Top 8 Business Plan Apps & Software for Startups

(LivePlan, Bizplan, Upmetrics & more)

Let’s be honest—building a business plan is rarely a founder’s favorite part of launching a company. 

If choosing between chasing product-market fit or figuring out your first hires and sitting down to map out projections, TAM/SAM/SOM, or your go-to-market strategy, the latter often gets pushed down the list.

Yet, when it’s time to raise, your business plan matters a lot.

The good news is that you don’t have to put all the pieces together yourself; you can shift this burden to a business plan app (or a consultant). The latest generation of tools for planning is built for how founders actually work today: real-time dashboards, easy scenario planning, and one-click investor-ready outputs.

Data check: The business planning software market is to hit $90.19B by 2031.

However, there are so many various solutions that it’s easy to get lost, especially if you’re a first-time entrepreneur. 

With this in mind, we’ve created a curated list of the best software options in 2025—designed to help you build a smart, credible plan without losing a week to formatting. And if you’re wondering when it’s fine to DIY and when it’s worth bringing in outside help—we’ll talk about that too.

Let’s dive in!

Best business plan apps for startups in 2025

Top picks at a* glance:*

1. LivePlan – complete financial modeling

2. Bizplan – drag‑and‑drop lean roadmap

3. Upmetrics – cheapest tier + AI writing

4. PlanGuru – deep FP&A for scale‑ups

5. IdeaBuddy – early‑stage idea validation

What is business plan software?

Business plan software is a digital tool that lets founders build investor‑ready forecasts, market analysis, and strategy slides without spreadsheets. 

These modern apps sync with QuickBooks or Xero, allow for real-time scenario modeling, and let you export polished, one-click PDFs that meet SBA or VC standards—all from one easy-to-use dashboard.

A quick note: A business plan outlines how your company will grow. This is where you cover your strategy, market, product, team, and financials. And it’s what investors, banks, and even co-founders use to evaluate your vision and traction.

Now, let’s dig a bit deeper into which benefits you can get from using business plan makers. 

Why are founders trading static files for business plan apps?

The truth is that static spreadsheets just don’t cut anymore, especially when things move fast and investors want real numbers, not just narratives.

Today’s planning tools do more than organize your thinking. They connect directly to your accounting software (like Xero or QuickBooks), so you’re working off real-time data instead of out-of-date cells. 

Business plan apps also make collaboration easier and more streamlined. You can loop in co‑founders, advisors, or your accountant without forwarding 10 different versions over email. If you’re already using tools for workforce or capacity planning, these platforms often integrate right in—so everything lives in one place.

And when it’s time to send something out, you can instantly generate pitch‑deck slides, SBA forms, or bank‑ready PDFs. You know that your data is secure, so you can forget about the headache of last-minute preparation before a fundraising pitch or loan application.

Business plan apps offer:

• Live forecasting

• Easier collaboration

• Export flexibility

• Data safety

A detailed teardown of the top 8 business plan apps

Since we’ve dealt with the basics, it’s time to get to the “sweet part” —the list of the best software picks for startups and small businesses in 2025.

1. LivePlan—best all‑rounder for detailed financials

If you’re raising a seed or Series A, LivePlan can become your go‑to option. Built by Palo Alto Software (the same company behind “Business Plan Pro”), it’s evolved into a clean, founder‑friendly platform that makes serious financial planning much easier and without the spreadsheet headache.

Core features: 

This business plan maker auto‑generates full P&L, cash flow, and balance sheet forecasts—and updates them in real time as results come in. You can run different scenarios, track KPIs, and even export pitch deck slides with financial highlights baked in.

Integrations: 

QuickBooks, Xero, Excel

Pricing:

LivePlan is great for:

• Founders who want bank‑ready docs without Excel gymnastics

• Easy-to-read visuals that actually help you understand your numbers

• Budget planning that feels tailored for startups, not corporate finance teams

However, this business plan software has:

• Limited design flexibility (don’t expect Notion-level customization)

• No mobile app, so it’s desktop-first

Capterra: 4.5 (181 reviews)

2. Bizplan—best for lean startups & milestone tracking

Bizplan is a solid pick if you’re building lean, want a plan that looks good, and don’t need heavy-duty financials. The interface is drag-and-drop, so it feels more like designing a deck than filling out a spreadsheet.

A cool thing about Bizplan is that it ties directly into Fundable, so if you’re considering crowdfunding, you can pitch and plan from the same place.

Why it stands out:

This software breaks down your business plan into guided, editable sections—making it easier to get started and stay focused. The milestone tracker helps you keep your execution roadmap visible, and the built-in fundraising hub gives you a simple place to manage outreach.

Pricing:

Bizplan is best for:

• First-time founders who want help structuring their plan

• Bootstrapped teams that want a one-time payment vs. ongoing cost

• Visual thinkers who prefer modular layouts over long-form docs

But there’s:

• No advanced forecasting tools or multi-scenario comparisons

• Only English available, so it’s not ideal for complex modeling

• No mobile app

Capterra: 4.3 (20 reviews)

3. Upmetrics—best budget pick with AI writing helper

If you’re early-stage and watching every dollar, have a look at this business plan builder. Upmetrics is one of the most affordable tools out there and brings in smart AI support.

The built-in GPT-based writing assistant helps draft your business narrative, while their template library spans 400+ industries—so you’re not starting from scratch.

Why it’s a great business plan app:

Beyond AI writing help, Upmetrics includes financial forecasting (3 to 10 years, depending on your plan), a pitch deck builder, and industry-specific templates to guide you.

Pricing: 

If paid monthly:

If paid annually:

Upmetrics perfectly fits:

• Founders who want an affordable head start

• Teams who need help framing their story, not just the numbers

• International users—strong global template support

However:

• Starter plan only gives you a 3-year forecast (of course, other plans go further)

• Financial tools are lighter compared to LivePlan, for example

• No mobile app

Capterra: 4.9 (84 reviews)

4. GoSmallBiz—best bundled suite

If you’re a startup or a small business juggling everything at once, think about turning to GoSmallBiz. It’s not just a business plan app but a one-stop shop for founders wearing every single hat (HR, legal, sales, etc.). 

GoSmallBiz includes a guided business plan builder, plus extras like HR forms, legal templates, and even access to business consultations.

The core benefits of this small business planning software:

The value here is in the bundle. You get planning basics and tools for compliance and operations. Also, there’s a mobile app. 

Pricing:

GoSmallBiz is great for:

• Retail or service-based SMBs looking for more than just a planning tool

• Founders who want help with HR, legal, and structure as they grow

• Business continuity and compliance without paying for separate tools

Where GoSmallBiz is less strong:

• UI feels a bit outdated

• No live forecasting or real-time data sync

AppStore: 4.9 (7 reviews)

5. PlanGuru—best for hardcore budgeting & analysis

PlanGuru is built for startups that are scaling fast and need more than just basic business plan forecasts. If you’re running budgets across multiple teams or planning headcount growth, go with this tool—it can speak your finance team’s language.

With over 20 forecasting methods and up to 10 years of runway modeling, PlanGuru is designed for serious FP&A work, which makes it a perfect candidate to get the financial section of your business plan in order.

Core features:

• Up to 10‑year forecasts;

• 20+ modelling methods;

• A workforce planning tool;

• Excel add‑in dashboards

Pricing:

Paid monthly:

And this is if paid yearly:

PlanGuru suits best for:

• Finance-savvy teams who need granular control over budgets and forecasts

• Multi-department planning and consolidations

• Building long-term projections with custom KPI formulas

Drawbacks:

• Not so beginner-friendly—there’s a learning curve

• Higher price point than other DIY business plan apps

• No mobile app

G2: 4.5 (37 reviews)

6. iPlanner.NET—best secure investor sharing

If you’re sharing plans with advisors, angels, or a bank—and data privacy is top of mind—iPlanner.NET is worth a look. Hosted in the EU and built for secure collaboration, this business plan planner is especially useful for international founders who need tight access controls.

Here, you can invite collaborators with custom permissions, track KPIs, and use bank‑approved financial templates without worrying about version chaos or oversharing.

Pricing:

It’s cool business plan software for:

• Sharing strategic plans with outside stakeholders, securely

• EU-based or privacy-conscious teams

• Founders working in multiple languages or markets

But there’s a “but”:

• Although templates are functional, they feel a bit outdated

• No auto-formulas—you’ll have to do it manually

• Web only

Capterra: 4.8 (9 reviews)

7. IdeaBuddy—best early‑stage validation

If you’re still in the idea stage, that’s not a problem. This business plan software (with a free tier) is built exactly for such cases. IdeaBuddy helps you move from “napkin sketch” to a structured concept—without jumping straight into financial deep-dives or dense templates. 

You can test assumptions, sketch out your business model, and, when you’re ready, export a clean business plan PDF to start investor conversations.

Why this business plan app stands out:

IdeaBuddy offers a guided, step-by-step workspace that feels more like a thinking tool than a financial app. It gives you a validation score, auto-builds lightweight financials, and helps you pressure-test your concept before you go all in.

Pricing: 

If you choose to pay every month:

You can save up to 60% if you choose to pay yearly:

IdeaBuddy is perfect for:

• First-time founders who need to shape and stress-test an idea

• Learning by doing—its guided format eases you into planning

• Early pitch prep, without diving straight into heavy modeling

Yet, this platform has some cons:

• Not meant for complex financials or detailed forecasts

• Web only

Capterra: 4.6 (64 reviews)

8. Cuttles—best for visual idea-to-plan building

This business plan app is also for the founders who are at the idea stage, just like IdeaBuddy. Yet, in contrast to IdeaBuddy’s structured, framework-based approach, Cuttles uses a more graphical way to help founders visualize their ideas and how they fit together.

You can work through a visual canvas to define your business model, get real-time feedback with a validation score, and, when you’re ready, export a neat pitch deck or one-pager for investors. 

Pricing:

Paid monthly:

Paid yearly:

What’s good about this planning tool:

Cuttles is all about simplicity and visualization. It’s perfect for first-time founders who want to move from idea to plan quickly. The built-in validation score helps ensure your assumptions are realistic, while the lightweight financial forecasting lets you create 3-year projections without overwhelming you with complex numbers.

What’s less good:

• No native mobile app (browser-based only)

• Lightweight forecasting—if you need more detailed, multi-year forecasts, you’d better consider LivePlan or PlanGuru.

G2: 4.4 (10 reviews)

A quick‑look comparison table of the best business plan apps and software:

N/A*: The information is not available on the website.* Monthly price: Prices in the table are listed for monthly plans, but discounts may apply for annual subscriptions. Always confirm the latest rates.**

How to pick the right business plan app in four steps

The point is that there’s no perfect tool forever—there’s only the right fit for where you are now. 

That’s why we’ve prepared a four-step guide on how to understand which solution to take without overthinking and trying every single business plan app:

Step #1: What’s your funding goal?

If you’re applying for a bank loan, go with tools that create lender‑friendly plans—LivePlan, for example. This platform can help generate clean, compliant outputs fast.

If you’re going for a VC raise, you’ll want deeper storytelling and forecasting. You can consider Bizplan or PlanGuru. Bizplan offers investor‑focused templates with a visual layout, while PlanGuru delivers the financial depth VCs expect at later stages.

Step #2: How collaborative is your process?

If you’re a solo founder, choose a lightweight and guided business plan app—Upmetrics is great for those who need help framing thoughts without a big team around them.

If you’ve got a cross-functional team (say, 4–5 people working across ops, finance, and product), go with Cuttles (visual business plan builder, team collaboration) or GoSmallBiz (business planning + HR + legal tools). 

Step #3: How detailed forecasts do you need?

To get a full three-statement model (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow), start using LivePlan or PlanGuru. They’re built for financial depth and rolling forecasts.

If you’re at the early idea stage, lighter tools like IdeaBuddy, Upmetrics, or Cuttles might be enough to map your vision before the numbers get serious.

Step #4: What are your export and compliance needs?

Before committing, think about who you’ll be sharing your docs with. Maybe you need to send SBA forms or investor PDFs? Or maybe you need to sync with Xero or QuickBooks? In this case, double-check the business plan software’s export options. Take LivePlan, iPlanner.NET, and Cuttles, for example—they offer strong export capabilities.​

Also, make sure that the tool has compliance features, especially if you’re sharing your plans with investors or financial institutions. 

Wrap-up: When DIY business plan apps aren’t enough—bring in experts

The tools we’ve listed in this guide are great for startups and small businesses, as they’ll get you 80% of the way to a solid business plan. 

But even the best business plan app can’t fix shaky assumptions or take your plan across the finish line when you’re preparing for a serious fundraising round. That last 20%—the difference between a plan that looks good and one that actually works—is where business plan consultants can really help. 

Reality check: 7 out of 10 plans we review miss the mark on revenue ramp-up or investor-grade assumptions. It’s not about being off by a little—it’s about missing what actually moves the needle for investors, VCs, or banks.*

At Waveup, we’ve written dozens of business plans, created hundreds of pitch decks and financial models, and helped over 1K founders grow and fundraise their businesses. We understand what investors want and expect to see in your documents, and we’re ready to help you bring all the pieces together for a comprehensive, winning plan. 

Need expert support? Contact our team to learn how we can help you do business planning the right way. 

Related read: Top 10 Business Plan Consultants ranking