You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. |
- Best Business Plan Software
10 Best Business Plan Software In 2024
Updated: Sep 24, 2024, 3:33pm
Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often has features to make it easier, more nuanced and overall better. It could even make the difference between bringing investors on board and going it alone. Forbes Advisor found the best business plan software that has the features you need at an affordable price.
- Best Project Management Software
- Best Construction Project Management Software
- Best Project Portfolio Management Software
- Best Gantt Chart Software
- Best Task Management Software
- Best Kanban Software
The Best Business Plan Software of 2024
Forbes advisor ratings, methodology, how to choose a business plan software, benefits of business plan software, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.
Featured Partners
From $8 monthly per user
Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more
On monday.com's Website
Yes, for unlimited members
$7 per month
Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more
On ClickUp's Website
$9.80 per user per month
Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP
On Wrike's Website
Yes, for one user and two editors
$9 per user per month
Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more
On Smartsheet's Website
- Wrike: Best overall
- Smartsheet: Best for goal management
- LivePlan: Best for financial forecasting
- Aha!: Best for roadmapping
- Bizplan: Best for beginners
- IdeaBuddy: Best for ideation
- iPlanner: Best for no-frills business planning
- Enloop: Best for automatic business plan creation
- AchieveIt: Best for consultant groups
- Business Sorter: Best for teams
Best Overall
Starting price
Free; $9.80 per user
Team messaging
Roadmapping
Wrike is a project management (PM) tool that works well as business plan software because it gives you tools to help you gather and compare your data. Wrike makes it easy to start your business plan with its collaboration tools, business plan templates , drag-and-drop interface and goal management features. Another benefit of using Wrike to build your plan is that you see your ideas and goals from multiple views: Gantt chart, calendar or board views.
There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to use Wrike for your business plan. First, you can map out exactly what your business goals are in a project, invite teammates to collaborate and message business partners to discuss everything. Plus, you can export your data when you’re ready to put all the details into a presentation to hand over to potential investors.
Wrike offers a free plan that’s good for putting your vision down in task and project form, but you may want to upgrade to a paid plan to invite collaborators, get custom workflows and add more views and automations. Paid plan pricing ranges from $9.80 per user, per month, to $24.80 per user, per month, both billed annually.
Learn more: Read our full Wrike review .
Who should use it:
Wrike makes it easy for any new business owner to create a business plan and collaborate with others on the financial and operational goals. Plus, it provides value after you finalize your business plan because it’s a good pick for a PM tool.
- Roadmapping ability
- Multiple views (Gantt, calendar and board)
- Business plan templates included
- Goal management via projects and tasks
- Free plan available
- Affordable plans
- No pitching tools
- No financial tools
Best for Goal Management
$9 per user, per month
(billed annually)
(added cost)
Using PM software like Smartsheet is a good idea for starting a business plan because it includes all the tools you need to collaborate and plan across multiple teams or stakeholders. It’s especially good for real-time goal management. Get your ideas in place, go over market and competitive research from other teammates and finalize everything together.
Smartsheet won’t help you write your business plan, but it does give you a place to compile all the data and then you can use one of its free business plan templates. As you figure out your milestones, you can invite an unlimited number of viewers to see how it’s going. The only downsides are that Smartsheet doesn’t have a native messaging app (you’ll have to use an integration), only commenting allowed and there’s no free plan.
Paid plans from Smartsheet cost $9 per user, per month, or $19 per user, per month (billed annually for both). The low-priced Pro plan limits you to 10 editors, but the Business plan allows unlimited editors (but it also has a three-user minimum).
Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review .
Smartsheet lets you make changes in real time, so it’s a good option for those who are just starting to piece together a plan and looking for a way to manage ideas and goals before finalizing a business plan.
- Discounts for nonprofits available
- Automations on every plan
- Popular integrations allowed on low-tier plan
- 30-day free trial
- No free plan
- Only 10 viewers allowed on low-tier plan
- Three-user minimum on Business plan
Best for Financial Forecasting
$15 per month
One of the strongest cases for using LivePlan to create your business plan is its financial forecasting. It isn’t just a single feature, rather it’s a tool that lets you turn your balance sheet and cash flow statements into charts, graphs and what-if situations to help you show possible investors the best- and worst-case scenarios for your business.
There are two plans available: Standard or Premium (there is no free plan). The low-priced plan, which costs $15 per month (billed annually), doesn’t limit your contributors or guests and includes instructions to help you complete a business plan. It even includes the financial forecasting features and more than 500 sample plans to get you started.
The Premium plan costs $30 per month (billed annually), but it’s full-featured. You get a milestone planner and industry benchmark data, which can save you research time. Another timesaver: At this plan level, you can integrate QuickBooks or Xero to add your financial data seamlessly.
LivePlan is business plan software that includes prompts and accounting software integrations, making it great for new business owners that want easy financial forecasting.
- Unlimited guests and contributors
- Export finished business plan as PowerPoint presentation
- Includes step-by-step instructions with prompts
- 35-day money-back guarantee
- No free trial
Best for Roadmapping
$59 per user, per month
Every business plan starts with strategy and Aha! makes it easier to map out what you plan to do to get from point A to point Z. Aha! is primarily roadmapping software that product teams use to plan features, products or bug fixes. Any business in any industry can use it to shape ideas and strategy into plans and milestones.
Much like product development, business plans have phases and Aha! is ideal for the first few phases of business planning. Although you won’t find a scorecard feature with Aha! Roadmaps, you can score and prioritize your business vision and goals. Finally, you can present your plan to viewers (stakeholders) before you create your official business plan and secure funding.
There are three plans from which you can choose: Premium at $59 per user, per month; Enterprise at $99 per user, per month; and Enterprise+ at $149 per user, per month, all billed annually. The only reasons to upgrade to either Enterprise plan is if you want to add on automation, development tools and custom worksheets and tables.
Aha! Roadmaps is a great tool to help you strategize and get your ideas for your business in one place. You can use the presentation feature to share your business’s roadmap on your way to creating your finalized business plan.
- User-friendly interface
- Ability to score and prioritize ideas
- Share roadmaps with others
- Expensive for business plan creation
- Has a bit of a learning curve
Best for Beginners
$20.75 per month
Bizplan is specifically for business plan creation. It offers a guided walkthrough of each section you need for a complete business plan to use for funding or pitching to partners. Plug in the information, from your mission and goals to financial forecasts, and Bizplan will do the math and create the visual charts you need to get your point across.
Bizplan is very easy to use because it includes prompts and questions that take away the manual effort of figuring out what you need, so you can simply focus on providing the answers. When you’re satisfied you included all the data needed, you can invite stakeholders and consultants to look it over and add comments for approval or change requests. A unique feature of Bizplan is it gives you access to Fundable, a crowdfunding platform, on which you can share your business plan to try to generate funding.
Monthly pricing costs $29, but you can opt for annual pricing that averages to $20.75 per month. If you expect to need business plan software for much longer than a year, there’s a lifetime access option for $349 flat. All plans come with all features and access, including business courses, business planning tools and a route to investors.
If it’s your first time creating a business plan, Bizplan is a great choice to help guide you through all the sections you need to include in your plan for potential investors and partners.
- Monthly, annual and lifetime plans
- Unlimited business plans
- Unlimited collaborators
- Step-by-step instructions
- Modular, drag-and-drop interface
- Online business courses
- Access to Fundable
- Financial forecasting
- No roadmapping tools
- Lack of customization
- Only integrates with Xero
Best for Ideation
Free; $6 per month
IdeaBuddy is a basic business plan tool that lets you start for free, which is great for beginners who aren’t quite ready to create a plan. The idea plan feature is great because it lets you lay out your business plan on one page, giving you an overview. There are built-in sticky notes for brainstorming and custom templates to start you off with a bit of a guide (or just create your own).
Another great feature of IdeaBuddy is the whiteboard, which lets you drag and drop various elements, draw on it and collaborate with others to come up with your perfect business idea. That feature is locked behind the highest tier, so you’ll have to pay $22 per month (billed annually) to use it. However, that plan also gives you up to 10 collaborators and 10 ideas.
Other plans are more limiting: The free plan is for a solopreneur who has a single idea to work on and the Dreamer plan is $6 per month while the Founder plan is $12 per month, both billed annually. The Dreamer plan is also limited to one idea, but you get one collaborator while the Founder plan gives you up to three ideas and three collaborators. Plus, you’ll get access to the paid plans to export and share your plan with viewers.
IdeaBuddy is just what it sounds like: It’s best for ideation. You can create a full-fledged business plan, but this program is best suited for the very beginning stages of business creation.
- Free forever plan
- Affordable paid plans
- Monthly and annual billing options
- Easy to use
- Export to Word, Excel or as PDF
- Flexible whiteboard feature
- May be too basic for some users
- Doesn’t offer much guidance
Best for No-Frills Business Planning
$55 for one year
Business plan software doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective, and iPlanner certainly fits that bill. It’s been around since 2007 and it doesn’t appear to have updated its look or functions. The browser-based business planning software gives you a place to build out your business model and a business plan.
There are two different software options from iPlanner: Strategy Designer and Startup Framework. The Strategy Designer costs $59 for three plans, but it’s a one-time fee for the year. Choose it if you want a more condensed and no-frills kind of business plan. You can export it to Word or as a PDF.
The iPlanner Startup Framework is $55 per year, which gives you one plan to create. It’s similar to the Designer version, but you can create a business model, separate financials and build a team with various roles (view only, project owner or consultant).
iPlanner is best for those who have created a business plan before and don’t need hand-holding or fancy features.
- Business modeling option
- Samples on site for demoing
- Export to Word or as PDF
- No free plan or trial
- Not a lot of guidance
- Outdated interface
Best for Automatic Business Plan Creation
$11 per month
Enloop is a unique business plan app that generates a business plan for you based on information you provide. You can edit the text Enloop writes for you to make it more specific or change numbers in your financial forecasts as you see fit. Enloop offers a scorecard that updates as you change things, finish sections and make your business plan overall better.
Then Enloop compares your financial forecasts to industry standards, so you don’t have to do the research. The software shows you up to 16 ratios, such as sales, inventory and payables and then shows you what the average is for your industry as it compares to your financials. Enloop then gives you either a pass or fail so that you can modify your plan before you put anything into play.
Although Enloop doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial for one week so you can see if it’s right for you. The Detailed plan costs $11 per month while the Performance plan is $24 per month, both billed annually. The biggest difference between the two plans is how many financial ratios Enloop analyzes: The Detailed plan only gets three ratios and Performance plan gets 16.
Enloop is best for those who have some experience creating business plans, not necessarily for those who are starting from scratch as there are no brainstorming or strategizing tools included. Use Enloop to create business plans quickly.
- Three business plans for each tier
- Generates a business plan automatically
- Compares your financials to industry standards
- Seven-day free trial available
- Scorecards indicate odds of success
- No messaging team members through app
- Not meant for strategizing
Best for Consultant Groups
$80 per, user per month
Not everyone wants to go it alone when creating business plans and consultants are often hired for industry expertise and business plan creation. AchieveIt offers generous plans that won’t limit the number of plans and projects you can create, so you can work on multiple business plans at one time.
Specifically, AchieveIt is planning software meant for medium to large teams to work on projects simultaneously. For business planning, it’s a great option for those strategizing and analyzing a variety of data points with multiple people—all of AchieveIt’s plans have a minimum requirement of 20 users.
Plans are pricey, especially when you consider the user minimum. Core, the lowest-priced plan, costs $80 per user, per month, and Plus is $90 per user, per month, both billed annually. So, it’s going to cost $1,600 per month, at least, which puts this software out of reach for most small businesses.
AchieveIt is a good choice for large businesses that need planning software and for business plan purposes, it makes most sense for established consultant groups.
- Unlimited plans and projects
- Collaboration tools
- Goal management
- 20-user minimum
- Pricier than most competitors
- Integrations at added cost
Best for Teams
Business sorter.
$10 per month
When you’re ready to craft your business plan, it can help immensely to have business planning software like Business Sorter. The cloud-based app makes it easy for you to start a plan and kicks off your business planning with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Then, you can follow a guide to build your plan with each section divided by areas. After which, you can choose cards to help steer you toward the right objectives and goals for your business.
You won’t find roadmapping tools in Business Sorter, but the card system keeps you on track (and even gives you goals you may not have considered). As you prioritize goals, you’ll find steps you need to take that guide you to completing your business plan. Every plan allows multiple users, so you can collaborate on what takes precedence.
Plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, and allows you to have three users on board. For 10 users, the Medium plan costs $30 per month, billed annually, and if you need 30 users, the Large Team plan will run you $80 per month, billed annually. It’s one of the most affordable business planning apps for teams.
Although Business Sorter doesn’t offer a messaging tool, it’s still one of the best options for teams. You don’t have to pay per person, but you can add multiple people to the account to work on creating business plans.
- Easy-to-use business plan templates
- Free trial available
- Card system helps guide your goal setting
- Create up to 40 business plans
- Plans limit user count
- No messaging in app
- Very limited integrations
Company | Company - Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Starting Price | Team messaging | Roadmapping | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wrike | 5.0 | Free; $9.80 per user, per month | Yes | Yes | On Wrike's Website | ||||
Smartsheet | 5.0 | $9 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes (added cost) | Yes | On Smartsheet's Website | ||||
LivePlan | 4.8 | $15 per month (billed annually) | Yes | Yes | |||||
Aha! | 4.3 | $59 per user, per month (billed annually) | Yes (added cost) | Yes | |||||
Bizplan | 4.0 | $20.75 per month (billed annually) | Yes | No | |||||
IdeaBuddy | 3.9 | Free; $6 per month (billed annually) | No | No | |||||
iPlanner | 3.8 | $55 for one year | No | No | |||||
Enloop | 3.5 | $11 per month (billed annually) | No | Yes | |||||
AchieveIt | 3.4 | $80 per, user per month (billed annually) | No | No | |||||
Business Sorter | 3.2 | $10 per month (billed annually) | No | No |
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 |
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .
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!
Related content
- 7 Steps to Build a Successful Project Management Sales Plan
- Best Project Management Software and Tools in 2023
- 4 Cost Management Techniques for Small Businesses
Creating a business plan can take anywhere from a couple hours to several weeks. Your timeline will depend on things like the elements you choose to include, whether you use software or hire a writing service, and how much research goes into your plan.
That said, much of the business plan software out there brags that it can help you create a fairly detailed plan in a few hours. So if you’re going the software route, that can help you set your expectations.
If you want to get the most out of your business plan, you should update it on a regular basis―at least annually. That way, you can continually refer to it to inform your company’s strategies and direction.
At the very least, you should update your business plan before you start looking for a new round of funding (whether that’s with investors or lenders).
Thanks to business plan software, you can easily write your own business plan rather than pay someone to do it for you. And in most cases, software will cost you less than a professional business plan service.
There are some times you might want to go with a service though. If time is tight, you might find that it’s worth the cost of a service. Or if you’ve got big investor meetings on the horizon, you might want the expertise and polish that a professional service can offer.
Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether business plan software or a business plan service will work better for your company.
Methodology
We ranked business plan software and tools based on features, pricing and plans, and connections to project management and other services. The value of each plan and service, along with what it offers, was a big consideration in our rankings, and we looked to see if what was offered was useful to small businesses or just extra. The final thing we looked at was the ease of use of the software to see if it's too complex for small businesses.
At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.
Sources 1. Harvard Business Review, “ Research: Writing a Business Plan Makes Your Startup More Likely to Succeed .” Accessed March 13, 2023.
5202 W Douglas Corrigan Way Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Accounting & Payroll
Point of Sale
Payment Processing
Inventory Management
Human Resources
Other Services
Best Small Business Loans
Best Inventory Management Software
Best Small Business Accounting Software
Best Payroll Software
Best Mobile Credit Card Readers
Best POS Systems
Best Tax Software
Stay updated on the latest products and services anytime anywhere.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .
Disclaimer: The information featured in this article is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the customer’s location, package chosen, added features and equipment, the purchaser’s credit score, etc. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.
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 . |
© Business.org 2024 All Rights Reserved.
Limited Time Offer:
Save Up to 25% on LivePlan today
What stage is your business at?
Tell us and we’ll match you with a special LivePlan discount:
New Business Idea
Startup Phase
Established Business
Enter your email address to unlock it.
Please enter a valid email address
We care about your privacy. See our Privacy Policy .
Start with your business foundation
Step-by-step planning process, works for every business in every industry, a polished plan that will make an impact, the dashboard gives you revenue–boosting insights.
Business Planning For Startups & Entrepreneurs
The business plan app that’s helped over 1M+ entrepreneurs
Pitch to Anyone, Anywhere
Start by outlining your ideas & testing your assumptions
Every successful business starts with the right foundation. And with the LivePlan Pitch Builder , you get an easy way to outline the essentials. This includes helping you:
- Figure out who your customers really are
- Clarify what problem your business is solving
- Set smart goals & milestones so you can grow faster
The entire process typically takes just 60 minutes – you can even write it on your smartphone with our app for business planning. And once finished, you'll get a better idea of how to position your business for success.
Get a one–page pitch that's built to impress
Crisp graphics and a slick design help make your one–page pitch stand out. Plus it's easy to show off: share a link to your pitch for quick feedback or export it to PowerPoint for presentation–ready slides.
Write your plan in bite-sized chunks with AI assistance
There’s no escaping it: banks and investors want to see a complete, detailed business plan that includes strong financial forecasts.
LivePlan’s business plan writing app guides you through the entire business-planning process with:
- Simple step-by-step instructions
- Automatically generated content with AI
- Detailed examples for every section of the plan
- 550+ sample plans you can copy and paste from
Create financials without tricky calculations
No spreadsheets. No calculators. No math whatsoever.
Just answer a few questions about your sales and revenue and LivePlan will handle the calculations automatically using built-in formulas. That means you get ultra-accurate cash flow projections with a minimal amount of effort.
Plus the AI LivePlan Assistant gives you suggestions for revenue streams, expense types, and other forecast categories that are specific to your business.
Get a polished, fundable, easy-to-share business plan
Your business plan will be optimized to earn you funding
Our plans are approved by the Small Business Administration, which means they give lenders and investors all the information they need to see.
But it's not just about them. You can also customize your plan to match your business by selecting from 10 different document themes.
Once complete, download your plan as a PDF or Word doc. Or you can print it to get a professional document
Then track your actuals against your plan to grow 30% faster
The LivePlan Dashboard is a dashboard that makes it easy to compare the financial projections in your plan to your actuals. That way, you can make adjustments on–the–fly to optimize your business.
The Dashboard connects to Xero or QuickBooks, so there's no manual data entry.
LivePlan’s business plan app features that help you succeed
Industry benchmarks.
See how your business stacks up against the competition. Compare your profit, productivity and other metrics with industry averages .
Goals & Milestones
Keep your business on track by scheduling milestones for key tasks or projects. It's an easy way to make sure you hit all the most important goals.
Simple Budgeting
Quickly build sales forecasts and budgets without any clunky spreadsheets. It's a simple and visual way to handle your financials.
Try LivePlan today
Totally risk free. 35-day money-back guarantee., frequently asked questions, how does liveplan ensure the security of my data.
Yes, all your personal and business data are safe with us. All account and plan data are written to multiple disks instantly, saved every few seconds, and stored in multiple locations. Your business plan will remain completely confidential and entirely private unless you choose to share it via exporting or inviting guests to your account.
The plan data is stored securely on our servers and nobody from our company can view your plan unless you choose to allow us access for tech-support purposes. For more information, please read our security and privacy policy page.
Can I use LivePlan on my tablet or phone?
While LivePlan’s business plan app is primarily used on desktops, your business plan can still be accessed via mobile devices.
For the best performance, we recommend connecting your mobile device to WiFi or LTE. As with any web application, LivePlan requires a reliable broadband Internet connection. Spotty or low-speed connections may cause trouble.
Can LivePlan integrate with other business tools and software?
Yes, the LivePlan business plan app is compatible with QuickBooks Online and Xero, allowing you to bring your accounting data directly into your financial forecasts and keep them up-to-date.
You can also import and export your financials and forecasts to Excel as a .CSV file and export your one-page business pitch to PowerPoint to further customize your presentation.
Does LivePlan offer industry-specific business plan templates?
You can access over 550 business plan examples across dozens of industries within LivePlan’s business plan writing app. Use them to inspire your own plan writing and understand what information to include for your specific industry.
How can I customize my business plan using LivePlan?
With LivePlan, you have complete control over the structure of your business plan. Start with our lender-ready business plan outline and add, remove, or edit sections to fit your needs. You can even add charts, tables, and videos directly to your business plan to really make it stand out.
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 .
Get in touch
- Want to find out about commercial or marketing opportunities? Click here
- Out of date info, errors, complaints or broken links? Give us a nudge
- Got a suggestion for a product or service provider? Message us directly
- You've reached the end of the page. Jump back up to the top ^
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Jonas P. DeMuro is a freelance reviewer covering wireless networking hardware.
Conductor SEO tool review
Hasleo Backup Suite review
Quordle today – hints and answers for Tuesday, September 24 (game #974)
Most Popular
- 2 NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Tuesday, September 24 (game #205)
- 3 NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Tuesday, September 24 (game #471)
- 4 It's not a Switch 2, but a Nintendo device just passed through this US regulatory agency
- 5 An iPhone 16 Pro Max failed this drop test, but that doesn't have to be you
We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Manage Cookies
Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.
Show cookie providers
- Google Login
Functionality Cookies
These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.
Performance Cookies
These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.
- Google Analytics
Targeting Cookies
These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.
- Google Tag Manager
- Infographics
- Daily Infographics
- Popular Templates
- Accessibility
- Graphic Design
- Graphs and Charts
- Data Visualization
- Human Resources
- Beginner Guides
Blog Business 8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024
8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024
Written 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.
Discover popular designs
Infographic maker
Brochure maker
White paper online
Newsletter creator
Flyer maker
Timeline maker
Letterhead maker
Mind map maker
Ebook maker
11 best small business apps you should be using
These are the free business apps every account manager needs.
Calendly Jun 01, 2020
11 min read
Table of contents
Experience scheduling automation for yourself!
Create a Calendly account in seconds.
It's now easier than ever to increase your productivity and effectiveness in business. Many of the top-rated business apps include a high-powered free version, so you don't have to invest much to get started with them. Other apps featured here work as business hacks, helping you use your time wisely and hang onto important information for later.
All of these excellent apps are guaranteed to help you streamline your processes and maximize your potential. If you aren't using these free business apps, you should be.
Collaboration
If you're looking for a plug-and-play online collaboration tool , Todoist is a great candidate — and it's free! This versatile app works great as a simple reminder list. But it also offers a host of other features that take your planning to the next level. The paid version is geared toward teams, offering more delegation and collaboration features.
For people who work well with pencil and paper, Todoist might be the most intuitive way to organize your thoughts digitally. Setting up projects is super easy, and you can use labels to help you sort through items later.
For instance, let's say you need to plan a new initiative. First, create a project in Todoist. Jot down your ideas or pertinent info in the notes section, which stays connected to that project.
Then you'll probably want to make subprojects, either based on milestones or simultaneous components. Within each subproject, add items to do next. You can label those items according to however you'd like to recall them later. For example, you can label items according to priority, context (e.g., phone calls or errands) or both.
Also helpful is the versatile system for creating due dates and reminders. It integrates readily with a wide range of apps including Google Calendar and Amazon Alexa. Using a connector like Zapier, you can also integrate Todoist with a host of other programs, such as your company's account management app.
A perennial favorite among creative teams, Trello is a project planning app that is clean, simple and visually oriented . Based on the kanban model, Trello helps both individuals and teams keep a grasp on workflow.
The "Post-it notes on a whiteboard" feel of this app helps you tangibly move concepts around without losing track of important details — and without losing all your content if the wind blows through your office! Trello is an excellent option for goal-setting, delegation and keeping the big picture in mind.
The free version can float most individual and small team needs, and the paid version starts at a very manageable $10 per month. Trello offers Power-Ups (i.e. integrations) with Slack, Google Hangouts, and many other platforms.
If you're working with a large or growing team and have a complex workflow, consider Asana for your project planning workstation. It’s great for individuals, but it's really geared toward teams. Managers who know how they want things organized will love the versatility of this app.
Implemented by world-class teams like NASA and Salesforce, Asana is a truly powerful tool. Its structure is best described as user-oriented vs. user-friendly. The Timeline features allow you to create Gantt charts to keep your team on schedule. Vary your team members' editing privileges and see what they accomplish when you delegate something.
Asana offers several automation options so you don't have to keep re-entering or remembering routine tasks. It also integrates with plenty of the apps you already use, such as your account management tools . When wielded wisely, this app has the power to transform your personal and business productivity.
The free version of Asana gives you lots of room to set things up and try out the wide-ranging collaboration features. The paid version starts at just $11 per month, so you can scale your commitment as your team grows.
Email & Calendar
4. calendly.
Calendly takes the guesswork out of setting up meetings , saving you time by eliminating the back-and-forth communication usually required to find a time when everyone is free. It's like a personal secretary who keeps your calendar and arranges appointments for you. But instead of paying somebody a salary, Calendly is free.
Offering integrations with Google Calendar, Outlook and many other apps, Calendly takes into account all of your prior commitments. Then, according to a wide range of options, it allows you to set parameters for your availability.
You can send a link or a specific request for a meeting through Calendly, whether you're setting up a coffee date or a large board meeting. It supports round-robin style meeting set-ups, one-on-one meetings and collective availability, highlighting when everyone who's invited to the meeting is available.
Calendly offers lots of controls so people can only view what you want them to. You can make meetings secret, separate personal and work time, add buffer time between meetings and prevent last-minute meetings. Calendly is a game-changer for your workflow.
Calendly even takes on the work of reminding people to show up for meetings. You can also customize options like who can edit the meeting details, who is leading the meeting and what platform you might be using, like Zoom or GoToMeeting. While some of these features require the paid version, even the upper-tier paid version is only $12 a month per user.
Webinar: Getting started with Calendly
5. mailchimp.
Mailchimp allows you to send classy-looking emails to large audiences for free. (Their free version includes “all the basics for businesses that are just getting started,” including up to 10,000 emails per month.) You even have the option to set up a website and domain name.
Mailchimp is very user-friendly when it comes to designing emails and customizing your audience. And there is a huge network of online resources for learning skills like connecting Mailchimp with your website's subscription functions. You can set up automated responses, like sending a welcome email when someone subscribes to your list. It also tracks who has subscribed and unsubscribed, and it cleans out old addresses when they've bounced back too many times.
You can create a social media post every time you send out an email campaign or a template so your newsletter looks familiar to people when it shows up in their inbox. Learn about how many subscribers are opening your emails and how many are clicking on the links they contain with the loads of analytics tools included in the paid versions. You’ll also get tools to help you craft great messages and subject lines.
For businesses who want to shine in their potential customers' inboxes, using Mailchimp shows that you are a legitimate player.
Zoom has become one of the most used videoconferencing platforms worldwide. That fact alone commends its use since you’ll have less coaching to do. If people already know how to use the software, you can jump right into the meat of your meeting.
Meeting participants can choose between several viewing options, like pinning a single person's feed or choosing gallery view to see everyone at once. You can even change your background so people can't see into your home office — or wherever you've set up for the day. You have the option of sharing your screen instead of using your webcam, too.
Zoom allows you to send meeting invitees a link and password, both of which can stay the same for recurring meetings. The meeting host can mute everyone and unmute only the people they want to hear at a given time (such power!). They can also set up breakout rooms so people can have side conversations during the meeting.
Zoom is remarkably free. You can meet with up to 100 people at a time for up to 40 minutes, and one-on-one meetings are unlimited. It integrates with hundreds of other apps, like Calendly, Asana and many of the other apps highlighted here.
Loom is a free screen recorder browser extension that works with the latest versions of Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. It creates a file that you can send, upload or simply save for future reference.
Do you need to explain something complicated in an email? Rather than typing out prosaic directions or uploading countless images, send a Loom video. You can use your webcam to simply create a video of yourself talking. Or, use your screen — with or without audio — to create an active demonstration. Privacy protections allow only those with the link and password to view the video.
Loom is also great for marketing because you can create brief demo videos to integrate with a landing page or email. Add a Loom video to your presentation slides to showcase how something works.
8. Microsoft OneNote
Keep all your notes in one place using OneNote. It's easy to access your content from anywhere, as OneNote provides an online version, a desktop app, and mobile versions for Android and Apple. While the app is part of Microsoft Office 365, you don't have to buy a license for 365 to use OneNote.
OneNote includes lots of options for organizing, arranging your information into notebooks, sections and pages. You can use tags to make things easy to find later. Content is stored on OneDrive, where you get 5GB of storage for free. Upgrading to 100GB costs only $2/month.
The search features in OneNote are pretty impressive. You can easily search text content throughout all your notebooks, but you can also search for words in audio and video files. This is a game-changer for people who often listen to podcasts, record interviews or make voice notes.
Inputting content is easy and very versatile. Typing works, of course, but so does uploading images, audio and video. You can also save webpages and create drawings with a stylus or your finger. It’s possible to share specific notebooks with others, too, making collaborative work a lot easier.
9. Genius Scan
Genius Scan allows you to make a digital record of anything on paper . Take a photo of a receipt, a handwritten note or anything else, and store it on the cloud instead of in your glovebox or wherever you tend to keep such things.
Available in the App Store and on Google Play, the free version of Genius Scan makes for a very functional portable scanner. It integrates with OneNote, Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox and several other cloud-based storage platforms. On the iPhone, for instance, you can save files directly to your iCloud folders.
Uses for this handy app are nearly endless. Keep a record of receipts for reimbursement or business expenses. If you have a great restaurant meeting with lots of napkin drawings, scan your drawings and email them to everyone with just a few clicks. And while we're on restaurants, scan the menu of your favorite take-out place so you don't have to go searching for it later.
You can scan multiple pages at once and the app will file them together. Tags and labels help keep things sorted for easy finding later. The free version includes a perspective corrector, so even if you're not pointing your phone straight at a note, the app will scan it as though you are.
Especially when integrated with OneNote or a similar organization system, Genius Scan can help you become one of those people who never loses an important bit of paper.
10. Reuters
Reuters is an excellent news app for business people (and other people too, of course). It's got a good balance of general news coverage along with market data and analysis. Reuters is known for its apolitical, objective coverage from 2,000+ news sources globally. Based in the UK, it’s been around since 1851 and has maintained a solid reputation throughout the world.
With the Reuters app, you can personalize which topics you're most interested in and set up alerts for when breaking news happens. Customize your feed and enjoy the unusually well-designed interface.
Marking stories to read later is also easy. And, if you won’t read them until much later, the app even offers a night view for catching up when others are sleeping.
Pocket is an easy way to save content from all over the web to read at your leisure. Available from Google Play and the App Store for mobile, it's also available as a browser extension for Safari, Chrome and several others. Pocket works the same way you would dog-ear an article in a magazine. You can then have access to that article without having to carry the magazine around with you.
Use Pocket to save the most pertinent and interesting news articles from a wide variety of sites. Or use it to save the information you collect while researching a product, customer or your latest topic of interest.
Tag content to make it easier to find later and download it to read or watch even when you're offline. Pocket even lets you save emails by sending them to the email address [email protected] . Maybe you'll finally end up reading some of those email newsletters you’ve signed up for!
Get started with Calendly
Ready to make scheduling easier than ever?
Calendly's modern scheduling automation takes the work out of connecting with others so you can accomplish more.
Related Articles
Read Time: 11 minutes
8 Calendly and Zapier automations to help you get more done
Use Zapier to connect Calendly to other apps and make your workday easier.
Outlook Calendar tips to get organized and save time
Are you struggling with your Outlook Calendar? This user guide can help!
How to run smarter, better team meetings
Feel like your team meetings are a waste of time? We can help you fix that!
Don't leave your prospects, customers, and candidates waiting
Calendly eliminates the scheduling back and forth and helps you hit goals faster. Get started in seconds.
Filter by Keywords
10 Best Free Digital Planner Apps in 2024
Vivian Tejeda
ClickUp Contributor
May 14, 2024
Start using ClickUp today
- Manage all your work in one place
- Collaborate with your team
- Use ClickUp for FREE—forever
It’s the beginning of the week, and it’s time to jot down the top three most important tasks for the day, set up reminders , and look through and edit last week’s notes.
Should you do it in Google Docs ? The new planning app your friend introduced you to? Or keep it simple and stick with the notes app on your phone?
You’ve likely found yourself in this scenario more than once if you haven’t had luck finding a digital planner.
Granted, just about every daily planner out there do most basic tasks. But few unify and centralize just about every one of your planning needs in one platform.
To help inform your quest for the best digital planner, we’ve compiled a list of all the options worth considering below.
Let’s dive into the specifics.
What Should You Look for in a Digital Planner App?
- 1. ClickUp
2. Google Calendar
6. mydailyplanners, 8. goodnotes, 10. monday.com.
One of the most significant features of a planner is user-friendliness. It’s hard enough to stick to a digital planner tool long-term—don’t make it harder on yourself by trying to work a digital planner that’s rigid and clunky into your daily life .
An excellent digital planner makes it easy to centralize all your tasks. This means it’s always a good idea to check what other applications you’re likely already using (think Gmail or Slack) so that it integrates easier with your existing workflow.
Though it’s a matter of preference, the more integrations and features a digital planner has the better. Why? It’s one of the best ways to reduce the number of applications you often have to use to juggle doc creation, keeping track of invoices, reminders, or even the progress of any of your projects. 📚
The 10 Best Digital Planner Apps in 2024
1. clickup .
As a digital planner, think of ClickUp as the all-in-one tool that takes care of anything from the simplest to the most complex planning needs for teams and individuals alike. Yeah, it comes with tons of features and is hyper-customizable—perfect for the digital planner that’s very particular about how they track and manage work (or their personal lives). 📖
ClickUp best features
- ClickUp’s Calendar View : Arrange your tasks systematically, schedule deadlines, and create a dynamic calendar that enables your team to track progress and stay aligned.
- Automations : Deal with routine tasks that get repetitive quickly with ClickUp’s advanced automation features. It’s a great way to free up additional mind space and plan more efficiently. With automation triggers and conditions, automate task creation, assignee changes, reminders, and task priority to name a few
- Personalization: The best daily planners are malleable—that way, you don’t have to deal with rigid fields irrelevant to your needs. ClickUp was built around customization, which means you’ll want to take some time to get familiar with how pages, folders, views, and tasks work to lock in a workflow that’s built for you
- Templates: Who doesn’t love templates? ClickUp offers its users hundreds of templates spanning all kinds of needs like resource planning and event planning
ClickUp limitations
- Some users cite its limited spreadsheet tools and complex formulas
- Not all views are available on mobile (yet!)
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited : $7/month per user
- Business : $12/month per user
- Enterprise : Contact for pricing
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.7/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.7/5 (5,000+ reviews)
You know Google Calendar as one of the original digital planner platforms. Its scheduling features make it easy to get through the workday in one piece without overlapping meetings , work time, or “me” time.
Though basic, Google Calendar still offers some great planning features that work for the right user or as an integration for an app you’re already using. It’s easy to use as a daily planner or weekly planner app. You can also schedule events throughout the year with its easy-to-use interface.
Google Calendar best features
- Automated reminders: Google Calendar sets automated reminders for upcoming events and tasks so that users stay on top of their schedule
- Agenda view: Google Calendar has an Agenda View feature, which allows users to see their upcoming events, tasks, and notes at a glance
- Calendar sharing: Google Calendar also allows users to share their calendar with others so that tasks, events, and notes are collaboratively managed
- Mobile Friendly: Works on iOS devices and Android devices
Google Calendar limitations
- Limited to mostly scheduling and time blocking
- Lacks the additional features that make it a truly well-rounded planning dashboard
Google Calendar pricing
Google calendar ratings and reviews.
- Capterra : 4.8/6 (2,000 + reviews)
- G2 : 4.6/5 (40,000 + reviews)
Todoist is a digital planner app that helps users stay organized and productive. It comes with a range of features and tools, such as task and some basic project management, do-lists (AKA to-do lists ), reminders and notifications, and the ability to create custom filters.
Todoist best features
- Do-lists: This to-do list feature allows users to break down their tasks and goals into smaller, manageable lists, and it’s accessible on multiple devices for on-the-go planning
- Reminders and notifications: The app comes with automated reminders and notifications, which help users stay on track and organized
- Custom filters: Todoist also has a custom filter feature to easily search and find tasks and data
Todoist limitations
- Lacks advanced features (can’t archive old lists)
- Can be hard to share your to-do lists for online collaboration
Todoist pricing
- Free :
- Pro : $4/month billed annually
- Business : $6/month billed annually
Todoist ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.6/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.4/6 (700+ reviews)
Notion is user-friendly and a great choice for individuals who like getting creative with their digital planner by starting with a blank canvas. It offers useful tools and features, including task management, a calendar view, and customizable task rows and columns.
Plus, its users synchronize their data across multiple devices, share their planning information, and integrate with other applications for maximum productivity.
Notion best features
- Task management : Notion provides users with an intuitive task management system for creating, organizing, and tracking tasks
- Nesting and linked databases : Notion’s nesting and linked databases allow users to easily organize and store pages and related tasks in a format that’s easy to navigate
- Integration and embedding features : Notion also has integration and embedding features, which enable users to connect their Notion data with other services, such as Gmail or Slack, for a better workflow. Also, you can visually embed applications right on your dashboard for easy access
Notion limitations
- Currently lacks the robust automation and task reminder features that other digital planner apps offer
- Mobile app features are a bit limited compared to other digital planners
- Some users say they spend a bit more time getting over the learning curve in the beginning
Notion pricing
- Plus : $8 per user per month billed annually
- Business : $15 per user per month billed annually
- Enterprise : Contact the sales team
Notion ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.7/5 (1,000+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.6/5 (1,000+ reviews)
If you enjoy digital planners with more of a framework or project manager approach to a workflow, then Asana is worth considering. It offers users a wide range of features, such as classic task and project management software , a calendar view , custom templates, easy integration with other cool apps , and plenty of views.
Asana best features
- Custom fields: Organize and sort information like in a spreadsheet with single-select, multi-select, number, and text custom fields
- Forms tied to projects: Collect the exact details needed for each task by directly connecting request forms to specific projects
- Task deadlines: View tasks on an Asana calendar and stay on track, or even view them in your work calendar
- Simple to-do list : Easy to create personal or collaborative to-do lists
Asana limitations
- Asana doesn’t provide true native time-tracking features
- Some say it isn’t a flexible tool compared to other digital planners on this list
- Custom field tools can feel limited
- Free version might be limiting for a simple daily planner
Asana pricing
- Basic : Free
- Premium : $10.99 per user per month billed annually
- Business : $24.99 per user per month billed annually
Asana ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.5/5 (11,000+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.3/5 (9,000+ reviews)
Mash GoodNotes, Google, and Apple Calendar together and you get MyDailyPlanners. This daily planner app has to-do list options and offers templated digital planners complete with links and reminder settings. This works a lot like bullet journals and more as digital planners that can be edited “by hand.”
MyDailyPlanners best features
- Hyperlinked pages: Organize and manage each month with easily navigable linked pages
- Digital stickers: Use digital stickers in any of your monthly planning pages, just like in real life
- Reusable PDF templates: Reuse the PDF template if you need to use the same page for additional planning
MyDailyPlanners limitations
- Not so much an application but a template-based digital planner for an iPad or tablet
- Updates to the digital planner templates cost extra
MyDailyPlanners pricing
- Digital planners and bundles range anywhere from $15 to $20+
MyDailyPlanners ratings and reviews
- Capterra : N/A
If you’re a fan of a Kanban planning approach, look no further than Trello . As a digital planner, it’s a highly visual tool that uses cards to plan tasks and projects. Tag users, add checklists, link files, and set automated reminders to stay on top of all your tasks.
Trello best features
- Drag-and-drop interface: Trello’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to move cards, lists, or boards around and view the progress of different projects
- Image and file uploads: Trello allows users to view upcoming tasks, upload images and files, and keep track of project deadlines
- Flexible organization: Trello offers an easy-to-use organization system with customizable labels, checklists, and task assignments, which can work great for daily tasks
Trello limitations
- Built around one type of digital planner framework
- Can’t integrate or embed other apps you’re already using
- Can be a lot of work for a simple to-do list
Trello pricing
- Standard : $5 per user per month billed annually
- Premium : $10 per user per month billed annually
- Enterprise : $17.50 per user per month billed annually
Trello ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.5/5 (22,000+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.4/5 (13,000+ reviews)
GoodNotes is an accessible iOS app that allows users to take notes or make sketches quickly and easily. The digital planner app features an intuitive interface that lets you create, organize, and edit documents.
It also includes a virtual library that allows users to store, manage, and access their notes with ease. Of the best digital planners, this one is ideal for more visual organizational tasks.
GoodNotes best features
- Virtual Library: Offers an organized virtual library to store, manage, and access users’ notes
- Handwriting recognition: Allows users to type by simply writing out the words on their device
- Text recognition: Digital planner app recognizes typed or hand-written text to easily convert it into an editable format
GoodNotes limitations
- Only available for iOS devices (Android devices may be coming)
- Lack of pre-made shapes in the shape tool
- No layering function makes the drawing feature really difficult
GoodNotes pricing
- Go Limitless : $8.99 one-time payment
GoodNotes ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.5/5 (35+ reviews)
- G2 : 4.8/5 (29+ reviews)
Any.do has an easy-to-use dashboard that lets you create your daily plan on the go. Of the best digital planners on this list, Any.do is quite simple to add notes and attachments to your list. You can even color-code your priorities.
It’s an excellent planner app for creating centralized task lists that are shareable with your team or to create a simple to-do list.
Any.do best features
- Mobile-friendly calendar: Calendar tools are super mobile-friendly and allow you to connect your Google Calendar
- Turn emails into tasks: Once you connect your email provider, it’s easy to turn emails into tasks so you always remember to respond
- Easily sync data: Made for on-the-go planning, it’s easy to work from the app and sync data across all your device
Any.do limitations
- Free version only offers limited features
- Doesn’t integrate well with other work apps
Any.do pricing
- Personal : Free
- Premium : $3 per month, billed annually
- Teams : $5 per month, per user, billed annually
Any.do ratings and reviews
- Capterra : 4.5/5 (100+ reviews)
- G2 : 4/5 (150+ reviews)
With Monday , users create projects, collaborate with team members, and track progress in one place. The platform features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface for task management, custom notifications for essential activities, and powerful automation capabilities.
Monday also integrates with hundreds of apps and services to help you work more effectively and get more done.
Monday best features
- Unlimited boards and docs: Free plan offers users unlimited dashboards and doc creation
- Customizable workflows: Create seamless workflows that take to-dos and projects from pending to complete in less time
- Workload management tools: Find tools inside its dashboard for client planning, weekly goals and OKRs , and high-level planning
Monday limitations
- Free version can feel limiting
- Some think it saves its best features for paying premium users
- Certain users don’t find the features as in-depth or flexible as other digital planner app alternatives
- Generally more work management than digital planning
Monday pricing
- Standard : $8 a set per month billed annually
- Pro : $10 a set per month billed annually
- Enterprise : Contact the sales team
Monday ratings and reviews
- G2 : 4.6/5 (3,000+ reviews)
Looking for more digital planner apps? Check out this Sunsama alternatives guide !
Replace All Your Digital Planner Apps
The beauty of planning is that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—it’s highly personal. With ClickUp, your quest to find the best digital planner app finally comes to a close.
Use it to brainstorm from scratch, create templates, and keep track of your most important tasks all in one place. ClickUp even lets you integrate multiple Google Calendars.
So you’re always on top of your personal planning needs and work projects. So start using ClickUp to ensure you have every tool you’ll need for your digital planning needs.
Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.
Receive the latest WriteClick Newsletter updates.
Thanks for subscribing to our blog!
Please enter a valid email
- Free training & 24-hour support
- Serious about security & privacy
- 99.99% uptime the last 12 months
Free Business Plan Generator
Do you still spend hours writing and creating a business plan? Not after today. Upmetrics’ free business plan generator simplifies writing a business plan and helps you create a comprehensive and compelling lean plan in seconds.
Sounds exciting? Let’s learn more about getting started with our free business plan generator and using it to draft your plan.
Using Upmetrics’ Free Business Plan Generator
Need help using the free business plan generator? Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a business plan using the free generator in no time.
Creating a business plan requires filling in 4 critical fields—company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and financial overview. Let’s start with the first.
1. Enter the Company Overview
Provide a company overview in approximately 3-4 sentences, including your business’s name, service offerings, USPs, mission, goals, and target market. Here’s an example for you:
2. Add Marketing Details
The next step—provide marketing details. Start by answering how your business plans to attract new customers and what you want to achieve with your business.
You may also include details about your marketing budget and preferred marketing channels. Here’s an example for your reference:
“i.e. We will attract customers through a strong online presence, social media marketing, and in-store promotions. Offering loyalty programs and hosting community biking events will help build a loyal customer base.”
3. Enter Competitor Information
After adding the marketing details, provide the name of your primary competitor(s) and explain how you are distinct from your competitors.
Describe whether your offerings have any competitive advantages or differentiators. Here’s how it can be done:
“i.e. Our primary competitor is ‘Wheels & Gears,’ but what sets us apart is our personalized customer service and expert bike repair services. We also differentiate ourselves by focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable products.”
4. Provide Financial Overview
Finally,—provide an overview of your business financials. Include what your startup costs are, what your financial strategy would be, and your first-year sales.
We are creating a lean business plan, so it may not require a detailed description of your business financials. Here’s an example for your understanding:
“i.e. Our expected business costs are $87,000 and that includes rent, inventory, equipment, and staff salaries. Our financial strategy is to minimize overhead costs and optimize inventory turnover. We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year.”
5. Click on Generate a Business Plan
You’ve filled in all the necessary fields. It’s time to click “Generate a Business Plan” and see it yourself.
Your lean business plan is ready; you may make a few changes and go ahead with it or choose an AI business plan generator for comprehensive planning.
Make detailed business & financial plans in minutes with
Upmetrics’ AI Business Plan Generator
Plans starting from $7/month
Business Plan Example that will Inspire You
We created this sample CycleWave business plan using Upmetrics’ free generator. Remember, it’s your first draft—you can always go back and re-generate or edit it later.
CycleWave Business Plan
Introduction
Welcome to the business plan for CycleWave, a bicycle retail and repair shop dedicated to providing high-quality bikes and expert maintenance services. Our mission is to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling while offering exceptional customer service.
Market Overview
The cycling industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing interest in health, sustainability, and alternative transportation methods.
The target market includes cycling enthusiasts, commuters, and local community members.
Strong market potential due to growing awareness of the need for eco-friendly and sustainable products.
Competitive Analysis
Primary competitor: Wheels & Gears.
Differentiation factors
- Personalized customer service
- Expertise in bike repair services
- Focus on eco-friendly and sustainable products.
Highlight the advantages of our unique offerings to attract customers away from competitors.
Marketing Plan
Utilize a solid online presence through a professional website to showcase our products, services, and promotions. Implement social media marketing strategies to engage with customers and build brand awareness.
Host community biking events to foster a sense of belonging and attract potential customers. Offer loyalty programs to incentivize repeat business and build a loyal customer base.
Operational Plan
Secure a suitable retail location with ample space for displaying bicycles and providing repair services. Employ knowledgeable staff with expertise in bike repair and customer service.
Create efficient processes for inventory management and maintenance repairs to ensure fast turnaround times. Maintain an attractive and organized store layout to enhance the customer experience.
Financial Plan
Our expected business costs are $87,000, allocated as follows:
- Rent: $30,000
- Inventory: $40,000
- Equipment: $10,000
- Staff Salaries: $7,000
We project annual sales to reach $500,000 in the first year, allowing us to gradually cover expenses and increase profitability.
Conclusion and Call to Action
In conclusion, CycleWave aims to thrive in the bicycle retail and repair industry by offering high-quality bikes, expert maintenance services, personalized customer care, and eco-friendly products. Join us in promoting a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through cycling.
If you want to support our mission and become part of our cycling community, please contact us or visit our store today!
Upgrade to Make Comprehensive Plans in Minutes
Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is undoubtedly a better way to business plan. However, you may need an upgrade to create a comprehensive, investment-ready plan.
AI business plan generator like Upmetrics make business plan creation a breeze with their modern AI-powered features.
AI writing assistant helps you write, rewrite, edit, or translate sections of your plan, while the forecasting assistant provides revenue and expense stream suggestions for accurate projections.
You also get to access the massive library of 400+ sample business plans . So, all you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI .
What are you waiting for? Business planning starts @ $7 per month.
Build your Business Plan Faster
with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a free business plan generator.
The free business plan generator is a free-to-use version of Upmetrics’ business plan software. It uses AI-powered features to help users create a business plan. Since it can only create a lean business plan, you need Upmetrics’ advanced features for detailed planning.
Is it really free to use?
Yes, Upmetrics’ free business plan generator is 100% free to use, but the features that come with it are also limited. So, you may consider getting a premium subscription for advanced business planning features.
What information will I need to provide to use the tool?
You must fill in the necessary details to create a business plan using the free generator. The information required may include a company overview, marketing details, competitor information, and a financial overview.
What type of businesses should use your free business plan tool?
Startups and small businesses starting up or operating on tight budgets should consider getting a free business planning tool to create a lean business plan.
Is there a limit to how many plans I can create with your software?
No. As of now, there’s no limit to the number of business plans you can create using Upmetrics’ free business plan generator.
Is a sample plan as useful as creating my own custom version?
Using a sample business plan or template is one of the easiest ways to create your business plan. All you need to do is export a template into the editor and start preparing your plan with AI.
The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan
Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.
Learn to Build a Better Business Plan
Sample Business Plan Gallery
Browse our library of over 550 free business plan examples to kickstart your own plan.
Browse our library of over 550 free business plan examples.
How to Write a Business Plan
Step-by-step guide to establish the foundation of your business quickly and efficiently.
Step-by-step guide to establish the foundation of your business.
Business Plan Template
Build your business using the proven planning template designed by the experts at Bplans.
Use the planning template designed by the experts at Bplans.
Subscribe to business insights
Stay up to date with the latest business planning, management, growth, and funding trends..
We care about your privacy. See our Privacy Policy .
Popular Downloads
SWOT Analysis
Easily evaluate your competitive position and develop effective growth strategies.
Refine your competitive strategy using a SWOT analysis.
Cash Flow Forecast
Improve the health of your business by easily estimating your business’s financial future.
Estimate and improve the financial health of your business.
Lean Business Plan Template
Fast, simple, and shareable. Start with a one-page plan to grow alongside your business.
Start with a simple one-page plan to grow alongside your business…
Start Your Business
Business Startup Guide
Get everything in order to start your business and write your business plan.
Get everything in order to start your business.
How to start a business with no money
Is it possible to start a business with no money? Check out this proven process to get your business…
Is it possible to start a business with no money? Check out this.…
Startup Checklist
Break down the startup process and check all the necessary boxes.
Estimating Startup Costs
What will it cost to start your business? These are the expenses you will need to consider.
Do you know what it will cost to start your business?
Write Your Business Plan
Business Planning in Under an Hour
Learn how to write your business plan in under an hour.
1-Page Business Plan Template
A faster, more efficient way to develop your business strategy.
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
Pitch Guide
Learn how to create a winning elevator pitch deck and speech that will impress investors.
Impress investors with a winning pitch deck and elevator pitch.
Elements of the Elevator Pitch
If you're pitching to investors or building a pitch deck, here are the 7 things you need.
Here are the 7 things you need to include in your elevator pitch.
Components of a Pitch Deck
Here are the 11 slides you must have in your pitch deck.
Investor Pitch Template
Start your pitch off right with a proven pitch deck template.
Get Your Business Funded
Funding Guide
Learn how to prepare your business plan and pitch to secure funding for your business.
Prepare your plan and pitch to secure funding for your business.
Ways to Fund Your Business
When it comes to funding, there isn't a one-size-fits-all method. Here are your options.
Find out what funding options are available for your business.
Grow Your Business
How to Grow Your Business
Growing your business can be just as difficult as starting. Here are proven ways to grow.
Try these proven methods to continue growing your business.
Grow Using Your Business Plan
Turn your business plan into a growth-oriented business strategy.
Set Clear and Actionable Goals
Grow your business by setting clear goals and establishing key metrics for success.
Learn to set clear and actionable goals to grow your business.
How to Forecast Cash Flow
Create a cash flow forecast to help keep your business healthy and plan for the future.
Keep your business healthy using a cash flow forecast.
Tim Berry Blog
Learn from renowned business planning expert and founder of Bplans, Tim Berry.
Business Glossary
Definitions for common terminology and acronyms that every small business owner should know.
The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan
Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.
No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.
Discover the world’s #1 plan building software
- Cybersecurity →
9 Best Business Plan Software in 2024
Business plan is a document outlining business goals, financial projections, and strategies. It clarifies organizational vision, strategy, and finances while increasing the chances of securing funding and attracting investors. A well-written business plan works as an investor’s roadmap, showcasing a researched market opportunity, a sound strategy, and the true potential for financial return.
While developing a business plan using the traditional method is time-consuming and overwhelming, business planner software can assist entrepreneurs in creating a professional plan. These provide the necessary structure and guidance to create business plans efficiently.
Geekflare reviewed dozens of business planning tools and picked the best business plan software applications based on their features, ease of use, and pricing.
- Cuttles – Best for Interactive Business Planning and Pitching
- IdeaBuddy – Best for Comprehensive Planning with Financial Projections
- LivePlan – Best for Innovative Idea Development
- Bizplan – Best for Modern and Visual Planning
- Upmetrics – Best for Data-Driven Planning
- PlanGuru – Best for Advanced Financial Analysis
- Enloop – Best for Automated Financial Forecasting
- PlanBuildr – Best for Quick and Simple Business Plans
- The Business Plan Shop – Best for User-Friendly Interface
- Show more Show less
You can trust Geekflare
Imagine the satisfaction of finding just what you needed. We understand that feeling, too, so we go to great lengths to evaluate freemium, subscribe to the premium plan if required, have a cup of coffee, and test the products to provide unbiased reviews! While we may earn affiliate commissions, our primary focus remains steadfast: delivering unbiased editorial insights, and in-depth reviews. See how we test .
Best for Interactive Business Planning and Pitching
- Financial Reporting Comprehensive
- Integration Yes
- Ease of Use Beginner-Friendly
About Cuttles
Cuttles is fully interactive business plan software that helps entrepreneurs develop business plans and understand their businesses. It is a web app that asks questions and creates a plan based on the answers given by the company, with a layout according to the brand.
Cuttles offers fully customizable business plan templates that organizations can modify according to their industrial needs. It has a beautiful editor that anyone can use with flexibility. It is available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese.
After creating a solid business plan, users can easily share its link with other team members or investors. It also supports exporting the plan in PDF format.
Cuttles Pros and Cons
250+ guides, examples, and widgets for assistance
7-day free trial on any plan
Dashboard to track financial health
No free plan is available
Does not offer any mobile app
Best for Comprehensive Planning with Financial Projections
- Financial Reporting Advanced
- Integration No
About IdeaBuddy
IdeaBuddy turns innovative business ideas into professional business plans for successful ventures. This free business planning software allows you to enter data in the sections in the Business Guide and automatically generate an investor-ready business plan.
IdeaBuddy has pre-built templates that companies can customize using an unlimited-edit-ability built-in editor. The business plan can be exported in Word, Excel, and PDF format or shared using a link. Organizations can use it to collaborate with teammates and stakeholders in real-time.
IdeaBuddy has a financial plan feature that companies use to get financial forecasts, which is an important component of a business plan. However, businesses can utilize sales pipeline software to generate data on financial projections.
IdeaBuddy Pros and Cons
Free plan available for one idea
15-day free trial
Mobile-friendly platform
Does not have any dedicated mobile app
Whiteboard is only available for Free and Team Pro plan users
Best for Innovative Idea Development
- Ease of Use Intermediate
About LivePlan
LivePlan allows users to create their business plans for all major industries with its collection of 500+ templates. LivePlan forecast feature lets companies skip the manual calculation and provide the data input based on which it will generate charts, figures, graphs, and other documents for the business plan.
After creating the business plan, companies can export it in Word or PDF formats. LivePlan supports real-time financial data tracking and Xero and QuickBooks integration. It also offers milestone scheduling and sales and budget tracking. It lets users create a one-page pitch in 30 minutes.
LivePlan Pros and Cons
AI-powered LivePlan Assistant for improved writing version
Performance dashboard with 20+ trend reports
Compare KPIs with industry benchmark data
Does not offer any free trial
Standard plan users do not get integration support
Best for Modern and Visual Planning
About Bizplan
Bizplan is ideal business plan software for startups looking for investors or funding. With this modern and intuitive business plan builder, entrepreneurs can create a business plan exactly as they want.
Bizplan also offers educational resources to help companies easily use this drag-and-drop tool for building templates. Its Financial Command Center comes with various financial tools. Companies can use this business plan software platform to create team salary forecasts, revenue projections, and balance sheets.
While users can add collaborators and stakeholders here, they can control who can view sensitive data and comment on them. Companies can share their business plan using the online link.
Bizplan Pros and Cons
Direct access to a community of 20,000 startup founders
1200+ detailed guides
Free technical support
No free trial available
No mobile apps
Best for Data-Driven Planning
About Upmetrics
Upmetrics offers an AI-powered business plan generator that can write a complete or partial business plan, re-format sections, make improvements, and adjust content tone. It allows real-time feedback and collaboration with an easily navigable comment section.
Upmetrics offers a drag-and-drop interface so that companies can create plan outlines according to their preferences. Once the plan is generated, users can save the file in DOC or PDF formats or share it online with the stakeholders.
Upmetrics users also choose creative cover pages to make their business plans stand out. It also has a financial forecasting feature that suggests expense types, revenue streams, sale costs, and expenses. It generates reports on cash flow, profit breakdown, retained earnings, etc.
Upmetrics Pros and Cons
400+ templates for almost all industries
Business plan checklist to track progress
15-day money-back guarantee
Does not have any mobile app
Best for Advanced Financial Analysis
- Ease of Use Advanced
About PlanGuru
PlanGuru is the right business planning software for companies focused on the financial aspect of the company. Businesses can utilize its budgeting, and reporting, and financial forecasting tools to include in the business plan.
PlanGuru is a web app that is also available on Windows-based apps. Using its 20+ standard forecasting methods, companies can generate forecasts for up to 10 years.
PlanGuru supports integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and Microsoft Excel for data import. The generated reports can be exported in Word, Excel, and PDF formats.
PlanGuru Pros and Cons
30-day money-back guarantee
14-day free trial
US-based technical support
Does not offer business plan templates
No desktop app for Mac
Best for Automated Financial Forecasting
About Enloop
Enloop facilitates quick business plan creation by generating automated text that users can easily edit. It automatically syncs the company’s financial data with the business and updates it whenever that data changes.
Enloop users can develop business plans using customizable text, tables, charts, images, and 100+ currency symbols and formats. They can invite their colleagues to edit the plan and other partners to view it.
Enloop automatically generates bank-ready financial forecast reports and 16 critical financial ratios for forecasted performance analysis. This tool allows users to utilize real-time performance scores in their business plans.
Enloop Pros and Cons
7-day free trial
Pass/fail report for understanding critical issues
Colored chart for data visualization
Free subscription plan is unavailable
Costlier than many of its competitors
Best for Quick and Simple Business Plans
About PlanBuildr
PlanBuildr is a user-friendly solution that prompts businesses to fill in the blanks to generate a business plan. Users have 10 templates of various industries to choose from to build a business plan for their company.
PlanBuildr automatically makes financial projections for 5 years, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, charts, and graphs to be included in the business plan. It supports direct printing of the plan and downloading to share with others.
PlanBuildr also supports adding teammates and creating an executive summary. The content and format generated by PlanBuildr are highly tailored to raise money faster from investors.
PlanBuildr Pros and Cons
Limited free trial
Expert customer support team and online support center
Business plan samples for various industries
Only 10 designs to choose from
Unavailability of free plan
The Business Plan Shop
Best for User-Friendly Interface
About The Business Plan Shop
The Business Plan Shop is a solution that offers a wide collection of templates for business plan creation. After signing up for this user-friendly software, users get instructions and examples for each section of the business plan.
The Business Plan Shop generates forecasts for three to five years, and measures progress toward goals using KPIs. Companies can use business consulting software while working on goals. It also supports side-by-side scenario comparisons between actual and forecast.
The Business Plan Shop integrates with Xero and QuickBooks to import accounting data for forecasting purposes. After creating the plan, users can easily export it in MS Word or PDF formats.
The Business Plan Shop Pros and Cons
7-day free trial is available
Built-in document editor for quick formatting
SSL for data security
Does not work offline
Free trial does not include access to templates
Business Plan Software Comparison
Fully customizable templates, basic help guide | Cash flow projection | Download as PDF | €8/month | |
Pre-built templates, detailed help guides | 5-year projection, cash flow projection | Allow access to view and edit, shareable link, download in Word, Excel, and PDF | Free plan available | |
Templates available, Extensive collection of help articles | AI-powered forecasting on cash flow, sales, etc. | Download in Word or PDF | $12/month | |
Template creation, 1200+ detailed guides | Team salary forecasts and revenue projection | Control access to view and comment, sharable online link | $20.75/month | |
400+ examples and free templates, | AI-powered forecasting suggestions | Real-time collaboration, online sharing, PDF and DOC file download | $7/month | |
No templates, in-depth assistance | 20+ forecasting methods | Not applicable | $83/month | |
Generates automatic text, detailed guidance | Bank-ready financial forecast | Download facility for business plan | $19.95/month | |
Template for financial projection, expert customer support | Financial projection for 5 years | Not available | $7.99/month | |
Templates in Word and PDF, | 3-way financial projection | Centralized discussion, access, and permission management | $32.00/month |
What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan is a document that explains a business’s objectives and how it aims to achieve them. It is an essential written document that companies need for internal (organizational decision-making) and external (securing funding from investors or partners) audiences. It focuses on key elements to demonstrate the business’s viability.
A standard business plan should consist of 15 to 20 pages. If it includes lengthy components, it is better to add them to the appendix and refer to them in the main plan.
How to Create a Business Plan
Creating a business plan involves steps like creating an executive summary, performing market research, developing business strategies, discussing business products, and making financial projections. To develop a business plan for an organization, go through the steps below.
#1. Write an Executive Summary
Consider it as the elevator pitch and include the summary of the whole business plan, including the mission statement. It is better to write it in the end.
#2. Define the Business
In this section, mention the basic info about the company, such as its registered name, location, key people, and their expertise. Also, include business structure, company history, and ownership percentage.
#3. Mention Business Objectives
The business plan should include an objective statement – what the company wants to achieve in the long run. While developing a plan for investment or loan, emphasize this section and make it elaborate.
#4. Discuss Products and Services of the Business
Here, describe in detail the product or service the business will offer. Also, include the pricing model, target audience, and sales and distribution strategy.
#5. Market Research
In this segment, discuss the competitors. Include the reason behind their success and how the organization has the potential to outperform them.
#6. Develop Business Strategy
Mention how the organization is planning to persuade customers to avail of the services and retain customer loyalty. Include detailed plans of marketing, management, and operational strategies.
#7. Financial Analysis
While startups may not have enough information on business financials, existing businesses should include a balance sheet, profit-and-loss statements, and a cash flow statement.
#8. Make Financial Projections
This is a critical section for financing or investors. Here, outline how the company is planning to generate profit to repay the loan or offer a generous return to the investors.
#9. Additional Information
Any supporting information that the company wants to include in the business plan should go in the appendix.
Benefits of Business Plan Software
Business plan software has a robust toolkit that allows businesses to create investor-ready documents from the concept. It offers step-by-step guidance for business plan creation and pre-formatted templates for a professional structure.
Business planning tools, when integrated with BPM software , accounting software, and market research software, can automatically collect relevant data for the business plan. It even has built-in tools to generate financial projections with complex calculations and graphs.
With these features, business planning software solutions empower companies to create compelling and error-free plans. Thus, they effectively communicate the organizational vision to investors.
How to Choose the Right Business Plan Software
Creating solid and convincing business plan tools is crucial, so companies must choose the right software to make the process smoother. Although there are many options, following these points will help them select the most suitable business plan software solution.
Assessing Business Needs
Companies should start by identifying what the business plan requires. Does the company need in-depth financial forecasting, or does it need to focus on market research? Match it with the software’s features to choose the most useful software.
Considering Team’s Expertise
Always take the technological expertise of the team into consideration. If the team has limited tech experience, go for user-friendly software with clear instructions and a flat learning curve.
Budgeting for Business Plan Software
Determine the organizational budget for the business plan apps and choose the tool with an affordable plan. To that end, compare the pricing models of the shortlisted applications.
Reading Reviews and Getting Recommendations
Read online user reviews and seek recommendations from other entrepreneurs or business advisors. This will provide valuable insights into the software’s effectiveness and user experience.
Regardless of the estimated business size, a properly written business plan is vital for future growth and success. Companies should choose the right tool to ensure that they send a clear and focused message to investors. It guides them through essential elements and helps them avoid critical oversights.
With sophisticated business plan software providers, users can effortlessly write a business plan. The above list will help them choose the right solution for business.
More Readings for You on Business Software
- Workflow Management Software to Optimize Processes
- Best Workflow Automation Software to Do More With Less Effort
Free Travel Itinerary Templates
Free travel itinerary templates you can use for your next trip. Download, customize to your needs, and hit the road.
- 01. 8 Travel Itinerary Templates
- 02. What is an itinerary template?
- 03. What elements make a good itinerary template?
- 04. Plan your trip effortlessly with Clockify
8 Travel Itinerary Templates
Based on your specific needs and preferences, you can select your favorite free itinerary template, save time, and streamline your travel planning.
In the section below, you will find 8 travel itinerary templates, including:
- Business Travel Itinerary Template,
- Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template,
- Vacation Travel Itinerary Template,
- Plane Ticket Itinerary Template,
- Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template,
- Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template,
- Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template, and
- Event Planning Itinerary Template.
To be able to use any of the ready-made templates listed below, all you need to do is click on the template you would like to use, and click on the Make a copy button. This refers to both Google Sheets and Google Docs formats of the templates.
Business Travel Itinerary Template
Business Travel Itinerary Template is a ready-made solution you can use to organize your business trip to the smallest detail and hit the road at peace.
⏬ Download a Business Travel Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Business Travel Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Business Travel Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Business Travel Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Business Travel Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Business Travel Itinerary Template?
This template is ideal for everyone who finds business travels stressful and they’d like to invest minimum time in preparation and organization.
How to use the Business Travel Itinerary Template?
After you download your preferred version of the template (Google Sheets, Google Docs, PDF, or Excel), start by filling out details such as:
- Your trip’s flight details (dates, time, departures, arrivals, etc.),
- Car rental info (if you are renting one),
- Hotel info, and
- The activities you plan to do during your trip.
Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template
If you are going on a business trip, you’ll probably need to take a meeting agenda with you. That’s where a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template comes handy, helping you present yourself in a professional manner.
⏬ Download a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template?
This template can help business people hold smooth and efficient meetings, while having everything they need in one place. Leaders, chairmen, managers, HR specialists can all benefit from this template.
🎓 How to stay focused during a work meeting
How to use the Meeting Agenda Itinerary Template?
This template makes sure your meeting agenda is prepared well in advance. After you make a copy of the template, you can find all the necessary details related to holding a meeting successfully — meeting time, purpose, participants, topics, and more. You will see a checklist at the bottom of this template where you add any other necessary information you don’t want to forget about your meeting.
Vacation Travel Itinerary Template
The Vacation Travel Itinerary Template is an easy-to-use document that will help you simplify your trip planning process and make the most of your trip.
⏬ Download a Vacation Travel Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Vacation Travel Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Vacation Travel Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Vacation Travel Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Vacation Travel Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Vacation Travel Itinerary Template?
Frequent fliers, those who are preparing for their yearly vacation, or even travel agencies may make use of this template. Independent travelers can organize their trips to the smallest details thanks to this template, while travel agencies can hand the templates out to their travelers for better understanding and organization of the trip, too.
How to use the Vacation Travel Itinerary Template?
The Vacation Travel Itinerary Template includes all the relevant information regarding your future travel plans, including the destination, time and date, costs, activities, etc., which you can add for seamless travel.
🎓 PTO vs. Vacation: What Is the Difference?
Plane Ticket Itinerary Template
The Plane Ticket Itinerary Template helps travel agencies, airlines, or booking companies streamline the process of crafting plane ticket itineraries, so you don’t forget any details regarding your passengers’ flight.
⏬ Download a Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Plane Ticket Itinerary Template?
Travel agencies, airlines, or booking companies can use this template to help them craft their unique plane tickets.
The template is suitable for both domestic and international travels.
Note: This template is not a real airline ticket and cannot be used by physical entities (individuals) for the purpose of using it as a real plane ticket.
How to use the Plane Ticket Itinerary Template?
You can use this template as a great guidance tool that will make sure you don’t forget any important details while crafting a perfect plane ticket for your passengers’ flight.
All you need to do is fill out the required fields in the template regarding your passengers’ flight (and other details), download or print out the completed template, and hand it to your passengers. You can see the Plane Ticket Itinerary Template in different formats, and hopefully you will find one that fits your needs.
Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template
Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template is a handy option whenever you book a flight with multiple stops, and you want to make sure your trip goes as planned.
⏬ Download a Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template?
This template is perfect for travelers who enjoy across-countries trips and need a well-crafted itinerary to make their trip laid-back and smooth.
How to use the Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template?
You can use this itinerary template when you book flights with multiple stops, and go from Point A to B and on to C, D, etc. For instance, you want to add more cities to your trip and fly from London to Paris, hop to Moscow or Rome, and end up in Dubai. This template provides you with all the necessary details about each of your flights — departures, arrivals, seat info, and more. With the Multi-city Flight Itinerary Template, you will be able to plan a trip with as many as 6 different flights at once!
Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template
Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template is a great option if you want to make the best use of your time while traveling and come up with a timeline with all the activities and events you want to attend during each day of your trip.
⏬ Download a Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template?
Anyone who wants to make each of their days while on a trip count. Frequent fliers or beginner travelers can make use of this wonderfully crafted itinerary.
How to use the Travel Day Planner Itinerary Template?
Simply make a copy of the template (as with any of the templates in this text), plan the entire day of your trip to the smallest details, download or print it, and you are ready to go!
You can follow the same principle for each day of your visit (if your trip lasts for 10 days for instance, you can download 10 of these templates for each day of your trip).
Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template
Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template helps you make sure you tick off important things from your checklist and not forget about your to-dos before you hit the road.
⏬ Download a Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download a Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download a Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download a Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download a Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template?
Whether you are a frequent flier, first-time traveler, going on a long trip or just for a few days — a simple checklist may do wonders for you!
This itinerary may serve you well whether you are traveling for business or pleasure.
How to use the Travel Planning Checklist Itinerary Template?
Simply download a copy of this template and start writing things down! You can make notes about all the things you don’t want to forget, whether that’s a passport, important medicine, boarding passes, confirming your days off with the HR department, delegating a task to a teammate, etc.
Event Planning Itinerary Template
This Event Planning Itinerary Template may come in handy when organizing an event to be able to ensure efficiency and transparency in your planning.
⏬ Download an Event Planning Itinerary Template in Google Sheets
⏬ Download an Event Planning Itinerary Template in Google Docs
⏬ Download an Event Planning Itinerary Template in PDF
⏬ Download an Event Planning Itinerary Template in Excel
⏬ Download an Event Planning Itinerary Template in Word
Who should use the Event Planning Itinerary Template?
This template may serve you well whether you are organizing a conference, workshop, seminar, product launch, and similar. Event planners can also use this template to track how many attendees are present during an event.
🎓 Attendance Tracking — How to Track and Check Attendance
How to use the Event Planning Itinerary Template?
Using this template is very straightforward — after you make a copy of it, you can:
- State all the basic info about your event and start breaking it down into smaller segments,
- Schedule the exact time for each of your planned activities during the event,
- Add expenses,
- Name a supervisor for each activity,
- Add attendees, and
- Make notes for any additional info you wish to point out (optional).
You can even share this itinerary with your team members to keep them in the loop at all times during the event.
What is an itinerary template?
An itinerary template is a ready-made template that you can use to better organize and schedule your activities during a trip, event, meeting, and similar.
Itinerary templates include useful information, such as hotel bookings, flight info, rental info, and other (depending on the type of itinerary). Also, itinerary templates may contain checklists for faster and smarter planning and packing for your trip.
What elements make a good itinerary template?
A good itinerary template is the one that includes as many details as possible and helps you make the most of your travel experience.
That’s why, while creating our itinerary templates, we made sure we covered the following elements:
- Transportation information — no matter which transportation means you choose for your trip, don’t forget to include transportation details such as the flight, departures, arrivals, car rental info, and others.
- Accommodation information — booking a place to stay before you travel is of the utmost importance. That’s why, your travel itinerary must include details about your stay such as check-in and check-out times, location of the accommodation, address, etc.
- Activities — it’s most likely that you will want to include certain activities in your trip, no matter if you travel for business or pleasure. Squeezing in some sightseeing while on a business trip or making a thorough plan for your road trip throughout Europe, organizing everything before the actual trip is a wise thing to do.
- Things to bring along — whichever the reason for your trip, you certainly don’t want to forget to take a passport or an ID with you, a charger, credit cards, or any other thing you find crucial for your travel.
- Checklists — a perfect travel itinerary must contain a simple checklist as an essential tool for any traveler out there. Checklists make sure you have a laid-back, yet organized trip.
- Expenses — planning a trip is much easier when you have a thought-out travel budget. This way, you can keep track of your expenses and prevent overspending, too.
Plan your trip effortlessly with Clockify
Now that you’ve successfully gone through every detail regarding your trip, there’s only one more thing left — managing and tracking your PTO!
Managing your PTO balance and accruals helps you plan your time better, especially when going on a trip.
With Clockify, planning your trip has never been easier.
Time off functionalities in Clockify
Clockify’s Time off feature allows you to:
- Request time off easily,
- See your teammates’ PTO calendar, and
- Track balance and accruals (see balance history, pending and approved requests, and more).
To request time off for your next trip, simply click on the Request time off button in the upper right corner, choose a time period while you will be out of the office, state a reason in the Note section, and click Submit.
Requesting time off in Clockify
Right after you enter the time period for your absence, you’ll see that the app will automatically deduct those days from your balance and show you a new balance (Total: 9.00d from the screenshot).
As easy as that!
Clockify streamlines your PTO requests while you can enjoy your well-deserved vacations.
Try Clockify today for free.
Start tracking time with Clockify
24/7 Support
Cancel Anytime
Free Forever
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The Best Business Plan Software of 2024. Wrike: Best overall. Smartsheet: Best for goal management. LivePlan: Best for financial forecasting. Aha!: Best for roadmapping. Bizplan: Best for ...
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 ...
More Than A Business Plan Template Claim Your Business Plan. Plannit.ai is an AI-driven business planning platform that helps entrepreneurs, business owners, students and business consultants create professional business plans in minutes. Answer questions about your vision and generate a full professional business plan.
The best free software for small businesses at a glance. Category. Best for. EngageBay. Free CRM software. Managing up to 250 unique leads with sales, marketing, chat, and customer service features for free. MailerLite. Free email marketing services. Delivering dynamic, text- and image-rich content to inboxes.
This app creates a great business plan in three quick steps: 1. Fill out the easy to use template. 2. Pick your preferred style and content from easy options. 3. Press the button and the app will automatically write your customized business plan. Our mission is to make your business planning quick, effective and painless.
1. Create a free Venngage account using your email, Google or Facebook profiles. 2. Select the perfect business plan template from our library of professionally designed templates. 3. Use our online Business Plan Creator to add your information, data and more to your business plan template.
Learn more about creating your own business plan presentation or document by going through our step-by-step tutorial below or watching this quick video. Log into your Visme dashboard or create a new account, then click Create New Project. Access our business plan templates by searching for "Business Plan" in the search box.
Coro is a free business plan software that helps you create a professional and successful business plan. Coro offers many features that make it easy to get started, including templates, financials, and more. ... Mobile app not available for macOS and iOS; Pricing. Basic Plan: Costs $0, it has valuable features like Excel Exports, Balanced ...
Building a business is hard work and you need digital solutions that can make everyday life easier as an early-stage founder. Cuttles is a guided and personalized startup builder that helps you with planning, budgeting, and presenting your startup to investors. Their business plan tool helps you write your plan in a fraction of the time.
Enloop offers a freemium plan that is available for public use without any subscription charges. Advanced plans are also available that start at $11/month. Paid plans also come with a free trial option. 3. Upmetrics. Source: Upmetrics. Upmetrics offer free business plan software with great financial modeling features.
5 Best Business Plan Software and Tools in 2023 for Your Small Business. Entrepreneurs who write formal business plans are 16% more likely to achieve success than entrepreneurs who don't. 1 This software can help. Data as of 3/13/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
And with the LivePlan Pitch Builder, you get an easy way to outline the essentials. This includes helping you: Figure out who your customers really are. Clarify what problem your business is solving. Set smart goals & milestones so you can grow faster. The entire process typically takes just 60 minutes - you can even write it on your ...
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. Best business plan software of 2024: quick menu. (Image ...
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.
As with tax preparation software, it's reassuring when the business planning software solution defines terms, provides sample data, and explains the sort of information expected in each field ...
Collaboration. 1. Todoist. If you're looking for a plug-and-play online collaboration tool, Todoist is a great candidate — and it's free! This versatile app works great as a simple reminder list. But it also offers a host of other features that take your planning to the next level.
Why we chose it: IdeaBuddy is an affordable business plan software with many features to support idea generation and evaluation, including one-page plan summaries and a whiteboard for simplified collaboration. IdeaBuddy is a good entry point into the world of business planning software. It's free to begin using and has scalable plan options ranging from $5 for the Dreamer package to $22 per ...
Easily sync data: Made for on-the-go planning, it's easy to work from the app and sync data across all your device; Any.do limitations. Free version only offers limited features; Doesn't integrate well with other work apps; Any.do pricing. Personal: Free; Premium: $3 per month, billed annually; Teams: $5 per month, per user, billed annually
Ebooks & Guides A free resource hub on business planning. Business Tools Free business tools to help you grow. See how easy it is to plan your business with Upmetrics: ... Great software. I tried and used other business plan software and apps, but I was impressed by Upmetrics. The financial forecast section has excellent features none others ...
1. Wave: Free Accounting Software. Wave has an easy to use dashboard that allows you to manage sales, accounting, banking, and payroll from one account. Wave is an accounting, invoicing, and receipt tracking software for small businesses. We rank it as one of the best free accounting software available.
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.
Business Glossary. Business Glossary. Discover the world's #1 plan building software. Bplans offers free business plan samples and templates, business planning resources, how-to articles, financial calculators, industry reports and entrepreneurship webinars.
PlanGuru is the right business planning software for companies focused on the financial aspect of the company. Businesses can utilize its budgeting, and reporting, and financial forecasting tools to include in the business plan. PlanGuru is a web app that is also available on Windows-based apps.
Download ready-made travel itinerary templates whether for your business trip, vacation, event planning, and similar. ... you can select your favorite free itinerary template, save time, and streamline your travel planning. ... you'll see that the app will automatically deduct those days from your balance and show you a new balance (Total: 9 ...