Best Business Plan Software of 2021
Looking for the best business plan software?
We reviewed all the leading solutions.
This is the evaluation process we followed:
- First, we inspected the market.
- We signed up for the most reputable software and tried it out.
- We evaluated the pricing and wrote comprehensive reviews of the best deals.
Ready to conquer the world? Lay out the strategy with the best business planning software from the list below!
Best Business Plan Software of 2021
1. Tarkenton GoSmallBiz
Tarkenton’s GoSmallBiz tool helps you create detailed business plans to grow your company and attract investors. But it goes way beyond that—with unlimited expert consulting, CRM, HR functionality, and even a website builder with free hosting. FULL REVIEW
- Easy-to-use
- Investor-ready plans
- Unlimited business consultations
Show More
Tarkenton’s GoSmallBiz tool helps you create detailed business plans to grow your company and attract investors. But it goes way beyond that—with unlimited expert consulting, CRM, HR functionality, and even a website builder with free hosting. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
No
Good
Great
MailChimp, Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
2. LivePlan
Take the guesswork out of business planning with LivePlan’s robust, user-friendly wizard. From creating investor-ready pitches to preparing your financial plan and tracking your progress, this app has everything a business needs—and for a very competitive price. FULL REVIEW
- Comprehensive planning
- 500+ niche-specific samples
- Financial planning and tracking
Show More
Take the guesswork out of business planning with LivePlan’s robust, user-friendly wizard. From creating investor-ready pitches to preparing your financial plan and tracking your progress, this app has everything a business needs—and for a very competitive price. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
Yes
Great
Good
Quickbooks, Xero
3. Upmetrics
Create detailed plans in record times with Upmetrics’ straightforward, user-friendly business plan app. With multiple industry-specific templates and stellar collaboration features, this is one of the best all-round solutions for streamlining your process reporting. Whether you’re a startup owner, a larger company, or even a consultant, Upmetrics will help you generate efficient business plans with zero fuss. FULL REVIEW
- Quick and simple
- Multiple niche templates
- Straightforward tailoring
Show More
Create detailed plans in record times with Upmetrics’ straightforward, user-friendly business plan app. With multiple industry-specific templates and stellar collaboration features, this is one of the best all-round solutions for streamlining your process reporting. Whether you’re a startup owner, a larger company, or even a consultant, Upmetrics will help you generate efficient business plans with zero fuss. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, Google Sheets, Qualtrics, UpActive
Good
Great
Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, Google Sheets, Qualtrics, UpActive
4. Business Plan Pro
Business Plan Pro is a competitor research and business planning software for lender-friendly results. Leverage over 9,000 industry profiles to create a killer positioning statement that wins investors over. Business Plan Pro lets you leverage 500+ plans to impress venture capitalists and drag-and-drop financial planning to ensure top performance. FULL REVIEW
- Comprehensive industry research
- 9,000+ business profiles
- 500+ plan templates
Show More
Business Plan Pro is a competitor research and business planning software for lender-friendly results. Leverage over 9,000 industry profiles to create a killer positioning statement that wins investors over. Business Plan Pro lets you leverage 500+ plans to impress venture capitalists and drag-and-drop financial planning to ensure top performance. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
Yes
Great
Great
No
5. Business Power Tools
With comprehensive planning, sales, and marketing solutions, Business Power Tools is a treasure trove of resources for an up-and-coming business. Whether you’re looking for a strategy and planning tool or a full-stack operations powerhouse, Business Power Tools packs impressive value in its easy-to-use, affordable products. FULL REVIEW
- Feature-rich
- Strategy and operational planning
- Affordable and comprehensive
Show More
With comprehensive planning, sales, and marketing solutions, Business Power Tools is a treasure trove of resources for an up-and-coming business. Whether you’re looking for a strategy and planning tool or a full-stack operations powerhouse, Business Power Tools packs impressive value in its easy-to-use, affordable products. FULL REVIEW
Yes (14-day trial)
Yes
Yes
Good
No
MS Excel, Quickbooks, Scribes
6. PlanGuru
Plan your company finances with confidence with PlanGuru’s robust three-way forecasting structure. From budgeting to monthly reports and results tracking, this software crunches the numbers and empowers data-driven decisions that help your business grow. FULL REVIEW
- Comprehensive financial planning
- 20+ forecasting methodologies
- Non-financial data forecasts
Show More
Plan your company finances with confidence with PlanGuru’s robust three-way forecasting structure. From budgeting to monthly reports and results tracking, this software crunches the numbers and empowers data-driven decisions that help your business grow. FULL REVIEW
Yes (30-day free trial)
No
Yes
Good
Great
QuickBooks, Xero, Excel
7. iPlanner
iPlanner is an easy-to-use tool for business modeling, planning, and financial forecasting. It’s cost-effective—a definite perk for small businesses, and has excellent mentoring functionality. Larger organizations will enjoy the one-stop workspace, easy collaboration, and multiple project templates. FULL REVIEW
- Great for individual projects and startups
- Mentorship opportunities
- Simple collaboration
Show More
iPlanner is an easy-to-use tool for business modeling, planning, and financial forecasting. It’s cost-effective—a definite perk for small businesses, and has excellent mentoring functionality. Larger organizations will enjoy the one-stop workspace, easy collaboration, and multiple project templates. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
Yes
No
Great
No
8. Bizplan
Create your business plan, forecast financials, and attract investors—all in the same place. Bizplan is a one-stop solution for busy startup founders and entrepreneurs. With it, you can turn your ideas into a winning company in record time. FULL REVIEW
- Fully-guided plan builder
- Simple financials forecasting
- Investor-ready business plans
Show More
Create your business plan, forecast financials, and attract investors—all in the same place. Bizplan is a one-stop solution for busy startup founders and entrepreneurs. With it, you can turn your ideas into a winning company in record time. FULL REVIEW
No
Yes
Yes
Good
Great
Quickbooks, Xero, Google Docs
The Best Business Plan Builders – Reviewed & Ranked
Starting a new project?
A solid business plan will give structure to your ideas, help you evaluate risks and opportunities, and attract future investors. But writing one on your own can be overwhelming.
In this article, we at HostingTribunal have ranked the best business plan software that take the fuss out of plan writing without compromising the quality.
The Best Business Plan Software - Detailed Reviews & Comparison
- Free version No
- Step-by-step wizard No
- Contributors No
- Charts and graphs Good
- Financial projections Great
- Integrations MailChimp, Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
- Easy-to-use
- Unlimited business consultations
- Detailed financial projections
- Affordable
- Mobile app
- Investor-ready plans
- No accounting software integrations
- Not ideal for operations planning
What Is Tarkenton GoSmallBiz?
Tarkenton’s GoSmallBiz is a one-stop solution small business planning software.
The all-inclusive membership includes:
- Business plan builder with an easy, wizard-based interface
- Unlimited business consultations with an experienced team
- Customer Relationships Manager (CRM) to streamline your communications
- Marketing dashboard with crucial social media integrations and metrics
- Website builder with free hosting
- Website analysis by marketing professionals (with a full, written report in two days)
- Human resources (HR) document templates and automated builder
- Corporate minutes to keep track of events and stay compliant
You can also enjoy a discount on legal services from a vast network of providers, as well as an extensive library of business documents and legal forms.
Pricing
GoSmallBiz comes at a set price of $39/month, billed month-to-month.
This gives you access to an impressive range of small business tools—from the business planning software to the CRM and HR functions.
Tarkenton GoSmallBiz Best Features
- Easy-to-use wizard
- Loan and investor pitch-friendly end-result
- All-inclusive and affordable pricing
- One-stop-shop for all things a small business needs
- Unlimited consulting to grow your company
- Financial projections made easy (and spreadsheet-free)
- Possibly the best business plan app
What We Disliked
- No accounting integrations
- Better for investor pitching, not long-term business planning
Tarkenton GoSmallBiz User Reviews
GoSmallBiz is one of the oldest companies on our list, with a history going back to 1996. They started out as an affordable expert consulting for small businesses—and this is still a key part of their offer.
In the span of over two decades, they’ve helped 400,000+ businesses grow and increase sales. Their reputation is squeaky clean, with clients praising the expertise, high-value advice, and helpful one-stop solution they received.
As far as the business plan generator goes, GoSmallBiz has been ranked as one of the best options for small businesses—since it provides straightforward but comprehensive solutions that attract investors.
We Recommend Tarkenton GoSmallBiz For…
If you’re running a small company, GoSmallBiz is the best business plan software for you. It’s easy to use, detailed, and cost-effective—everything an up-and-coming entrepreneur needs.
- Free version No
- Step-by-step wizard Yes
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs Great
- Financial projections Good
- Integrations Quickbooks, Xero
- Comprehensive planning
- 500+ niche-specific samples
- Financial planning and tracking
- Accounting software integrations
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Steep learning curve
- Time-consuming plan building
What Is LivePlan?
LivePlan is a detailed business plan builder, great for one-time plan generation, as well as long-term tracking.
Its step-by-step plan-building process is extensive, yielding a robust final product. It has 500+ sample plans for all niches—from product development and real estate to NGOs.
It’s an excellent way for startups and enthusiastic entrepreneurs to organize their ideas into a value proposition for investors.
But this business plan app goes beyond that too.
The financial planning tool goes into great detail to get granular projections and optimize your earnings. LivePlan integrates with Quickbooks and Xero to track performance and compare how your plan stacks up to the results.
You can use LivePlan’s user-friendly interface to prepare investor-ready business programs and stay on top of operations through the detailed dashboard.
Pricing
The business plan wizard offers two different packages:
- Standard plan—$20/month(or $15/month billed annually) with step-by-step guidelines, 500+ sample plans, derailed financial forecasting—everything you need to get started
- Premium plan— $40/month (or $30/month billed monthly) including everything from the Standard package, plus benchmark data, performance indicators, and other features to achieve sustainable growth
If all you need is a one-time solution, just get the Standard plan.
But LivePlan is an invaluable tool for day-to-day tracking too. To build a business from the ground up and continue developing, consider Premium membership.
What LivePlan business plan reviews value the most is that both packages come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them risk-free.
LivePlan Best Features
- Detailed planning with an easy-to-use wizard
- 500+ samples for different industries
- Financial projections and tracking
- Accounting software integrations
- The option to add collaborators to work on plans
- 60-day money-back guarantee
What We Disliked
- Steep learning curve
- Time-consuming planning (because of the detailed business plan form)
LivePlan User Reviews
LivePlan is one of the best-liked business planning tools for step-by-step plan creation and financial tracking.
Users praise the simple, beginner-friendly layout with helpful explanations and examples. They’re also happy with the smooth accounting integrations, though some say the financial planning could improve.
We Recommend LivePlan For…
LivePlan is the best business plan app for creating in-depth plans from the ground up. It’s great for small to mid-size ventures in practically all niches—from personal services to waste disposal and everything in-between.
- Free version No
- Step-by-step wizard Yes
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs Good
- Financial projections Great
- Integrations Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, Google Sheets, Qualtrics, UpActive
- Quick and simple
- Multiple niche templates
- Straightforward tailoring
- Easy sharing and collaboration
- Slick financial tools
- Useful integrations
- No dashboard or tracking function
- Not enough templates
What Is Upmetrics?
Upmetrics is a cloud-based business plan writing software that helps you:
- Generate, customize, and fine-tune plans
- Track your planning progress
- Summarize and forecast financials
- Invite associates to work on your plan
- Collaborate with real-time feedback
- Publish, export, or share business plans online
You can choose the best business plan template for your niche from its rich library for quick and efficient planning. With its full customization functionality, you can create a high-value business plan even if this is your first time writing one.
Pricing
All Upmetrics plans come with a 15-day money-back guarantee. Their costs are all-inclusive—you won’t get any hidden fees as an unpleasant surprise.
But if you’re looking for free business plans, this software is not the right choice for you, as there is no free plan.
Solo
The Solo plan will set you back $5.42/month billed annually or $9/month billed monthly.
For this price, you get one workspace with up to two members and five canvases. It’s an affordable starter pack for new businesses, though most will eventually have to upgrade.
Team
The Team plan costs $8.25/month billed annually or $14/month billed monthly.
It’s perfect for mid-size companies and includes five workspaces, up to five members, and eight canvases for each workspace.
Premium
If you’re looking for the best business plan template software for established businesses, the Premium plan is perfect for you!
It costs $29.09/month billed annually or $49/month billed monthly.
You get unlimited workspaces, members, and canvases, which comes in handy for large companies or professional business consultants looking to streamline their work.
Upmetrics Best Features
- Easy business plan writing
- Industry-specific templates
- Fully customizable
- Straightforward collaboration
- Neat financial planning
- Handy integrations—Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, and more
What We Disliked
- No business progress dashboard
- More templates would be useful
Upmetrics User Reviews
As far as ease-of-use goes, clients rank Upmetrics as the best business plan builder on the market. With a slick layout and intuitive UI, it’s very popular among startup owners, as well as large businesses in need of a quick, high-quality planning tool.
We Recommend Upmetrics For…
Upmetrics is a great all-round option for small to mid-size businesses and consultants looking for a process speed-up tool.
- Free version
- Step-by-step wizard
- Contributors
- Charts and graphs
- Financial projections
- Integrations
- Comprehensive industry research
- 9,000+ business profiles
- 500+ plan templates
- Step-by-step guidance
- Drag-and-drop financial forecasting
- Lender-friendly business plans
- Outdated layout and UI
- No Windows 10 support
What Is Business Plan Pro?
Business Plan Pro is a competitor research and lender-ready business plan maker.
It’s a comprehensive resource tool with up-to-date information on everything you need to start a business—niche overview, legal advice, planning guidance.
Business Plan Pro helps you create an accurate financial plan faster than ever. With the table wizard and integrated financial and spreadsheet support, you can plan for up to 10 years in advance. The software does the heavy lifting for you—all you have to do is add the numbers.
Plus, you can save tons of time with the software’s business plan template features. To speed up your planning process, select from 500+ sample templates, and follow the step-by-step instructions. The software also generates automatic charts and graphs for you—just enter the numbers and you’re ready to go.
Pricing
You can buy a Business Plan Pro Standard license for $99.95 as a one-time fee. With this edition, you get everything you need to create a killer business plan.
But the Premier package includes additional features to help you get funding, plus a plan vs. actual financial analysis function. All this will set you back $199.95 (cut down to $159.95 at the time of writing this article).
Business Plan Pro Best Features
- 500+ business plan templates
- Lender-preferred formats
- 9,000+ industry profiles for easy research
- Automatic charts and graphs
- Easy financial planning
- Data, accuracy, and spelling check at every step
- Affordable one-time fee license
What We Disliked
- Clunky layout in need of an update
- It doesn’t work on Windows 10
Business Plan Pro User Reviews
Clients praise this reliable software for business plans but warn about the Windows 10 incompatibility issue and the occasional freezes. While Business Plan Pro is a useful tool that makes competitor research and business planning a breeze, virtually all reviewers agree that it seems overdue for an update. Here’s to hoping one comes out very soon!
We Recommend Business Plan Pro For…
Business Plan Pro is great for startups and investor/loan-seeking businesses who want a one-stop solution for research, general planning, and financial forecasting.
- Free version Yes (14-day trial)
- Step-by-step wizard Yes
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs Good
- Financial projections No
- Integrations MS Excel, Quickbooks, Scribes
- Feature-rich
- Strategy and operational planning
- Affordable and comprehensive
- Hundreds of legal documents
- HR, marketing, sales, and beyond
- Additional users for $1/month
- Web-based and desktop
- Outdated UI
- No mobile app
What Is Business Power Tools?
Business Power Tools is a suite of solutions for planning, funding, and growing a profitable business. It’s a line of tools that goes beyond the simple business plan builder. It offers:
- Business planning and financial modeling to set the groundwork for your company and win over investors
- Protection and legal compliance with 165+ contract templates
- Contact management with a comprehensive CRM (everything from leads to proposals and transactions)
- Marketing and sales plan functionality
- Finance tools that work like a virtual CFO—from funding resources to shareholder tracking and plain English financial contracts
- HR features like the Employee Manual Builder, customizable policies, correspondence, and contract templates—making it one of the best business plan software for contracting
- PR & Media package with press releases, media calendar, and complete, easy-to-understand tutorials
- Research & Development tools, including product plans, contracts for R&D, and even Excel-based calculators that crunch the numbers for you
Pricing
You can try out the software for free for two weeks with instant access to the system. They don’t ask for a credit card to give you the demo.
After that, the all-in-one subscription is $97/month (or $970/year) for the first user.
If you just want the strategic planning and finance tools (the actual business plan generator,) membership is $27/month or $270/year for one user.
The HR features alone will set you back $47/month or $470/year.
The Marketing, PR, Sales & Social Media package is $37/month or $370 per year.
You can add new users for just $1/month and have granular control over their permissions and access. All the plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Business Power Tools Best Features
- Affordable business plan wizard
- Strategic, tactical, and operational planning powers
- Full-featured planning and operations solution
- Hundreds of contracts and legal documents
- Additional users for just $1/month
- Desktop and web-based tools
What We Disliked
- No mobile version
- Rudimentary UI
Business Power Tools User Reviews
Business Power Tools is well-loved for being one of the most customer-centric companies in the business solutions software space. It’s a favorite among serial entrepreneurs and business professors because of the vast scope of features it packs in its high-value subscriptions.
Some users have mentioned the outdated layout, but other than that, reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
We Recommend Business Power Tools For…
Business Power Tools is a dependable one-stop solution for starting and running your business. It’s not just a simple software for business planning—it’s also a full-stack sales, marketing, HR, and finance solution.
We highly recommend it for new companies looking for the best value and ready to get on top of their operations. Its desktop version is one of the best business plan software options for Mac and Windows users.
- Free version Yes
- Step-by-step wizard No
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs Good
- Financial projections Great
- Integrations QuickBooks, Xero, Excel
- Comprehensive financial planning
- 20+ forecasting methodologies
- Non-financial data forecasts
- Direct QuickBooks, Xero, and Excel import
- Robust analytics
- “What if” scenario runs
- Steep learning curve
- No pre-made business plans
What Is PlanGuru?
PlanGuru is a robust financial planning and analytics tool with some business plan functionality. It’s an excellent choice for advanced users, especially managers and owners who want to improve their company finances.
PlanGuru’s essential functions include:
- Financial forecasts for your income, balance sheet, and cash flow statement
- Ledger import and analytics to build rolling forecasts—QuickBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero & Excel direct integrations
- Full financial reports with just a few clicks every month
- Data-driven management and “what if” scenarios to evaluate strategic decisions—a feature that makes it one of the best business plan software for management
Essentially, PlanGuru helps you create a budget, connects to your actual books, and crunches the numbers to tell you how you’re doing.
It’s one of the most comprehensive financial plan tools on our list since it takes you through every step of the process. But this also means you need some financial and accounting knowledge to get started.
As a business plan builder, PlanGuru is excellent for making decisions powered by data and optimizing profit. But it won’t provide business plan templates or hold your hand throughout the process—you’re on your own with this one.
Pricing
The cloud-based and desktop versions of the business plan program will set you back:
- $99/month with $29/month for additional users (the cloud-based version comes with a discount at the time of writing this article—$39/month)
- $899/year with $299/year for additional users
However, it’s worth mentioning there are several desktop-only features, including:
- QuickBooks Desktop import
- Payroll functionality
- Break-even point calculation
- Business valuation utility
- Unlimited forecast consolidation
The cloud-based app, on the other hand, has analytics and reporting tools right in the dashboard. It’s the perfect small business planning software.
With the desktop version, you can use PlanGuru Analytics and PlanGuru Advanced Reporting add-ins, but they’re not integrated.
You can try out PlanGuru with their 30-day free trial, which includes the full functionality, except printing or exporting reports.
PlanGuru Best Features
- Sophisticated financial planning
- 20+ forecasting methods
- Accounting software integrations
- Analytics and reporting
- Scenario running to power decisions
- Non-financial data forecasting
- Free trial
What We Disliked
- Not beginner-friendly
- No pre-made business templates
PlanGuru User Reviews
PlanGuru receives tons of positive business plan software reviews. Its clients give it excellent ratings—4.2/5 on Capterra, 4.2/5 on GetApp, and 8/10 on TrustRadius, among others.
The major point of praise is the sheer number of functions to support financial planning, though many users also commend the excellent customer service.
However, virtually everyone warns future buyers that the software is not beginner-friendly, so if you lack fundamental accounting literacy, look elsewhere.
We Recommend PlanGuru For…
PlanGuru provides invaluable finance tools for small to mid-size businesses looking to boost profits and improve strategic decision-making.
- Free version No
- Step-by-step wizard Yes
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs No
- Financial projections Great
- Integrations No
- Great for individual projects and startups
- Mentorship opportunities
- Simple collaboration
- Detailed business plan templates
- Easy planning
- Straightforward financials
- Online-only
- Outdated layout
What Is iPlanner?
iPlanner is a web-based business plan creator for individual entrepreneurs, mentor-lead work, and larger teams.
Starting a new business? Choose from one of the pre-made templates—for startup ventures, seed capital attraction, financial planning, and more.
From the executive summary to the marketing and sales plan, iPlanner has sleek templates to provide structure and attract investors.
If you need additional support, iPlanner’s mentors can review your projects in real-time and provide advice.
Apart from the small business and startup functionality, iPlanner can optimize planning for larger enterprises. It can speed up your annual planning with easy financials and straightforward collaborations.
Pricing
iPlanner is not a free business plan software. It has three paid subscription tiers and no free trial. All membership levels include business modeling, planning, and financials.
Professional
With this plan, you can plan one project with an unlimited number of collaborators. It’s great for new ventures and smaller businesses looking for value at an affordable price.
The plan costs:
- $24 for three months
- $39 for six months
- $55 for a year
Corporate
With the corporate plan, you can create a set number of projects with unlimited team members. You’ll get a dedicated workplace for your organization to review progress in the same space. It’s the perfect interactive business planner.
Pricing depends on the pre-agreed number of projects, starting at 12:
- $59 for six months
- $93 for a year
The subscription goes up if you want to work on more projects—for example, 500 projects will set you back $1,566 for six months or $2,345 per year.
Corporate Pro
The Corporate Pro pricing is available on a quote only basis. It’s perfect for consultants and mentoring organizations since it includes additional features like:
- Action planning functionality
- Budget vs. actual financial statements and analysis
- Review meetings
- Bespoke business plan writing
iPlanner Best Features
- Small-business-friendly functionality
- Mentorship available
- Easy planning
- Best business plan template collection
- Excellent collaboration functionality
- Simple financials
What We Disliked
- Online-only
- Outdated layout
iPlanner User Reviews
We’ll just say it:
iPlanner isn’t the best-known business plan maker software. It’s well-liked by users, but you can’t find many reviews online.
On Capterra, the app has 4.8/5, based on just nine reviews. Still, the high rating speaks for itself.
iPlanner clients love how the tool sped up their planning process and made collaboration easy, even with multiple stakeholders involved. Price-wise, most users are happy, though some argue the app could be cheaper.
The only real downside that iPlanner clients mention is the lack of an offline version. Sure, you can export your documents, but you can only use the software online. If you travel a lot and lack a stable Internet connection, this might be a significant limitation.
We Recommend iPlanner For…
iPlanner is a great online business plan software for small businesses and startups looking for high-value advice and mentorship.
It’s also a reliable option for larger organizations and consultancies that want to streamline their process and speed up the strategic planning procedure.
- Free version No
- Step-by-step wizard Yes
- Contributors Yes
- Charts and graphs Good
- Financial projections Great
- Integrations Quickbooks, Xero, Google Docs
- Fully-guided plan builder
- Simple financials forecasting
- Investor-ready business plans
- Fundraising platform integration
- 650+ masterclass videos and 1000+ resources
- Affordable lifetime access
- No customizable graphics
- No mobile app
What Is Bizplan?
Bizplan is an interactive business planner, financial tool, and funding platform for ambitious startups.
The cool thing about Bizplan is that it takes you from ground zero to securing investors in no time—and it makes the process easy for you. Here’s how it works:
- Create your plan with the step-by-step wizard. It’s one of the most user-friendly tools and it doesn’t compromise the quality either.
- Get your finances in order by filling in a simple questionnaire—Bizplan will take care of the rest. You get balance sheets, income statements, and break-even analysis at the click of a button.
- Raise capital with Fundable—Bizplan’s fundraising platform, which has granted over $500 million to startups worldwide.
Plus, Bizplan is a fantastic educational resource for entrepreneurs. If you’re a newbie, this is the perfect software for your startup business plan. Their University section features 650 masterclass videos and 1000+ how-to articles on everything from getting venture capital to choosing the ideal HR professional.
Pricing
Bizplan’s all-inclusive plan gives you access to all features—the business plan wizard, financial tools, and funding platform.
You can pay $29 month-by-month, get a yearly subscription for $20.75/month (billed at $249/year), or enjoy lifetime access for $349.
BizPlan Best Features
- Simple, user-friendly wizard
- Fully-guided business plan writing
- Full-featured financials
- Investor-ready plans
- Direct funding platform access
- Educational resources
- Lifetime access available
What We Disliked
- Non-customizable graphics
- No mobile support
BizPlan User Reviews
BizPlan is the ideal software for a startup business plan. It gets lots of positive reviews from startup founders and serial entrepreneurs as a one-stop planning and financing tool.
Users love that it made their planning process easier and less overwhelming, though they point out the learning curve is rather steep. The lack of customizable graphics is another common point of complaint.
We Recommend BizPlan For…
BizPlan is the best business plan app for new ventures—they help you create an impressive plan and win over investors. The built-in financials and direct access to a fundraising platform can make the life of startup owners easier.
Great Business Plan Software That Didn’t Make the Cut
We sifted through a number of business plan programs to choose the best apps. We had to cut out some of them from the final list.
Here are some honorable mentions that we still think are worth checking out:
- Xero is a popular accounting tool, but it also offers a free business plan template and several helpful articles and resources for entrepreneurs.
- Business Plan Quick Builder is a top-rated Android app with a simple, three-step generation process. It’s also completely free!
- Go Business Plans is a professional consulting service for getting your business plan crafted by an expert.
If you’re looking for free business plan software, Xero and Business Plan Quick Builder are definitely worth a try.
Have more money to spare? Professional business plan writing might be the best choice for you.
How We Ranked the Best Business Plan Software
Here are the exact steps we took to choose the best business plan software for 2021:
- Business plan software reviews—we dug through review sites to find the best-liked software and see what real-life users had to say.
- Product testing—next, we tried out the product to learn more about its ease-of-use, functionality, and potential shortcomings.
- Specific features—some apps are better for startups, while others are built for experienced users and large companies. We researched the business and niche-specific functions to find out who would benefit the most from the software.
- Deployment and integrations—the best tools are easily accessible and work well with other business software. We looked at online and offline versions, mobile apps, and third-party integrations.
- Collaboration—most projects aren’t a one-person effort. We considered the collaboration functionality and the added cost for team members (if there was one.)
- Pricing—business plan software packages can get pricey, but as a new venture, you don’t have any money to waste. We evaluated both total cost and product value for each app reviewed.
Starting a new project can be stressful.
Ultimately, we looked for business planning tools that make the process easier—with handy features, easy integrations, and a high-value end-product.
What Is Business Plan Software?
Business plan apps help you build comprehensive, attractive, and investor-ready plans for your projects.
But what exactly do they do?
Let’s break it down, step-by-step:
What Is a Business Plan?
Business plans are written documents that describe your goals and the strategies you’ll use to get there. They are a roadmap for the future of your company.
New businesses use plans to structure their ideas and attract investors. Established organizations need a regularly updated strategy describing their activities, goals, and steps for reaching the objectives.
What Are the Three Main Purposes of a Business Plan?
Each business plan has three primary purposes:
- Opportunity analysis—the first step is to analyze the financial, technical, and market details to structure your goals and determine their feasibility.
- Business focus—a business plan is a roadmap for success; it helps you set objectives and stay on track toward achieving them.
- Fundraising—lenders and investors want to understand your idea and its value before deciding whether they wish to contribute.
The best business plans work as internal motivation and strategy for entrepreneurs and their teams and as a blueprint for externals like investors, lenders, and future executives.
What Are the Four Types of Business Plans?
The four types of business plans include:
- Strategic plans give you a big-picture overview of your vision, mission, and company values.
- Tactical plans are granular breakdowns of the strategic plan—step-by-step guidelines for action.
- Operational plans describe ongoing processes—they are the day-to-day steps you take as part of your success tactics.
- Contingency plans are a “plan B”—what happens if you don’t get the expected outcome? They help you manage risk and mitigate damage.
How Do I Write a Good Business Plan?
Whether you’re using software for business plans or doing things from scratch, here is how to create a winning strategy:
Conduct Market Research
You think you have a valuable idea.
But how do you know if it will sell? You check out the competition.
Market research is the process of learning about your future customers and the field you’ll be working in.
Look into the industry size and growth rate—this is a crucial starting point for understanding your potential revenue. Industry outlook also helps investors know if it’s worth putting money into your venture.
Knowing your market will also help you choose the best business plan app for your company.
Next, learn about your buyer persona. Not everybody will want to buy your product.
For example, luxury goods are targeting people with lots of disposable income. Sports equipment is for those who practice that sport.
Get granular with your user persona. Use statistics to learn about their:
- Age and gender
- Location
- Job
- Income
- Education
- Family status
These are just the basics—use them for diving deeper into potential customer needs, values, and interests. The information you gather at this stage will help you choose the most appropriate business plan program—from pricing and marketing efforts to your approach to key customers.
Some businesses like to identify multiple buyer personas to help differentiate between use cases. For example, a coffee shop might have:
- Jan, a busy executive who grabs her cup of Joe every morning at 7:00 am sharp
- Stephen, a freelance writer who uses the space to work on projects
- Sophie, a teenager who likes to hang out in the coffee shop with her friends
These people belong to different demographic groups, have different needs and expectations, and a “quality coffee shop experience” looks different to each one of them. Identifying the primary personas and including them in your business plan will help you cater to each customer and, ultimately, achieve sustainable growth.
Whether you choose a business plan writing software or do your own research, knowing your customers will help you grow.
Fund Your Business
You need money to make money.
To raise capital, prepare a clear company overview with key assumptions and risks—this helps investors evaluate your proposal and ROI potential.
Whether you’re trying to attract investors or funding your own project, creating a financial plan is essential.
In your plan, you want to evaluate current finances, future expenses, and financial goals. By creating a sales forecast and setting tactics for smart use of funds, you’ll essentially make a roadmap for increasing revenue and mitigating risk.
Most apps in our business plan software list have specific financial tools for forecasting and tracking progress. This gives investors peace of mind and makes fundraising easier for you.
Pick Your Business Location
When you’re choosing your location, consider:
- Sourcing and fulfillment—the closer you are to suppliers, the lower your transportation costs will be.
- Distribution—whether you’re doing direct or retail distribution, you want a convenient, communicative spot.
- Personnel plan—can you find the people you need near your location?
Of course, make sure you set a budget and stick to it. A large, newly-renovated office is nice, but it might be too expensive for startup companies.
Look into alternative solutions like coworking spaces, which offer flexibility and affordable pricing.
Some business plan creator software could help you determine your needs and make an optimal decision.
Choose a Business Structure
Business structure and ownership will define your taxation, fundraising opportunities, and personal liability.
Sole proprietorship, a partnership business structure, and limited companies all have their advantages—read up on these options or consult a lawyer for advice.
Choose Your Business Name
Pick a name to represent your brand and what it stands for. A good rule of thumb is to choose easy-to-pronounce names and avoid trademarked phrases. Check the .com domain availability through some of the best domain registrars, too.
Some business plan builder software could help you with that step too.
Submit Your Business
There are so many places where you can list your business—start doing that little by little every day.
Submit your listing to Google, Apple Maps, the LinkedIn company directory, social media like Facebook, etc.
Depending on your industry, there might be additional directories—add your business there to start getting noticed.
Get Federal and State Tax IDs
Since you’ll be making a profit, you have to pay tax.
Register to get your state tax ID and Employer Identification Number (EIN), also known as a federal number. You also need them to open a business bank account, apply for licenses, and hire personnel.
A business plan builder software with HR features could do a lot for you in this regard.
Apply for Licenses and Permits
Depending on your business, you’ll need different documents to run your company legally.
Some of the standard licenses you might need include:
- General business license for operating in your chosen state or country
- Seller’s permit if you’re selling goods
- Professional licenses for specific occupations (e.g., attorneys need a law license)
- Home occupation permit if you’re running your company from home
- Health, fire department, and environmental permits regulating the safety of your operations
- Privacy policy and terms of service
Research the required licenses thoroughly—the US Small Business Administration is a good starting point to learn more.
Open a Business Bank Account
Keep your personal and business finances separately for easy bookkeeping and financial analysis. A business checking account will help you track transactions and stay on top of cash flow.
Check if your business plan maker can integrate with accounting software—some of our best choices on this list will automatically import bookkeeping data to create detailed financial forecasts and budget vs. actual reviews.
Final Thoughts
The best business plan software takes the guesswork out of starting a new venture. Step-by-step wizards and guided business plan makers help you structure your ideas into an action plan with a transparent company and management summary to attract investors.
Whether you’re a small startup or a large company branching into a new industry, a business plan app can optimize your planning process, saving you both time and money in the long run.
FAQ
No, LivePlan is a paid program. But they do offer a 60-day money-back guarantee so you can get your money back if you’re not satisfied.
LivePlan costs:
- $15/month, billed annually
- $18/month, billed every six months
- $20/month, billed monthly
Business plans include:
- Executive plan
- Company description
- Market analysis
- Competitor analysis
- Company and management summary
- Product breakdown
- Marketing strategy
- Sales plan
- Funding request
- Financial forecast
To write a straightforward plan quickly, try using a template or a step-by-step wizard. Some of the best business plan software are also very simple to use—just answer the questionnaire and let the software guide you through the process.