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

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

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

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

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

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

Business plan software 101

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

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LivePlan: Best overall business plan software

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

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

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

LivePlan software pricing

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

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

BizPlanBuilder: Most user-friendly

Need something easy to use? BizPlanBuilder fits the bill.

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

BizPlanBuilder software pricing

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

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

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

Wise Business Plans: Best professional service

• Custom quote

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

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

Wise Business Plans service pricing

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

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

Business Sorter: Best for internal plans

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

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

Business Sorter software pricing

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

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

GoSmallBiz: Most extra features

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

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

GoSmallBiz software pricing

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

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

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

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

Honorable mention software pricing

Planguru: best financial forecasting features.

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

EnLoop: Cheapest tool for startups

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

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

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

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

Why you need a business plan

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

Still too vague? Then let’s get specific.

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

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

What to include in your business plan

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

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

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

How business plan software can help

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

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

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

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

Choosing business plan software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Methodology

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

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

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

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14 Exceptionally Useful Tools for Writing a Business Plan

Alyssa Gregory is an entrepreneur, writer, and marketer with 20 years of experience in the business world. She is the founder of the Small Business Bonfire, a community for entrepreneurs, and has authored more than 2,500 articles for The Balance and other popular small business websites.

Writing a business plan is a necessary part of starting a business, yet many small business owners struggle with the process. Not only can it be time-consuming and stressful to conduct the necessary research and gather the required materials, but it can also be difficult to know exactly what format your business plan should be in and what information it should include.

To help you streamline the process, here are 14 tools you can use to get started with your business plan.

Online Tools

This set of online tools walks you through each section of a traditional business plan in a step-by-step format.

• SBA's Build Your Business Plan Tool - The SBA's Business Plan Tool is a step-by-step guide that allows you to save your progress and come back to it for up to six months.
• Enloop - With this tool, you add in your information, and Enloop automatically writes your plan based on your details.
• LivePlan - LivePlan is an online service that simplifies the business planning process while providing assistance with budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking.
• RocketLawyer - Business owners can create a customized, printable business plan with RocketLawyer by following an online step-by-step interview process.
• StratPad - StratPad's step-by-step approach and cloud-based business planning software help small business owners create a plan in less than a day.

Business Plan Tutorials

These five business planning how-to documents will help you get your business plan started.

• How to Write a Simple Business Plan - An easy 8-step business plan tutorial that results in a streamlined and brief business plan that you can use as-is or as a starting point for a more traditional business plan.
• SBA's Video Business Planning Tutorial - This series of video tutorials includes nine videos that are about 2-10 minutes each. You can pick and choose where to start or run through them in the original order.
• Entrepreneur's Elements of a Business Plan - An in-depth review of the seven essential sections of a business plan: what you should include, what you shouldn't include, how to work the numbers and additional resources you can turn to for help.
• Comprehensive Business Plan Outline - A business plan outline that walks you through each section of a basic business plan, including an overview of what should be included, examples and tips for writing each section of your business plan effectively.
• Shopify's Ultimate Guide to Business Plans - This comprehensive 9-chapter business plan guide covers every important aspect of writing a business plan.

Business Plan Templates

If you prefer more of a "fill-in-the-blank" format to get your business plan started, one of these templates may be exactly what you need.

• SCORE Business Planning Templates - A collection of business planning templates that are for both new and established businesses.
• BPlans' Business Plan Template - A downloadable template that gives you a clear idea of what a traditional business plan should look like. (Free sign-up is required to download.)
• The $100 Startup One-Page Business Plan - Download and fill in the blanks with this one-page business plan template.
• Office Depot's Business Plan Templates - These templates include the most important elements of a business plan that demonstrate how the nature of a business and the target audience for the plan impact the content.

Keep in mind that the best business plans are those that are updated and regularly used as a way to keep your business on track. Whichever tool you use, make it a goal to create a plan that you can use as an action document and can grow with your business over time.

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8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024

By Krystle Wong , Jan 01, 2024

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

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

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

Click to jump ahead:

What is a business plan software?

• 7 Best business plan software for 2024

Factors to consider when choosing a business plan software

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

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

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

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

8 Best business plan software for 2024 

1. venngage.

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

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

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

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

Pricing options:

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

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

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

Can I export my business plan to different file formats?

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

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

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

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

2. LivePlan

Source: Screenshot from LivePlan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Upmetrics

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

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

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

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

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

Pricing plan options 

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

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

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

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

4. BizPlan by Startups.com

Source: Screenshot from BizPlan

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

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

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

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

Pricing plan options:

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

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

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

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

Source: Screenshot from Enloop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. PlanGuru

Source: Screenshot from PlanGuru

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What other apps does PlanGuru integrate with?

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

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

7. Business Sorter

Source: Screenshot from Business Sorter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. AchieveIt

Source: Screenshot from AchieveIt

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can AchieveIt integrate with existing systems?

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

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

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

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

Ease of use

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

Features and business plan templates

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

Financial modeling tools

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

Collaboration and sharing

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

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

Security and data protection

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

Exporting and sharing options

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

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

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

Step 1: Executive summary

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

Step 2: Company description

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

Step 3: Market analysis

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

Step 4: Products and Services

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

Step 5: Marketing and sales strategy

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

Step 6: Financial projections

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

Step 7: Implementation plan

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

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

Is my business data safe with business plan software?

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

What are the benefits of using business planning tools?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pitch your plan directly to investors. We’ve helped startups raise over $500 million in committed capital.

Spend less time writing a business plan and more time building your business. Our guided builder prompts you with the most important questions you need to answer to best communicate your idea.

Financial Tools

Does setting salaries, projecting revenue, and tracking costs sound like a pain? (It is!) But we’ve got you covered! Just set your goals, and we’ll handle the math.

Share Online with Investors

Ready to raise capital? Share your plan directly with investors or use Fundable — our online fundraising tool that’s help helped Founders like you raise over $500 million in startup capital.

Plumlife built their business plan with Bizplan and raised $6 million.

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Need startup capital? Learn exactly where to find the right investors and how to pitch them.

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Stalled on customer growth? Find out how the pros acquire early customers using simple, repeatable techniques.

Direct Access to Live Experts

You’re not alone! With Bizplan, you get access to over 20,000 experts in every possible subject you can imagine — from legal, to technology, to finance. Ask a question online or schedule a direct call today.

“Bizplan software is a must-have for anyone starting a business”

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

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

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

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

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The 5 best business plan software options

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

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

How much do you need?

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

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

1. LivePlan

Best overall business plan software.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Limited integration options

Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections

Can be difficult to learn

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

More than 500 business plan templates spanning various industries

Integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online

Real-time tracking of financial data with accounting integrations

Ability to export your business plan to Word or PDF

Expert advice and step-by-step instruction included

Performance dashboards for tracking against budgets and sales goals

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

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

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

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

2. GoSmallBiz

Best for multiple business management tools in one platform.

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

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

Unlimited business consultation and extensive library of online resources

Multiple business tools in one software

Website consultation analysis and business assessment

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

Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives

Limited business plan features

Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word

Outdated interface

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

Ability to create financial statements and projections

Free website hosting and website builder

Customer relationship manager with integration with MailChimp

Digital marketing dashboard with social media and Google Analytics integrations

HR document builder

Corporate minutes writer

Business documents library

Business courses library

Unlimited business consultation

$39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation

Best for simple, fast business plan creation.

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

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

Simple and straightforward software, solely dedicated to business plan creation

Seven-day free trial

Automatic text generation available to streamline the writing process

Affordable plans with annual discount option

Limited additional educational resources

Only one template option

No integration options

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

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

Automatically generated financial statements

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

Real-time performance score to track your progress

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

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

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

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

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

Best for startups looking to acquire funding or find investors.

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

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

Subscription gives you access to all Startups.com tools

Lifetime access subscription option

User-friendly drag-and-drop business plan builder

Excellent educational resources

Connection to Fundable great for businesses looking for capital

No free trial

No templates based on industry

No mobile access

Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building

Financial command center to track all business financials in one place

Unlimited account collaborators

Ability to share business plan online with investors

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

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

Monthly plan: $29 per month

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

Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee

5. PlanGuru

Best for financial planning and budgeting.

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

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

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

Substantial library of resources

Cloud-based and desktop options

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

Expensive, especially for additional users

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

Difficult to use without prior financial knowledge

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

Works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Excel

Budgeting and forecasting for up to 10 years

Over 20 standard forecasting methods

Formula builder to create custom methods

Ratios and KPIs

Dashboard and reporting tools

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

14-day free trial

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

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

What to look for in business plan software

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

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

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

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

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

The bottom line

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

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

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

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

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

On a similar note...

Tools and Resources to Help You Write a Business Plan

8 min. read

Updated March 18, 2024

Working on writing your business plan and looking for some tools or resources to make it easier? You don’t have to start from zero or reinvent any wheels. Here are some tools and resources that can help. 

Some will get you started, some serve as examples, some are pushes and aids that will help you proceed with confidence. 

The tools and resources you choose depend on your preferences. 

Some people just want to see a sample business plan , so they can copy the outline, or topics covered, or style, putting in their own content of course. 

Other people want a business plan template , which is a partially-set-up blank business plan Word doc or PDF with obvious places to customize and add your own words, numbers, and content. 

And others looking for look for a simple outline , to get a better idea of what a business plan should cover. 

• First, get clear on what you want to accomplish

Always start with an assessment of what you want to accomplish with your plan. 

Are you seeking a bank loan or investment? 

Are you planning to use your business plan as an ongoing strategic roadmap for your company as it grows? 

What you’ll need to include might be very different in those two scenarios. 

One of the most fundamental principles of business planning is that form follows function . Write the type of business plan that serves your business purpose best.

Do you even need a business plan? The short answer is yes, but if you’re not certain, check out this article on the 8 reasons having a business plan is important for your business. 

• Business plan template

A business plan template is a basic business plan outline in a Word or PDF document that has a simple fill-in-the-blank system to help you create your own plan. It can be a helpful tool to jump start your process if you’re having trouble getting going, or you’re not sure what is most commonly included in a business plan. 

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• Sample business plan

A sample business plan is an example of a full, traditional plan that is based on a real company. It shows you the actual text, financials, and charts for the business.

We have over 550 free sample business plans here on Bplans for you to view and download if you like. 

The bottom line is that it’s always a bad idea to copy and paste a plan and use it as-is. There are lots of variables that will make your business different from any other. If you do copy and paste, it will be obvious to a bank or investor that you didn’t take the time to make the plan your own. 

Also, when you’re looking at sample plans, don’t feel like you have to find a plan that’s for a business exactly like yours. A plan for a vegetarian restaurant is going to have a lot of similarities with a plan for a steak house, for example. It doesn’t need to be an exact match. 

• Business plan outline

Another term you’ll often hear is “business plan outline.” It refers to the basic structure of a business plan, or the elements that are most often included. Here’s a standard business plan outline . 

Keep in mind that your outline should change a bit to fit the type of business you’re involved in. For example, the business plan outline for a restaurant should be different from the business plan outline for a daycare. Consider an outline to be a help and a guide, not a constraint. 

• Business plan software

If you’re looking for a tool—business plan software—to make the process easier, we recommend LivePlan . It features built-in step-by-step instructions, helpful prompts, definitions of key terms, and video and text tutorials. 

Plus, it makes it easier to do your financials without complicated spreadsheet analysis. Enter your monthly sales and costs and LivePlan calculates your financial data for you, and presents it visually with easy to digest charts and graphs. 

Related Reading: 10 expert-crafted AI business planning prompts

Bplans’ library of how-to articles

Bplans.com features thousands of expert how-tos and resources to help you write your plan and start your business.

It’s a one-stop-shop for guides on:

• How to start a business
• How to write a business plan
• How to get funding
• How to pitch to investors
• How to manage and grow a business
• Free, downloadable templates and resources
• 550+ sample business plans

This site started in 1995 and has been growing ever since, with a lot of pruning and paring to keep it fresh and relevant. Bplans is free and easy to use. It’s a great resource for doing it yourself. 

• Plan writing services

A business plan might seem like a daunting task—and why not have an expert business plan writer do it for you, especially if you can afford it. 

However, in the real world, business planning should never be just a one-time task. Real business planning is a process, that goes on forever, as the plan is reviewed and revised often. 

A business plan writing service isn’t necessary for everyone, but for some, it might make sense. In the same way that you shouldn’t copy and paste a sample business plan, keep in mind that even if you’re not going to do the writing yourself, you’re still the person who knows your business best, so you’ll need to contribute a lot of information to the project. 

When your plan is finished and you’ve successfully sourced funding with it—don’t forget to return to it regularly in a monthly business plan review meeting. Get everything you can out of it by updating it often, and using it to guide your company as it grows. 

• Accountant or expert advisor

There may come a time when you could really use a professional’s advice, especially as you wrap up the financials section of your plan, or even later on as you’re building a strategic plan for growth or expansion.

• SBDCs and SCORE mentors

In the U.S. you can turn to a network of more than 1,000 nonprofit Small Business Development Centers spread across the country. These are publicly funded by a combination of state, federal, and community education agencies. They offer solid expertise at accessible prices, in counseling, workshops, and events. 

You might also check with local chapters of the national nonprofit Service Corps of Retired Executives, SCORE, starting with their website .  SCORE counseling is free, offered by retired people with ample business experience. 

Try to find counselors whose experience matches your needs. Speaking as an older person and SCORE member, I have to admit that being old doesn’t mean we know everything. Look for relevant experience in a counselor. 

• Accelerators and incubators

The U.S. ecosystem of startups and small business includes many accelerators and incubators. Some of them are nonprofits sponsored by local governments and/or educational institutions, and some are for-profits. 

They might offer mentoring or training opportunities, shared resources (like workspaces), and sometimes an easy path to accessing capital. 

Accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces are not always distinctly defined entities. There is quite a bit of a grey area, and every program in the U.S. is different.

In general, accelerators take an existing company and helps it grow faster than it would on its own. Whereas an incubator helps with the beginning stages. (This can be anywhere from “I think I have a good idea” to “I would like to go from this developed idea to get angel investment”.) This can be a very broad spectrum. 

It’s important to know what you’re about going into one of these programs and be confident in what you want to get out of it. You’ll want to keep the following in mind as you consider and accelerator or incubator opportunity:

• Who really runs the program? What kind of experience do they have? Is it investor-led? 
• Who are the people involved in the program? Who are their mentors? Do they apply to you and have the same needs?
• Look up their alumni. See how active they are with each other and reach out to them. Do they appear to be in a stage you want to be in after graduation?
• What is the program’s nature or relationship to funding or financing? Is there a history of giving funding?
• What is the expectation? Some offices, like YCombinator, are famous because you go and live there. Others have very little expectations. Will you prefer higher vigor and discipline or more freedom?
• Why are you interested in a program like this? Are you ready?
• Do you have the mental capacity for critical feedback and busy hours?
• Are you committed? Is the program?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask why the program exists and interview that. How is it funded? Find out if it’s a vanity project for the biggest investor in your firm. They will force you to succeed; you just need to survive once you’re in! The bottom line is: do your research. Look for what is available near you and analyze its pros and cons for your personal goals and ideas. 

For a listing of incubators, accelerators, and entrepreneurship centers, go here . Or check with your local chamber of commerce, business school, or local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). 

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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How it Works

Questionnaire

Respond to a series of targeted questions about your business goals and objectives.

AI Business Plan Generator

The engine analyzes your responses and generates a business plan tailored to your vision.

SBA Approved Business Plan

Receive a detailed, tailored business plan that aligns with your requirements. Ready for funding.

WHO BENEFITS FROM Plannit?

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Simplify the overwhelming process of starting a business plan, turning your vision into reality.

Business Owners

Get a comprehensive and professional business plan that increases your chances of securing investors’ funds.

Educational Institutions

Use Plannit AI to teach business planning effectively and help students develop practical skills for real-world success.

Startup Incubators & Accelerators

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

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Funding ready business plan, executive summary, company overview.

Problem Statement

Business Description

Mission Statement

Business Model

Products and Services

Additional Features

Revenue Model

Market Analysis

Target Market

Market Size and Segments

Unique Value Proposition

Risks and Mitigations

Identified Risks

Mitigation Strategies

Financial Overview

Income Statement

Marketing and Sales Plan

Focus On Your Vision

Key features & benefits, ai editing companion.

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

Multi-User Collaboration

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

Education Center

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

Powered by Chat GPT

Our algorithms are powered the latest in AI technology to ensure the most accurate and relevant output. We use OpenAI's GPT 4 and 3.5 engines for the perfect blend of accuracy and speed.

Business Resources

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

Plan Samples

Explore a library of sample business plans we generated to get the idea of what to expect. Currently able to generate viable plans for 50+ industries.

Financial Projections

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

Tools and Templates

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

Plan Export

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

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PLANNIT BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a business plan and why is it important.

• Initiate with Your Business Concept: Lay the Groundwork: Start by introducing your business idea into Plannit AI's Business Plan Generator. This first step is crucial, as it sets the tone for a tailored, insightful business plan that truly resonates with your vision. Capture the Essence: Our platform is designed to grasp the nuances of your concept, ensuring that the generated plan accurately reflects the core and potential of your business.
• Navigate Through the AI-Guided Questionnaire: Tailored Interactive Experience: Plannit AI’s AI-guided questionnaire is your interactive guide through the planning process. It meticulously gathers information about your business's objectives, strategies, and market positioning, ensuring a comprehensive and reflective plan. Intelligent Feedback and Suggestions: As you progress through the questionnaire, benefit from smart prompts and suggestions, ensuring that your plan is not just detailed but also strategically sound and aligned with industry standards.
• Generate Your Plan with Advanced AI: Intuitive Plan Creation: With the questionnaire complete, Plannit AI's advanced algorithms intelligently analyze your responses. They then craft a detailed, customizable, and strategically aligned business plan, providing you with a structured, coherent, and actionable format. Benefit from AI-Powered Insights: Plannit AI offers AI-driven insights and suggestions, ensuring your plan is not just a document but a strategic tool equipped with tailored AI prompts and an in-app plan editor. Get inspired by browsing through our sample business plans, a collection of successful strategies across various industries.
• Finalize Your Plan with Confidence: Dynamic Adaptation and Refinement: Plannit AI recognizes that a business plan is a living document. Our platform allows for continuous adaptation and refinement, ensuring your strategy remains agile, relevant, and aligned with your evolving business goals. Professional Presentation and Sharing: Once your plan meets your standards, utilize Plannit AI's export features to present your plan professionally. Choose between various formats for exporting your business plan, ready to impress stakeholders, attract investors, or guide your team. Review and Adapt: Ensure your business plan is a living document, ready to evolve with your growing business. Plannit AI's dynamic platform allows you to adapt your strategy as new opportunities or challenges arise.

How to Write a Business Plan?

• Roadmap for Success: At its core, a business plan acts as a strategic guide, providing detailed steps on how your business will achieve its objectives. It helps you navigate the startup phase, manage growth effectively, and tackle unforeseen challenges with a well-thought-out strategy.
• Securing Funding: For startups and businesses looking to expand, a business plan is crucial for securing loans or attracting investors. It demonstrates to potential financial backers that your business has a clear vision, a solid strategy for profitability, and a plan for delivering returns on their investment.
• Informed Decision-Making: A well-prepared business plan offers valuable insights into your market, competition, and potential challenges. This information is vital for making informed decisions, from day-to-day operations to long-term strategic shifts.
• Market Analysis and Strategy: It allows you to conduct an in-depth analysis of your target market, understand customer needs, and position your product or service effectively. The marketing strategy outlined in your business plan helps in identifying the best channels and tactics to reach your audience and achieve market penetration.
• Financial Planning: One of the most critical components of a business plan is the financial forecast. It outlines your funding requirements, expected revenue, profit margins, and cash flow projections. This section is essential for budgeting, financial management, and ensuring the financial viability of your business.
• Goal Setting and Performance Measurement: A business plan sets clear, measurable goals and objectives. It provides a framework for monitoring performance, measuring success, and making necessary adjustments to stay on track.

Who Can Benefit from Plannit AI?

• Aspiring Entrepreneurs: If you're at the idea stage, looking to transform your vision into a viable business, Plannit AI offers the tools and guidance to bring your concept to life. Our platform helps you articulate your business idea, define your target market, and develop a solid plan to turn your dream into reality.
• Students and Educators: For students delving into the intricacies of business planning and educators teaching the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, Plannit AI serves as an invaluable resource. It provides a practical, hands-on tool for learning and teaching how to create detailed business plans, analyze markets, and understand financials in a real-world context.
• Startup Founders: In the dynamic startup environment, Plannit AI is the ideal partner for founders looking to pivot quickly, secure funding, or understand their competitive landscape. With our AI-driven insights and market analysis tools, startups can make informed decisions and adapt their strategies to thrive in competitive markets.
• Small Business Owners: For small business owners seeking to optimize their operations, expand their customer base, or explore new markets, Plannit AI offers targeted solutions. Our platform simplifies the planning process, enabling owners to focus on growth while managing the day-to-day challenges of running their business.
• Consultants and Freelancers: Consultants and freelancers specializing in business development, strategic planning, or financial advising will find Plannit AI a powerful addition to their toolkit. It allows them to provide clients with comprehensive, data-driven business plans and strategies, enhancing the value of their services.
• Non-Profit Organizations: Leaders of non-profit organizations can leverage Plannit AI to plan initiatives, secure funding, and manage resources more efficiently. Our platform helps non-profits articulate their mission, set achievable goals, and measure their impact, ensuring they can make a difference in their communities.
• Innovators and Inventors: Individuals looking to commercialize innovative products or technologies can use Plannit AI to navigate the complexities of bringing new ideas to market. From patent strategies to go-to-market plans, our platform covers all bases, ensuring innovators can focus on what they do best.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Government Agencies: Government and SBA backed entities can greatly benefit from integrating Plannit AI into their services, enhancing their ability to support a larger number of clients more efficiently. By facilitating quicker, more in-depth business plan development, these organizations can spend more time assisting with plan execution and less time on creation, ultimately serving their communities more effectively.
• Anyone with a Business Idea: Ultimately, Plannit AI is for anyone with a business idea, regardless of industry, experience, or stage of business development. Our mission is to democratize business planning, making it accessible, understandable, and actionable for everyone.

Why is Plannit AI the best choice for an AI business planning software?

• Interactive Questionnaire and ChatGPT Integration: Plannit AI transforms the business planning process into an engaging conversation. Through our advanced ChatGPT integration, we offer a questionnaire that dynamically adapts to your responses, ensuring your plan is personalized, comprehensive, and aligned with your business goals.
• Dynamic Planning Environment: Unlike static templates provided by many, Plannit AI introduces a living platform that grows with your business. It features real-time updates, strategic insights, and a feedback mechanism that keeps your business plan current and actionable.
• Extensive Educational Resources: Our Education Center is packed with articles, guides, and sample plans to bolster your planning process. It's designed to arm you with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of your industry confidently.
• Enhanced Collaboration and Customization: Recognizing the collaborative essence of business planning, Plannit AI supports team efforts with multi-user editing, annotations, and feedback features, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your strategy.
• Customer Success Stories: Our users' achievements are a testament to Plannit AI's effectiveness. These success stories illustrate how diverse businesses have utilized our platform for strategic planning and growth.
• Tailored Business Plan Creation: Our platform stands out with its tailored approach, featuring customizable templates that directly cater to your business type and industry, making plan creation straightforward and relevant.

How can ChatGPT help me to create business plans?

• Content Generation:: ChatGPT helps draft various sections of a business plan, from executive summaries to marketing strategies, by providing structured and coherent text based on the prompts given.
• Strategic Insights: It can offer suggestions on business strategies by analyzing trends and providing examples from a wide range of industries.
• Financial Planning: While it can't replace professional financial advice, ChatGPT can guide the structure of financial projections and statements, helping you consider important financial aspects of your plan.

Take The First Step Towards Success With our AI-Generated Business Plans

Plannit For...

#1 Business Plan Software for Early-Stage Startups

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

Get ready to meet investors with confidence

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

Trusted and used by startup teams at

Join our Cuttles Perks program and save up to $500.000 on startup tools.

We've partnered up with the greatest SaaS giants to give you the best possible startup deals & tools to kickoff your startup journey

More than 30.000 entrepreneurs grow their startups using Cuttles

Read what some of our happy customers have to say

When you’re building a startup there are lots of things you need to figure out and keeping your plan and investor material clearly defined shouldn’t be an extra task to keep you away from building a great product. While it's a sinuous task to write a business plan, Cuttles makes the process of thinking, sketching and writing your business plan seamless. We were able to get our plan ready in a couple of days easily and without issues.

We’ve been missing a tool like Cuttles for years! All our work is usually stuck within folders, within other folders and it’s hard to have a one-stop-shop with all the details of each of our startups. Plus, these changes almost come on a weekly basis! So having an always up-to-date link to the BP is such a nice feature. No more little hacks and workarounds, now business ideas have a home of their own!

Creating something from nothing is hard. Building a startup requires a huge amount of work and that's where Cuttles helps. The versatile and well-organized startup builder is a solution to many of the problems that founders face day by day. It is a must-have tool for every entrepreneur, and especially those in the early-stages.

Cuttles has so amazing UX and design that I immediately felt like I had help. There were prompts and tasks given to make me think critically about my startup business. And it felt fun without being childish. If you are just starting your business and aren't an MBA try Cuttles. It's easy to use and comes with high-quality exportable templates

The Cuttles team and their first-hand experience of successful start-ups and working with aspiring entrepreneurs has manage to built an amazing startup plan software. The Canvas forces one to succinctly summarise one’s business pitch, the Budget tool provides a powerful but easy to use interface to construct a detailed budget that includes cash flow projections and metrics that investors will require. The Business Plan follows the same ethos of stepwise guidance. A set of task that we thought would take months to complete were shortened to a few weeks. Cuttles is a wonderful resource that we would unequivocally recommend.

Finally business plan software with great UX and a painless process - 10/10 will always recommend! Absolutely love it. The guide will help you in every aspect of your plan, this was such a huge help for us! I've tried most apps out there including LivePlan, Bizplan, and Upmetrics, and found them all either frustrating or missing something critical. The Cuttles web app simplifies the tedious task of thinking what to write in a business plan, a pitch deck, and more. It comes with a great examples, super helpful tips, and very and documentation.

Cuttles is on a mission to help startups and SMEs succeed by providing them the tools needed for a smoother startup journey. That's pretty cool! Starting a company, hiring your team and closing funding should be easy, so startups can focus their energy on what's really important; innovation and growth. Together with Cuttles, we can help startups accelerate their growth and relevance in the market.

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. That’s why we’re so proud to partner with a cool SaaS startup planning tool like Cuttles . We share the same goal – to help you!

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Hi everyone.

I'm Christian, CEO here at Cuttles.

There are few things as rewarding as building your own business. It's fun, challenging, and can create a deep sense of meaning and purpose, which, these days, most of us desperately desire. But knowing where to begin and how to move forward can be tough.

We may have a dream and see the big picture, but where do we go from there?

A recent finding shows that 63% of people in their twenties would like to start their own business and are drawn to experience life as entrepreneurs. Most, however, never get any further. It’s hard to know precisely how to go about it, and for that reason most aspiring entrepreneurs never dare take the first plunge. This doesn’t come as a big surprise. Building a business is a high-risk mission and there’s no certainty it will work out in the end. All we really have to rely on is our motivation and our willingness to do the work.

For early-stage founders, that work includes business planning. After all, an idea is, well - just an idea. It is how you execute that idea that will define your outcome and create a business.

So, what do you think when I say business planning? Let’s face it. For most of us, business planning kind of sucks. Who wants to sit around and write a plan when you could be building, marketing, selling?

But what if I told you that 90% of startups fail and that 56% do so because of poor business planning – or no planning at all?

It’s not the act of writing a business plan that does the trick, it’s the work you do in the process. Doing the research, understanding the problem you’re trying to solve and empathizing with the people you solve it for. It's the making sure your business and your business model are well thought out, assessing the risks, and through that becoming more sure that your idea is worth pursuing and using it to build a product and a startup that your customers won’t just like, but that they need.

However, the urgency of planning your startup, doesn’t take away the tediousness and time it takes.

That’s why we built Cuttles. We want to change business planning for good, by making it simple and easy to start, build and grow your business. By removing the hassle of business planning for you, we create time and space for you to do what you do best: Create lasting change for your customers. And although we’re not quite there yet, we work tirelessly to revolutionize business planning to make it simple, fast, and fun to plan and share your startup and get the funding you need to grow.

Get startup smart in our academy

We’re not just a powerful business plan app and great startup deals. We also want to train, inspire and empower startups to create more game changing solutions.

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The Best 10 Business Planning Tools for Startups

Business planning is one of the significant strategic approaches that startup companies use to showcase their core objectives and programs to achieve organizations goals. Young businesses also prefer to make solid business plans to attract investors.

Therefore, the use of authoritative business planning tools is crucial for startups. That is why this article shares one of the top business planning tools with all necessary features and pricing models.

• 1 Top 10 Business Planning Tools for Startups
• 2.1 Features
• 2.2 Pricing
• 3.1 Features
• 3.2 Pricing
• 4.1 Features
• 4.2 Pricing
• 5.1 Features
• 5.2 Pricing
• 6.1 Features
• 6.2 Pricing
• 7.1 Features
• 7.2 Pricing
• 8.1 Features
• 8.2 Pricing
• 9.1 Features
• 9.2 Pricing
• 10.1 Features
• 10.2 Pricing
• 11.1 Features
• 11.2 Pricing
• 12 Conclusion
• 14 What is Business Planning?
• 15 Why business planning is important?
• 16 What are ten of the best business planning tools?

Top 10 Business Planning Tools for Startups

Here are ten of the best tools that will help you writing a business plan.

Enloop is a cloud-based business planning tool that 323,180 entrepreneurs, students and businesses have used. It can create around 16 financial ratios and real-time performance reports.

Financial Forecast —  Businesses can automatically anticipate their financial reports with this tool.

Currency Support —  It supports around 100 currencies, so people from different countries can smoothly use this app for business planning.

Real-Time Score —  Enloop permits the startups to watch their real-time score to improve performance.

Its Free plan enables the businesses to get a 7-day free trial. But the monthly cost of its Detailed plan is $19.95.

2. LivePlan

LivePlan could be a reliable option for startups to nail down a solid business plan. Moreover, it also claims to build business plans 30% faster than the rivals. Luckily, 1 million small businesses, enterprises and entrepreneurs have shown trust in this tool.

Sample Plans —  It is the perfect business tool for new teams because they can get guidance from 500+ already available sample plans.

Professional Documents —  LivePlan also enables the startups to design an engaging business plan and other documents to convince investors.

LivePlan comes with two plans Standard and Premium, and its monthly charges start from $20.

3. IdeaBuddy

If you are finding an ingenious business planning tool, then you shouldn’t ignore IdeaBuddy. With planning, development and real-time evaluation, its financial projection properties are also appealing.

One-Page Plan —  Startups can build a business plan within 30 minutes, and yes, it could consist of a single page for ease of understanding.

Financial Properties —  Financial calculators, profit and loss statements, and forecasts benefit from using IdeaBuddy.

The yearly cost of its Dreamer plan is $65, but only 1 collaborator is eligible for it. However, for 3 and 30 collaborators, you can also consider its Founder and Team plans. The yearly charges of these plans commence from $115.

Cuttles is one of the most straightforward business planning tools that 20,000+ startups are using. It could surely be a great option when it comes to building startup plans.

Canvas —  This property aids the young companies to smoothly architect and corroborate their business idea.

Suitable for Teams —  It also allows the startups to easily include the teams’ ideas while making a business plan.

Its Free plan is applicable for 1 member and offers restricted features. On the other hand, you can consider its Seed, Grow and Series plans with more advanced characteristics. Its Seed plan bills €8/month to users.

5. Vizologi

Vizologi is an AI-backed business planning tool that is the foremost choice of students, strategists, managers, entrepreneurs and consultants. The availability of free business models also differentiates it from rivals.

Business Intelligence —  Companies can make wise decisions using premium analytics and data reports.

Business Plan —  Its business plan includes a mash-up method, canvas, SWOT & PEST analysis.

Although Vizologi confers a free trial, but its monthly charges commence from $9.

6. TheBizPlanner

TheBizPlanner is also a unique business planning tool. This end-to-end business planning software comes with four significant properties: profile, connect, plan and collaborate.

Dashboard —  The single screen dashboard provides all reports to businesses.

Campus Edition —  It has also released an exclusive edition for educators.

Fortunately, TheBizPlanner Pro is free for startups now. Howbeit, you can talk with the sales team to get the pricing of its Competition plan.

7. AchieveIt

AchieveIt is a purpose-built Georgia-based strategic business planning solution that was founded in 2010. This is an ideal business planning platform for all sectors, including credit unions, commercial, healthcare, federal and local governments.

Integrated Tool —  It provides data uniformity and great accountability for execution.

PowerPoint Digestibility —  This tool could be easily connected with PowerPoint.

This platform bills $70 per user and month under its Core plan.

8. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is also a considerable business planning, forecasting and budgeting software that startups should use. Furthermore, it is more suitable for accountants, small businesses and nonprofit organizations than big enterprises.

Forecasting —  PlanGuru provides 20 powerful forecasting tools to businesses.

Analysis in Minutes —  Users can get all historical data analysis within minutes.

The monthly cost of its cloud and desktop version starts from $99.

Jedox is a unified business planning and forecasting solution that 2500+ companies use worldwide. The major brands that are practicing Jedox are ManpowerGroup, McDonald’s and Bosch.

Timely Insights —  Time-intensive planning has become essential for startups, and it is only possible with timely insights.

Predictive Forecasting —  It is packed with artificial intelligence-based predictive forecasting and planning features.

Jedox comes with four major plans Essential, Business, Professional and Performance. However, you will have to click the ‘Get A Quote’ tab to explore the pricing.

If you want business planning software for VC funded companies, growth and accounting firms, then Jirav is the best option for you. This is a smart and all-in-one budgeting, planning and forecasting tool.

Automatic Imports —  Jirav could automatically integrate all of your business data. Companies can also connect it with accounting and workforce software like Gusto, Xero and QuickBooks.

Reports & Dashboards —  It provides both commercial and non-financial information.

Starter and Pro are core plans of Jirav that monthly cost $250 and $850, respectively.

Business planning is critical for startups and founders to execute a business idea successfully. The use of smart and interactive business planning software and solutions definitely help the new businesses in convincing VCs to fund them. In this regard, entrepreneurs can utilize the above best performing business planning tools.

To discover more startups tools, please refer to the article Top Startup Tools .

What is Business Planning?

Business planning typically applies to organizing ideas in a formal business plan that summarizes the business’s current state.

Why business planning is important?

– Steer the business – Define milestones – Help with funding

What are ten of the best business planning tools?

– Enloop – Live Plan – IdeasBuddy – Cuttles – Vizologi – TheBizPlanner – AchieveIt – PlanGuru – Jedox – Jirav

Jessica Clark

I'm a professional software engineer freelancer. I'm passionate about coding and tech startups.

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Article • 14 min read

Practical Business Planning

Understanding the components of future success.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Business planning is perhaps the most critical element of a successful business. It is also the element that many business owners neglect, or spend too little time on.

Why? Because it's a whole lot of work, and when you're in the throes of starting a new venture, there are probably far more pressing, or glamorous and exciting, things to be doing.

Yes, finding a great space to rent can be important. And yes, figuring out what to charge customers is essential too. But if you don't do those things within the context of the larger picture – the total business plan – you are likely to miss critical details that have the potential to doom your whole venture to failure.

Some people consider writing a business plan a necessary evil in order to get financing from a banker or investor, but this can be missing the point. A business plan is far more than a fancy sales tool; it is a powerful management tool to help you focus on your goals, set objectives and avoid potential pitfalls. The process of writing a business plan forces you to consider all the aspects of starting your venture, or taking it to the next stage; from identifying opportunities, to exploring risks, to putting figures to ideas.

Bottom line, the business plan makes you think, quantitatively and qualitatively, about why, what and how you are to proceed. It helps you think about the highs and the lows, the advantages and the disadvantages, the potential for success and for failure. While you might have a successful business without a business plan, it is far more likely that if you fail to plan, you will also fail to succeed.

Of course, you may find that when you look at your business idea in this detail, it simply doesn't stack up. Disappointing as this might be, it's far better to find this out on paper than suffer the cost and consequences of finding it out in practice.

Business planning is just as important for new projects as it is for new businesses. In this context, the "business plan" is usually called a "business case". The discipline of justifying what you plan to do in terms of what it will achieve, and how you will do it, will contribute greatly to the chances of your project succeeding.

What Will a Business Plan Show?

A Business Plan will help you examine your business concept and intentions for viability and sustainability. Along the way, you will discover invaluable information that you'll use over and over again. Here are ten of the top discoveries you will make as you write your business plan:

• Exactly what your business will provide.
• Who your customers are, and how able you are to meet their needs.
• Who you competitors are, and what are their strengths and weaknesses are.
• Potential obstacles to your success.
• The capabilities of your core business team.
• A well-defined marketing strategy to capture your share of the market.
• Benchmarks and goals.
• Financial projections and returns on investment.
• How much money you need to start up.
• What your investors will get out of the deal.

What Goes Into a Business Plan?

A good business plan contains dreams and ideas that are backed by facts and figures, and it's usually presented in a fairly standardized format. The following eight items are common sections in a business plan – once you have sufficient detail for each of these elements, you'll have the basis for a comprehensive and complete business plan.

• Executive Summary.
• Business Overview.
• Products and Services.
• Industry/Market Overview.
• Marketing Strategy and Implementation Plan.
• Operational Infrastructure.
• Management Team Summary.
• Financial Plan.

Each of these business plan sections is described briefly in the sections below. (Bear in mind that this is an introduction to business planning: you'll find links to more detailed – and country-specific – information at the end of the article.)

Depending on the nature of your business, and your own areas of expertise, you may need to call on other people's help and expertise to build you business plan, for example in marketing or financial planning. We also provide links to additional resources to help your business planning in more detail.

1. Executive Summary

It's the first thing people read, and it's the last thing you prepare. The aim of this section is to sum up your entire plan in such a way that leaves no doubt as to your business's viability and profitability, and your capability to manage it. An executive summary can be as short as a few paragraphs, and as long as two pages. Regardless of length, it must highlight the key points and conclusions from each of the sections that follow in your Business Plan.

2. Business Overview

The purpose of the Business Overview is to provide readers with an overall feel for what it is you are trying to accomplish and give the reader a more detailed look at your vision. The elements you provide details about are:

• History – what led to your idea and this business concept?
• Mission Statement – what are you in business to achieve?
• Goals and Objectives – what are you striving for within the first year, and longer term horizon?
• Ownership – are you a proprietor, partner, or corporation?
• Location – what facilities will the business use?

3. Products/Services

Most businesses sell products or provide services. In this section your goal is to define clearly what you are providing to your customers, and how your offering is different or unique. It includes:

• Products and/or Services – what are you selling and/or providing?
• Production and/or Service Delivery – how will you acquire or provide those products or services?
• Competitive Comparison – why will customers buy your products, and not that of someone else (this is really important, and we look at it again below.)
• Future Products and Services – how do you expect your products/services to evolve and develop over the next year to five years?

4. Industry/Market Overview

This section is a summary of market research that helps determine if your business idea is profitable and sustainable. It defines your industry, discusses trends, outlines the customer/market needs that exist, examines buyer behavior and also looks at the competitive outlook in your market.

To address these points, you will of course need to conduct some market research. This enables you to back up your proposition with evidence. The marketing issues your research should address are:

• Industry analysis – what's happening and what's changing in you industry? A good way to do this analysis is to use the PEST analysis tool, which looks at Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Technological factors. Another is to use Porter's Five Forces Analysis , which helps you think about the balance of power in the industry.
• Market analysis – what are the characteristics of the market you operate in, what customer needs are being fulfillled, and how can this market and these customer needs be sub-divided?
• Trends and outlook – what shift in consumer behavior may affect your business?
• Buying behavior – how are purchases made and what influences buying decisions?
• Industry participants – what are the main characteristics of the key players in your industry? Consider using SWOT Analysis to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and the opportunities and threats they face.
• Competitive analysis – How will you offer a sufficiently different product or service to persuade customers to buy from you, and not from these already-established competitors? Consider using USP Analysis to think about your competitive position.

5. Marketing Strategy

The data from your market analysis can now be used to formulate your marketing strategy, and define how you will sell the product, and to whom.

• Start by using SWOT analysis again, this time focused on yourself. What are the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats facing the venture? This analysis shows you how you can align your strengths with the opportunities available and what contingencies you should prepare to deal with the weaknesses and threats you've identified.
• Target Market – Who is your ideal customer? What specific need do you fulfilll? And thus what segments of the market will you serve? Is there a specific niche you can exploit?
• Key Competitors – Who else is vying for you target market?
• Competitive Position – How will you best communicate the unique reason that people should buy from you? And where should you communicate this message?
• Pricing Strategy – What price will attract the customers you target? What price will make you the best profit?
• Promotion Strategy – How will you brand and promote your business? Where will market and sell?

6. Operational Infrastructure

In this section you set out details of the equipment and facilities you will use to create your products and serve your customers. Depending on the nature of your business, these will include all or some of:

• Premises – offices, workshops and storage facilities.
• Equipment and machinery.
• IT resources – Software and hardware, including accounting systems.

You should also include details of major suppliers on which you will rely for outsourced services as well as for key raw materials, and the nature of agreements you would make with them.

7. Management Team Summary

Here you explore your talents and ability to manage the business. This section includes an overview of the main people contributing to the day-to-day management of the business:

• How does your background/business experience help you in this business?
• Who will be on the management team? Include an organization chart.
• What is your management philosophy?
• What are your and your team's weaknesses and how can you compensate for them?
• What are their duties? Are these duties clearly defined?
• Do you have any personnel needs? If so, what is your plan for hiring and training?

8. Financial Plan

Don't let the numbers scare you – you don't need to be an accountant to be in business, but you do need to understand what you are reading and where the numbers came from. You financials will tell you whether or not what you intend to do will eventually be profitable. After all, there's not a lot of point to being in business if you can't make money. Make sure you cover:

• Start-up Funds – Do you have enough capital to carry you through until you start achieving a positive cash flow?
• Operating Budget – Where will you spend your money during the first year?
• Financial Assumptions – What are you basing your projected numbers on?
• Cash Flow Projection – Based on your educated assumptions, what income and expenses do you project? How long will it take to achieve a positive cash flow and when will you break even? See our article on Cash Flow Forecasting to find out how to do this.

If you feel a little uneasy about financial planning there are many sources of help available. Invest in one of many great books on starting a business, or consider asking for resources and advice from the small business manager at your local bank. Any new business venture needs good financial planning, and good ongoing financial management, so it's worth investing the time to learn these skills now, or getting someone involved with this expertise.

Business planning is an essential activity when thinking about a new business venture or project. By taking the time to discover all of the key facts and figures described in the seven business planning areas above, you'll gain an excellent grasp of how you're going to implement your ideas, and what financial investment, and gains, you can expect. If your business plan does not stack up, you can refocus your efforts now, on paper, and make the difference between business success and failure.

By learning the skills of business planning, you'll be in a great position to monitor and manage your business plan as your venture moves forward. The plan, and everything in, it is a moving feast, and you'll need to keep revisiting and challenging it as you progress. Your business plan is an essential foundation: keep building on it to ensure your business's success.

[1] Bplans.com. (2016). ‘Free Sample Business Plans’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[2] Business.gov.au. (2016). ‘Business Plan Template & Guide’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[3] Canadabusiness.ca. (2016). ‘Sample Business Plans and Templates’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[4] Cranfield.ac.uk. (n.d.). ‘What Your Business Plan Should Include’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[5] Gov.uk. (2016). ‘Write a Business Plan’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[6] Icaew.com. (2011). ‘Writing a Business Plan’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[7] Princes-trust.org.uk. (2016). ‘Business Plans and Templates’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[8] Sba.gov. (2016). ‘Starting & Managing a Business’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

[9] Score.org. (2016). ‘Business Planning & Financial Statements Template Gallery’ [online]. (Available here .) [Accessed July 6, 2016.]

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What Is a Business Plan?

Understanding business plans, how to write a business plan, common elements of a business plan, how often should a business plan be updated, the bottom line, business plan: what it is, what's included, and how to write one.

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

A business plan is a document that details a company's goals and how it intends to achieve them. Business plans can be of benefit to both startups and well-established companies. For startups, a business plan can be essential for winning over potential lenders and investors. Established businesses can find one useful for staying on track and not losing sight of their goals. This article explains what an effective business plan needs to include and how to write one.

Key Takeaways

• A business plan is a document describing a company's business activities and how it plans to achieve its goals.
• Startup companies use business plans to get off the ground and attract outside investors.
• For established companies, a business plan can help keep the executive team focused on and working toward the company's short- and long-term objectives.
• There is no single format that a business plan must follow, but there are certain key elements that most companies will want to include.

Investopedia / Ryan Oakley

Any new business should have a business plan in place prior to beginning operations. In fact, banks and venture capital firms often want to see a business plan before they'll consider making a loan or providing capital to new businesses.

Even if a business isn't looking to raise additional money, a business plan can help it focus on its goals. A 2017 Harvard Business Review article reported that, "Entrepreneurs who write formal plans are 16% more likely to achieve viability than the otherwise identical nonplanning entrepreneurs."

Ideally, a business plan should be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect any goals that have been achieved or that may have changed. An established business that has decided to move in a new direction might create an entirely new business plan for itself.

There are numerous benefits to creating (and sticking to) a well-conceived business plan. These include being able to think through ideas before investing too much money in them and highlighting any potential obstacles to success. A company might also share its business plan with trusted outsiders to get their objective feedback. In addition, a business plan can help keep a company's executive team on the same page about strategic action items and priorities.

Business plans, even among competitors in the same industry, are rarely identical. However, they often have some of the same basic elements, as we describe below.

While it's a good idea to provide as much detail as necessary, it's also important that a business plan be concise enough to hold a reader's attention to the end.

While there are any number of templates that you can use to write a business plan, it's best to try to avoid producing a generic-looking one. Let your plan reflect the unique personality of your business.

Many business plans use some combination of the sections below, with varying levels of detail, depending on the company.

The length of a business plan can vary greatly from business to business. Regardless, it's best to fit the basic information into a 15- to 25-page document. Other crucial elements that take up a lot of space—such as applications for patents—can be referenced in the main document and attached as appendices.

These are some of the most common elements in many business plans:

• Executive summary: This section introduces the company and includes its mission statement along with relevant information about the company's leadership, employees, operations, and locations.
• Products and services: Here, the company should describe the products and services it offers or plans to introduce. That might include details on pricing, product lifespan, and unique benefits to the consumer. Other factors that could go into this section include production and manufacturing processes, any relevant patents the company may have, as well as proprietary technology . Information about research and development (R&D) can also be included here.
• Market analysis: A company needs to have a good handle on the current state of its industry and the existing competition. This section should explain where the company fits in, what types of customers it plans to target, and how easy or difficult it may be to take market share from incumbents.
• Marketing strategy: This section can describe how the company plans to attract and keep customers, including any anticipated advertising and marketing campaigns. It should also describe the distribution channel or channels it will use to get its products or services to consumers.
• Financial plans and projections: Established businesses can include financial statements, balance sheets, and other relevant financial information. New businesses can provide financial targets and estimates for the first few years. Your plan might also include any funding requests you're making.

The best business plans aren't generic ones created from easily accessed templates. A company should aim to entice readers with a plan that demonstrates its uniqueness and potential for success.

2 Types of Business Plans

Business plans can take many forms, but they are sometimes divided into two basic categories: traditional and lean startup. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) , the traditional business plan is the more common of the two.

• Traditional business plans : These plans tend to be much longer than lean startup plans and contain considerably more detail. As a result they require more work on the part of the business, but they can also be more persuasive (and reassuring) to potential investors.
• Lean startup business plans : These use an abbreviated structure that highlights key elements. These business plans are short—as short as one page—and provide only the most basic detail. If a company wants to use this kind of plan, it should be prepared to provide more detail if an investor or a lender requests it.

Why Do Business Plans Fail?

A business plan is not a surefire recipe for success. The plan may have been unrealistic in its assumptions and projections to begin with. Markets and the overall economy might change in ways that couldn't have been foreseen. A competitor might introduce a revolutionary new product or service. All of this calls for building some flexibility into your plan, so you can pivot to a new course if needed.

How frequently a business plan needs to be revised will depend on the nature of the business. A well-established business might want to review its plan once a year and make changes if necessary. A new or fast-growing business in a fiercely competitive market might want to revise it more often, such as quarterly.

What Does a Lean Startup Business Plan Include?

The lean startup business plan is an option when a company prefers to give a quick explanation of its business. For example, a brand-new company may feel that it doesn't have a lot of information to provide yet.

Sections can include: a value proposition ; the company's major activities and advantages; resources such as staff, intellectual property, and capital; a list of partnerships; customer segments; and revenue sources.

A business plan can be useful to companies of all kinds. But as a company grows and the world around it changes, so too should its business plan. So don't think of your business plan as carved in granite but as a living document designed to evolve with your business.

Harvard Business Review. " Research: Writing a Business Plan Makes Your Startup More Likely to Succeed ."

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Write Your Business Plan ."

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Best Business Productivity Tools to Grow Your Business

• March 27, 2024

20 Min Read

Are you also struggling to meet deadlines due to poor organization or multiple repetitive tasks?

Well, every business owner and individual feels the same at some point in their career. Fortunately, there is a solution— business productivity software .

A business productivity app streamlines processes and helps you automate repetitive tasks. But now the question arises, which tool is appropriate for your business?

Here, we have compiled a list of productivity tools along with their features and pricing for you to decide.

What is Business Productivity Software?

Business productivity software is a category of software that helps businesses improve efficiency, streamline operations, and improve overall productivity. These software features help businesses with various tasks like managing projects, collaborating, communicating, automating tasks, and analyzing data.

Benefits of Using Business Productivity Tools

Now, that we exactly know what a business productivity app is, let us discuss some pros of using it:

There is no more boring task than typing the same replies or going through the same schedule all over again. Well, a productivity app will help you automate such tedious tasks and give you more room for important activities.

One of the most valuable resources is time. Effective time management can ensure that you and your team utilize time efficiently, focusing on meaningful work rather than jumping between minor tasks or delaying important work just by organizing it.

Team collaboration

Regardless of your team’s size, it’s crucial that everyone remains aligned and collaborates effectively to reach business objectives. Productivity apps facilitate seamless communication, task collaboration, and progress tracking among team members.

Make informed decisions

Productivity tools offer valuable insights and analytics by collecting and analyzing data related to users’ projects and overall productivity. These insights can include metrics such as time spent on tasks, project progress, and team performance. By presenting this data in a clear and accessible manner, productivity tools empower users to make informed decisions.

How do we analyze these business productivity tools?

After conducting thorough research and evaluation, we have created a list of top business productivity software. We considered factors like user experiences, G2 & Capterra’s ratings & reviews, cost, and scalability.

We have also analyzed these tools based on their automation capabilities, integrations, and other features. So, this list is for all business owners and individuals looking to simplify and organize their tasks.

As we know the benefits, let us dive deeper into the list of the top popular productivity apps for businesses.

Popular Types of Business Productivity Software

Project management apps.

Project management apps are made to help individuals, businesses, and teams organize their tasks and track projects. These apps ‌have collaboration, file sharing, management, and reporting features. Below are the top project management tools:

Asana is one of the leading project management tools that helps teams maintain their workflow and collaborate easily.

Due to its user-friendly interface, Asana has become one of the must-have tools for teams of any size.

Its organizational capabilities are the best, allowing members to create & assign tasks to someone, change the status, and set the due dates.

Some of the features of Asana are:

• Single board sharing for clarity and visibility to the whole team
• Track project performance with a bird’s-eye view
• Integrate with other tools for streamlined workflow
• View tasks, prioritize them, and deadlines in calendar format
• Automate repetitive tasks
• Edit, summarize, and get answers through Asana Intelligence

Ratings and Reviews:

• G2: 4.3/5 (9,800+)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (12,400+)

ClickUp is a cloud-based project management software designed to streamline workflows and increase productivity.

Its customizable task management system allows users to create, assign, and prioritize tasks with ease.

Besides that, ClickUp’s AI writing assistant generates content according to your requirements. It also helps you create tasks, make marketing copies, and write emails.

Other notable features of ClickUp are:

• ClickUp AI to speed up your workflow by creating subtasks easily
• Summarize long-form content in one click
• Integrate other apps like Slack, HubSpot, Zoom, and other such apps
• Automate the repetitive tasks for a speedy process
• Create, track, and prioritize tasks smoothly just in one place
• Track time on the tasks for accurate billing and planning
• G2: 4.7/5 (9,400+)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (4,000+)

Trello is a popular project management tool, with a board system that provides a visually appealing project creation and tracking method for teams of any size.

It also has Butler (AI assistant) which helps you automate the repetitive tasks, so that you can work on new tasks efficiently.

Additionally, Trello supports integration with popular third-party tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Jira, allowing users to connect their Trello boards with other tools they use for a seamless workflow.

Here are other key features of Trello:

• Create boards and organize tasks in the boards through lists
• Collaborate with the team in real time on Kanban boards or cards
• Accessible through mobile apps iOS and Android
• Connect Trello with other tools, such as Slack or Google Drive
• Provides actionable insights through dashboard
• Butler will recognize repetitive tasks and guide you in automation
• G2: 4.4 / 5.0 (13,495)
• Capterra: 4.5 / 5.0 (23,113)

Automation and integration apps

These tools help streamline processes by automating repetitive tasks. Automation and integration tools integrate with various other apps and support you in working on only one platform to streamline everything.  Here are such tools that your business will require:

Zapier is a popular online automation tool that connects various apps like Gmail, Slack, Mailchimp, and many more, allowing them to work together effortlessly.

You just have to create Zaps and your automation will be ready without any coding or developer’s help. You can create a Zap that automatically saves Gmail attachments to Google Drive and much more like that.

Its user-friendly interface and extensive app integrations make it a valuable tool for individuals and small business owners looking to streamline their workflows.

Other features of Zapier are:

• Integrate with 6,000+ apps to create a smooth workflow
• Create multiple steps for complex workflows
• Create customer portals and customize lead management solutions
• Zapier’s AI lets you automate processes, write emails, and a lot more other things.
• Add approvals to the automation to delay or change it
• Share the Zaps easily and collaborate with your team members
• G2: 4.5 / 5.0 (1,220+)
• Capterra: 4.7 / 5.0 (2,790+)

HubSpot is a great inbound marketing and sales platform that helps businesses attract an audience and convert leads.

It provides a range of tools and features designed to streamline marketing, sales, and customer service processes, making it easier for businesses to grow and succeed.

The software offers a lot more marketing tools for email marketing, social media management, customer relationship management, and more.

Some of the features of HubSpot are:

• Connect all the marketing tools and data in one place
• Track the performance of your marketing, sales, and service efforts
• Manage contacts, campaigns, and marketing automation all in one place
• Accelerate revenue growth with AI-powered deal management tools
• Deliver personalized experiences to customers
• Build a website, create copies, brainstorm ideas, and you can do a lot more with the help of HubSpot’s AI
• G2: 4.4 / 5.0 (10,700+)
• Capterra: 4.6 / 5.0 (4,050+)

Communication and collaboration apps

One of the most common problems in businesses is communication. Well, these apps are built for communication and collaboration only to eliminate that problem. Below are top-notch communication and collaborative tools:

Slack is a fantastic chat app for the internal communication of businesses. It provides an effective centralized communication platform so that one does not go through lengthy emails for communication.

One can even create channels and groups in Slack to organize team conversations. It helps team members find relevant information speedily and connect through direct messages or a quick video chat. One can even do screen-sharing through Slack.

Additionally, Slack integrates with many third-party apps and services, allowing teams to bring all of their tools into one place.

Other features of Slack are:

• Build an automated workflow with drag-and-drop simplicity
• Connect with tools like Jira, Zoom, Google Sheets, Asana, and more to make your work smoother
• Search smarter, summarize conversations instantly, and work effortlessly & securely with Slack AI
• Connect with team members through Huddles (audio and video chat) and record audio or videos to share
• Customize notifications to stay updated on important messages and mentions
• Access Slack on the go with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices
• G2: 4.5 / 5.0 (32,350+)
• Capterra: 4.7 / 5.0 (23,000+)

2. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a versatile collaboration platform that enables chats, video meetings, file sharing & storage, and app integration all in one place.

Its chat feature allows users to have conversations one-on-one and in groups for certain tasks which is accessible to all the invited members.

Teams’ video conferencing capabilities enable virtual meetings with up to 10,000 participants, making it ideal for both small team meetings and large-scale events.

Here are other such features of Microsoft Teams:

• Send instant messages and host audio-video conferences
• Schedule and manage meetings and appointments within Teams
• Integrate with third-party apps and services to customize your Teams experience
• Use Teams on mobile apps for iOS and Android devices
• Invite external people too, like clients or partners, for better communication
• Organize conversations and files by topic or project in dedicated channels
• G2: 4.3 / 5.0 (14,700+)
• Capterra: 4.5 / 5.0 (9,400+)

Scheduling apps

Scheduling apps are tools that help individuals and teams manage their time, appointments, and meetings more efficiently. These apps keep you organized. Some popular scheduling apps are:

1. Calendly

Calendly is a user-friendly scheduling tool that helps an individual or a small business owner with meetings and appointments.

In short, Calendly can tell when the person is available and allow them to schedule time according to that.

One of Calendly’s key features is its ability to sync with users’ calendars, such as Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCloud, to ensure that availability is always up-to-date.

Some other features of Calendly are:

• Create a scheduling link and let others know about your availability
• Include other team members, direct meetings to the appropriate person, and collaborate on scheduling needs
• Connect with Salesforce & other CRM apps for a smoother process
• Sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCloud to ensure the exact availability
• Send reminders to participants before meetings to reduce missed appointments
• Allows multiple people to book the same time slot, which is ideal for team meetings or interviews
• G2: 4.7 / 5.0 (2,100+)
• Capterra: 4.7 / 5.0 (3,400+)

Doodle is a versatile scheduling tool that simplifies the process of finding the best time for group meetings, appointments, and events.

With Doodle, users can easily create a poll with various date and time options and invite participants to vote on their availability. This eliminates the need for lengthy email chains or phone calls to coordinate schedules, save time, and reduce confusion.

Doodle also integrates with popular calendar apps like Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal, making it easy to sync events and appointments with your existing schedule.

Other features of Doodle are:

• Create polls with multiple time and options
• Check your availability and share it with a link
• Access advanced features like branding, calendar integration, and custom meeting invitations with a premium subscription
• Arrange one-on-one sessions easily without back-and-forth emails
• Leave comments or notes when voting on the poll
• Customize poll settings, such as deadline, time zone, and additional questions
• G2: 4.4 / 5.0 (2,050+)
• Capterra: 4.6 / 5.0 (1,700+)

Note-taking apps

Note-taking apps allow users to capture, organize, and store information. These apps are designed to help individuals and teams take notes, create to-do lists, and keep track of important information. Here are some note-taking apps:

1. Evernote

Evernote is a great note-taking cloud-based tool that helps you organize your notes. With Evernote, you can create notes in various formats, including text, sketches, photos, audio, and web clippings, making it a versatile tool for personal and professional use.

Its organizational capabilities are amazing, allowing you to create notebooks and tags. This way you can search for a particular note easily from the huge collection of notes.

Here are some features of Evernote:

• Organize notes using notebooks and tags for easy categorization
• Syn the notes across all devices to get access anywhere
• Clip web pages and articles directly into Evernote for future reference
• Scan and digitize documents using the Evernote mobile app
• Utilize various templates for different tasks on your to-do lists
• Set reminders for notes to stay on top of important tasks and deadlines
• G2: 4.4 / 5.0 (2,000+)
• Capterra: 4.4 / 5.0 (8,150+)

2. Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a powerful digital note-taking application that helps you organize your ideas before you forget them.

You can even add images, drawings, audio recordings, and web clippings, allowing you to capture everything you want.

Another standout feature of OneNote is its synchronization across devices. Your notes are automatically synced to the cloud, allowing you to access them from any device, whether your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Some other features of Microsoft OneNote are:

• Create notes that can include text, images, drawings, audio recordings, and web clippings
• Organize notes into notebooks, sections, and pages for easy access and categorization
• Share notes with others and collaborate in real time on shared notebooks
• Use tags to categorize and prioritize notes for easy search
• Integrate with other Microsoft Office apps and services, such as Outlook and Teams
• Use pre-designed templates for various types of notes, such as meeting notes or project plans
• G2: 4.5 / 5.0 (1,800+)
• Capterra: 4.6 / 5.0 (1,550+)

Focus Tools

Focus tools help users concentrate on tasks, improve productivity, and reduce distractions. These tools often incorporate features that minimize interruptions, manage time effectively, and enhance concentration. Below are some focus tools for your business:

Freedom is a mind-blowing productivity app that helps individuals stay focused on their work. Whether you are trying to study, work, or just stay present, Freedom has all the tools that will help you control your digital activities.

With Freedom, you can block distracting websites and apps across all your devices, ensuring that you stay focused on what matters most.

You can create custom blocklists or use pre-made blocklists to quickly and easily block common distractions.

Other features of Freedom are:

• Blocks distracting apps or websites to increase focused hours
• Syn across all the devices, so unnecessary time waste
• Customize a blocklist or select a preset of apps & websites you want to block
• Set an advance scheduling in the prior for the next days
• Start a lock mode to prevent you from ending a block session early (it can be locked for days)
• View insights into your digital habits, including time spent on different websites and apps
• G2: 4.8 / 5.0

Noisli is an excellent app for creating the perfect atmosphere to help you focus on your work.

One of the key features of Noisli is its collection of high-quality sounds, including rain, thunderstorms, forest sounds, and white noise. You can mix and match these sounds to create your ideal sound environment, adjusting the volume of each sound to suit your preferences.

Noisli also offers a selection of calming color backgrounds that can complement your audio experience.

Here are other features of Noisli

• Use the built-in timer with customizable intervals to improve your productivity and focus
• Save your favorite sound and color combinations to access them quickly, or share them with others
• Get access to a specifically curated playlist
• Download your favorite soundscapes for offline listening, perfect for travel or areas with limited internet connectivity
• Sync your settings and saved combinations across multiple devices for a consistent experience
• Continue listening to your soundscapes while using different apps too
• Product Hunt: 4.8/5

Billing Tools

Billing tools help businesses manage their billing processes, invoicing, and payment collection. These tools streamline billing operations, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. Popular billing tools are:

1. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is an easy bookkeeping and accounting software built for business owners and accountants.

With it, you can create professional invoices, track expenses, manage projects, and streamline your accounting processes, all in one place.

FreshBooks also simplifies expense tracking by allowing you to snap photos of receipts with your phone and automatically categorize expenses. This helps you keep track of your spending and makes tax time less stressful.

Some other features of FreshBooks are:

• Send unlimited invoices, customize them, and automate recurring invoices
• Request a deposit amount in the invoice for the initial expenses
• Set automatic late payment reminders and fees
• Get more payment options with no hidden costs
• Get business insights simply with the help of reports and a dashboard
•  Work on any device—computer, tablet, or mobile
• G2: 4.5/5 (600+)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (4,300+)

Xero is a simple accounting and bookkeeping software best for small businesses, accountants, and startups.

It provides real-time financial visibility, which helps businesses make informed decisions about their cash flow.

Additionally, Xero offers businesses with wide financial features like invoicing, bank reconciliation, inventory management, and reporting.

Here are some of the features of Xero:

• Track and pay bills on time from one place
• Capture costs and claim expenses to maintain the cash flow
• Accept payments through various modes directly through Xero invoice
• Utilize Xero for contact management
• Keep an eye on your finances with the accounting dashboard
• Calculate sales tax on transactions automatically and utilize reports to prepare sales tax returns
• G2: 4.3 / 5.0 (600+)
• Capterra: 4.4 / 5.0 (2,800+)

Time-Tracking Tools

Traditional punch time clocks are outdated, now they are replaced by powerful apps ideal for tracking time in-office or remotely. Below is the list of time-tracking tools:

1. Toggl Track

Toggl Track is an amazing time-tracking tool for individuals and teams. It is easy to use, and you can even switch between tasks effortlessly.

It offers detailed reports that provide insights into how you and your team are spending your time. These reports can help you identify inefficiencies, optimize your workflow, and make more informed decisions about how you allocate your time and resources.

Some other features of Toggl Track are:

• Track time in real-time or even offline and then sync later
• Integrate with 100+ apps like Slack, ClickUp, QuickBooks, etc
• Create your own dashboards and charts to get insights into what you want
• Forecasts timelines, expenses, budgets, and track progress
• Clear & sort data to see client-ready reports
• Assign team members to user groups to collaborate in real-time on the same page
• G2: 4.6/5 (1,500+)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,250+)

2. Time Doctor

The visual reports, dashboards, or charts can show how many hours the team has worked on which project. You can also see this information for any specific date range you choose.

It also helps you with web or application monitoring, idle time detection, customizable reports, and other such tasks.

Here are some other features of the Time Doctor:

• Gain visibility for all types of workers – whether they’re remote, hybrid or in-office
• Enable everyone to take control of their own work and self-improve with accurate charts and data
• See real-time data on both online and offline activity, providing precise metrics about your workplace
• Automate repetitive administrative tasks to free up your teams for more strategic and value-added work
• Capture screenshots to monitor work progress and ensure accountability
• Provide clients with access to view progress and time spent on their projects
• G2: 4.4/5 (370+)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (520+)

To-Do List Tools

Running a business with numerous tasks, and completing everything on deadline is not that easy. But worry not here the to-do list apps come in handy and the process is smooth for you.

1. Tick Tick

One of the notable features is its task management, which allows users to create tasks, set deadlines, and organize them into lists or projects.

It also offers reminders and notifications, so that one does not miss any deadlines and stays focused on projects.

Other features of Tick Tick are:

• Add tasks faster through voice command
• Create a new task and the app will automatically parse into the due date
• Set priority levels to focus on the most important tasks
• See all the tasks and deadlines in a calendar layout
• Break down tasks into smaller parts to make them more manageable
• Use the built-in timer to implement the Pomodoro technique
• G2: 4.6/5 (90+)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (100+)

Todoist is your to-do list to organize your life and work. It helps you keep track of all your tasks and projects, whether you’re planning a big work project or just trying to remember to call a client.

You can create different projects for work, home, or whatever else you need to keep track of. You can also break down big tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, so you always know what you need to do next.

Other features of Todoist are:

• Create, organize, and prioritize tasks according to your deadlines
• Break down tasks into smaller parts for better understanding and management
• Set reminders for tasks so that you never miss a deadline
• Use pre-designed templates for common task types
• Access tasks from anywhere with automatic syncing
• Assign priority levels to tasks to focus on what matters most
• G2: 4.4/5 (750+)
• Capterra: 4.6/5 (2350+)

Choosing the Right Business Productivity Software

All the tools mentioned above will help streamline your bulky and lengthy business processes. But if you are still confused, consider the below points before choosing any productivity tool for your business:

• Identify your needs: Consider your business requirements before selecting any productivity tool. This will help you know which aspect of your business needs automation, scheduling, or a little refining.
• Scalability: Choose software that grows with your business and handles increased workflow, users, and data over time.
• Ease of use: Understand the level of training your employees will need while opting for any of the above software. Also, look out for their customer service, in case any problem arises.
• Integration capabilities: Select software that effortlessly integrates with your existing tools and systems. It ensures smooth data flow and eliminates the need for manual data entry.
• Budget: One of the main things to consider is the budget of your business allocated for these apps or tools.

That’s it! Check for the above points before deciding on any productivity tool for your business.

While concluding, we hope you have reached the point of conclusion too where you know which software to invest in.

Because productivity is at the core of any business, and this is the high time to invest in one. And once you start using one, there is no going back!

So, all the best for the further operations of your business.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is business productivity software necessary for my business.

A business productivity app can be crucial for a company’s success. It helps with efficiency, collaboration, communication, time management, automation, and a lot more.

It streamlines processes, boosts employee efficiency, and offers valuable insights, so having a business productivity tool is worth it.

Can free business productivity software be effective?

Yes, many free productivity tools offer various features that are useful for a business. Some help you manage tasks, collaborate with team members, and organize information effectively. For example, Calendly (free version), Google Workspace, Asana (free version).

How much does business productivity software cost?

The cost of business productivity tools differs due to various factors like features, scalability, and licensing options. Yet, you should expect to spend something in between $5-$30.

What features should I look for?

While choosing the best productivity apps for your business, consider:

• Ease of use
• Collaboration extent
• Integration capabilities
• Task management
• Capacity to manage projects
• Scalability
• Mobile access

About the Author

Riya Shah is a skilled content writer experienced in various areas of writing, currently working with Upmetrics. Fascination with reading led her to be a writer. Highly creative, focused, imaginative, and passionate. Read more

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Maximize your business potential: Migrate your Windows Server to Azure with expert resources

By Omar Khan General Manager, Azure Product Marketing

Posted on March 21, 2024 5 min read

From harnessing the power of scalable infrastructure to increasing agility, cost-efficiency, and innovation, the advantages of migrating to the cloud are clear. So, while Windows Server has been the backbone of your operations, there’s never been a better time to modernize. The journey to migrate Windows Server workloads to run on Azure is not just a technical shift—it’s a strategic and organizational shift that comes with a host of benefits. These include: 

• Significant savings with outstanding offers, only available on Azure.
• Robust protection for Windows Server workloads with multilayered, built-in security.
• Cloud value on your terms with hybrid technologies and dedicated programs, guidance, and tools.

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Learn what’s coming next in Windows Server 2025, get best practices for security and identity, and tips for cloud migration and hybrid cloud management.

However, as businesses embrace modernization, a lack of cloud talent and experience is one of the greatest obstacles. In fact, according to a recent McKinsey survey , over 95% percent of respondents cited a lack of cloud talent and capabilities as one of the biggest roadblocks they face when moving to the cloud. The skilling content portfolio outlined below offers a one-stop-shop for all the resources anyone would need to inform their Azure migration journey.    

Begin your migration journey confidently using our comprehensive skilling portfolio 

Cloud skills challenges  .

Cloud Skills Challenge is a free and interactive skilling program that provides you with curated content for a specific solution area and helps you prepare for role-based certifications. On successful completion within a 30-day timeframe, learners become eligible for a 50% off voucher for a Microsoft certification exam.  

• Azure Network Engineer​: Gain expertise in planning, implementing, and maintaining Azure networking solutions, including hybrid networking, connectivity, routing, security, and private access to Azure services.
• Azure Virtual Desktop Fundamentals​: Master Azure Virtual Desktop deployment planning, access and security management, user environment and app. management, and environment monitoring and maintenance. Learn to efficiently deliver remote desktop and app experiences in Microsoft Azure through Azure Virtual Desktop.
• Designing Azure Infrastructure Solutions​: Design cloud and hybrid solutions that run on Microsoft Azure, including compute, network, storage, monitoring, and security. You’ll learn about advising stakeholders and translating business requirements into designs for secure, scalable, and reliable Azure solutions.
• Windows Server Hybrid Administrator: Acquire skills in configuring and managing diverse Windows Server workloads across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments. Learn to implement and manage on-premises and hybrid solutions, and execute tasks related to security, migration, and more.

Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day  

Virtual Training days are instructor-led classes designed to equip individuals and teams with in-demand skills related to cloud migration, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies. Think of them as training bootcamps delivered directly to your computer screen, packed with practical knowledge, hands-on exercises and a live Q&A with product experts. 

• Sign up for the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day Fundamentals to develop an understanding of foundational cloud concepts and expand your knowledge of cloud models and service types. 
• Sign up for the Migrate and Secure Windows Server and SQL Server Workloads Virtual Training Day to enhance your skills in Microsoft Cloud technologies and explore Azure’s comprehensive and flexible environment for secure workload migration, covering on-premises Windows Server and SQL Server transitions to the cloud. Learn to identify and address security vulnerabilities and manage server workloads in hybrid environments. 
• Sign up for the Azure Optimization Virtual Training Day to learn to optimize your cloud migration environments effectively for cost, security and resiliency. 

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Applied Skills is a new training that helps individuals develop very specific skills critical to solving a business problem or challenge that their organization is facing. Learners go over Microsoft Learn content and then get hands on training through online-delivered labs to validate what they’ve learnt. 

• Secure storage for Azure Files & Blob Storage​: Show off your skills in securely stashing business data using Azure Blob Storage and Azure Files and dive into all things Azure—services, storage, networking, and virtual machines. By the end, you’ll be the go-to pro for keeping data safe and sound in the cloud. 
• Configure secure access to your workloads using Networking: Learn to secure resources using Azure virtual networking solutions and master the ins and outs of digital security. 
• Deploy & configure Azure Monitor: Score this Microsoft Skills credential by demonstrating your ability to deploy and configure monitoring for Azure infrastructure.  

Courses   

Microsoft Learn courses are your go-to digital classroom for mastering all things Microsoft. Courses are tailored to different job roles, helping you learn hands-on skills for products like Azure and Microsoft 365. The best part? It’s self-paced, has loads of practical exercises, and can prep you for official certifications whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert. 

• Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions: Explore the nitty-gritty of core infrastructure, hybrid connections, traffic balancing, routing, private access to Azure services, and network security. Get ready to build secure, rock-solid networks with a deep dive into hybrid connectivity, routing, private access, and savvy monitoring in Azure. 
• Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions​: Join this course to ace infrastructure solution design. We’re talking governance, compute, app architecture, storage, data integration, authentication, networks, business continuity, and migrations. Expect a mix of lectures and real-life case studies to nail those design principles.
• Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop​: Dive into this course to master planning, delivering, and managing virtual desktop experiences and remote apps on Azure. We’ll cover networking, host pools, session hosts, FSLogix, monitoring, and automation. Expect a mix of demos and hands-on labs to ace deploying and optimizing virtual desktop experiences on Azure Virtual Desktop. 
• Configuring Azure Virtual Desktop for the Enterprise​: Choose this course to become a pro at planning, delivering, and managing virtual desktop experiences and remote apps on Azure. We’ll dig into networking, host pools, session hosts, FSLogix, monitoring, and automation. Leverage quick demos to ace deploying virtual desktop experiences on Azure Virtual Desktop in multi-session setups. 

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Microsoft Certifications are the official badges that prove you’ve got the skills, whether it’s Azure, Microsoft 365, or other technologies. Getting certified isn’t just a pat on the back; it’s a ticket to career opportunities and industry recognition. Plus, it keeps you on top of the latest tech trends. So, if you want your IT game strong, Microsoft Certifications are the way to go. 

• Microsoft Azure Fundamentals : This exam is a common starting point in a journey towards a career in Azure. It well support and then measure your abilities with the following concepts: cloud concepts; Azure architecture and services; and Azure management and governance. 
• Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure​: This exam checks your skills in setting up and handling Windows Server workloads everywhere—from on-premises to hybrid to Azure. As a Windows Server hybrid ace, you’ll be the go-to person for linking up with Azure services, keeping on-premises networks in check, and working seamlessly with different roles. Your mission? Deploy, secure, update, and configure Windows Server workloads using a mix of cool tech and admin tools. 
• Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services: Test your skills in setting up and handling Windows Server workloads from on-premises to hybrid to Azure. You’ll be tasked with integrating Azure services, managing on-premises networks, and teaming up with roles like Azure administrators and network engineers. Your mission: deploy, secure, update, and configure Windows Server workloads using a variety of tech and admin tools. 

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Top 8 Free AI Tools in 2024

eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More .

Free AI tools offer enormous potential: they democratize access to generative AI, enabling users to harness the power of AI without investment. Remarkably, these free AI apps offer solutions from image creation to video production to writing assistance.

Also, given that a growing crowd of generative AI vendors is competing for marketshare, the practice of offering a free AI app – at least on a trial basis – is an important aspect of attracting users. So expect a still longer list of free AI software going forward.

Here are our picks for the top free AI tools for users and businesses in 2024:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Top Free AI Tools Comparison

Here’s how the top eight free generative AI tools compare across key features typically expected in free AI tools, including the use for which they are best suited.

To see a list of the leading generative AI apps, read our guide: Top 20 Generative AI Tools and Apps 2024

ClickUp: Best for Project Management Integration

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management tool that seamlessly integrates task management with artificial intelligence capabilities.

It offers a large suite of features like customizable dashboards , real-time chat for team collaboration, and visual widgets to track various project indicators like team members, tasks, sprints, and time tracking. Its AI tool, ClickUp Brain, delivers solutions across knowledge management, project management, and content creation.

Pros & Cons

Aside from its Free and Enterprise versions, ClickUp offers Unlimited and Business plans that start at $7 and $12 per user per month when billed monthly, respectively. ClickUp AI can be added to any paid plan for $5 per user per month.

• AI Knowledge manager offers users answers from their docs, tasks, and projects.
• AI Project manager manages and automates tasks like updates.
• AI Writer for Work creates content and responds quickly with an effective assistant.

Synthesia AI: Best for Reducing Production Costs

A leading AI video tool , Synthesia AI is recognized for its ability to significantly reduce localization and voiceover expenses, cutting video production costs by up to 50%. This is a significant consideration for businesses or content creators looking to produce high-quality video content on a budget.

The platform’s AI capabilities enable users to create videos from text scripts using natural language processing and computer vision . This in turn eases the video production process and makes it more accessible to a wider audience.

Synthesia AI offers three plans: Starter at $22 per month, Creator at $67 per month—both billed annually—and Enterprise, which offers custom pricing.

• AI-driven video creation from text scripts.
• Cost-effective localization and voiceover options.
• User-friendly platform for easy video production.

Notion AI: Best for Enhancing Productivity

Notion AI extends the capabilities of the popular organization and productivity platform Notion by integrating AI to assist with content creation, summarization, and more. Notion AI can summarize content, generate ideas, draft rough copies, correct spelling and grammar, and even translate content, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications. Thus it’s a very handy tool for business meetings as well as personal brainstorming.

Notion offers Free, Plus, Business, and Enterprise plans. Plus and Business start at $8 and $15 per user per month when billed annually, respectively, and there’s a Notion AI add-on starting at $8 per user per month.

• AI-assisted content creation, summarization, and brainstorming.
• Built-in spelling and grammar correction tools.
• Content translation capabilities for multilingual support.

ChatGPT: Best for Conversational AI

ChatGPT , developed by OpenAI, is a huge leap forward in conversational AI as it gives users the ability to generate human-like text based on the prompts provided. This tool’s capabilities extend beyond simple text generation; it can understand context, answer questions, write essays, create content, and even code. The recent enhancements, allowing ChatGPT to see, hear, and speak, have further broadened its enormous scope as it’s not limited to textual inputs. By the way, also on the horizon: Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video tool.

Aside from its free plan, which grants access to GPT-3.5, it has a Plus tier at $20 per user per month, billed monthly, and a Team plan at $30 per user per month, billed monthly.

• Human-like text generation for various content types.
• Multimodal interaction capabilities (seeing, hearing, speaking).
• Accessibility features for inclusive use.

Grammarly: Best for Writing Assistance & Communication Clarity

Grammarly goes beyond traditional spell-checking to offer a comprehensive AI writing assistant that enhances clarity, engagement, and correctness. Its AI-driven platform provides real-time suggestions to improve grammar, punctuation, style, and tone. It’s a notable free AI tool for anyone looking to elevate their writing, be they professionals or students. Grammarly’s ability to adapt to your writing style over time makes it a personalized AI tool for improving communication across various platforms and formats.

The premium versions of Grammarly deliver two plans: Business and Enterprise. The Business plan is dependent on team size but starts at $15 per user per month, while the Enterprise plan offers custom pricing.

• Real-time grammar, punctuation, and style corrections.
• Personalized writing suggestions and feedback.
• Multiplatform integration for seamless use across devices.
• Generative AI assistance for brainstorming and writing.

Canva: Best for AI Design & Content Creation

Canva opens up design to anyone who uses the free AI tool with its user-friendly platform that guides users to create professional-quality graphics, presentations, and social media content. Its standout AI feature is Magic Studio, which groups all of Canva’s AI tools in one place. Canva also has an extensive library of templates, images, and design elements, combined with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality, that makes it accessible to users with no prior design experience.

Canva’s free version offers a wide range of features suitable for basic design needs, with Canva Pro and Canva for Teams at subscription fees of $6.49 per user per month and $12.99 per month for the first five people, respectively.

• AI design assistant for layout and element suggestions.
• Drag-and-drop interface for easy design creation.
• Magic Studio for a collection of AI tools.

Zapier: Best for Workflow Automation & App Integration

Zapier is a powerful tool that connects your favorite apps, such as Gmail, Slack, Mailchimp and more, to automate repetitive tasks without having to write code or rely on developers to build the integration. Its interface is simple to use and allows you to create automated workflows, known as Zaps, which can move information between your web apps automatically. With AI enhancements, Zapier can suggest the most useful Zaps for your needs and learn from your usage patterns to recommend optimizations.

Aside from Zapier’s free plan, its tiered paid plans include Starter, Professional, and Team that start from $19.99, $49.99, and $69.99 per month when billed annually, respectively.

• Easy-to-create automated workflows (Zaps) between apps.
• AI-powered suggestions for optimizing workflows.
• AI-powered Canvas and Chatbots features.

Stable Diffusion: Best for Creative AI Image Generation

A leading AI image creation tool , Stable Diffusion is a state-of-the-art AI model that’s capable of generating highly creative and customizable images from textual descriptions. This open-source AI tool democratizes access to powerful image generation capabilities, enabling artists, designers, and content creators to bring their visions to life. Stable Diffusion’s versatility is a real strength: it’s adaptable to various styles and themes, allowing users to create everything from fantastical landscapes to detailed character art.

As an open source tool, Stable Diffusion is available for free. Anyone interested can download and run the model on their own hardware or utilize various online platforms that host the model, some of which may offer additional features or services for a fee.

• Advanced text-to-image generation capabilities.
• High degree of customization for creative expression.
• Open source model encourages community development and innovation.

Key Features of Free AI Tools

Content creation.

Free AI tools that are capable of creating content can supercharge how businesses and individuals produce written, audio, and video content. Tools like Stable Diffusion and ChatGPT excel in this area, offering users the ability to generate blog posts, scripts, and images using natural language processing . This feature is invaluable for marketers, content creators, and anyone looking to scale their content production without compromising quality.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation features, as seen in tools like Zapier, streamline repetitive tasks by connecting different applications and automating actions between them. This capability is crucial for enhancing productivity, reducing manual errors, and freeing up time for more strategic work. Businesses can automate tasks such as data entry, email responses, and social media updates.

Design & Media

Design and media features in AI tools enable users to create professional-quality graphics, videos, and multimedia content without needing extensive design skills. These features remove the barriers to design entirely and allow small businesses, educators, and social media influencers to produce visually appealing content. Canva is a great example of a free AI design tool.

Code Assistance

Code assistance features offered by tools like ChatGPT leverage AI to suggest code snippets, complete lines of code, and even debug code for developers. This enhances coding efficiency, reduces the likelihood of errors, and can significantly speed up the development process for software developers and engineers.

Conversational AI

Conversational AI features enable AI tools to understand and respond to human language in a way that mimics natural conversation. This is used more and more in AI chatbots , virtual assistants, and interactive learning platforms, especially since some of these use cases have previously produced a rather robotic and unintuitive experience for users. These AI tools provide users with instant, intelligent responses to their queries and improve user engagement.

Writing Assistance

AI writing assistance features like those in Grammarly offer real-time suggestions for grammar, punctuation, style, and tone improvements and ultimately make written communication clearer and more effective. This feature is particularly beneficial for non-native English speakers, professionals looking to polish their writing, and anyone who wants to improve their written communication skills.

Image Generation

AI image generation features such as those offered by Stable Diffusion allow users to create detailed and creative images from text. This feature opens up new possibilities for artists, designers, and content creators as they can now so easily visualize concepts and ideas quickly and bring their creative visions to life.

For a full portrait of the AI vendors serving a wide array of business needs, read our in-depth guide:  150+ Top AI Companies 2024

How to Choose the Best Free AI Tools for Your Business

Selecting the right free AI tools for your business hinges on answering the question, “What do I need?” and understanding what AI tool and how the tool can provide value.

Your use case really matters. For instance, startups might prioritize tools like Canva for quick and professional-grade design, while a tech company might find ChatGPT invaluable for coding assistance. It’s about matching the tool’s strengths with your business requirements. But most important, if it’s a free AI tool you seek, check if the AI tools you are considering are actually free as it’s common to find a tool claiming to offer free features behind a premium plan.

How We Evaluated Free AI Tools

To select these eight tools, we first had to ensure that each tool in our shortlist was free to use or had a free plan. We then considered a collection of tools that showed diversity in their use cases, ranging from image generation to code assistance. Then, we tested each of these tools to understand what they offer and how effective their free features are.

From the hands-on experience, we were able to determine the standout quality, strengths, and weaknesses of each tool. Finally, we compared the pricing of tools with premium pricing tiers.

Bottom Line: The Leading Free AI Tools

Free AI tools present an attractive opportunity for businesses to implement AI capabilities with no financial investment. By selecting tools that meet your business needs and understanding their limitations, you can seamlessly integrate AI into your operations, which in turn improves efficiency and innovation. Ultimately, examine the tools that interest you closely and make sure that they are actually free to use or have a free plan as opposed to merely a free trial.

For more information about generative AI providers, read our in-depth guide: Generative AI Companies: Top 20 Leaders

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