Powerful business plan templates
Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion..
Put your ideas to work with simple templates for every business plan
Every successful business took a lot of planning to get there, and these templates will be cornerstones of your future success. Whether you're looking to attract new business, pitch your services or reimagine your company, with these simple, customizable templates at your fingertips you can turn complexity into something tangible. These templates can become marketing assets or simply remain internal touchpoints for your team. And as your dreams change, you'll always have this template to refer to – it's easy to change what exists on paper. If you're a small business, focusing on your niche can help you dominate in your field, and you can forge a plan to figure out exactly what that niche might be and how to target your ideal customer . When it's time to share your vision with stakeholders, craft a presentation that outlines your plan succinctly and with style. Let these templates from Microsoft Designer be your partner in business strategy for years to come.
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🤖 Free Business Plan Generator (AI-Powered)
Starting a business is an exciting journey, filled with aspirations and ambitions, yet crafting a solid business plan can sometimes feel like navigating through a dense fog. The AI-Powered Business Plan Generator shines a light on this path, offering a straightforward way to outline your vision, strategies, and financial forecasts. By providing customized, coherent business plans, this tool assists in laying down the foundation of your entrepreneurial dream, ensuring every aspect is addressed. It simplifies the planning process, enabling you to focus on bringing your business idea to life with confidence and clarity.
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Writing a business plan can often feel like navigating through a dense forest without a map. You know your destination—securing investment, defining your business strategy, or setting clear objectives—but the path isn't always clear. Enter the AI-powered business plan generator, a tool designed to illuminate the way forward. This guide will walk you through the essentials of crafting a comprehensive business plan, touching upon the traditional elements that captivate stakeholders. In the final stretch, we'll introduce how an AI-powered business plan generator can streamline this process, making it more accessible and less time-consuming.
How to create a Business Plan
Now that you're familiar with the executive summary, let's tackle how you can create the rest of your business plan.
You can start manually by outlining your plan's structure and filling in the details step by step, or opt for a business plan generator to streamline the process.
Either method requires careful consideration of each section to ensure your plan is thorough and compelling.
Manual Methods for creating a Business Plan
You'll start with the Executive Summary, distilling your business idea into a compelling snapshot that captures attention.
Next, you'll outline your Company Overview, providing a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for.
Then, lay out your Business Objectives, Products and Services, and your Market Analysis Approach to build a solid foundation for your plan.
Executive Summary Essentials
Although it's often crafted last, the Executive Summary stands as the crucial opener of your business plan. It distills key aspects such as your mission, product highlights, and financial ambitions for quick investor insight. It encapsulates your company's essence for investors and maps out the business plan development milestones.
Ensure it crisply outlines your executive summary, underscoring the company's financial goals. This will help capture investors' attention right off the bat.
Company Overview
Begin your company overview by detailing your business's foundational elements, including its name, location, and the team driving its operations.
Here's what to include:
- A clear description of your business structure and ownership.
- The mission statement that defines your business's purpose.
- An outline of the products or services you offer.
- Background information that paints a picture of your company's history and objectives.
Business Objectives
To set your business on the path to success, start by defining clear and measurable objectives that reflect both your immediate and long-term aspirations.
Align your business objectives with strategic objectives to meet financial goals.
Conduct market research to fine-tune your target market strategies .
Ensure company goals are realistic and adaptable, setting a course for growth and market competitiveness.
Regular updates keep your plan relevant.
Products and Services
After setting clear business objectives, focus on articulating the core of your offering by detailing the products and services your business provides. Your description should also include:
- Unique features and benefits of each product or service.
- Specific products' competitive advantages.
- Your strategy for sales, distribution, and supply chain.
- Trademarks and market placement for your products and services.
Market Analysis Approach
A thorough market analysis is crucial for your business plan as it reveals the dynamics within your target market and guides your competitive strategy .
You'll identify potential customers, understand established market trends, and analyze how competitors differentiate themselves.
This knowledge shapes your sales plan and informs your marketing and sales efforts, highlighting opportunities in an otherwise crowded marketplace and showcasing your grasp of the competitive landscape.
Marketing and Sales Strategies
Crafting a marketing and sales strategy requires precise identification of your target customers to ensure your message resonates and spurs action. Here's how to proceed:
- Define your target market for the new product.
- Develop a pricing and sales channel approach.
- Design a marketing plan with promotional tactics.
- Analyze market trends to refine your strategy.
Stay focused on meeting customer needs and differentiating from competitors.
Financial Analysis and Projections
Diving into the financials, you'll need to gather historical data and conduct a thorough analysis of revenue streams , costs, and profit margins to inform your projections for the next three to five years.
Your financial plan hinges on these insights.
Operations Plan
To ensure your business runs like a well-oiled machine, start by mapping out your key operational processes and procedures. Your operations plan is a vital section of your business plan. Here's what to include:
- Outline technology's role in business operations.
- Develop a comprehensive staffing plan.
- Establish a robust inventory management system.
- Implement quality control measures to provide additional assurance of product or service excellence.
Funding Requirements
Having established the operational foundations of your business, let's now focus on determining the capital necessary to fuel your growth and operational needs.
Outline your funding requirements by presenting clear financial data, including projected income, balance sheets, and cash flows.
You'll need this to secure funding from venture capital firms or potential investors, ensuring they grasp how their capital will propel your business towards its targets.
Appendices and Exhibits
When crafting your business plan, don't overlook the appendices and exhibits; these sections provide the substantiating details that reinforce your proposal's integrity. Include:
Documents that outline key personnel qualifications and experience.
Details on intellectual property, such as patents.
Additional information for financial institutions, like credit histories.
Contracts, leases, or other legal documents relevant to your business.
Using a Business Plan Generator
You might wonder why you'd use a Business Plan Generator—these tools streamline the planning process, making it easier for you to focus on the core aspects of your strategy.
To get started, you'll follow a series of steps that help structure your executive summary, goals, and market analysis within a proven framework.
The benefits are clear: using a generator can save you time and provide you with a professional, investor-ready plan.
Steps to use the Business Plan Generator
To create a business plan using a generator, start by selecting a template that aligns with your industry and business type.
Here are the steps to use a business plan generator:
- Identify Your Business Details : Start by providing the name of your business and the industry it operates in. This foundational step sets the stage for the tailored guidance the generator can offer.
- Describe Your Offerings : Clearly articulate what products or services your business sells or offers. This will help the generator understand the value proposition of your business.
- Define Your Target Audience : Specify who your ideal customers are, including demographic information. Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating a focused and effective business plan.
- Outline Your Marketing Plan : Detail your strategies for promoting your business. This includes how you plan to reach your target audience and differentiate yourself from competitors.
- Detail Your Operational Strategy : Explain how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis. Include information on your supply chain, logistics, and any other operational details.
- Provide Financial Information : Input how much money you need to start your business and project how much revenue it will generate. This financial planning is critical for assessing the feasibility of your business idea.
- Set Business Objectives : List what you aim to achieve with your business in the short term and the long term. These goals will guide the direction of your business strategy.
- Click on Generate : After entering all the necessary information, click the "generate" button to create your personalised business plan. This plan will be tailored to the specifics of your business, providing a roadmap for success.
Benefits of using a Business Plan Generator
Harnessing a business plan generator can significantly streamline the process, saving you both time and effort as you craft a detailed blueprint for your venture.
Here are the benefits:
- Provides a structured framework to write a business plan efficiently.
- Helps identify opportunities in new markets.
- Enhances financial literacy through budgeting and forecasting tools.
- Clarifies business objectives, aiding in communication with stakeholders.
Tips for Creating a Business Plan
When crafting your business plan these tips collectively form a comprehensive business plan, providing a roadmap for your business and presenting a compelling case to investors and lenders.
Here are the tips for creating a business plan:
- Articulate your mission and vision succinctly.
- Outline your offerings and financial ambitions.
- Provide a snapshot of your business's financial health and market potential.
- Clarify the business structure ( sole proprietorship , partnership, corporation).
- Highlight ownership details.
- Showcase key employees, emphasizing their expertise.
- Define short- and long-term goals for your business.
- Align goals with your strategic direction.
- Establish a direct link between financing needs and future growth.
- Describe your offerings and emphasize how they meet market needs.
- Support claims with market research.
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of your competition.
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Free Business Plan Generator
Do you still spend hours writing and creating a business plan? Not after today. Upmetrics’ free business plan generator simplifies writing a business plan and helps you create a comprehensive and compelling lean plan in seconds.
Sounds exciting? Let’s learn more about getting started with our free business plan generator and using it to draft your plan.
Using Upmetrics’ Free Business Plan Generator
Need help using the free business plan generator? Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a business plan using the free generator in no time.
Creating a business plan requires filling in 4 critical fields—company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and financial overview. Let’s start with the first.
1. Enter the Company Overview
Provide a company overview in approximately 3-4 sentences, including your business’s name, service offerings, USPs, mission, goals, and target market. Here’s an example for you:
2. Add Marketing Details
The next step—provide marketing details. Start by answering how your business plans to attract new customers and what you want to achieve with your business.
You may also include details about your marketing budget and preferred marketing channels. Here’s an example for your reference:
“i.e. We will attract customers through a strong online presence, social media marketing, and in-store promotions. Offering loyalty programs and hosting community biking events will help build a loyal customer base.”
3. Enter Competitor Information
After adding the marketing details, provide the name of your primary competitor(s) and explain how you are distinct from your competitors.
Describe whether your offerings have any competitive advantages or differentiators. Here’s how it can be done:
“i.e. Our primary competitor is ‘Wheels & Gears,’ but what sets us apart is our personalized customer service and expert bike repair services. We also differentiate ourselves by focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable products.”
4. Provide Financial Overview
Finally,—provide an overview of your business financials. Include what your startup costs are, what your financial strategy would be, and your first-year sales.
We are creating a lean business plan, so it may not require a detailed description of your business financials. Here’s an example for your understanding:
“i.e. Our expected business costs are $87,000 and that includes rent, inventory, equipment, and staff salaries. Our financial strategy is to minimize overhead costs and optimize inventory turnover. We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year.”
5. Click on Generate a Business Plan
You’ve filled in all the necessary fields. It’s time to click “Generate a Business Plan” and see it yourself.
Your lean business plan is ready; you may make a few changes and go ahead with it or choose an AI business plan generator for comprehensive planning.
Make detailed business & financial plans in minutes with
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Business Plan Example that will Inspire You
We created this sample CycleWave business plan using Upmetrics’ free generator. Remember, it’s your first draft—you can always go back and re-generate or edit it later.
CycleWave Business Plan
Introduction
Welcome to the business plan for CycleWave, a bicycle retail and repair shop dedicated to providing high-quality bikes and expert maintenance services. Our mission is to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling while offering exceptional customer service.
Market Overview
The cycling industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing interest in health, sustainability, and alternative transportation methods.
The target market includes cycling enthusiasts, commuters, and local community members.
Strong market potential due to growing awareness of the need for eco-friendly and sustainable products.
Competitive Analysis
Primary competitor: Wheels & Gears.
Differentiation factors
- Personalized customer service
- Expertise in bike repair services
- Focus on eco-friendly and sustainable products.
Highlight the advantages of our unique offerings to attract customers away from competitors.
Marketing Plan
Utilize a solid online presence through a professional website to showcase our products, services, and promotions. Implement social media marketing strategies to engage with customers and build brand awareness.
Host community biking events to foster a sense of belonging and attract potential customers. Offer loyalty programs to incentivize repeat business and build a loyal customer base.
Operational Plan
Secure a suitable retail location with ample space for displaying bicycles and providing repair services. Employ knowledgeable staff with expertise in bike repair and customer service.
Create efficient processes for inventory management and maintenance repairs to ensure fast turnaround times. Maintain an attractive and organized store layout to enhance the customer experience.
Financial Plan
Our expected business costs are $87,000, allocated as follows:
- Rent: $30,000
- Inventory: $40,000
- Equipment: $10,000
- Staff Salaries: $7,000
We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year, allowing us to gradually cover expenses and increase profitability.
Conclusion and Call to Action
In conclusion, CycleWave aims to thrive in the bicycle retail and repair industry by offering high-quality bikes, expert maintenance services, personalized customer care, and eco-friendly products. Join us in promoting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling.
If you want to support our mission and become part of our cycling community, please contact us or visit our store today!
Upgrade to Make Comprehensive Plans in Minutes
Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is undoubtedly a better way to business plan. However, you may need an upgrade to create a comprehensive, investment-ready plan.
AI business plan generator like Upmetrics make business plan creation a breeze with their modern AI-powered features.
AI writing assistant helps you write, rewrite, edit, or translate sections of your plan, while the forecasting assistant provides revenue and expense stream suggestions for accurate projections.
You also get to access the massive library of 400+ sample business plans . So, all you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI .
What are you waiting for? Business planning starts @ $7 per month.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a free business plan generator.
The free business plan generator is a free-to-use version of Upmetrics’ business plan software. It uses AI-powered features to help users create a business plan. Since it can only create a lean business plan, you need Upmetrics’ advanced features for detailed planning.
Is it really free to use?
Yes, Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is 100% free to use, but the features that come with it are also limited. So, you may consider getting a premium subscription for advanced business planning features.
What information will I need to provide to use the tool?
You must fill in the necessary details to create a business plan using the free generator. The information required may include a company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and a financial overview.
What type of businesses should use your free business plan tool?
Startups and small businesses starting up or operating on tight budgets should consider getting a free business planning tool to create a lean business plan.
Is there a limit to how many plans I can create with your software?
No. As of now, there’s no limit to the number of business plans you can create using Upmetrics’ free business plan generator.
Is a sample plan as useful as creating my own custom version?
Using a sample business plan or template is one of the easiest ways to create your business plan. All you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI.
The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan
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7 of the Best Business Plan Templates You Can Download for Free Right Now
A little guidance from one or more of these templates will help transform your business idea into a concrete plan that can attract investors..
Your business plan serves as the roadmap for your company. It helps you iron out details like your marketing plan, target market, financial projections, and more. Plus, if you're seeking any sort of venture capital investment , you'll need a professional business plan as part of your slide deck.
Writing a good business plan takes some thought and time. Working off of a template can make the process easier and ensure you don't leave out anything important. Luckily, there are some top-notch business plan templates available for free to help you get started.
1. Oprah.com's One-Page Templates
Sometimes, a simple one-page business plan template is the best. Oprah.com offers three sample templates already filled in for different businesses. You can get ideas from these completed models and easily adapt them to suit your business.
Oprah's site doesn't offer quite enough variety of business types or templates here for my taste. But, with all your plan's details on one page, these provide a more manageable way to get started outlining your small business. That's especially true if longer, multi-page business plans look a little too overwhelming right now.
2. My Own Business Institute's Comprehensive Plan Template
My Own Business Institute offers a comprehensive template broken down into 15 different sections. This template covers everything from your vision for your new business, to acquisitions, cash flow, and more.
The formatting is basic and easy to edit, refine, and make your own. The sections and prompts do get you actively thinking about business components you may not have planned out yet. This particular template may be a bit too detailed for some startup founders, but that could make it a better candidate for taking portions and combining them with other templates.
3. BizGym Funding Plan Templates
If you already know you'll be reaching out to potential investors, the BizGym free business plan template may be an ideal choice. This template is designed specifically to help you pitch your startup business. You can access one-page plans, executive summary versions, and full business plans.
You can even invite teammates to work on and edit the plan online, allowing for a collaborative effort. One of the cons with this template is that you have to sign up for a free BizGym membership to gain access.
4. The Balance's Business Plan Template
If you're new to writing a business plan, The Balance's template is one of the most user-friendly options you'll find. This template is the most helpful one on the list in my opinion because it's such a comprehensive and well written guide and helps you through every section.
One of the cons here is that there's a lot to sift through that many entrepreneurs may not need. However, the template has an advantage in that you can copy and paste it into a Word document, giving you flexibility for editing.
5. BPlans' Modern, Professional Template
The BPlans template incorporates everything you'll want if you plan to approach investors or secure a loan for your business. Students at universities like Princeton and Babson have used this one as they learn how to start a business.
This template digs into the details that matter to investors and banks, which may not be a fit for new founders who just want to get the basics of their business on paper. It will get more advanced founders to think like an investor though. If you're not sure how to get started, BPlans' library offers more than 500 sample business plans for inspiration.
6. Business.Govt.Nz's Template
The Business.Govt.Nz business plan template includes guides and prompts to help you think about the details of your business, from company description to competitive analysis. It outlines steps you'll need to take for marketing strategy, funding, and more. The site does offers a couple of thorough plans, but there isn't as much variety to pick from here compared to other resources.
7. Plan Buildr's Step-By-Step Plan
The Plan Buildr template is a more brief, less overwhelming template and can be completed in just 10 minutes. It's broken down into simple steps and it will even calculate financials for you. One of the cons here is that it's just not as comprehensive as others on my list. It can, however, be an ideal choice for your first draft, especially as you're still ironing out details of your financial plan.
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Business Plan Templates
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2 Essential Templates For Starting Your Business. Available as an interactive PDF or a Google Docs template.
With this business plan template, you'll be able to:
- Write a company description that sells your story
- Plan for the future: lay out goals and metrics for success
- Describe your product line in detail and plan for how to stand out from competitors
- Consider any legal formalities that require attention when starting your business
- Put together necessary financial projections to make a strong start
- Create your buyer persona and determine your product/marketing fit
Build A Business Plan That Works
Available as a one-page interactive PDF and a full template on both Google Docs and Microsoft Word!
Whether you’re starting a business or drafting a formalized document with your current business goals, it’s important to clearly defi ne the scope of all aspects of the venture — from mission, to target customers, to fi nances, and beyond.
When just starting out, it can be tempting to think of a business plan as simply your company’s name and a description of your product or service. But in reality, planning a business involves thinking through a lot more details.
In this business plan template we’ll guide you through the steps of writing company and product descriptions, setting sales and marketing goals and plans, and thinking through legal and fi nancial logistics. We've included a plain text, designed , and completed example version of this template.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you write a business plan.
A business plan is a formal written document that you can use to identify the purpose of your company, make important decisions about your future and help grow your company. HubSpot's free business plan templates provides guidance to establishing your company mission, customer research, competition, and a business strategy to profitability.
Why do I need to fill out the information requested?
We will always keep your personal information safe..
We ask for your information in exchange for a valuable resource in order to (a) improve your browsing experience by personalizing the HubSpot site to your needs; (b) send information to you that we think may be of interest to you by email or other means; (c) send you marketing communications that we think may be of value to you. You can read more about our privacy policy here .
Where can I get a free business plan template?
HubSpot's Free Business Plan Templates are the best way to create a professional, thorough business plan. The templates include instructions and everything you need to know about starting your company.
Is this really free?
Absolutely.
Just sharing some free knowledge that we hope you’ll find useful. Keep us in mind next time you have marketing questions!
What are the basic format of a business plan?
A business plan is a written document that outlines the company's goals, strategy and implementation. The format of the plan varies depending on the type of organization (e.g., for-profit or nonprofit) and size, but most plans share some common features such as an overview, executive summary, and financial information.
What is the best business plan template?
A great business plan template clearly defines the scope of the venture -- from mission, to target customers, to finances, and beyond. HubSpot's business plan template will guide you through the steps of writing company and product descriptions, setting sales and marketing goals and plans, and thinking through legal and financial logistics.
What is needed to start a business?
If you're thinking about starting a business, you'll need to do some research first. You can't just start a business without doing any market research. Market research will tell you if there's an opportunity to turn your idea into a successful business. After that, write your business plan so that you know how much money and time it will take for the project to succeed. Use HubSpot's free business plan template today!
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Simple Business Plan Templates
By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020
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In this article, we’ve compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats.
On this page, you’ll find a one-page business plan template , a simple business plan for startups , a small-business plan template , a business plan outline , and more. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.
Simple Business Plan Template
Download Simple Business Plan Template
Word | PDF
This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.
One-Page Business Plan Template
Download One-Page Business Plan Template
Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet
Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business.
For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."
Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.
For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."
Simple Business Plan for Startup
Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word
This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."
Simple Small-Business Plan Template
Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template
This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.
Lean Business Plan Template
Download Lean Business Plan Template
This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.
Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.
Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Excel | Smartsheet
This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.
Simple Business Plan Rubric Template
Download Simple Business Plan Rubric
Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.
Basic Business Plan Sample
Download Basic Business Plan Sample
This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.
For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”
Main Components of a Business Plan
The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business.
Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:
- Company name and contact information
- Website address
- The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
- Table of Contents
- Company background and purpose
- Mission and vision statement
- Management team introduction
- Core product and service offerings
- Target customers and segments
- Marketing plan
- Competitive analysis
- Unique value proposition
- Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
- Business and industry overview
- Historical timeline of your business
- Offerings and the problem they solve
- Current alternatives
- Competitive advantage
- Market size
- Target market segment(s)
- Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
- Differentiation from competitors
- Pricing strategy
- Marketing channels
- Promotional plan
- Distribution methods
- Legal structure of your business
- Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
- Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
- Staffing requirements and training plans
- Physical location(s) of your business
- Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
- Production workflow
- Raw materials and sourcing methods
- Projected income statement
- Projected cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Break-even analysis
- Charts and graphs
- Market research and competitive analysis
- Information about your industry
- Information about your offerings
- Samples of marketing materials
- Other supporting materials
Tips for Creating a Business Plan
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan.
- Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
- Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
- Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
- Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
- Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
- Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
- Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
- What product or service are we offering?
- Who is the product or service for?
- What problem does our product or service offering solve?
- How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
- Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
- How can we outperform our competitors?
- What is our unique value proposition?
- When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
- If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
- When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
- What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
- When do you expect to be profitable?
To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .
Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template
Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons.
Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:
- Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
- Provides structure to help outline your plan
- Saves time and valuable resources
- Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details
Limitations of a Business Plan Template
A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.
Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:
- Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
- A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
- Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
- You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
- Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).
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- 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.
Cloud-based software | $12.00/mo. | 60-day money back guarantee | ||
Windows app and cloud-based software | $20.75/mo. | 60-day money back guarantee | ||
Professional service | Custom quote | N/A | ||
Cloud-based software | $10.00/mo. | 14 days | ||
Cloud-based software | $39.00/mo. | N/A |
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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
$12.00/mo. | $15.00/mo. | ||
$24.00/mo. | $30.00/mo. |
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
$20.75/mo. | $29.00/mo. | $349.00 |
---|
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
N/A | N/A | Custom quote |
---|
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
$10.00/mo. | $80.00/yr. | ||
$30.00/mo. | $240.00/yr. | ||
$80.00/mo. | $640.00/yr. | ||
Custom pricing | Custom 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
$39.00/mo. | ||
$49.00/mo. | ||
$199.00/mo. |
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
$899.00/yr. | $99.00/mo. | N/A | ||
$11.00/mo. | $19.95/mo. | N/A |
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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Our mission is to help consumers make informed purchase decisions. While we strive to keep our reviews as unbiased as possible, we do receive affiliate compensation through some of our links. This can affect which services appear on our site and where we rank them. Our affiliate compensation allows us to maintain an ad-free website and provide a free service to our readers. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy Page . |
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- Best Business Plan Software
10 Best Business Plan Software In 2024
Updated: May 3, 2024, 5:15pm
Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often has features to make it easier, more nuanced and overall better. It could even make the difference between bringing investors on board and going it alone. So, Forbes Advisor found the best business plan software that has the features you need at an affordable price.
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- Best Construction Project Management Software
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- Best Task Management Software
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The Best Business Plan Software of 2024
Forbes advisor ratings, methodology, how to choose a business plan software, benefits of business plan software, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.
Featured Partners
From $8 monthly per user
Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more
On monday.com's Website
Yes, for unlimited members
$7 per month
Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more
On ClickUp's Website
$9.80 per user per month
Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP
On Wrike's Website
Yes, for one user and two editors
$9 per user per month
Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more
On Smartsheet's Website
- Wrike: Best overall
- Smartsheet: Best for goal management
- LivePlan: Best for financial forecasting
- Aha!: Best for roadmapping
- Bizplan: Best for beginners
- IdeaBuddy: Best for ideation
- iPlanner: Best for no-frills business planning
- Enloop: Best for automatic business plan creation
- AchieveIt: Best for consultant groups
- Business Sorter: Best for teams
Best Overall
Starting price
Free; $9.80 per user
Team messaging
Roadmapping
Wrike is a project management (PM) tool that works well as business plan software because it gives you tools to help you gather and compare your data. Wrike makes it easy to start your business plan with its collaboration tools, business plan templates , drag-and-drop interface and goal management features. Another benefit of using Wrike to build your plan is that you see your ideas and goals from multiple views: Gantt chart, calendar or board views.
There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to use Wrike for your business plan. First, you can map out exactly what your business goals are in a project, invite teammates to collaborate and message business partners to discuss everything. Plus, you can export your data when you’re ready to put all the details into a presentation to hand over to potential investors.
Wrike offers a free plan that’s good for putting your vision down in task and project form, but you may want to upgrade to a paid plan to invite collaborators, get custom workflows and add more views and automations. Paid plan pricing ranges from $9.80 per user, per month, to $24.80 per user, per month, both billed annually.
Learn more: Read our full Wrike review .
Who should use it:
Wrike makes it easy for any new business owner to create a business plan and collaborate with others on the financial and operational goals. Plus, it provides value after you finalize your business plan because it’s a good pick for a PM tool.
- Roadmapping ability
- Multiple views (Gantt, calendar and board)
- Business plan templates included
- Goal management via projects and tasks
- Free plan available
- Affordable plans
- No pitching tools
- No financial tools
Best for Goal Management
$7 per user, per month
(billed annually)
(added cost)
Using PM software like Smartsheet is a good idea for starting a business plan because it includes all the tools you need to collaborate and plan across multiple teams or stakeholders. It’s especially good for real-time goal management. Get your ideas in place, go over market and competitive research from other teammates and finalize everything together.
Smartsheet won’t help you write your business plan, but it does give you a place to compile all the data and then you can use one of its free business plan templates. As you figure out your milestones, you can invite an unlimited number of viewers to see how it’s going. The only downsides are that Smartsheet doesn’t have a native messaging app (you’ll have to use an integration), only commenting allowed and there’s no free plan.
Paid plans from Smartsheet cost $7 per user, per month, or $25 per user, per month (billed annually for both). The low-priced Pro plan limits you to 10 editors, but the Business plan allows unlimited editors (but it also has a three-user minimum).
Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review .
Smartsheet lets you make changes in real time, so it’s a good option for those who are just starting to piece together a plan and looking for a way to manage ideas and goals before finalizing a business plan.
- Discounts for nonprofits available
- Automations on every plan
- Popular integrations allowed on low-tier plan
- 30-day free trial
- No free plan
- Only 10 viewers allowed on low-tier plan
- Three-user minimum on Business plan
Best for Financial Forecasting
$15 per month
One of the strongest cases for using LivePlan to create your business plan is its financial forecasting. It isn’t just a single feature, rather it’s a tool that lets you turn your balance sheet and cash flow statements into charts, graphs and what-if situations to help you show possible investors the best- and worst-case scenarios for your business.
There are two plans available: Standard or Premium (there is no free plan). The low-priced plan, which costs $15 per month (billed annually), doesn’t limit your contributors or guests and includes instructions to help you complete a business plan. It even includes the financial forecasting features and more than 500 sample plans to get you started.
The Premium plan costs $30 per month (billed annually), but it’s full-featured. You get a milestone planner and industry benchmark data, which can save you research time. Another timesaver: At this plan level, you can integrate QuickBooks or Xero to add your financial data seamlessly.
LivePlan is business plan software that includes prompts and accounting software integrations, making it great for new business owners that want easy financial forecasting.
- Unlimited guests and contributors
- Export finished business plan as PowerPoint presentation
- Includes step-by-step instructions with prompts
- 35-day money-back guarantee
- No free trial
Best for Roadmapping
$59 per user, per month
Every business plan starts with strategy and Aha! makes it easier to map out what you plan to do to get from point A to point Z. Aha! is primarily roadmapping software that product teams use to plan features, products or bug fixes. Any business in any industry can use it to shape ideas and strategy into plans and milestones.
Much like product development, business plans have phases and Aha! is ideal for the first few phases of business planning. Although you won’t find a scorecard feature with Aha! Roadmaps, you can score and prioritize your business vision and goals. Finally, you can present your plan to viewers (stakeholders) before you create your official business plan and secure funding.
There are three plans from which you can choose: Premium at $59 per user, per month; Enterprise at $99 per user, per month; and Enterprise+ at $149 per user, per month, all billed annually. The only reasons to upgrade to either Enterprise plan is if you want to add on automation, development tools and custom worksheets and tables.
Aha! Roadmaps is a great tool to help you strategize and get your ideas for your business in one place. You can use the presentation feature to share your business’s roadmap on your way to creating your finalized business plan.
- User-friendly interface
- Ability to score and prioritize ideas
- Share roadmaps with others
- Expensive for business plan creation
- Has a bit of a learning curve
Best for Beginners
$20.75 per month
Bizplan is specifically for business plan creation. It offers a guided walkthrough of each section you need for a complete business plan to use for funding or pitching to partners. Plug in the information, from your mission and goals to financial forecasts, and Bizplan will do the math and create the visual charts you need to get your point across.
Bizplan is very easy to use because it includes prompts and questions that take away the manual effort of figuring out what you need, so you can simply focus on providing the answers. When you’re satisfied you included all the data needed, you can invite stakeholders and consultants to look it over and add comments for approval or change requests. A unique feature of Bizplan is it gives you access to Fundable, a crowdfunding platform, on which you can share your business plan to try to generate funding.
Monthly pricing costs $29, but you can opt for annual pricing that averages to $20.75 per month. If you expect to need business plan software for much longer than a year, there’s a lifetime access option for $349 flat. All plans come with all features and access, including business courses, business planning tools and a route to investors.
If it’s your first time creating a business plan, Bizplan is a great choice to help guide you through all the sections you need to include in your plan for potential investors and partners.
- Monthly, annual and lifetime plans
- Unlimited business plans
- Unlimited collaborators
- Step-by-step instructions
- Modular, drag-and-drop interface
- Online business courses
- Access to Fundable
- Financial forecasting
- No roadmapping tools
- Lack of customization
- Only integrates with Xero
Best for Ideation
Free; $6 per month
IdeaBuddy is a basic business plan tool that lets you start for free, which is great for beginners who aren’t quite ready to create a plan. The idea plan feature is great because it lets you lay out your business plan on one page, giving you an overview. There are built-in sticky notes for brainstorming and custom templates to start you off with a bit of a guide (or just create your own).
Another great feature of IdeaBuddy is the whiteboard, which lets you drag and drop various elements, draw on it and collaborate with others to come up with your perfect business idea. That feature is locked behind the highest tier, so you’ll have to pay $22 per month (billed annually) to use it. However, that plan also gives you up to 10 collaborators and 10 ideas.
Other plans are more limiting: The free plan is for a solopreneur who has a single idea to work on and the Dreamer plan is $6 per month while the Founder plan is $12 per month, both billed annually. The Dreamer plan is also limited to one idea, but you get one collaborator while the Founder plan gives you up to three ideas and three collaborators. Plus, you’ll get access to the paid plans to export and share your plan with viewers.
IdeaBuddy is just what it sounds like: It’s best for ideation. You can create a full-fledged business plan, but this program is best suited for the very beginning stages of business creation.
- Free forever plan
- Affordable paid plans
- Monthly and annual billing options
- Easy to use
- Export to Word, Excel or as PDF
- Flexible whiteboard feature
- May be too basic for some users
- Doesn’t offer much guidance
Best for No-Frills Business Planning
$55 for one year
Business plan software doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective, and iPlanner certainly fits that bill. It’s been around since 2007 and it doesn’t appear to have updated its look or functions. The browser-based business planning software gives you a place to build out your business model and a business plan.
There are two different software options from iPlanner: Strategy Designer and Startup Framework. The Strategy Designer costs $59 for three plans, but it’s a one-time fee for the year. Choose it if you want a more condensed and no-frills kind of business plan. You can export it to Word or as a PDF.
The iPlanner Startup Framework is $55 per year, which gives you one plan to create. It’s similar to the Designer version, but you can create a business model, separate financials and build a team with various roles (view only, project owner or consultant).
iPlanner is best for those who have created a business plan before and don’t need hand-holding or fancy features.
- Business modeling option
- Samples on site for demoing
- Export to Word or as PDF
- No free plan or trial
- Not a lot of guidance
- Outdated interface
Best for Automatic Business Plan Creation
$11 per month
Enloop is a unique business plan app that generates a business plan for you based on information you provide. You can edit the text Enloop writes for you to make it more specific or change numbers in your financial forecasts as you see fit. Enloop offers a scorecard that updates as you change things, finish sections and make your business plan overall better.
Then Enloop compares your financial forecasts to industry standards, so you don’t have to do the research. The software shows you up to 16 ratios, such as sales, inventory and payables and then shows you what the average is for your industry as it compares to your financials. Enloop then gives you either a pass or fail so that you can modify your plan before you put anything into play.
Although Enloop doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial for one week so you can see if it’s right for you. The Detailed plan costs $11 per month while the Performance plan is $24 per month, both billed annually. The biggest difference between the two plans is how many financial ratios Enloop analyzes: The Detailed plan only gets three ratios and Performance plan gets 16.
Enloop is best for those who have some experience creating business plans, not necessarily for those who are starting from scratch as there are no brainstorming or strategizing tools included. Use Enloop to create business plans quickly.
- Three business plans for each tier
- Generates a business plan automatically
- Compares your financials to industry standards
- Seven-day free trial available
- Scorecards indicate odds of success
- No messaging team members through app
- Not meant for strategizing
Best for Consultant Groups
$80 per, user per month
Not everyone wants to go it alone when creating business plans and consultants are often hired for industry expertise and business plan creation. AchieveIt offers generous plans that won’t limit the number of plans and projects you can create, so you can work on multiple business plans at one time.
Specifically, AchieveIt is planning software meant for medium to large teams to work on projects simultaneously. For business planning, it’s a great option for those strategizing and analyzing a variety of data points with multiple people—all of AchieveIt’s plans have a minimum requirement of 20 users.
Plans are pricey, especially when you consider the user minimum. Core, the lowest-priced plan, costs $80 per user, per month, and Plus is $90 per user, per month, both billed annually. So, it’s going to cost $1,600 per month, at least, which puts this software out of reach for most small businesses.
AchieveIt is a good choice for large businesses that need planning software and for business plan purposes, it makes most sense for established consultant groups.
- Unlimited plans and projects
- Collaboration tools
- Goal management
- 20-user minimum
- Pricier than most competitors
- Integrations at added cost
Best for Teams
Business sorter.
$10 per month
When you’re ready to craft your business plan, it can help immensely to have business planning software like Business Sorter. The cloud-based app makes it easy for you to start a plan and kicks off your business planning with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Then, you can follow a guide to build your plan with each section divided by areas. After which, you can choose cards to help steer you toward the right objectives and goals for your business.
You won’t find roadmapping tools in Business Sorter, but the card system keeps you on track (and even gives you goals you may not have considered). As you prioritize goals, you’ll find steps you need to take that guide you to completing your business plan. Every plan allows multiple users, so you can collaborate on what takes precedence.
Plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, and allows you to have three users on board. For 10 users, the Medium plan costs $30 per month, billed annually, and if you need 30 users, the Large Team plan will run you $80 per month, billed annually. It’s one of the most affordable business planning apps for teams.
Although Business Sorter doesn’t offer a messaging tool, it’s still one of the best options for teams. You don’t have to pay per person, but you can add multiple people to the account to work on creating business plans.
- Easy-to-use business plan templates
- Free trial available
- Card system helps guide your goal setting
- Create up to 40 business plans
- Plans limit user count
- No messaging in app
- Very limited integrations
COMMENTS
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The Free plan is discontinued. There are new team-based paid plans. Teams currently on the Free plan have 30 days to continue using Metro Retro. New teams get a 30 day free trial. At the end of their trial, a team must pick a paid plan to continue using Metro Retro. Customers on paid plans are unaffected and will continue on their current plans ...