 6 months)
• Annual plan: $15/ month (billed annually)

VISIT LIVEPLAN

Specifically built for tech startups, Bizplan will help you create a customizable business pitch and plan that appeals to several investors.

As a part of the Startups.com suite, Bizplan gets top marks for its easy-to-use, intuitive, and modern user interface. You will work with a step-by-step business plan builder to get exactly what you want from your business plan. It might remind you of a modern website builder , as it has drag-and-drop tools to build templates.

Moreover, if you’re a paying user, you’ll have access to all the materials in the Education corner, including online courses and more than 600 in-depth videos to help you explore more things.

In case you have an issue, you can get in touch with its customer representative during business hours (from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m to 9 p.m), or send an email with all the questions you may be having.

• Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building
• Ability to track all business financials in one place with the financial command center
• Ability to access Fundable.com, an online fundraising platform that connects startups or small businesses to potential investors
• Unlimited account collaborators
• Availability of online courses, including tracks, master classes, guides, and expert answers
• Ability to control who can view or comment on your internal business information
• User-friendly, intuitive drag-and-drop business plan builder
• Excellent educational materials
• Subscription options give you access to all Startups.com tools
• You can easily integrate it with bookkeeping software
• Available lifetime pricing
• No free trial
• No mobile compatibility
• No templates based on specific industry
• Limited financial projection customization
• Monthly plan: $29/ month
• Annual plan: $20.75/ month
• Lifetime access plan: $349

VISIT BIZPLAN

PlanGuru is a cloud-based budgeting and business plan software that is all about financial planning. It offers more than 20 insider forecasting methods, allowing you to create projections for up to 10 years.

On top of budgeting and financial analysis, the tool lets you set goals and analyze performance. It also provides a rolling forecast, helping you understand the implications of spending on overall cash flow before you do it. Furthermore, strategic planning helps you manage your team and keep everyone accountable.

With its income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet, you can see how your venture will map out in a range of different scenarios. Furthermore, it enables you to harness turnkey methods and use business drivers to predict growth.

Unfortunately, PlanGuru doesn’t include the expert consultation function, so you’ll need to seek mentorship elsewhere. However, if you want a solution that can streamline the financial piece of your business plan, PlanGuru certainly has the most to offer.

• Budgeting and forecasting for up to ten years
• More than 20 standard forecasting methods
• Dashboard and reporting tools
• Formula builder to set up custom methods
• Ratios and KPIs
• Work with Quickbooks, Xero, and Excel
• Help guides, video tutorials, knowledgebase, and US-based customer support
• Extensive financial tools and detailed budgeting, forecasting, and reporting capabilities
• A substantial library of educational resources
• 14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
• No templates or tools for basic business plan writing
• Difficult to get started without prior financial knowledge
• Expensive, especially for additional users
• Monthly plan: $99/ month (additional users: $29/ month)
• Annual plan: $899/ year (additional users: $299/ year)

VISIT PLANGURU

If you’re looking for an easy-to-navigate solution that can complete your business plan quickly, Enloop is there for you. It does this through its Autowrite feature and performance score that acts as a digital mentor.

Furthermore, Enloop has a strong focus on the financial aspect of the process, which is ideal for people with great ideas but aren’t necessarily financial wizards. Demonstrating profitability is crucial for raising capital from investors, and the software delves into this financial viability of your vision. It lets you add charts and graphs and analyze 16 distinct financial ratios.

It also allows you to compare financial projections with industry averages, so that you’ll get a clear picture of how your idea stacks up. You’re able to consult with an expert in case you need guidance. Enloop also offers business plan templates and an HR/ legal document builder, making it one of the strongest candidates for first-time start-ups.

Key features: *

• AutoWrite and TextSync features automatically create basic customized text for your business plan
• 16 different financial ratios indicate your financial health
• Performance score from 0-100 serves as motivation to complete the plan
• More than 100 currency symbols and number formatting
• Access to business templates
• Attractive interface
• Automatically populated text
• Well-explained financial ratios
• Instant access to all business reports
• 7-day free trial
• Affordable pricing plans
• Limited additional education resources
• Limited customer support
• Detailed plan: $11/ month (billed annually)
• Performance plan: $24/ month (billed annually)

VISIT ENLOOP

Initiated by NFL Hall of Famer and veteran entrepreneur Fran Tarkenton, GoSmallBiz offers hundreds of industry-specific templates that create the exact documents users need. Plus, its step-by-step wizard helps you set up a business plan by filling up business details in multiple segments.

Another helpful feature is its online calendar management. You can schedule events, meetings, and appointments and get automatic reminders. Besides, it lets you generate financial statements and projections. You’re allowed to create a range of insightful reports, such as profit and sales analysis, cash flow, balance sheets, and more.

For anyone new to business planning, GoSmallBiz offers a slew of online learning tools, including business courses, business mentoring, and weekly updates. It also provides help from a real CEO and business planning expert, so you can entirely rest assured knowing that you will never be steered in the wrong direction.

In addition to the business plan software, it provides a customer relationship management (CRM) tool , text-based business consultations, and legal business documents. No other business plan software offers this suite of tools - all for one cost.

• Step-by-step guide walks you through every single step
• Around 100 business templates
• Financial projections and statements
• Reports based on your financial data
• Integrate with major social media channels, such as Mailchimp, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
• A wide range of industry-based templates
• Multiple educational videos
• Unlimited mentoring and business consultations
• Customized reporting
• Several additional business tools
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Outdated interface
• Limited business plan features
• Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives
• Lack of an annual subscription package
• Only exports to PDFs and Microsoft Word

Pricing plan : $39/ month (billed monthly)

VISIT GOSMALLBIZ

As one of the leading business plan tools, Business Plan Pro offers top-notch technical and customer support to help small businesses succeed. Moreover, it provides clear instructions and cutting-edge funding tools to create a robust business plan and impress potential investors.

The software offers up to more than 500 business plan templates and samples, which are present in the preferred format of investors, banks, and SBA-approved lenders. There are also different categories of templates, such as Manufacturing, Travel & Transportation, Travel, etc., to help you choose from.

In addition, Business Plan Pro enables you to import data directly from Quickbooks, and export your business plan to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or transform it into a PDF format.

• More than 500 business plan templates
• Built-in formulas and financial statements
• Ability to create visually appealing forecasts with drag-and-drop graphic forecaster tool
• Ability to import data from Quickbooks, and export to Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Strong technical and customer support team
• A wide range of business plan templates
• Detailed guidance for businesses
• An extended money-back guarantee (60 days)
• No collaboration opportunities
• Old-school interface design
• Standard Package Plan: $99.95 one-time purchase
• Premier Package Plan: $159.95 one-time purchase

VISIT BUSINESS PLAN PRO

As an intuitive business plan tool, BizPlanBuilder provides a simple wizard that walks users through step-by-step business planning. With its premade industry-specific templates, the software can help you craft a plan that reflects your business goals.

With a single link, you can share your plan with investors online. So, instead of sharing bulky attachments, you can present your plan directly in a browser using modern navigation.

If calculation is not your strength, don’t worry! BizPlanBuilder’s financial tools, including calculators, cost analysis, financial projections, budget sheets, charts, and graphs, will help you with that. It also lets users import financial data from different accounting software programs.

In addition to business planning and financial features, the software offers real-time collaboration, meaning multiple team members can simultaneously view and edit the business plan.

• Premade industry-specific templates for business planning
• Available financial tools, including calculators, chart and graph generators, and budget-feasibility tools
• The collaboration feature lets team members log in, view, and edit the business plan at the same time
• Available technical support, including email and telephone support, FAQs, and video tutorials
• Eye-appealing visuals
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop templates
• Various industry-specific templates
• In-depth presentations
• No mobile-friendliness
• Difficulty in exporting PDFs
• BizPlanBuilder for startups/ funding/ MBA students: $97/ year (add as many team members as you want for $10/ year each)
• BizPlan Builder for growing the company/ strategic planning/ growth financing: $27/ month (add an unlimited number of team, advisors, investors for $1/ month each)

VISIT BIZPLANBUILDER

Cuttles is a fully interactive and guided business plan software that helps entrepreneurs build, understand and grow their business.

Their web app has all the features and in-app guides you need to create a startup pitch, write a business plan, define a startup team, do budgets and financial projections. It’s simpler, faster and more impactful than ever to start a business.

• Cloud-based web app
• Strong focus on simplicity with UX and design
• Freemium version
• Fully guided and customisable business plan
• One-page pitch section for investors
• Financial forecasts and budgets
• Team feature to showcase your team
• Available in 6 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, & Danish
• Share & Export options: Share with links, export to PDF, & invite members to view in the app
• Student discounts and diversity pricing initiatives
• Freemium - limited features: no help guides, no share/export, no budgets feature
• Seed Plan - 1 startup, 1 member, all features - €8 (billed annually)
• Grow Plan - 1 startup, unlimited members (collaboration), all features - €16 (billed annually)
• Series Plan - unlimited startups, unlimited members, all features - €48 (billed annually)

VISIT CUTTLES

Upmetrics is a well-rounded business demand planning software that helps small businesses and entrepreneurs find success in their business planning processes and growth strategies.

Are you just starting your business? Easily create a polished, professional business plan that lenders and investors will appreciate. Upmetrics simplifies the process of writing a business plan with step-by-step guidance, 200+ sample plans, and excellent customer support.

Are you looking to grow your business? Make confident decisions by forecasting your financials, and preparing your budget in Upmetrics.

Upmetrics is used by over 100K+ entrepreneurs all across the globe to plan their businesses and collaborate with remote teams to create growth strategies. Along with that, the software makes it easier to keep track of your projects and customize your plans as per your needs and requirements.

Key features: -Business Plan Builder -Financial Forecasting -Pitch Deck Creator -Business Models -200+ Sample Business Plans -Business Plan Cover Pages -Share With Pride -Comments & Feedback

Pros: -Business plan builder:- Guides you on creating your business plan at every step so you can have the clarity and confidence to excel in your business. -Financial forecast:- Finance is the lifeline of any business. With our financial forecasting tool, create accurate financial sheets to convince investors & banks of your business viability and calculate your monthly & yearly financial projection. -Pitch deck designer:- With our pitch deck designer, make your business pitch ready and present your business to investors & banks with confidence! -Business Model Canvas:- Business Model canvases bring planning and collaboration to the next level with great canvases and a great app.

Cons: -We dont have the real time live tracking of system -Our business plan templates are kinda generic -Our finanical forecast is limited to only 5 years

Pricing: -Upmetrics: Free Demo - $0 -Upmetrics Solo: $9 per month -Upmetrics Team: $14 per month -Upmetrics Premium: $48 per month

VISIT UPMETRICS

Launched in 2007, iPlanner has been helping many businesses raise finance for growth, manage risks, and improve internal communication. The software is designed as a planner for new enterprises, but it can also function as a project management tool.

The business modeling framework helps you generate a business model in real-time while collaborating efficiently with your team members. Plus, it offers various user-friendly business plan templates, such as venture capital business plan, restaurant business plan, elevator pitch, etc.

The software is also equipped with a financial engine to gauge different metrics, like sales, quantities sold, forecast price, and more. Moreover, all the projects have separate and secure URLs to protect your confidential business information.

You can integrate iPlanner with Microsoft Office and Dropbox, so collaboration and contribution are extremely easy. There’s also a huge library of how-to articles and business plan samples to help you stay on track.

• Business plan templates
• Step-by-step wizard to help you right from the start
• Financial templates and projections
• Integrate with Dropbox and Microsoft Office
• Expert mentors provide personalized assistance
• Available customer support via emails, how-to guides, and expert consultation
• Premade industry-specific templates to create custom business plans
• Feed-in content from different external sources, such as websites, MS Word, Excel, corporate intranets, etc.
• Regular backup of your data on the cloud
• Pretty old-school interface
• No monthly pricing option
• Professional plan: $55 (billed annually, 1 project)
• Corporate plan: $93 (billed annually, 12 projects)
• Corporate Plus plan: Custom pricing

VISIT IPLANNER

Business Sorter is a cloud-based solution that offers the content to create plans you can share and keep track on. The content covers six key areas, including finance, sales, brand, people, operations, and goods and services.

The platform promises to simplify and speed up business planning via a novel 273 card sort system that covers many common situations. You can also include, edit the existing cards, delete, or add your own ones.

You can keep everything, including your ideas and thoughts, at a centralized location. It also offers tips and advice at every step to help you put your strategy into action. Unlike some software with videos, the educational resources here are provided as Word files and PDFs, which can be quicker to access, but harder to follow for some beginners.

• Card-based planning system with 273 digital cards
• Built-in tips and additional information
• Add team members and assign tasks
• Multi-device access
• Secure data protection
• Innovative, visual plan builder
• Unique card sort system to simplify planning
• Real-time collaboration with an unlimited number of users
• Regular updates for free
• Strong data security
• 14-day business trial
• Limited in financial planning needs
• No video educational resources
• Small Team plan: $80/ year (3 users, billed annually)
• Medium Team plan: $240/ year (10 users, billed annually)
• Large Team plan: $640/ year (30 users, billed annually)
• Enterprise plan: custom pricing (unlimited users)

VISIT BUSINESS SORTER

MAUS MasterPlan is an Australian business plans solution with more than 60,000 clients worldwide. It aims to make the creation and implementation of your business strategy simple by offering templates, walkthroughs, and education for every step of the process.

You can generate detailed action plans based on your specific goals and projections for the future. Moreover, it’s possible to delegate tasks within the program and track progress.

If you want to calculate your finances, you just need to put the details, and it’ll do the rest. Other than that, it allows your team members to access your plans. You can invite them to help you with the business plan and invite your accountant to review once more once you’re done with the work.

MAUS MasterPlan includes information about segmentation, so it’s easy to break large markets down into smaller ones. According to that, you’re able to create different strategies for the various segments. More than financial reports for budgeting and projections, the tool can generate marketing and performance reports.

• Step-by-step wizard guides you through the whole strategic planning process
• Create cash flow and financial budgets & 5-year forecasts
• Market segmentation features
• Collaboration features
• Easy to use
• Detailed statement and impressive graphs
• Automated action plan monitors different tasks to keep the whole team on track
• Expensive for startups and small businesses
• Real-time errors occur sometimes
• Business planning & HR Pack: $97/ month
• MasterPlan Lean: $299/ year
• Business Planning Pack: $499/ year

VISIT MAUS MASTERPLAN

Last but not least, as one of the best business plan tools out there, The Business Plan Shop can help you generate a simple yet effective plan.

The software features a user-friendly interface and clean design. Once you sign up, you will enjoy an in-depth business plan together with instructions that you need to make one.

More than that, its financial forecasting section will collect your product and service information, so you can play around with the figures and come up with the right directions for your business. It can help you to forecast for up to 3 or 5 years.

• A financial forecast over 3 or 5 years
• Step-by-step guide with instructions and examples
• Exports to MS Word or PDF format
• Chart, break-even point analysis, financial analysis, and credit analysis
• Quite easy to use
• Clear instructions and examples for each section of your business plan
• Strong data protection
• Helpful educational materials
• Limited business planning features
• Can’t import financial information from spreadsheets
• Monthly plan: $22/ month
• Yearly plan: $12.5/ month

VISIT THE BUSINESS PLAN SHOP

Now that you’ve read through the 10+ best business plan software available, it’s time to decide which one is best for you. It can be helpful to consider specific features you’re looking for, as well as your business budget. By doing so, you will have a set of criteria in mind when you explore different solutions.

For future recommendations, don’t forget to bookmark this blog post. We’ll continuously update it with juicy content that helps you create a solid business plan for any projects.

Make sure your store is not only in good shape but also thriving with a professional team yet at an affordable price.

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Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Find the best Microsoft 365 plan for your business

Customers can choose between plans with and without microsoft teams., microsoft 365 business basic.

Originally starting from $6.00 now starting from $6.00

$6.00 $6.00

(Annual subscription–auto renews) 1

Apps and services to kick-start your business, including:

Identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees

Custom business email ([email protected])

Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Chat, call, and video conference with Microsoft Teams

1 TB of cloud storage per employee

• 10+ additional apps for your business needs (Microsoft Bookings, Planner, Forms, and others)

Automatic spam and malware filtering

Anytime phone and web support

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Originally starting from $12.50 now starting from $12.50

$12.50 $12.50

Everything in Business Basic, plus:

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Webinars with attendee registration and reporting

New : Collaborative workspaces to co-create using Microsoft Loop

New : Video editing and design tools with Microsoft Clipchamp  

Copilot for Microsoft 365 available as an add-on. 3

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Originally starting from $22.00 now starting from $22.00

$22.00 $22.00

Everything in Business Standard, plus:

Advanced identity and access management

Enhanced cyberthreat protection against viruses and phishing attacks

Enterprise-grade device and endpoint protection

Discover, classify, and protect sensitive information

Microsoft 365 Apps for business

Originally starting from $8.25 now starting from $8.25

$8.25 $8.25

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook:

 Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

1 TB of cloud storage per user

Add Copilot to your Microsoft plan 3  

Sign in to add Copilot to your existing Microsoft 365 business plan.

If you’re not an existing customer, buy a Microsoft 365 plan to get started.

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Help me choose the right Microsoft 365 plan

Learn more about microsoft 365 for business, learn more about microsoft 365 for enterprise, get just the microsoft 365 desktop apps, frequently asked questions, what is microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365 is the productivity cloud designed to help everyone achieve what matters, in their work and life, with best-in-class Microsoft 365 apps, intelligent cloud services, and advanced security.

On how many devices can I install Microsoft 365 apps if I have a Microsoft 365 business plan?

Install Microsoft 365 apps on up to five PCs or Macs, five tablets, and five mobile devices. Hybrid Windows devices, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, count as either a PC or a tablet.

What forms of payment can I use?

All major credit cards are accepted. When paying with a credit card, your subscription amount will appear on your credit card statement. Existing customers may be eligible to pay by invoice and can contact support to check their eligibility for this payment method.  Learn more about paying by invoice . For Microsoft 365 business plans, depending on your choice of service, you'll be billed monthly or annually.

What's the difference between monthly, annual, and annual commitment payments?

To provide you with the greatest amount of flexibility, different payment options are available.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Apps for business, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium plans are available for monthly commitment payment or annual commitment payment.

• Monthly commitment payment:  Pay month by month and cancel at any time.
• Annual commitment payment:  Sign up for a one-year subscription and benefit from a discount for using this payment option. By default, your billing plan will be set to monthly billing. After your purchase, you can change your billing plan to annual billing within the Microsoft 365 admin center. The Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Office 365 Enterprise plans (including standalone plans such as Exchange Online) and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise are available for annual commitment payment.
• Annual commitment payment:  Sign up for a one-year subscription and choose to pay monthly or for the entire year at the time you sign up.

Can I convert my trial to a paid subscription and retain all my settings and files?

Yes. If you purchase Microsoft 365 licenses for the accounts you create during your free trial, the information and configuration for these users' accounts will remain intact. Once your free trial expires, you’ll have an additional 30 days to purchase Microsoft 365 before your account information is erased. Once your trial account information has been erased, it can’t be retrieved.

Does Microsoft 365 work when I'm not connected to the internet?

The Microsoft 365 apps that you install on your PC or Mac—such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook—are available to you when you’re not online. 

With OneDrive in Microsoft 365, get file storage that you can access when you’re offline. When you make changes while offline, they’ll be synced to OneDrive and across the rest of your devices when you reconnect.

With Outlook, read emails already delivered to your inbox, or draft new emails and meeting requests. Your inbox and outbox will sync across the rest of your devices when you reconnect.

What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?

Your data is yours. If you decide to cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription, download your data—for example, your email and documents on team sites—and save it to another location. You should save your data before you cancel. After you cancel your subscription, data associated with your Microsoft 365 account will be available to your administrator(s) in a limited function account for 90 days.

Where can I find more answers to frequently asked questions?

Find more answers to frequently asked questions on the  Microsoft 365 for business FAQ page .

What is Microsoft Defender for Business?

Microsoft Defender for Business is an endpoint security solution designed to help businesses with up to 300 employees. It helps protect against cybersecurity threats, including malware and ransomware, in an easy-to-use, cost-effective package. Microsoft Defender for Business is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and is available as a standalone product.  Learn more .

How many users can I host for online meetings and video calls using Microsoft Teams?

With Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscriptions that have a Microsoft Teams license, you can host online meetings and video calls for up to 300 people.

With Microsoft 365 E3 and E5, Microsoft 365 A3 and A5, and Microsoft 365 Government G3 and G5 subscriptions that have a Microsoft Teams license, this limit increases up to 1,000 people. Learn more . 

For IT providers, what are the options to manage more than one customer at a time?

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who are part of Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Provider program can use Microsoft 365 Lighthouse as one central place to secure, manage, and grow their customers using Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Defender for Business, and Microsoft 365 for enterprise and education products.  Learn more .

Copilot for Microsoft 365 frequently asked questions

Find more answers to frequently asked questions. Learn more .

• [1] Once your paid subscription begins, cancellation policies vary based on your status as a new customer and your product and domain selections on Microsoft. Learn more . Cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription any time by going to the Microsoft 365 admin center. When a subscription is canceled, all associated data will be deleted. Learn more about data retention, deletion, and destruction in Microsoft 365 .
• [2] After your one-month free trial ends, your subscription will automatically convert into a 12-month paid subscription and you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancel anytime during your free trial to stop future charges. Credit card required to sign-up. Learn more .
• [3] Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase,  enterprise customers  must have a license for Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 or Office 365 E3 or E5, and  business customers  must have a license for Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium, or a version of these suites that no longer includes Microsoft Teams.

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Office 2021 vs. Microsoft 365: How to choose

Microsoft office may be the most common productivity tool for corporate users, but it's not a one-size-fits-all suite. here are the differences between office 2021 and microsoft 365 and how to decide which is best for you..

Microsoft Office is how billions of people around the world go to work and school, whether they do it from home, an office, a classroom, or a combination of any of those. This suite of productivity tools is used by people working in 106 languages in nearly every country in the world, and it’s available in versions for personal, small business, enterprise, and educational use.

But there is more than one way to buy Office — or, rather, to buy the license to use it. There’s the “perpetual” version of Office that’s available as a one-time purchase; the most current version is Office 2021 . Then there’s the subscription version that lives in the cloud and for which you pay a monthly or annual fee. When this version was introduced in 2011, Microsoft called it Office 365 , later renaming it Microsoft 365 for personal and small business subscriptions. At the enterprise level, both Office 365 and Microsoft 365 plans are available. In this story, we’ll use “Microsoft 365” as shorthand for all “365” subscriptions unless we’re referring to a specific plan.

Why choose to buy it one way and not the other? The answer can be confusing, especially since each suite of tools includes most of the same applications, give or take.

Microsoft has made its preference clear: The company believes that “ the cloud will power the work of the future ” and would love it if everyone purchased Microsoft 365. There are lots of incentives for doing just that. But you have options.

Office 2021 vs. Microsoft 365: What to consider

• microsoft office: the options (plans and pricing), • how you pay for office, • how each version of office is serviced, • how office hooks up with cloud services.

Here’s help deciding which version of Office is right for you or your company.

Microsoft Office: The options

For personal use.

• Office Home & Student 2021: $150, one-time purchase for use on one computer; includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• Microsoft 365 Personal: $70 a year or $7 a month (1 user, multiple devices); includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams.
• Microsoft 365 Family: $100 a year or $10 a month (6 users, multiple devices); includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and Family Safety.

For small businesses

• Office Home & Business 2021: $250, one-time purchase for use on one computer; includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Office Professional 2021: $440, one-time purchase for use on one computer; includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access; works with Teams.
• Microsoft 365 Apps for business: $8.25/user/month (up to 300 users); includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Publisher, and Access.
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, and Premium: plans range from $6/user/month to $22/user/month (up to 300 users); tools included depend on the level of your subscription. Desktop versions of Word, Excel, and other Office apps require a Standard plan or higher; the Basic plan offers only web and mobile versions. All plans include Exchange email hosting, OneDrive, and SharePoint. The Premium plan adds advanced security and management features.

For enterprises

• Office LTSC 2021: available only through volume licensing ; this Office title stands for Long Term Servicing Channel — it’s the commercial version of Office 2021. According to Microsoft, it’s designed for regulated devices that can’t accept updates for security reasons and for systems that don’t connect to the internet. (Note, however, that it’s the only non-subscription version of Office available for large organizations.) Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, and Publisher.
• Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise: $12/user/month (up to 5 devices per user); annual commitment required; includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, OneNote, Access, and Publisher.
• Office 365 E1, E3, and E5: plans range from $10/user/month to $38/user/month; annual commitment required; tools included depend on the level of your subscription. Desktop versions of Word, Excel, and other Office apps require an E3 plan or higher; the E1 plan offers only web and mobile versions. All plans include Exchange Online, OneDrive, SharePoint Online, and additional enterprise services. The E5 plan adds advanced security, compliance, and management features.
• Microsoft 365 E3 and E5: plans range from $36/user/month to $57/user/month; annual commitment required; these plans offer most of the same features as the Office 365 E3 and E5 plans, and also include Windows and additional Microsoft services such as Visio.
• Other plans: Microsoft offers additional Office 365 and Microsoft 365 plans for education , government , and nonprofit organizations, and for frontline workers .

How you pay for Office

One big difference between the “2021” and “365” options is how you pay for them. If you are buying a “perpetual license” (such as with Office Home & Business 2021 or Office LTSC 2021 ), you pay a larger sum than with the subscription’s offerings under the Microsoft 365 or Office 365 brand, but you do so only once. When you subscribe to any of the Microsoft 365 or Office 365 plans, you pay annually or monthly.

Office 2021: a perpetual license

Whether you buy a single copy of Office 2021 in a retail outlet or download hundreds of seats via volume licensing, Microsoft calls this is a “one-time purchase” because you pay only once, not every month. (Labels like “perpetual,” which have been widely used by  Computerworld , technically note the type of license rather than payment methodology, but in this case, the kind of license is tied to whether it was bought outright or simply “rented.”)

Microsoft defines the term as when “…you pay a single, up-front cost to get Office applications for one computer.” Up-front is the key adjective there. You have to ante up the entire purchase price before you get the software.

That purchase of a license to legally run the software gives you the right to use that version of Office 2021 in perpetuity. In other words, the license has no expiration date, and users may run the suite for as long as they want. Pay for Office 2021 this year and use it for the next seven years? Fine. Use it to operate your space portal in the year 2050? Nothing to stop you. (Except hardware compatibility. Though you could probably find an old, refurbished computer and drag that into space.)

But if you want new features that come out with the next update, you will have to pay full price again, whatever that is, when the next version comes out — if one comes out. There are no upgrade options on the perpetual license packages.

Microsoft 365: Office as a service

Microsoft 365, the purchase method Microsoft would prefer you choose, is a subscription service, where you pay the software giant monthly or annually. There is a discount, sometimes a tempting one, for going with the annual payment plan over the monthly one. (All enterprise plans, from Enterprise E1 to E5, require an annual commitment.) And the company is always sweetening this pot by offering more apps than you get with the perpetual license products and with a continuous supply of new features.

Like any subscription, Microsoft 365 provides a service — in this case, the right to run the suite’s applications and access the associated services — only as long as payments continue. Stop paying, and rights to run the apps expire. This happens in a progressive way , giving you time to download your data or update your payment plan, whichever you choose.

For 30 days after non-payment, your plan will be “Expired.” You will still have access to all your apps and files. If you don’t activate it again while it’s in the Expired stage, it moves to “Disabled,” where it will stay for 90 days. You won’t be able to access your apps or data until you pay up. If you still don’t pay for your plan, it will be “Deleted.” At that point, it’s gone.

A Microsoft 365 license, then, is contingent on sustained payments. Halt the latter, and the license is revoked. Restart the payments — but don’t wait too long — to restore the license.

How each version of Office is serviced

Although payments define one difference between Office 2021 and Microsoft 365, Microsoft’s development and release pace is ultimately more important to users — and the IT professionals who support them.

Think of Office 2021 as traditional software — a bundle of tools that typically don’t change much until the next major version. That holds for servicing, too. Microsoft does release monthly security and quality updates for the perpetual license versions of Office. (You can check from within any Office app if there are updates available . From, say, a Word document, go to File > Account and look for Product Information . Then choose Update Options and Update Now .)

But Office 2021 doesn’t get the continually upgraded features and functionality that Microsoft 365 does. What you get when you buy the suite, feature-wise, is it. If you want the updates, at some point in the future, you will have to buy whatever version Microsoft is selling as a perpetual license then.

(The company says of the release of Office LTSC 2021, “While this will not be our last perpetual release, we continue to make investments that make it even easier for customers to adopt Microsoft 365.” And in an online explainer about all Office products, the company says, “We are happy to confirm our commitment to another release of the perpetual version of Office in the future, beyond this release.”)

Microsoft regularly releases feature and security updates for Microsoft 365 apps, though. And it releases them as they happen. As new features and functionality accrete, and the applications in Microsoft 365 evolve, Microsoft will decide it’s time for a new version of Office. It will then package some of those features into an upgraded suite for customers who continue to make one-time, up-front purchases. How long they keep doing this likely depends on how long there is a demand for these “locked in time” versions.

One other important note: Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 will be supported with security updates only through Oct. 13, 2026. That’s just five years of support, down from seven years in Office 2019 and 10 years in prior releases. In contrast, with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, support never runs out — as long as you keep paying, of course.

How Office hooks up with cloud services

One reason to choose Office 2021 over Microsoft 365 is internet access. If you don’t have reliable access to the cloud, can’t be connected to the internet for security reasons, or — for whatever reason, maybe you live on a remote mountaintop — your computer is often offline, this is the type of software you need.

In fact, internet access is one of the main reasons Microsoft can’t force us all to subscribe to Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 runs in apps that are downloaded to your computer, phone, or tablet, but those apps require near-constant internet access, especially if you use OneDrive and store all your files in the cloud.

In standard use, Microsoft 365 stops working if it can’t connect to the internet for 30 days. For some use cases, this is a deal breaker. But the company is making efforts to overcome this objection to the Microsoft 365 products. Last year, Microsoft launched features for enterprise users that allow Microsoft 365 keep working without issue even if it is offline for extended periods of time. An IT administrator has to set it up, but after that, a user can keep working, offline, for up to 180 days.

Office 2021, on the other hand, does not rely as heavily on an internet connection to operate, save files, and self-update. You can connect it when you have access and work offline when you don’t. This, as much as cost and a desire to stick to old-school software distribution models is, perhaps, the most compelling reason to insist on one of the perpetual license products.

Whichever license you ultimately choose, you will get many of the same tools. And the reasons for making one choice over another have less to do with price and features than with how you or your users work, support and security needs, reliability of internet access, online storage and collaboration needs, and how excited (or annoyed) you or your users are likely to be by new features that turn up, like a gift, in the software.

This article was originally published in July 2017 and most recently updated in June 2022.

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Windows 11: a guide to the updates, windows 10: a guide to the updates, intel unveils its ai roadmap, chips to rival nvidia, windows 11 insider previews: what’s in the latest build, from our editors straight to your inbox.

Gregg Keizer covers Windows, Office, Apple/enterprise, web browsers, and web apps for Computerworld.

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Nsa, microsoft implore enterprises to patch windows’ ‘bluekeep’ flaw before it’s too late, which macs will run apple’s macos big sur, how to make sense of windows updates and upgrades with microsoft’s new release dashboard, enterprise alert: microsoft slates next windows 10 long-term release for 2021.

Christina Wood is a freelance writer living in North Carolina. She blogs at GeekGirlfriends.com .

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Comparing Basic vs Premium Plans

Planner supports two different types of plans, Basic and Premium .  There are features that both plans support, and there are features that are only available to a specific plan. Updates are continuously being made to help close on the most critical gaps in the premium plan. 

The table below shows which features are included in each plan type. 

Note:  Access to some features depends on the user’s subscription. Visit Plans & Pricing to learn more about the different Planner subscriptions. 

1 Tasks assigned in premium plans will only appear for users who are members of the group associated with the plan.  Limited edit capabilities for premium tasks in the assigned to me view.  Users will need to open the premium plan to edit all the relevant fields.   

2 See Premium plan (Project for the web) limits . 

3 Conversations require the premium plan to be added to a Teams channel.  

4 Viva Goals integration needs to be enabled see Enable Integrations in Viva Goals | Microsoft Learn  

Application and Workflows 

Applications and workflows that have been built to interact with basic plans will require modification to work on premium plans. 

To provide product feedback, click here . 

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