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The 7 best free website builders

September 2, 2024
by steven-austin

The 10 Best Free Website Builders in 2023

If you want to create an online presence, a website is essential. But hiring a professional web developer is out of reach for many small business budgets. That‘s where free website builders come to the rescue.

These DIY website creation platforms allow anyone to build a site with no coding required. Thanks to intuitive drag-and-drop editors and pre-made templates, you don‘t need design experience to craft a custom online space tailored to your needs.

I tested over a dozen top-rated free website builders hands-on, evaluating them across several key criteria:

Ease of use: How intuitive is the interface for beginners vs. experts?
Customization: What design tools and template options are available?
Built-in SEO: Does the platform help optimize sites for search engines?
Value of free plan: Are core features truly free or locked behind paywalls?
Focus: Is website building the core offering or an add-on feature?

Based on my extensive testing, I recommend the 10 best free website builders below for all skill levels and use cases.

Best Free Website Builders

1. Google Sites – Best for basic websites like blogs and portfolios

2. Weebly – Best for simple, straightforward sites

3. GetResponse – Best for email-focused businesses

4. Wix – Best all-purpose website builder

5. Dorik – Best for semi-experienced creators wanting design freedom

6. HubSpot CMS – Best for growing small businesses

7. Webflow – Best for experienced designers

8. Site123 – Best for ecommerce sites

9. Strikingly – Best for one-page sites

10. Jimdo – Best for portfolios and online stores

Now let‘s explore the top recommendations in more detail.

1. Google Sites

With Google Sites, the tech giant enters the free website builder ring. As you‘d expect from Google, the editor feels instantly familiar. The workflow resembles Google Docs: build your pages in the browser, then access and share your site right from Google Drive.

Key Features:

Choose from 12 templates or design your own responsive site
Easily embed Google apps like Maps, YouTube, and Calendar
Collaborate with teammates to build and manage your site
Personal portfolios
Small business sites
Internal team sites
Extremely easy to use
Deep integration with other Google services
Completely free with unlimited storage and bandwidth
Very limited design customization options
No built-in SEO settings aside from page paths

If you want an ultra-simple site and already live in Google‘s ecosystem, their official website builder is tough to beat—especially given the free price tag. But expect minimal customization capabilities.

Used by over 50 million people worldwide, Weebly is a popular choice for free website building. It shines when it comes to ease of use thanks to an intuitive drag-and-drop editor.

100+ professional templates
Easy drag-and-drop editor
Mobile optimization tools
Built-in SEO settings
Personal sites
Extremely easy to edit pages visually
Quality templates for blogs, stores, portfolios, and more
Less design flexibility than Wix or Webflow

For straightforward sites like online portfolios, Weebly empowers beginners to build a polished online presence with minimal effort. While more advanced users may crave more customization capabilities, it nails the basics.

3. GetResponse

GetResponse may seem like an odd inclusion given it‘s primarily an email marketing platform. But its free website builder stands toe-to-toe with many dedicated site creation tools.

AI-powered builder customizes sites as you edit
Mobile editor to optimize sites for any device
Email capture and newsletter sign up forms
Basic SEO settings
Businesses focused on email marketing and lead gen
Powerful free website building capabilities
Deep email marketing integrations
Fairly basic SEO options

For solopreneurs and small teams who rely on email, GetResponse allows you to gather contacts and promote your newsletter straight from your site—all without paying a dime.

Boasting over 200 million users, Wix remains the standard-bearer for free website builders. It earns such popularity by packing an incredible amount of capability into its free tier.

500+ designer-made templates
Drag-and-drop editor with extensive customization options
Built-in image and video galleries
SEO app and site analytics
All-in-one website building
Sites of any type and complexity
Extremely customizable without coding
Asset libraries for images, videos, fonts, and more
Generous free plan
Interface has a learning curve for beginners

Whether you‘re showcasing travel photography or launching a small business online, Wix empowers you to realize your web design ambitions without spending a dime. Novices may face a few hurdles scaling the learning curve, but the payoff is immense creative control.

Dorik differentiates itself from other DIY website builders through AI assistance. As you customize design aspects like color schemes, it suggests complementary changes to match your vision.

AI assistant for design suggestions
Custom brand kit builder
Easy own domain connection
Built-in analytics
Beginner and intermediate designers
Brand-forward sites and online portfolios
AI guidance makes design approachable
Brand kit builder defines visual identity
Domain purchase/connection included free
Less structure than Wix or Webflow

Dorik strikes an ideal balance between customization and ease of use. While not packing as many complex capabilities as some builders, its AI assistant empowers users of any skill level to craft beautiful, on-brand sites.

6. HubSpot CMS

Well-known for its inbound marketing platform, HubSpot also offers a free CMS for building sites. And the quality flies in the face of “you get what you pay for.”

Flexible framework grows with your business
Integrates neatly with other HubSpot tools
Built-in form and pop-up builder
SEO recommendations
Businesses outgrowing beginner site builders
Creates sites primed for scaling
Lets you build more complex funnels and landing pages
Trusted brand used by 100,000+ businesses
Steeper learning curve than Wix or Weebly

If you’ve maxed out the basics of website builders like Wix, HubSpot CMS empowers the next stage of growth with powerful marketing tools baked in.

While not the most beginner-friendly tool, Webflow offers pro-caliber site building capabilities—and brand-new users can join for free.

Complex animations and interactions
Extensive design customization
Built-in CMS for managing site content
SEO metadata customization
Experienced website designers
Sites with advanced functionality
Professional-quality web design
Granular control over site elements
Generous free plan option
Steeper learning curve than other builders

Webflow delivers almost unprecedented creative control, helping expert users craft complex, interactive sites for free. But expect to invest serious effort mastering its vast toolset.

Site123 differentiates itself by specializing in ecommerce sites for small businesses plus packing expansive customization into its free plan.

100+ industry-specific templates
Built-in online store capabilities
Email marketing integration
SEO optimization
Online stores and ecommerce sites
Specialized ecommerce design and features
Custom domains and email included free
Less all-purpose than some competitors

For fledgling online retail endeavors, Site123 helps you get the basics of ecommerce websites and marketing in place without spending a cent.

9. Strikingly

Strikingly adopts a boldly minimalist approach. As its name suggests, the Strikingly editor lets you publish stylish one-page sites in minutes.

Tailored one-page site templates
Simple and distraction-free editing
Built-in SEO suggestions
Site analytics dashboard
One-page portfolios
Landing pages
Create basic one-page sites with incredible ease
Interface prioritizes clarity and simplicity
Geared exclusively toward one-page designs

Sometimes less truly is more. For compact, focused sites promoting your work, passion projects, or personal brand, Strikingly is my top recommendation thanks to its purpose-built simplicity.

Last up is Jimdo, which stands out for blending ease of use with powerful ecommerce capabilities…even for free members.

Drag-and-drop store builder
List unlimited products
iPad & iPhone app for editing
SEO features like metadata customization
Small online stores
Portfolios with online sales
Hybrid online retail sites
Intuitive, beginner-friendly interface
Robust free ecommerce and blogging builder
Some useful features require paid tiers

Jimdo strikes an admirable balance: offering beginners a streamlined editing experience while packing in advanced functionality like online selling—capabilities typically reserved for premium site building platforms.

Find the Best Website Builder for You

All the user-friendly website creation platforms above allow you to make a custom, mobile-friendly site for free. Each takes a slightly different approach, but nails the basics of fuss-free DIY web design.

I aimed to showcase a diversity of options fit for complete beginners and expert users alike. The builders toward the top boast the greatest ease of use, while the bottom pack more complex but powerful features.

Review the list to decide which platform best aligns with your skill level and site needs. Fortunately, committing to a specific free website builder doesn‘t lock you in forever. If you outgrow your initial choice, you can easily export your content to transfer to another option later.

Here‘s wishing you the best of luck bringing your web presence vision to life. Let me know in the comments if you have any favorite free website builder discoveries of your own!

The 10 most important tools and platforms you need to start and run an online business.

Have questions on formation, banking and taxes?

Schedule a FREE consultation with a formation and compliance expert today 📞

The 10 Most Important Tools and Platforms You Need to Start and Run an Online Business

Starting an online business can sometimes feel like you’re piecing together a thousand-piece puzzle without the picture on the box — decisions, tools, and platforms are scattered everywhere, leaving you to figure out how it all fits together.

But you don’t have to go it alone.

We’ve carefully curated a list of ten essential tools and platforms, each one handpicked to streamline your operations, supercharge your marketing efforts, and keep your business running smoothly and efficiently .

Each tool is selected for its ability to cover everything from payroll and team collaboration to marketing, eCommerce, and analytics, ensuring your business has the support it needs at every turn.

And speaking of keeping things running smoothly, doola is here to guide you through the complexities of starting and managing a successful online business, offering expert advice and support every step of the way.

So, let’s dive into each of these tools, exploring their key features, pricing, and why they deserve a spot in your business toolkit.

1. Gusto Payroll: Streamline Your Payroll with Ease

Payroll is one of those necessary evils for any business. It’s complex, time-consuming, and, let’s be honest, not the most exciting part of running a business.

Gusto Payroll is here to make your life easier by automating the payroll process, ensuring compliance with tax regulations , and even handling benefits management.

🎯 Key Features:

Automated Payroll Processing: Gusto automatically calculates, files, and pays your payroll taxes, taking care of federal, state, and local taxes so you don’t have to.

Employee Benefits: From health insurance to retirement plans, Gusto helps you offer competitive benefits to your team, making your business an attractive place to work.

Time Tracking and PTO Management: Employees can clock in and out online, and you can easily manage and approve time-off requests.

Compliance Support: Gusto stays on top of changes in payroll laws and regulations, ensuring your business is always compliant.

Onboarding Tools: New hires can complete all their necessary paperwork online, streamlining the onboarding process.

✅ Pricing Information:

Simple Plan: $40/month base fee + $6 per person per month. This plan is ideal for small businesses that need basic payroll and benefits management.

Plus Plan: $60/month base fee + $9 per person per month. This plan includes more advanced HR tools, like PTO tracking and employee surveys.

Premium Plan: $135/month base fee + $12 per person per month. This premium plan gives you access to certified HR professionals for guidance.

2. beehiiv : The Ultimate Newsletter Platform for Creators

Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience, and beehiiv makes it incredibly easy to create, send, and manage newsletters that engage your subscribers.

It’s designed for content creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses looking to grow their audience and drive conversions through email.

Customizable Templates: Beehiiv offers a variety of templates that you can customize to match your brand, even if you don’t have design skills.

Advanced Analytics: Track open rates, click-through rates, and subscriber growth to see how your newsletters are performing.

Monetization Tools: Whether you want to offer paid subscriptions, include ads, or promote affiliate products, Beehiiv provides the tools to monetize your newsletters.

Subscriber Management: Easily manage your subscriber list, segment it for targeted campaigns, and ensure your messages reach the right people.

Integration with Other Tools: Beehiiv integrates seamlessly with platforms like Zapier, WordPress, and Shopify, making it easy to incorporate email marketing into your broader business strategy.

Free Plan: $0/month with basic features and a limited number of subscribers. Great for those just starting out.

Scale Plan: $31.20/month, which includes advanced features and allows up to 10,000 subscribers.

Max Plan: $79.20/month, unlocking all features and supporting up to 100,000 subscribers.

Learn more: The 7 Best Newsletter Platforms for Creators: Your Ultimate Guide

3. doola: Simplify Business Formation and Ongoing Compliance

Starting a business involves more than just a great idea; it requires a lot of paperwork, legal considerations, and ongoing compliance.

doola simplifies the process of business formation, providing you with all the tools and services you need to set up and manage your company, whether it’s an LLC, C-Corp, or another entity.

Business Formation: doola helps you form your business entity, whether it’s an LLC, C-Corp, or another structure, with guided support throughout the process.

Tax and Accounting Support: Access bookkeeping and tax filing services, ensuring your business remains compliant with all financial regulations.

Registered Agent Services: doola provides registered agent services, ensuring your business remains in good standing by receiving and handling legal documents on your behalf.

Formation Package: Starts at $297/ year for the basic package, which includes business formation and registered agent services.

Compliance Package: $167/month, which covers ongoing compliance monitoring and reminders for filing deadlines.

Tax Support: $1200 /year for IRS tax filing services

Related read: 10 Best Financial Tools for Freelancers in 2024

4. Shopify : Build and Manage Your Online Store with Ease

If you’re selling products or services online, Shopify is the platform you need to create a professional, fully-functioning eCommerce store.

It’s easy to set up, even if you don’t have technical skills, and offers a wide range of features to help you manage everything from inventory to payment processing.

Store Customization: Choose from hundreds of customizable templates that allow you to create a store that reflects your brand’s unique identity.

Payment Processing: Shopify integrates with over 100 payment gateways, including its own Shopify Payments, which allows you to accept credit cards, PayPal, and more.

Inventory Management: Easily manage your inventory, track stock levels, and set up alerts for when it’s time to reorder.

Mobile App: Shopify’s mobile app allows you to manage your store on the go, from processing orders to updating products.

Marketing Tools: Includes SEO tools, email marketing, and social media integration to help you drive traffic to your store and convert visitors into customers.

Starter — $5 per month

Basic — $39 per month

Shopify — $105 per month

Advanced — $399 per month

Shopify Plus — negotiable, but usually costing around $2,300 per month

5. HubSpot: Your All-in-One Marketing, Sales, and CRM Platform

HubSpot is the Swiss Army knife of business tools. It offers a comprehensive suite of inbound marketing, sales, and customer service tools that are all connected through a powerful CRM.

Whether you’re looking to attract visitors, convert leads, or close deals, HubSpot has the tools you need to succeed.

CRM: HubSpot’s CRM is completely free and provides everything you need to manage your contacts, track deals, and monitor your sales pipeline.

Marketing Hub: Includes tools for email marketing, social media management, SEO, and content creation, all designed to help you attract and convert leads.

Sales Hub: Automate your sales process with tools for email tracking, meeting scheduling, and pipeline management, helping you close more deals faster.

Service Hub: Enhance your customer service with ticketing systems, feedback tools, and a knowledge base that helps your team provide top-notch support.

Integrations: HubSpot integrates with over 500 tools, including Salesforce, WordPress, and Shopify, ensuring it fits seamlessly into your existing tech stack.

Free Plan: HubSpot offers a free CRM with basic email marketing, customer service, and sales tools.

Starter Plan: $50/month for two users, which includes more advanced tools for marketing, sales, and customer service.

Professional Plan: $500/month for two users, offering advanced features like marketing automation and detailed analytics.

Enterprise Plan: $1,200/month for ten users, which includes custom reporting, account-based marketing, and more for large teams.

6. Slack : Enhance Team Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication is the backbone of any successful business, especially if your team is remote or distributed.

Slack is a messaging platform that brings all your team’s communication into one place, making it easier to collaborate, share files, and stay on the same page.

Channels: Organize conversations by creating channels for different projects, departments, or topics, ensuring that discussions stay focused.

Direct Messaging: Chat with team members one-on-one or in small groups with direct messaging, making it easy to get quick answers and stay connected.

File Sharing: Easily share files, documents, and images within conversations, with everything stored and searchable for later reference.

Integrations: Slack integrates with over 2,000 apps, including Google Drive, Trello, and Zoom, allowing you to bring all your favorite tools into one platform.

Searchable Archives: All messages and files are archived and fully searchable, so you can easily find past conversations and documents when you need them.

Free Plan: $0/month with limited message history and a few integrations. It’s great for small teams just getting started.

Pro Plan: $8.75 per user/month, which includes unlimited message history, more integrations, and additional features.

Business+ Plan: $15 per user/month, offering advanced security, compliance features, and enhanced support.

Enterprise Grid: Custom pricing for large organizations, with additional security, administration, and compliance features.

Dive deeper: 19 Tools To Manage Your Remote Business

7. Canva: Create Stunning Visuals Without a Designer

Visual content is essential for engaging your audience, whether you’re posting on social media, creating marketing materials, or designing a website.

Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool that allows you to create professional-quality visuals, even if you don’t have a design background.

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Canva’s intuitive editor makes it easy to create designs, even if you’re not a design expert.

Extensive Template Library: Access thousands of customizable templates for everything from social media posts to business cards, flyers, and more.

Stock Photos and Elements: Canva offers millions of stock photos, illustrations, icons, and other design elements that you can use to create stunning visuals.

Brand Kit: Maintain brand consistency by uploading your brand’s colors, fonts, and logos, ensuring that every design aligns with your brand identity.

Collaboration Tools: Canva allows multiple users to edit and comment on designs in real-time, making it easy to collaborate with your team or clients.

Export Options: Download your designs in multiple formats, including PNG, JPG, PDF, and even animated GIFs, so you can use them across different platforms and mediums.

Free Plan: $0/month with access to a vast library of templates and design elements. Perfect for individuals or small businesses on a budget.

Pro Plan: $12.99/month (billed annually) or $16.99/month (billed monthly). This plan includes advanced features like the Brand Kit, premium templates, and more storage.

Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for larger teams, offering enhanced collaboration tools, administrative controls, and brand management features.

8. Google Analytics : Gain Insights into Your Website’s Performance

To make informed decisions about your online business, you need to understand how your website is performing.

Google Analytics is a powerful web analytics tool that provides detailed insights into your website’s traffic, user behavior, and overall performance, helping you optimize your online presence and achieve your business goals.

Real-Time Reporting: Monitor what’s happening on your website in real-time, including the number of active users, their locations, and the pages they’re viewing.

Audience Insights: Gain detailed information about your audience, including demographics, interests, and behavior patterns, helping you tailor your content and marketing strategies.

Acquisition Reports: Understand how visitors are finding your website, whether through organic search, paid ads, social media, or referrals, so you can optimize your marketing efforts.

Behavior Analysis: Analyze how users interact with your site, including which pages they visit, how long they stay, and where they drop off, allowing you to identify areas for improvement.

Conversion Tracking: Set up and track specific goals, such as form submissions, purchases, or newsletter sign-ups, to measure your website’s effectiveness and identify opportunities for growth.

Custom Dashboards: Create customized dashboards that focus on the metrics that matter most to your business, providing a clear overview of your website’s performance at a glance.

Google Analytics Standard: Free. This plan offers robust features that are suitable for most small to medium-sized businesses.

Google Analytics 360: Starts at US$ 50,000 per year Designed for large enterprises, this plan offers advanced features, additional data processing power, and premium support.

9. GoDaddy Website Builder : Build Your Website with Ease

Creating a professional and functional website is crucial for any online business, and GoDaddy Website Builder makes it easy, even if you have no prior experience in web design.

GoDaddy’s platform offers a straightforward, drag-and-drop interface that allows you to build and customize your website quickly, ensuring it reflects your brand’s identity and meets your business needs.

Drag-and-Drop Interface: GoDaddy’s intuitive builder lets you drag and drop elements to create your site, making it simple to design a website without any coding skills.

Mobile-Responsive Design: All templates and websites built with GoDaddy are mobile-responsive, ensuring your site looks great on any device.

AI-Powered Design Tools: GoDaddy’s builder includes AI-driven tools that suggest layouts, images, and content based on your business type, helping you create a polished site faster.

Built-In Marketing Tools: GoDaddy integrates marketing tools like SEO optimization, email marketing, and social media links directly into your website builder, helping you drive traffic to your site.

Customizable Templates: Choose from a wide range of professional templates that you can customize to fit your brand’s look and feel.

Integrated E-commerce: If you’re looking to sell products or services online, GoDaddy offers built-in e-commerce features, including payment processing and inventory management.

Basic Plan: $11.99/month, which includes basic website building features, SSL security, and hosting.

Standard Plan: $14.95/month, adds advanced SEO tools and expanded storage.

Premium Plan: $19.95/month, includes email marketing tools and unlimited social media integration.

E-commerce Plan: $24.95/month, providing full e-commerce capabilities, including payment processing and product listings.

10. Mercury : A Modern Banking Platform for Startups

Mercury is a digital banking platform designed specifically for startups and tech-forward businesses. It offers a modern and intuitive banking experience that helps you manage your finances with ease.

With Mercury, you get access to a suite of banking tools tailored to the needs of growing businesses, from seamless account management to advanced financial insights.

No-Fee Banking: Mercury provides no-fee banking with no minimum balance requirements, making it an ideal choice for startups and small businesses.

Virtual and Physical Debit Cards: Instantly issue virtual cards for online purchases or request physical debit cards for team members.

Integrated Financial Tools: Mercury offers built-in tools for managing your company’s cash flow, including automated transfers, expense tracking, and financial analytics.

API Access: Developers can use Mercury’s API to automate banking tasks and integrate banking data into their own applications.

FDIC Insurance: Your deposits are FDIC insured up to $5 million through partner banks, providing peace of mind and security for your business funds.

Multi-User Access: Mercury allows you to add multiple users to your account, with customizable permissions to control who has access to different banking functions.

No Monthly Fees: Mercury offers its banking services with no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements.

Free Transactions: Enjoy free domestic and international wire transfers, along with no fees for ACH payments or incoming wires.

Ready to Simplify Your Online Business? Let doola Guide You Every Step of the Way

Running an online business involves juggling many responsibilities — from managing payroll and marketing to building a website and ensuring compliance with legal and financial regulations.

At doola, we understand the challenges that come with starting and running an online business.

That’s why we’re here to simplify the process of business formation , ensuring you choose the right structure, whether it’s an LLC, C-Corp, or another entity.

Our services don’t stop there — we also offer ongoing compliance support , bookkeeping , and tax filing services , so you can rest easy knowing your financial records are accurate and up-to-date.

Ready to take your business to the next level? Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimize your existing operations, we’re here to help.

Book a free consultation with us today, and let’s discuss how we can support your business formation, tax filing, and financial management needs.

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Personal Finance

10 of the Best Online Side Hustles for 2024

Published on Sept. 2, 2024

By: Steve Strauss

People like getting goods, services, and products online -- just ask Amazon.
From remote chess teachers to online yoga coaches to selling crypto advice and more, online side hustles are plentiful and easier to start than ever.

Check it out: 39% of Americans have hopped on the side hustle bandwagon, so maybe it's time for you to try this too.

Relationships

Business or making money
Being healthy

Sell something related to these, and you are in the sweet spot of success. And given that, below we list 10 different ways to side hustle your way to success in 2024.

There are all sorts of remote, online side hustles you can create (or buy into) that can help people improve their health. Here are a few options.

You could remotely help people get in shape by creating and teaching a Zoom personal training course.
A nutritionist, nurse, or other health professional could create a "lose weight the healthy way" package and then sell an ongoing subscription business coaching people.
A yoga teacher could create an online yoga class. For example, check out "Yoga by Adriene" on YouTube. Adriene makes millions of dollars a year with her free yoga classes (generating income by attracting advertisers to her YouTube channel).

Helping others with relationship concerns could be a fruitful way to create an online side hustle.

4. Aside from his or her regular practice, a counselor or therapist could create a remote therapeutic practice. It could be for people who are not easily ambulatory, or don't otherwise want to go see a therapist in person.

5. Similarly, a marriage and family counselor could create an online practice for couples who may be separated by geography due to work or choice.

6. I know of one psychologist who created a course designed to help menopausal women navigate intimacy. Customers buy the course, watch the videos, and then have the option to continue learning one on one, remotely, with the therapist.

7. Even parenting skills can be taught online.

Business and making money

I have personal experience with this one. I have had great success as an entrepreneur teaming up with large corporations as an influencer. As such, I launched an online coaching service (no longer in effect) that taught other small business owners how to sell their products and services to corporate clients. Selling expertise definitely can work.

8. A guy named Jason Fladien is the master of webinars, selling everything from how to make money on Amazon to how to persuade over the internet to crypto-buying strategies. If you have a specialized business skill, teaching others how they can do it via webinars is a very viable option.

9. Aside from webinars, course creation and hosting platforms such as Kajabi and Thinkific make packaging and selling your expertise to other entrepreneurs very easy.

10. Similarly, you could launch a podcast or YouTube channel of your own, sharing your expertise in a certain area. Not only does this establish you as the expert, but it also attracts advertisers.

Of course, to every rule there is an exception. While the three areas above have been proven, if you have a remote side hustle idea that seems viable, the good news is that you can probably test it out fairly cheaply. Example: My daughter takes chess lessons via Zoom from a grand master in New York. He makes $100 a session. Who knew?

Apparently, he did!

Our Research Expert

Steve Strauss is the president of a boutique content company, The Strauss Group, and is a bestselling small business author and columnist. He can be reached at www.MrAllBiz.com, or at [email protected] .

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How to Build a Non-Profit Website in 2024 (Quick & Easy)

Are you seeking cost-effective resources to create a website without needing expensive professional services? Non-profit organizations often operate on tight budgets, so you need to be careful with your approach. Creating a non-profit website is crucial in establishing an online presence for your organization. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to build an effective and engaging non-profit website quickly and easily with Divi .

1.1 What About Content?
2.1 1. Get Domain and WordPress Hosting
2.2 2. Install the Divi Theme
2.3 3. Build Your Website
2.4 4. Design and Customize Your Non-Profit Website
2.5 5. Add Functionality for Non-Profit Website
2.6 6. Promote Your Site with SEO and Marketing
2.7 7. Final Steps
3 Why Create a Non-Profit Website?
4 Conclusion
5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What You Will Need to Build a Non-Profit Website?

Building a non-profit website requires careful planning and the right tools and resources. Here’s a comprehensive list of what you’ll need:

Domain and Hosting: Choose a memorable and relevant domain name representing your non-profit organization. Next, select a reliable web hosting provider. Siteground offers special pricing for non-profits, so it’s worth exploring their options.
WordPress (CMS): WordPress is a popular CMS that powers many non-profit websites. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for anyone to create and manage content. WordPress is highly recommended due to its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive range of plugins.
Theme and Site Design: You’ll need a theme with designs (pages, templates, etc.) tailored for the non-profit or charity niche. Divi is our theme and website builder packed with design tools, including pre-designed layout packs for non-profit sites to jumpstart your design. It can generate your entire site in 2 minutes (with everything you need) and tailor it to your brand with minimal effort.
Essential Plugins for Non-Profit Sites: Your non-profit site will need additional plugins and tools to add certain functionality. Most will need a donation plugin like GiveWP to manage online payments or contributions. Your site may also need a quality event management plugin like The Events Calendar to schedule and promote events on our site.

What About Content?

Creating high-quality content for your website (copy, images, etc.) is key to effectively communicating your brand and mission. Don’t have your copy or images ready yet? Don’t worry. You can always add this later. If you are using Divi (or a comparable theme), you’ll have royalty-free images and mock text content on those premade templates you can use for now. Divi AI can help generate all that for you later. Or, if you want to speed up the process even more, you can use Divi’s AI Website Builder to generate a complete website with on-brand content already in place.

Now that you know what you need, let’s start building!

How to Build a Non-Profit Website in 7 Steps

Building your own non-profit website with WordPress is not hard once you know the steps and are using the right tools. Whether you are a complete beginner or a professional developer, you can have a stunning website up and running with ease. Here are the steps:

1. Get Domain and WordPress Hosting

Before you start building your site, you’ll need to a few things in place beforehand – your domain, hosting provider, and WordPress.

Siteground can handle all of this for you, so we recommend starting with them if you don’t have a hosting provider in place.

Your domain (or domain name) is your website’s address on the internet (i.e. elegantthemes.com ), and it’s essential to choose one that reflects your non-profit’s mission and is easy to remember. Moreover, your domain name should give visitors an idea of what your non-profit is about.

Once you have decided on your domain name, look for the best domain registrars to register it . We recommend Namecheap . Or, if you choose Siteground for hosting, you can get your domain with them directly at a discount.

Visit NameCheap

If you already have a domain, you can easily point it to your hosting provider by updating the nameservers.

WordPress Hosting

Your website needs a place to live online. That’s where hosting comes in. Since we are going to be using WordPress, choose a quality WordPress hosting provider . A good host will ensure your site is easy to manage and optimized for performance, speed, and security.

Siteground has WordPress hosting plans starting at $3.99 monthly , making it a cost-effective solution. Setting up WordPress hosting with Siteground is easy.

Check out how to set up your domain and hosting in the video below.

Install WordPress

Most WordPress hosting providers like Siteground offer one-click WordPress installation during the onboarding process.

If not, you can go to your hosting provider’s dashboard. Click on the WordPress installer and follow the prompts. Once the installation is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your login details. Go to yourwebsite.com/wp-admin and log in with the credentials you set during installation.

2. Install the Divi Theme

Creating your non-profit website with Divi is hasn’t been as easy ever before. This theme allows you to create stunning, fully customizable websites without coding experience. Divi is renowned for its powerful design capabilities , providing a wealth of pre-made layouts for different non-profit websites. It connects almost every sect of the audience due to its powerful features, such as real-time visual editing, responsive design capabilities, and a thriving marketplace for extensions and child themes.

Regarding the non-profit websites, Divi seems to be the ideal fit.

In addition to having 2500+ premade layouts for web design, it provides users with 14 layout packs (96 total layouts) that can be used for non-profit websites.
It easily integrates with popular donation platforms such as PayPal, Stripe, and GiveWP, enabling non-profits to accept donations directly through the website.
The Divi Builder allows you to create and customize layouts using a simple drag-and-drop interface.
Divi Quick Sites enables users to create a non-profit website within two minutes. They must pick a non-profit starter site and add the required details about the website’s aim. This feature will do the rest.
Divi AI can generate a completely custom non-profit website for you in minutes. You can also use Divi’s powerful AI tools right inside the builder to add text, images, sections, layouts, and more.

Find more Divi tools for your non-profit site in the Divi Marketplace . They even have child themes like DLS Charity , which is designed for charities, NGOs, and other nonprofit organizations.

Download and Install Divi

You can buy it from Elegant Themes with a yearly license for $89 or a lifetime license for $249 . After purchase, you can download the theme to be installed on your WordPress site. To install the theme:

Go to Appearance > Themes .
Click on Add New and then Upload Theme .
Choose the Divi .zip file you downloaded and click Install Now .
Once installed, click Activate to make Divi your active theme.

Check out the video below for more details.

That takes care of the setup process. Now, it is time to start building. If you want to learn more before building your website, go through our tutorial of how to use Divi Builder .

Get Started with Divi

3. Build Your Website

Once the Divi Theme is installed in WordPress, you’re ready to build your non-profit site. Don’t sweat it. With Divi Quick Sites , you won’t have to start from scratch. Divi can build the site for you automatically!

Launch Onboarding Wizard

Once you activate the Divi Theme in WordPress, you’ll encounter Divi’s onboarding wizard to guide you through the process. Click the button to log in and activate your Divi license.

Once logged in, you’ll land on the main Divi Dashboard. This is where you can manage your Divi website, access documentation, get support, and create a new site using Divi Quick Sites. To create a website with Divi Quick Sites, click “Generate A New Site” from the Divi Dashboard.

Get Quick Sites with Divi AI

Generate Your Site with the Non-Profit Starter Site (or with AI)

Next, you can choose to build your new non-profit website either by using a pre-made starter site or with Divi’s AI website builder. Since Divi already has a beautiful Non-Profit Starter Site template you can use, click “Select a Website Template.”

On your screen, you will see a handful of Starter site templates. Select to use the Non-Profit Starter Site. If you worry that the template doesn’t match your branding (colors, fonts, text, images, etc.), this can be adjusted later.

Divi Quick Sites will then ask for information about your new website and the pages you want. Simply fill out the form:

Add your Site Name, Site Slogan, and Site Logo.
Upload your logo so Divi can add it to your site automatically (if you have one)
Check the pages you want to include from the Starter Site. If you know you will need them, you can add additional custom pages to jumpstart the process.
When ready, click the “Generate & Publish My Website” button.

divi non-profit starter site information

NOTE : Selecting the Shop page will install WooCommerce and premade pages for adding an online store to your site (shop, product template, checkout, etc.). However, as a non-profit, you mainly need a way to collect donations so we can leave out the shop page.

Once you have provided your website information, Based on your information and input, Divi Quick Sites will take less than two minutes to build the website. In doing so, it will create everything related to your website, such as the pages, templates, styles, and navigation bars.

Once your site is ready, you’ll see a confirmation page saying, “Your Site is Ready!” You’ll also see a list of all the Website Pages and Theme Templates created and links to Tutorials and Documentation to help you start working on your established website.

You can now browse your live site!

4. Design and Customize Your Non-Profit Website

The Divi Builder makes it easy to customize your designs visually on the front end without having to mess with code. You can drag and drop elements anywhere you want. You can add new content with dozens of modules to choose from. Plus, you have complete control over the design of each element on the page with hundreds of built-in design settings.

Since we are using a starter site, most of the design heavy lifting is taken care of already. The main thing to do now is match the current design with your brand. Instead of spending hours tweaking each element’s style manually, you can customize your site quickly and easily with Divi.

Here’s how.

Edit Global Presets

Like every Divi starter site, the non-profit has its own presets – saved designs that can be used on multiple elements. The presets allow you to maintain the consistency of your design across the website. Want to update the style of all your h1 headers? Simply update the preset design once and it will get applied instantly to all your pages with the same preset.

To access presets, open the settings of any module or element in the Divi Builder. The, click the preset dropdown menu at the top to see the list of presets associated with the module. In the example below, you can see that the image module has the preset ‘Non-Profit Rounded Corners’ assigned to it.

We can make the changes to the preset by hovering over the preset and clicking the pencil icon. It is important to note that when changing the preset, the Divi module turns its color to grey, suggesting that Divi is making all the required changes. Once you have made all the required changes, a dialogue box will appear at the bottom of the page, requiring confirmation from your side. Click on ‘Yes’ and finalize all your new settings.

Customize Global Fonts and Colors

Divi lets you change your starter site’s global fonts and colors through the theme customizer. The changes you make through the theme customizer will applied across the entirety of your website. You can access it from your website’s dashboard or the dropdown menu from your website’s front end.

Once in the theme customizer, you need to access four key aspects. Firstly, you look for typography, which allows you to change the heading, body font, font size, and more by clicking General Settings > Typography .

Secondly, you can move to General > Layout Settings . After entering this page, you can make adjustments to your website’s primary and secondary colors. Moreover, you can modify the site width.

Divi enables you to customize your website beyond font and website colors. For example, within a few clicks, you can change multiple aspects of your blog posts, such as meta text size, meta line height, meta font style, etc.

Edit Your Starter Site Theme Builder Templates

Divi Quick Sites generates Theme Builder templates from the Starter site and integrates them into your website. You can access these templates in your WordPress dashboard through Divi > Theme Builder . The Theme Builder allows you to customize any template using the Divi Builder. Simply click the pencil icon on the left side of any template area. This will launch the Divi Page Builder, allowing you to adjust global designs for all pages assigned to that template.

For instance, you can edit your Global Header to customize your main header (menu, logo, font, text size, background color, etc.). In this case, we have decided to change the background color.

Once you make the changes to the global header, they will be applied to all the pages of your website. For further details, explore the robust features of the Theme Builder .

5. Add Functionality for Non-Profit Website

Donation forms.

Accepting donations online is crucial for non-profits. A donation plugin can help you collect funds seamlessly. One popular choice is the GiveWP plugin . The configuration of GiveWP is fairly easy. Go to Donations > Settings and follow the setup wizard to configure the donation forms, payment gateways, and email notifications.

Navigate to Donations > Add Form to create your first donation form. Enter a title for your donation form, such as “Support Our Cause”. Configure the donation options, including suggested donation amounts, recurring donation options, and the required form fields such as name, email, and address. To add the donation form to your website, embed it on any page or post using the provided shortcode. After saving the form, copy the shortcode.

If you’re using the Divi Builder, go to the page where you want to add the donation form, click Edit with Divi, add a new Code module, and paste the shortcode. Using Divi’s design options, customize the layout and appearance of the donation form to match your site’s branding.

Integrating an event management system is essential to enhance your non-profit website’s functionality. The Events Calendar plugin is a popular choice that works seamlessly with Divi. Moreover, Divi has gone one step ahead by creating an extension in association with Pee-Aye Creative. Hence, the users will get events as part of the Divi custom modules, allowing you to add and customize events in multiple styles.

First, make sure to purchase and install the Divi Events Calendar plugin . It will cost you $54 from the Divi Marketplace . After that, install The Events Calendar plugin by navigating to Plugins > Add New from your WordPress dashboard. In the search bar, type The Events Calendar and click the Install Now button next to the plugin. Once the installation is complete, click Activate. After activation, you will see a new menu item, Events, in your WordPress dashboard.

To create an event, navigate to Events > Add New. Enter the event title and detailed description, including any necessary information. Specify your event’s start and end times and dates, and enter the location details, including the venue name, address, and integration with Google Maps if applicable. Provide information about the event organizer, including name, phone number, email, and website. If the event has a cost, enter the ticket price or indicate if the event is free. Include the link if there is an external website with more information or registration.

Now, move to the Divi Visual Builder and add one of the event modules. In this case, we have added the Events Calendar module. Customize the selected module through its design features before adding it to your website.

Get Divi Events Calendar

Essential WordPress Plugins

There are plugins that every WordPress site can benefit from. Here are just a few examples of must-have plugins you can use with WordPress:

SEO Plugins (like Rank Math )
Backup Plugins (like UpdraftPlus )
Image Optimization Plugin (like EWWW Image Optimizer )
Speed Optimization Plugins (like WP Rocket )
Security Plugins (like Solid Security or Sucuri )
Social Media Plugins
Marketing Plugins

6. Promote Your Site with SEO and Marketing

Optimizing your non-profit website for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), email opt-ins, and social media sharing is essential to promote your site and grow your audience. Divi has built-in optimization and marketing tools and seamlessly integrates with the best WordPress plugins for SEO , social media sharing , and email options . Here are a few tools to get you started.

Rank Math helps you optimize your content with SEO best practices, including meta tags, keyword optimization, and readability analysis. After activation, configure the plugin by following the setup wizard to ensure your site is properly optimized for search engines. You can check the Rank Math analysis by clicking its icon at the bottom of the page. Rank Math will provide you with an SEO scoreline and highlight your web page’s deficiencies from an SEO perspective.

Get Rank Math

Email Marketing

Building an email list is vital for engaging your audience and keeping them updated on your non-profit’s activities. The Bloom plugin by Elegant Themes is a powerful tool for creating attractive email opt-in forms. After its installation, create and customize opt-in forms that fit your site’s design and needs. You can integrate Bloom with various email marketing services to manage your email list effectively and automate communications.

Social Media Sharing

The Monarch plugin by Elegant Themes makes adding social sharing buttons to your site easy. After its activation, configure Monarch to display social sharing buttons in strategic locations on your site, such as the header, footer, or within posts. This will encourage visitors to share your content and increase your non-profit’s visibility across social media platforms.

Get Monarch

7. Final Steps

Before officially launching your non-profit website, it’s crucial to perform thorough testing and ensure you have a reliable backup plan. This will help you avoid potential issues and ensure a smooth launch experience.

Ensure that all website features are working as intended. This includes testing forms, donation processes, event registrations, and interactive elements. Check that all links are functional and lead to the correct pages. Verifying that donation and contact forms are properly integrated and functioning for a non-profit site is especially important.

Test your website across various browsers (such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge) and devices (desktop, tablet, and mobile) to ensure a consistent user experience. This will help you identify and resolve any issues related to layout or functionality that might occur on different platforms.

Check your website’s load time and performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. Ensure your site loads quickly and efficiently to provide a positive user experience. Optimize images and minimize code where necessary to improve performance.

Alongside testing, create a complete website backup, including the database and all files. This will ensure that you have a restore point in case anything goes wrong during the launch. You can use the best backup plugins like UpdraftPlus to create and store your backup.

Why Create a Non-Profit Website?

Creating a non-profit website offers numerous benefits to help your organization thrive and achieve its mission. Here are some key reasons to consider:

Increased Visibility and Reach: A non-profit website extends your organization’s reach beyond local boundaries. It makes your mission, goals, and activities accessible to a global audience, increasing awareness and engagement.
Fundraising Opportunities: A website provides a platform for online donations, allowing supporters to contribute easily and securely anywhere. You can also host fundraising campaigns and events and sell merchandise.
Volunteer Recruitment: Your website can serve as a hub for recruiting volunteers. By providing detailed information about volunteer opportunities and allowing online sign-ups, you can attract more people to support your cause.
Credibility and Trust: A website can create a community among your supporters. Through forums, blogs, social media integration, and newsletters, you can foster a connected and engaged community around your cause.
Continuous Engagement: A website can help you maintain continuous engagement with your audience. Regular updates, blogs, and newsletters keep your supporters informed and involved in your ongoing activities and achievements.

Creating a non-profit website is a strategic move to enhance your organization’s visibility, credibility, and effectiveness. It helps you achieve your mission more efficiently and effectively.

Divi’s intuitive tools and extensive design options make it ideal for non-profits looking to craft a visually appealing website without needing advanced technical skills. The step-by-step website development process ensures a professional and functional platform for your organization. You can easily bring your non-profit’s vision to life and connect with your audience, all while maintaining control over every aspect of your site’s design and functionality.

Interested in building your non-profit website? Get started with Divi and establish the website of your dreams. You can also go through our provided table of plugins and tools that you might find useful for your non-profit website:

	Products Mentioned	Starting Price	Description
		$2.99 per month	Hosting Provider and Domain Registrar
		$89 per year	Theme and Page Builder
		$149 per year	Donation Plugin
		$99 per year	Event Management Plugin
		$78.96 per year	SEO Plugin
		$89 per year (Available with an Elegant Themes membership)	Email Optin Plugin
		$89 per year	Social Media Plugin
		$70 per year	Backup Plugin

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What platform is best for building a nonprofit website, how much does it cost to build a nonprofit website, what should be included on a nonprofit website, how can i optimize my nonprofit website for seo.

Get Started With Divi!

Explore plans, pricing and features. Click here to get started. 👇

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By fahad hamid.

Fahad enjoys writing about a diverse range of topics, from business and marketing to design. Alongside this, he balances his love for tennis, showing skill both on the page and on the court.

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Sorry, there are no results matching your search., vice president harris releases partial economic plan that includes tax proposals.

Elements of economic plan include several new tax incentives and preferences

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris today released details of elements of her economic plan. Among other items, Harris proposed several new tax incentives and preferences, including the following:

A tax incentive for builders of homes sold to first time homebuyers
An expansion of existing tax incentives for builders of affordable rental housing
A tax credit for first time homebuyers
A restoration of the American Rescue Plan Act version of the child tax credit (CTC) providing up to $3,600 per child
A new expansion of the CTC providing a $6,000 tax credit for children in the first year of life
A $1,500 expansion of the earned income tax credit available to lower income individuals
A tax cut for Affordable Care Act premiums

The plan does not include specifics on whether the revenue cost of these items would be offset, though it does state that Harris will ask “the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations to pay their fair share” and that the plan will reduce the deficit.

Harris also calls for Congress to pass the Stop Predatory Investing Act , which would eliminate certain tax benefits for investors who own large numbers of single-family homes.

KPMG observation

Notably, with regard to President Biden’s oft-stated pledge not to increase taxes on those making less than $400,000, “Vice President Harris is committed to ensuring no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in new taxes.”

This pledge suggests that, for the $4 trillion of “tax cliff” items scheduled to expire at the end of 2025, Harris appears committed to extending those tax cuts for individuals making $400,000 or less. Though it is worth noting that use of the word “new” raises some uncertainty as to how the pledge will be applied.

Harris does not in today’s release endorse, or otherwise mention, the official tax plan of the Biden-Harris Administration, the so-called Green Book . Her vow to raise taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, however, is consistent with many of the proposals included in the Administration’s plan. Among other things, that plan calls for a 7% increase in the corporate tax rate, a number of new taxes on multinational businesses, and new taxes on high-earning individuals. For more information on the FY2025 Green Book, read KPMG report: Tax proposals in FY 2025 budget .

Absent from today’s release is a proposal to exempt tip income from taxation. Harris has previously indicated that she (along with Republican nominee Donald Trump) supports this idea.

Finally, it should be noted that the sum total cost of all these proposals is several trillion dollars. Pursuing all of these ideas is likely to put significant pressure on finding new tax increases to offset the cost of these items.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee and does not provide services to clients. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation. For more information, contact KPMG's Federal Tax Legislative and Regulatory Services Group at: + 1 202 533 3712, 1801 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

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Money blog: Popular European country cracking down on holiday rentals such as Airbnb

Today's Money blog includes the Czech Republic clamping down on sites like Airbnb to help locals with the cost of living. We'll have personal finance and consumer news and tips through the day - leave a comment on anything we're covering below.

Wednesday 4 September 2024 08:14, UK

European country cracks down on holiday rentals
High-street bank trumps rivals with cheapest mortgage

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Every Wednesday we ask top chefs to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and when they cook at home. This week we speak to Israeli-born Eran Tibi, executive chef at Michelin-recommended Bala Baya, and Kapara, in London.

Hi Eran, can you tell us your favourite places in London where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

One of my favourite place has to be Voodoo Rays (Dalston, London Fields and Peckham) - it serves New York-style pizza which you can't get anywhere. They have 22-inch pizzas - hello!

You're able to go in, pick slices of whatever pizza you want; they also do a great negroni. It's great value and the quality is fantastic and consistent, so it's a no brainer.

I also love Afghan Kitchen in Angel - it's cheap, cheerful, delicious and authentic. It's unique as not many people are familiar with Afghan cuisine; all the dishes are great value and it's a fantastic place to explore new dishes.

What is your go-to cheap eat to cook at home when you have a night in?

If I'm making something at home, I go to Ridley Road Market in Dalston to pick up my ingredients. Here you'll find the best produce for the most reasonable price.

The go-to for a cheap home cooked eat is roast beef with roasted seasonal vegetables and a slow braised bulgur wheat, covered with some dips (either fresh or from what's left in the fridge).

With dishes like this, the key is to always have a good pantry and look to the freezer; throughout the year, freeze seasonal vegetables and ingredients so when you need an easy and cheap dinner (even out of season), simply take them out and get cooking!

We've spoken to lots of top chefs - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...

We've seen Spain do it, along with France and the Netherlands, and now the Czech Republic has announced plans to crack down on holiday lets.

The Czech government has proposed new regulations that could limit the amount of Airbnb-style rentals available in popular cities such as Prague.

The proposals could cap the number of days a property can be rented out each year and require a minimum amount of space per guest.

Authorities could also be allowed to place more local taxes on the rentals.

Owners would be required to register their accommodation and guest details via an online platform.

They will then be given a registration number, which would have to be displayed on their listings.

The new system, if given the green light, will aim to bring down the cost of living for locals by freeing up accommodation and increasing tax revenues.

EuroNews said officials estimate that between 40% to 70% of online bookings are not reported, which could equate to €32m in unpaid taxes each year.

Labour is facing a drop-off in confidence among business leaders amid plans for tax rises and improvements to workers' rights, according to a survey.

The Institute of Directors noted a leap in optimism in July among its membership as the new government came to power.

But its latest economic confidence index showed a slump from a three-year-high, falling into negative territory in August.

Why Tipping Is Everywhere

In the united states, many say tipping is expected in more places these days. here’s how tipping culture exploded..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

Hello. Excuse me?

My name is Sabrina. This is Claire. We’re journalists. Could we ask you a question?

You just did.

[LAUGHS]: Another one. [UPBEAT MUSIC]

What is your view of tipping?

I think it’s become excessive. Whatever they do, they got that jar and they’re wanting you to put a tip in there.

They have the iPad. And it’s like, all right, how much you want to tip? And it’s like you bought a $5 coffee. It’s like, all right, well, tip $3.

There’s a lot of pressure. You feel like you have to tip. And I feel like people are watching you at that moment.

Yeah, yeah. I feel a lot more pressure to tip more. Wages haven’t kept up, so I feel like I should be tipping more. And it’s annoying because my wages haven’t gone up either, so it’s annoying.

The other day I just bought a loaf of bread, and the tip thing came up, gave me the option of 15 percent or 20 percent. Do I really have to tip somebody to buy a loaf of bread?

I went to the self-service machine. And it was like, add a tip. And it’s like add a tip for what? I’m the one that did the work, you know what I’m saying?

You’re like, I should be tipping myself.

I actually am a tip worker. We’re literally paid less wages in order for the customers to pay us.

What do tips mean for you and your work?

It’s how I feed my family.

Yes. 100 percent.

Unless you work in the service industry, you don’t really understand how crucial tipping is.

Tips mean a lot. They are 60 percent, 50 percent of my paycheck. And my hourly is pretty low to begin with.

Whatever I get at the end of the night goes towards dinner. Or for example, I didn’t have money for sanitary pads one time. And then that tip, grabbed it.

I feel like a lot of people feel like you did nothing for me. You just put a cup on the counter and I took it. Like, why should I pay you extra for that?

What do you say to someone who says that? You didn’t do anything, you just put my food in a bag.

If you knew what my paycheck looked every week, you would think different. Or maybe not, maybe you don’t feel bad for me and you’re like, get a different job. But like, this is a job I’m good at and the job I like. And I’d like to be able to make a living off of it. That extra dollar or two really makes a difference.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise and this is “The Daily.”

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst and now even becoming an issue in the presidential campaign. Today, economics reporter, Ben Casselman, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

It’s Thursday, August 29.

So Sabrina.

Can I ask you a personal question?

What is your philosophy on tipping?

[LAUGHS]: Exactly.

Sabrina, I think I’m a sucker. Look, I’ve always tried to be a good tipper in restaurants. It feels like part of the deal.

I worked as a waitress for many years. That was the only way I actually made money. If there’s no tip, there’s no salary. Restaurants, it’s a rule.

Absolutely. But now tipping is everywhere. You see these tip screens in places you never would have tipped before. I mean, never mind the coffee shop, you see it at the fast food place. You see it at the oil change place. I’ve heard stories of people seeing it at the self-checkout line. Who’s even getting that tip?

And every time a tip screen pops up, I always tip.

Oh, my god, Ben, so do I.

It’s totally irrational. I hate it. But there’s some part of me, and I don’t love this about myself, that is just convinced somebody is going to be sitting there judging me or I’m terrified that they’re going to. And, oh, my god, if I click No Tip, am I a bad person?

And someone behind me in line might see that.

I can’t click that No Tip button.

I am exactly the same. Every single time I’m presented with this iPad screen thingy, the tips come up. I press max, 30 percent. My husband, an economist, thinks this is ridiculous.

He says, you’re tipping 30 percent on a bottle of water someone just handed you. Don’t do that. That is crazy. But I keep doing it because I can, so I should. I don’t know, I have guilt about it.

Your husband is objectively correct. This is crazy. But tipping is not about objective cold economic logic. It’s emotional. It’s cultural.

There are norms around it. And right now, we have no idea what those norms are. And so we’re all stuck in this panicked moment of trying to decide which button you press and whether you should be expected to tip in this circumstance.

OK, so we are both suckers. We’ve established that. What we need to do now is figure out this panicked moment. I want you to explain this to me, Ben. Why has tipping exploded?

I think there are three reasons. The first of these is just technology. Several years ago, we started to see these tablet-based checkout systems everywhere. And it’s very easy to just add a tip screen onto there, that little, do you want to add a tip, 10 percent, 15 percent, 20 percent.

Right. And as I had less cash and then no cash in my wallet, this was always the way I paid for things.

Yeah, so it became very easy technologically to add tipping. But then the real shift came in the pandemic.

If you think back to that moment, many of us were lucky enough to be able to work from home and to be relatively safe. And we felt a lot of gratitude for the people who weren’t able to do that, who were bringing us food and delivering groceries. And so there was an explosion in tipping. And an explosion in tipping, even in places where we didn’t used to tip.

If you go and pick up takeout at a restaurant, you probably always tip your delivery driver. But if you went to the restaurant and you picked it up, you didn’t tip there. But now in the pandemic moment, they add a tip screen saying, would you like to tip? And yeah, of course, I’d like to tip. These people are risking their lives out there to make my chicken tikka masala.

Right. You basically wanted to tip the UPS guy.

Yes. And so we were tipping everybody. And so that allowed tipping to spread into these new areas. It got a beachhead in places where it didn’t used to be.

And maybe if the story ended there, it would have been this moment in time and then it all would have gone back to the way it always used to be. But that didn’t happen because we had this intense worker shortage when things started to reopen.

And how does that fit into this?

Businesses start to reopen. They need workers. They’re having a hard time finding them. Workers are reluctant to come back for all sorts of reasons. And tipping became a way of attracting workers.

Businesses were paying more, but they were also looking for other ways to get workers. And saying, we’ll add a tip screen that’ll boost your pay further. And if there’s one coffee shop where there’s a tip screen and there’s another coffee shop where there isn’t, you can be pretty sure which one you’re going to go work at.

Completely. I mean, we were talking to workers yesterday, and they were very specific about which chain stores allowed tips and which ones didn’t. And they much preferred working for the ones that allowed tips. I mean, it makes sense.

And I asked them, as a proportion of your earnings, how much are tips? Tips are a lot. Does that mean you make less in the place that doesn’t have the screen that allows it? Absolutely.

We saw workers demanding this. In fact, when some Starbucks stores were unionizing, one of the things they demand is, we want to be able to take tips on credit card payments.

Interesting, yeah.

This became a source of negotiation between businesses and their workers. And the thing is, once that happens, it’s really hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

But why? I mean, this all sprung up into our lives in the matter of a couple of years. So why can’t it go back to the way it was just as quickly?

Imagine that coffee shop worker that you were talking to yesterday, who’s now making, in many cases, 20 percent, 30 percent, even 40 percent of their earnings in tips. The business can’t just say, never mind, we’re going to get rid of the tip screen. Maybe, we’ll put out a tip jar and people can leave $1 or $2 when they want to. That’s a huge pay cut for that worker.

OK, they could instead say we’re going to get rid of tipping and we’re going to raise your pay. Instead of paying you $15 an hour and $5 in tips, we’ll give you $20 an hour. But now the business is going have to raise prices as a result.

And you, Sabrina, the coffee-drinking public are going to say, no way, I’m not going there and paying $8 for my latte or whatever the price may be. And so for the business, they can’t just get rid of the tip, because they can’t just cut off the pay and they can’t raise prices enough to raise pay accordingly.

Right. Nonstarter for the business.

Can’t work for them. And the worker is certainly not going to stick around if they try to do that.

So has there been some experimentation with this? I mean, have restaurants actually tried to go tipless?

Yeah, so we’ve seen an example of exactly this. A few years back, Danny Meyer, a big New York restaurateur, and a bunch of other restaurants as well tried getting rid of tipping completely. They said, this system is unfair, it’s unequal. We’re going to raise wages for everybody, for waiters, but also for cooks.

We’re going to raise our prices, accordingly, to pay for that. And customers will understand. They’ll understand that they’re paying the same amount at the end of the day, it just is in the form of a direct cost instead of a cost plus a tip. And it didn’t work.

For a bunch of reasons. But mostly because customers looked at the price on the menu and people didn’t want to pay it. I also think, look, we all complain about tipping. But customers also kind of like the tip. They kind of like looking generous.

You get to show off to your date or to your father-in-law. And, of course, you can, at least in theory, express your dissatisfaction by withholding a tip or by tipping less. Not you and me, we apparently don’t do that. But some people do, I hear.

The restaurant’s like, suckers, OK, great. Yeah, we don’t even have to worry about them.

Customers rebelled against the idea of not tipping. And most of those restaurants eventually went back to the old model.

Interesting. So we do have this love-hate relationship with tipping.

Yes. We hate being asked, but we like the control. And I think that is part of why all these changes feel so difficult for so many people, because it doesn’t necessarily feel like you have the control anymore.

That screen in front of you with the barista watching you, with the person in line behind watching you —

Oh, my gosh, I’m sweating already.

— you don’t feel like can press the No Tip button. Or at least suckers like you and me don’t.

Exactly. The choice is gone.

The choice is gone. Or the choice, at least, is sort of psychologically more taxing.

Right. [LAUGHS]

You feel pressured to do it.

OK, so that’s the customer experience. But with this new uptick in tipping, one question I always have is, is the worker on the other side of the screen getting this tip or will the business owner pocket it?

The worker is getting the tip with some caveats. By law, the business owner or the managers, they can’t take the tips. If you click a Tip button or you leave $1 in the tip jar or you tip in any way, if that ends up in the pockets of the business owner or the general manager or what have you, that is wage theft. It happens. We certainly hear stories about it happening, but it’s certainly not legal and it’s certainly not the norm.

That doesn’t mean that the worker, the person who hands you your latte, is the person getting your dollar. It often gets pooled across all of the workers who are working that shift or even all of the workers who work over an entire week. But it’s going to the workers.

People like us can rest assured that the workers are getting the full benefit of that tip that you’re pushing.

In many ways, what you are doing as the customer is you are subsidizing the wage. If you, you coffee shop worker, want to get $25 an hour, you don’t care whether that’s $20 in pay and $5 in tip or $25 in pay or any breakdown of that.

$25 is $25.

$25 is $25. When I leave a tip of $1, on some level, that’s $1 less that coffee shop has to pay you, the barista. Tips are helping the business pay their workers. They’re shifting. The business is shifting some of the burden for paying its workers off of its revenue onto its customers.

In other words, you and I, Ben, we are kind of helping foot the bill for these wages.

Absolutely. And from the businesses’ perspective, that’s a pretty great deal, because they basically get to charge, say, $4 for the latte and then for the customers who are willing to pay more, they’re basically charging more. Those people throw on the tip.

It’s a way of the business getting the maximum dollars that it can out of the maximum number of customers that it can attract.

But for workers, this system where they’re increasingly reliant on customer tips carries some real risks.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

We’ll be right back.

Tell me about these risks of our tipping system.

Look, tipping has always had a lot of problems associated with it. If you think in restaurants, they’re often really big pay disparities where the servers at the front of the house, who are getting tipped, often make a lot more money, especially at a nice restaurant, than the cooks and dishwashers and all of the people at the back of the house.

You hear these stories of people going to cooking school and then basically bailing on the cooking career and becoming waitresses and waiters because it’s just more money.

Yeah. And then within tipped occupations, there’s a lot of inequity here. There have been studies that have shown that a pretty young woman gets tipped better than other people, that white people often get tipped better. There are tons of problems around sexual harassment, because if your earnings are dependent on the table that you’re serving liking you, then maybe you put up with things that workers shouldn’t have to put up with.

Those are the problems that have always existed in this system. But then as tipping spreads, the risk is, first, just more workers have to deal with this, but also that more workers become more dependent on tips for their earnings.

In the short term, this has all worked out pretty well for workers. This has been a period where they’ve been in hot demand, and so their wages have been rising. And at the same time, they’ve gotten all these tips on top of that. And that’s been really great.

But it’s not clear that that’s true over the longer term. Over the long run, you could imagine that all of these businesses get to just raise wages more slowly, that tips sort of eat away at wages over time. And then if we ever see customers pull back a little bit, tip less, then all of a sudden, all of these workers could really suffer.

Basically, you’re describing a system in which the earnings are just more vulnerable, more dependent on the kindness of strangers.

Yeah. And more at risk if those strangers become a little less kind.

Yes. And this issue has become so much a part of the national conversation that it’s actually entered the presidential race. Both former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have announced policy plans to help service workers. And essentially, they’re calling for no tax on tips.

Yeah, that’s right. So President Trump announced this several weeks ago as his big new “no taxes on tips” proposal. Kamala Harris followed up and basically endorsed that proposal, again, a little while later. We don’t have a lot of details on how this would work. But essentially, it would mean that if you earn tips, those tips are exempt at least from federal income tax.

What would that mean?

Let me tell you, economists hate this idea. Left-wing economists and right-wing economists, this is one point they can kind of all agree on.

And why do they hate it?

Because they say it’s unfair. It singles out this one group of workers for special treatment. The person who works at McDonald’s who doesn’t get tipped, they don’t benefit from this. The retail worker doesn’t benefit from this. It’s just this one group of workers who get this special treatment where they don’t have to pay taxes.

Right. Right.

But there’s also maybe an even more fundamental issue, which is that if you think you hate tipping now, if these proposals go through, you’re going to see so much more tipping.

Uh-oh, I’m holding on to my hat.

Because it’s basically a subsidy for tips.

As a worker, we said before, you don’t care whether you make, $25 an hour or $20 plus $5 an hour in tips, except that if some of that money isn’t taxed, you want more of that. You want more tips.

Basically, you want your entire salary to be a tip.

Ideally, right? And so that works great for the business perspective. Great, I don’t need to pay my workers.

[LAUGHS]: Wee!

It’s all tips now. Workers happy about that. What that means is you’re going to see more businesses looking for ways to have their workers count as tipped. Maybe you start to see tips in places that we’re not seeing them at all. Maybe you really do start to pay tips at a retail outlet, at a gas station.

Grocery store?

At a grocery store, why not? And the issue there, beyond just it being annoying for you and me, is that it further ingrains this system. All those problems that we were talking about in tipping now involves even more workers across the economy. And they’re even more vulnerable to that possibility that you and I start tipping a little bit less.

Ben, how would you describe where we are in this tipping moment? Is this just the new normal?

I think we’re still in a period of transition here. The fact that we’re having this conversation on some level tells you that we’re not totally in a new normal yet. You don’t leave a restaurant and say to yourself, man, I can’t believe I was asked to tip. But we’re still all the time having this conversation about, you wouldn’t believe I got asked to tip at the self-checkout.

Right. The bakery, for god’s sake.

It’s still a transition. It’s still happening. Over time, norms will develop. We’ll figure out the places where we tip and the places where we don’t, and how much and all of that.

But the dust hasn’t quite settled yet.

It hasn’t settled. But I think what we do know is that we’re not going back. We’re now going back to a world where we only tip in those set of circumstances where we used to. And remember, this whole transition has happened during a period of relative economic strength, when people have had money to go out and spend and to tip. The question is, what happens when that’s no longer true?

Right. When there’s a recession, people are going to be nervous about their pocketbooks and probably won’t be as generous.

Whenever we get to the next recession, it will be the first one in this new era of tipping.

And there’s a whole new group of workers who are going to lose out when that happens, who are dependent on tips and will suffer when customers start pulling those tips back.

Ben, thank you.

Sabrina, thank you so much. And the screen is just going to ask you a couple of questions at the end here.

[LAUGHS]: Ben, 30 percent.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Wednesday, at least 10 Palestinians were killed when hundreds of Israeli troops launched major raids overnight in the occupied West Bank, targeting Palestinian militants, after what Israel said was months of rising attacks. The operation, the largest since 2023, followed months of escalating Israeli raids in the occupied territory, where nearly three million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule.

And the Supreme Court maintained a temporary pause on a new plan by President Biden to wipe out tens of millions of dollars of student debt. The plan was part of the president’s approach to forgiving debt after the Supreme Court rejected a more ambitious proposal last year that would have canceled more than $400 billion in loans. The scaled-down plan was directed at certain types of borrowers, including people on disability and public service workers. The court’s decision leaves millions of borrowers enrolled in the new plan in limbo.

Today’s episode was produced by Mooj Zadie, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Eric Krupke, and Clare Toeniskoetter. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg, contains original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, and Rowan Niemisto, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

[THEME MUSIC]

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Ben Casselman

Produced by Mooj Zadie Asthaa Chaturvedi Eric Krupke and Clare Toeniskoetter

Edited by Lisa Chow and Brendan Klinkenberg

Original music by Dan Powell Marion Lozano and Rowan Niemisto

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow ‘The Daily’ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst. Now, it is even becoming an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.

Ben Casselman, who covers the U.S. economy for The New York Times, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping.

On today’s episode

Ben Casselman , a reporter covering the U.S. economy for The New York Times.

A Square payment screen at the counter at a coffee shop. Three blue squares offer the options between 15%, 20% and 25%. A bowl of money is sitting next to it.

Background reading

How to deal with the many requests for tips .

Former President Donald J. Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris a “copycat” over her “no tax on tips” plan.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Ben Casselman writes about economics with a particular focus on stories involving data. He has covered the economy for nearly 20 years, and his recent work has focused on how trends in labor, politics, technology and demographics have shaped the way we live and work. More about Ben Casselman

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Homes bulldozed in Timor-Leste ahead of Pope visit

Families' homes are being demolished near Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, in the area where Pope Francis will celebrate mass next month.

Nearly 90 people have been told by the government that they must find somewhere new to live before he arrives, according to evicted residents who spoke to the BBC.

The Timor-Leste government denies the evictions are connected to the Pope's visit, insisting that the residents are living there illegally.

Authorities have spent around $18m (£13.6m) on the pontiff's three-day visit, which begins on 9 September.

“We are very sad," Zerita Correia, a local resident, told BBC News.

"They even demolished our belongings inside the house. Now we have to rent nearby because my children are still in school in this area,” she added.

A spokesman for the residents said that 11 families will have been moved before Pope Francis arrives in Timor-Leste. The government has paid them between $7,000 and $10,000 for their homes.

"The amount is not enough for each household to meet its needs," said Venancio Ximenes, speaking to the BBC

"The next phase of evictions will come after Pope Francis leaves and that will involve more than 1,300 families," he added.

The homes are located in Tasitolu, a wetland area just outside of Dili. Over the past decade, hundreds of people moved there from rural parts of the country.

Many came looking for work in the capital and built basic homes in the area. The government says they are squatting and have no right to live on the land.

Amito Araújo/BBC A picture taken of the bulldozers in the area

Speaking to the BBC, a government minister said that residents were made aware of plans to clear the area in September 2023.

"It is time for the state to take back its property," said Germano Santa Brites Dias, Secretary of State for Toponymy and Urban Organisation.

"Last year, we spoke heart-to-heart with the community and now they must leave and go back to their villages," he added.

An estimated 700,000 people are expected to attend Pope Francis' open-air mass in Tasitolu, where an area of 23 hectares - equivalent to about 40 football pitches - is being prepared.

Aside from the government's controversial plans to evict residents, critics have also questioned the decision to spend such large amounts of money on the visit - including $1m on a brand new altar for Pope Francis.

According to the UN, nearly half of the population of Timor Leste currently lives below the national poverty line.

"The annual budget to increase food production in the country is only about $4.7m,” said Mariano Fereira, a researcher at the Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis, speaking to UCA News.

"All this spending can hardly do any good to the availability of food," he added.

Next month will mark the first papal trip to Timor-Leste since Pope John Paul II visited in 1989, when the country was still under Indonesian occupation.

Timor-Leste, formerly known as East Timor, has a population of 1.3m - the vast majority of whom identify as Catholic.

When Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975, only around 20% of East Timorese people were Catholic. That figure now stands at 97%.

Enthusiasm for the pontiff's upcoming visit is huge, but the Pope is being urged by campaigners to address a recent abuse scandal that tarnished the Church in the country.

In 2022, the Vatican acknowledged that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Timorese independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had sexually abused young boys.

A Vatican spokesman said the church had been aware of the case in 2019 and had imposed disciplinary measures in 2020, including restrictions on Belo’s movements and a ban on voluntary contact with minors.

It is unclear whether Pope Francis will apologise for the scandal, meet with victims or even whether Bishop Belo will appear alongside him in Dili.

Additional reporting by Amito Araújo in Dili

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Best Business Plan Software

10 Best Business Plan Software In 2024

Updated: May 3, 2024, 5:15pm

Writing a business plan not only helps you stay on track as you start a new business but it can also help you secure funding. You can create one from scratch with a simple template, but business plan software often has features to make it easier, more nuanced and overall better. It could even make the difference between bringing investors on board and going it alone. So, Forbes Advisor found the best business plan software that has the features you need at an affordable price.

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The Best Business Plan Software of 2024

Forbes advisor ratings, methodology, how to choose a business plan software, benefits of business plan software, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

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Zoom, LinkedIn, Adobe, Salesforce and more

On monday.com's Website

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Slack, Microsoft Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, Timely, Google Drive and more

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$9.80 per user per month

Salesforce, Adobe, Miro, Netsuite, Quickbooks, SAP

On Wrike's Website

Yes, for one user and two editors

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Google Drive, Slack, Tableau, Miro, Zapier and more

On Smartsheet's Website

Wrike: Best overall
Smartsheet: Best for goal management
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Wrike is a project management (PM) tool that works well as business plan software because it gives you tools to help you gather and compare your data. Wrike makes it easy to start your business plan with its collaboration tools, business plan templates , drag-and-drop interface and goal management features. Another benefit of using Wrike to build your plan is that you see your ideas and goals from multiple views: Gantt chart, calendar or board views.

There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to use Wrike for your business plan. First, you can map out exactly what your business goals are in a project, invite teammates to collaborate and message business partners to discuss everything. Plus, you can export your data when you’re ready to put all the details into a presentation to hand over to potential investors.

Wrike offers a free plan that’s good for putting your vision down in task and project form, but you may want to upgrade to a paid plan to invite collaborators, get custom workflows and add more views and automations. Paid plan pricing ranges from $9.80 per user, per month, to $24.80 per user, per month, both billed annually.

Learn more: Read our full Wrike review .

Who should use it:

Wrike makes it easy for any new business owner to create a business plan and collaborate with others on the financial and operational goals. Plus, it provides value after you finalize your business plan because it’s a good pick for a PM tool.

Roadmapping ability
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Goal management via projects and tasks
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No financial tools

Best for Goal Management

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(billed annually)

(added cost)

Using PM software like Smartsheet is a good idea for starting a business plan because it includes all the tools you need to collaborate and plan across multiple teams or stakeholders. It’s especially good for real-time goal management. Get your ideas in place, go over market and competitive research from other teammates and finalize everything together.

Smartsheet won’t help you write your business plan, but it does give you a place to compile all the data and then you can use one of its free business plan templates. As you figure out your milestones, you can invite an unlimited number of viewers to see how it’s going. The only downsides are that Smartsheet doesn’t have a native messaging app (you’ll have to use an integration), only commenting allowed and there’s no free plan.

Paid plans from Smartsheet cost $7 per user, per month, or $25 per user, per month (billed annually for both). The low-priced Pro plan limits you to 10 editors, but the Business plan allows unlimited editors (but it also has a three-user minimum).

Learn more: Read our full Smartsheet review .

Smartsheet lets you make changes in real time, so it’s a good option for those who are just starting to piece together a plan and looking for a way to manage ideas and goals before finalizing a business plan.

Discounts for nonprofits available
Automations on every plan
Popular integrations allowed on low-tier plan
30-day free trial
No free plan
Only 10 viewers allowed on low-tier plan
Three-user minimum on Business plan

Best for Financial Forecasting

$15 per month

One of the strongest cases for using LivePlan to create your business plan is its financial forecasting. It isn’t just a single feature, rather it’s a tool that lets you turn your balance sheet and cash flow statements into charts, graphs and what-if situations to help you show possible investors the best- and worst-case scenarios for your business.

There are two plans available: Standard or Premium (there is no free plan). The low-priced plan, which costs $15 per month (billed annually), doesn’t limit your contributors or guests and includes instructions to help you complete a business plan. It even includes the financial forecasting features and more than 500 sample plans to get you started.

The Premium plan costs $30 per month (billed annually), but it’s full-featured. You get a milestone planner and industry benchmark data, which can save you research time. Another timesaver: At this plan level, you can integrate QuickBooks or Xero to add your financial data seamlessly.

LivePlan is business plan software that includes prompts and accounting software integrations, making it great for new business owners that want easy financial forecasting.

Unlimited guests and contributors
Export finished business plan as PowerPoint presentation
Includes step-by-step instructions with prompts
35-day money-back guarantee
No free trial

Best for Roadmapping

$59 per user, per month

Every business plan starts with strategy and Aha! makes it easier to map out what you plan to do to get from point A to point Z. Aha! is primarily roadmapping software that product teams use to plan features, products or bug fixes. Any business in any industry can use it to shape ideas and strategy into plans and milestones.

Much like product development, business plans have phases and Aha! is ideal for the first few phases of business planning. Although you won’t find a scorecard feature with Aha! Roadmaps, you can score and prioritize your business vision and goals. Finally, you can present your plan to viewers (stakeholders) before you create your official business plan and secure funding.

There are three plans from which you can choose: Premium at $59 per user, per month; Enterprise at $99 per user, per month; and Enterprise+ at $149 per user, per month, all billed annually. The only reasons to upgrade to either Enterprise plan is if you want to add on automation, development tools and custom worksheets and tables.

Aha! Roadmaps is a great tool to help you strategize and get your ideas for your business in one place. You can use the presentation feature to share your business’s roadmap on your way to creating your finalized business plan.

User-friendly interface
Ability to score and prioritize ideas
Share roadmaps with others
Expensive for business plan creation
Has a bit of a learning curve

Best for Beginners

$20.75 per month

Bizplan is specifically for business plan creation. It offers a guided walkthrough of each section you need for a complete business plan to use for funding or pitching to partners. Plug in the information, from your mission and goals to financial forecasts, and Bizplan will do the math and create the visual charts you need to get your point across.

Bizplan is very easy to use because it includes prompts and questions that take away the manual effort of figuring out what you need, so you can simply focus on providing the answers. When you’re satisfied you included all the data needed, you can invite stakeholders and consultants to look it over and add comments for approval or change requests. A unique feature of Bizplan is it gives you access to Fundable, a crowdfunding platform, on which you can share your business plan to try to generate funding.

Monthly pricing costs $29, but you can opt for annual pricing that averages to $20.75 per month. If you expect to need business plan software for much longer than a year, there’s a lifetime access option for $349 flat. All plans come with all features and access, including business courses, business planning tools and a route to investors.

If it’s your first time creating a business plan, Bizplan is a great choice to help guide you through all the sections you need to include in your plan for potential investors and partners.

Monthly, annual and lifetime plans
Unlimited business plans
Unlimited collaborators
Step-by-step instructions
Modular, drag-and-drop interface
Online business courses
Access to Fundable
Financial forecasting
No roadmapping tools
Lack of customization
Only integrates with Xero

Best for Ideation

Free; $6 per month

IdeaBuddy is a basic business plan tool that lets you start for free, which is great for beginners who aren’t quite ready to create a plan. The idea plan feature is great because it lets you lay out your business plan on one page, giving you an overview. There are built-in sticky notes for brainstorming and custom templates to start you off with a bit of a guide (or just create your own).

Another great feature of IdeaBuddy is the whiteboard, which lets you drag and drop various elements, draw on it and collaborate with others to come up with your perfect business idea. That feature is locked behind the highest tier, so you’ll have to pay $22 per month (billed annually) to use it. However, that plan also gives you up to 10 collaborators and 10 ideas.

Other plans are more limiting: The free plan is for a solopreneur who has a single idea to work on and the Dreamer plan is $6 per month while the Founder plan is $12 per month, both billed annually. The Dreamer plan is also limited to one idea, but you get one collaborator while the Founder plan gives you up to three ideas and three collaborators. Plus, you’ll get access to the paid plans to export and share your plan with viewers.

IdeaBuddy is just what it sounds like: It’s best for ideation. You can create a full-fledged business plan, but this program is best suited for the very beginning stages of business creation.

Free forever plan
Affordable paid plans
Monthly and annual billing options
Easy to use
Export to Word, Excel or as PDF
Flexible whiteboard feature
May be too basic for some users
Doesn’t offer much guidance

Best for No-Frills Business Planning

$55 for one year

Business plan software doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective, and iPlanner certainly fits that bill. It’s been around since 2007 and it doesn’t appear to have updated its look or functions. The browser-based business planning software gives you a place to build out your business model and a business plan.

There are two different software options from iPlanner: Strategy Designer and Startup Framework. The Strategy Designer costs $59 for three plans, but it’s a one-time fee for the year. Choose it if you want a more condensed and no-frills kind of business plan. You can export it to Word or as a PDF.

The iPlanner Startup Framework is $55 per year, which gives you one plan to create. It’s similar to the Designer version, but you can create a business model, separate financials and build a team with various roles (view only, project owner or consultant).

iPlanner is best for those who have created a business plan before and don’t need hand-holding or fancy features.

Business modeling option
Samples on site for demoing
Export to Word or as PDF
No free plan or trial
Not a lot of guidance
Outdated interface

Best for Automatic Business Plan Creation

$11 per month

Enloop is a unique business plan app that generates a business plan for you based on information you provide. You can edit the text Enloop writes for you to make it more specific or change numbers in your financial forecasts as you see fit. Enloop offers a scorecard that updates as you change things, finish sections and make your business plan overall better.

Then Enloop compares your financial forecasts to industry standards, so you don’t have to do the research. The software shows you up to 16 ratios, such as sales, inventory and payables and then shows you what the average is for your industry as it compares to your financials. Enloop then gives you either a pass or fail so that you can modify your plan before you put anything into play.

Although Enloop doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial for one week so you can see if it’s right for you. The Detailed plan costs $11 per month while the Performance plan is $24 per month, both billed annually. The biggest difference between the two plans is how many financial ratios Enloop analyzes: The Detailed plan only gets three ratios and Performance plan gets 16.

Enloop is best for those who have some experience creating business plans, not necessarily for those who are starting from scratch as there are no brainstorming or strategizing tools included. Use Enloop to create business plans quickly.

Three business plans for each tier
Generates a business plan automatically
Compares your financials to industry standards
Seven-day free trial available
Scorecards indicate odds of success
No messaging team members through app
Not meant for strategizing

Best for Consultant Groups

$80 per, user per month

Not everyone wants to go it alone when creating business plans and consultants are often hired for industry expertise and business plan creation. AchieveIt offers generous plans that won’t limit the number of plans and projects you can create, so you can work on multiple business plans at one time.

Specifically, AchieveIt is planning software meant for medium to large teams to work on projects simultaneously. For business planning, it’s a great option for those strategizing and analyzing a variety of data points with multiple people—all of AchieveIt’s plans have a minimum requirement of 20 users.

Plans are pricey, especially when you consider the user minimum. Core, the lowest-priced plan, costs $80 per user, per month, and Plus is $90 per user, per month, both billed annually. So, it’s going to cost $1,600 per month, at least, which puts this software out of reach for most small businesses.

AchieveIt is a good choice for large businesses that need planning software and for business plan purposes, it makes most sense for established consultant groups.

Unlimited plans and projects
Collaboration tools
Goal management
20-user minimum
Pricier than most competitors
Integrations at added cost

Best for Teams

Business sorter.

$10 per month

When you’re ready to craft your business plan, it can help immensely to have business planning software like Business Sorter. The cloud-based app makes it easy for you to start a plan and kicks off your business planning with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Then, you can follow a guide to build your plan with each section divided by areas. After which, you can choose cards to help steer you toward the right objectives and goals for your business.

You won’t find roadmapping tools in Business Sorter, but the card system keeps you on track (and even gives you goals you may not have considered). As you prioritize goals, you’ll find steps you need to take that guide you to completing your business plan. Every plan allows multiple users, so you can collaborate on what takes precedence.

Plans start at $10 per month, billed annually, and allows you to have three users on board. For 10 users, the Medium plan costs $30 per month, billed annually, and if you need 30 users, the Large Team plan will run you $80 per month, billed annually. It’s one of the most affordable business planning apps for teams.

Although Business Sorter doesn’t offer a messaging tool, it’s still one of the best options for teams. You don’t have to pay per person, but you can add multiple people to the account to work on creating business plans.

Easy-to-use business plan templates
Free trial available
Card system helps guide your goal setting
Create up to 40 business plans
Plans limit user count
No messaging in app
Very limited integrations

Forbes Advisor carefully considered a variety of software to choose the right business planning apps for this ranking. We compared features, ease of use, costs and collaboration. We ranked each company based on these factors using a 5-star rating system. The highest possible score is 5 out of 5 stars.

Here are the details of the factors we considered:

Features: We looked at general and unique features of each app and gave more credit to software that provides better functionality for business planning.
Cost: Regardless of your business size, cost is an important factor to consider when you’re adding new software to your tech stack. We awarded a higher score to those that offer free trials, free plans and affordable options.
Ease of use: Programs that have a steep learning curve aren’t likely to be adopted by you or your team, so we chose software that’s user-friendly. Drag-and-drop interfaces or guidance through features and tools are helpful for any team.
Customer reviews: An important factor for any software is how the general public views the program. We considered other ratings and studied the pros and cons listed by other users of the software to help us with our ranking.

Technically, you don’t need business plan software, but using it can make the entire experience easier and you’ll have better odds of creating a solid plan. You don’t even have to choose software made specifically for business planning—project management software is great for roadmapping and goal management. Aside from looking for software that includes financial forecasting, you’ll want collaboration tools, a user-friendly interface, affordable plans and ways to brainstorm or roadmap for your business idea.

One of the most important sections of any business plan is the financials. If you haven’t already done the research and calculations, look for a business plan app that automatically calculates these numbers for you.

Collaboration is also key if you’re working with a partner, team or consultants. At the very least, look for software that lets you invite viewers to see the work you’re doing, but the best business plan software lets users leave comments or work on a plan in real time simultaneously.

Ease of use is nearly as important as pricing. You’ll need software you and your team will use without spending too much downtime learning how to use it. It also makes no sense to choose a cost-prohibitive tool for creating a business plan—most of the software Forbes Advisor suggests is appropriate for small business budgets.

Finally, depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, you may want a tool that offers features that make it easy for you to create a roadmap for your business. If you’re in the early stages, these tools can help with brainstorming, prioritizing goals and managing your goals before you finalize your actual business plan.

Most business plan software helps guide you through the creation of a business plan with prompts, suggestions or tips. So, using business plan software is especially helpful for new business owners who don’t know all the sections to include to increase the odds of getting funding or luring a partner to join your operation.

Business plan software can also automate some processes, such as calculations of financials or comparisons of those finances with industry standards. Some business planning apps give you whiteboards or editable cards you can use for brainstorming. Other features may include scorecards to let you know if you’re on the right track or roadmapping tools to give you an overview of your business plan.

The biggest benefit of business plan software is that it helps you organize and prioritize all of your goals so you can more easily analyze and then compile the data you need to create your business plan. After that, you can create your plan from scratch or if you’re using business planning software made specifically for crafting plans, you can piece it all together and then export it as a PDF or to Microsoft Word.

Which business plan software is the best?

Forbes Advisor suggests Wrike, Smartsheet or LivePlan to help you write your business plan. Depending on the stage you’re in of business planning, one tool or another may be better for you.

How do I create my own business plan?

There are several steps you should follow to create a good business plan, but there are different types of plans you can create. Every business plan starts with a strong executive summary and includes your business goals and financial forecasting. Follow a guide on how to create a business plan to ensure you include all the sections needed.

What are the different types of business plans?

There are many types of business plans you can create and the one that makes the most sense for you depends on your situation. A standard business plan is meant for when you need to present to investors or a bank for financial help. A lean plan doesn’t include all the summaries and background information a standard plan does, so it’s more suitable for established business owners. There are also one-page business plans that are more like pitches. You may also run across operational, tactical, strategic and contingency business plans. We created a simple business plan template that you can use to get started when launching a side gig or small business.

Is business plan software secure?

As with most types of software, the best business plan software programs offer many levels of security. When choosing this type of software, you want to look for security features that include multifactor authentication (MFA), intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, documentation that shows frequent security updates and patches, data encryption and privacy protection.

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Amy Nichol Smith spent more than 20 years working as a journalist for TV and newspapers before transitioning to software and hardware product reviews for consumers and small businesses. She has been featured in publications such as L.A. Times, Tom's Guide, Investopedia and various newspapers across the U.S.

Create Your Business Plan in Minutes

15,000+ clients

Business Plans Generated

Avg. Generation Time

Countries Supported

How it Works

Start With Your Idea

Craft Your Vision: Jumpstart your business journey with a brief description of your business. Acknowledge your business type and let us seamlessly transform it into a meticulously structured plan.

Series Of Guided Questions

Easily navigate through each section with Plannit's step-by-step guidance. Enter your own detailed solutions or leverage with AI-generated content and receive helpful prompts and ideas along the way. Plannit's AI capabilities provide insightful and precise content for market analysis, financial projections, marketing strategies, sales plan and more.

Collaborate With Your Partners

Bring your team over! PlannitAI provides a dedicated space where you can invite team members to view, shape and refine your online business plan. With or without the help of our AI model You can reword, rephrase, prolong and shorten sections to your liking. Collaborate in real-time to ensure your business strategy benefits from diverse insights and expertise, leading to a well-rounded and robust plan.

Present With Confidence

With a polished, expertly crafted plan in hand, You have already won half the battle. Confidently present business strategy to investors, stakeholders, or financial institutions.ć Start your journey with Plannit AI and transform your vision into a reality, creating a pathway for that entrepreneur life.

Try Plannit AI Today

Who can benefit from plannit.

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Analyze your ventures through extensive business plans aligned with your vision and goals.

Business Owners

Back your business with a solid plan that aligns with your objectives. Perfect for small businesses.

Educational Institutions

Develop your business understanding and vocabulary by analyzing your business idea and creating a plan.

Startups Accelerators

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

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

Language support.

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 4o and 4o-mini 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.

Your plan in your language. We offer a choice of over 150 worldwide languages to ensure the best fit for your business plan.

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.

Plannit Business Ecosystem

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Privacy & Security

Rest assured, we never share your data with third parties. Your privacy is our top priority, and we're committed to keeping your information safe and confidential.

Take The First Step Towards Success

The Best Business Plan Software

A good business plan helps you identify your mission and your value proposition. We test top business plan creation tools that help you build and track your organization's future.

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our top tested picks, palo alto software liveplan, tarkenton gosmallbiz, atlas business solutions ultimate business planner 5.0, netekspert iplanner.net, the business plan shop.

Best Document Management Software

Pros & Cons

An impressive range of customizable features.
Lots of online learning help.
Loads of customizable features necessitates a learning curve.
Limited third-party integrations.

Bottom Line

Delivered in slick, cloud service packaging, Palo Alto Software's LivePlan is a very nice business planning tool that comes complete with loads of customizable features and solid online help and learning resources. Even so, the products sheer depth means you're still facing a bit of a learning curve.

Specs & Configurations

Highly configurable and detailed business plan.
Advice from business experts.
Able to generate financial statements and projections without outside spreadsheet software.
Links to third-party services.
Few sample business plans.
Only exports to Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

Heavy on the mentoring and advice side, Tarkenton GoSmallBiz delivers an an easy-to-use business planning application that works using step-by-step templates with built-in advice modules.

Offers unique services that match entrepreneurs with investors, with business plan features to enable that process.
Its design is in the framework of crowdfunding investments from people you don't know.
If you simply need a plan to sell your local Angel investor on your process, EquityNet probably is overkill.

EquityNet doesn't focus exclusively on business plan creation. Instead, it's really a platform for those seeking investors as well as those looking to invest. Still, its bundled business planning tool is solid and can help speed startups toward getting funded.

Strong budgeting and forecasting features.
Links to analytics add-on.
Breakeven analysis.
QuickBooks support available.
Requires some financial sophistication to use.
Lacks sample business plan templates.

Less a business plan creator than a financial reporting tool, PlanGuru nevertheless does a creditable job for those seeking to build a worthwhile business plan document. Still, rank beginners or those less focused on financial calculations might need to look elsewhere.

Adds project management tools to business planning.
The price is unbeatable.
It's a starting point rather than an entire toolkit.
Expect to do more work on your own.

If you've got a clear idea of what you want your burgeoning organization to accomplish, but you just need some help with organizing and project management, then StratPad may be your ideal solution.

Interview-based format.
Useful graphics.
Sample business plans.
QuickBooks import.
High degree of manual input and spreadsheet work needed.

ABS Ultimate Business Planner 5.0 works using a fairly intuitive interview format to gather the data needed for your business plan. Unfortunately, that process is marred by the need for extensive manual data entry and spreadsheet work.

Plenty of customization options.
Excellent automation of variable data.
Doesn't provide much guidance for some important elements including how to enter some required fields.
Not much help text provided for how to create missions and operations statements.

Enloop is a solid choice for those looking to build a business plan quickly. Good data syncing capabilities are enhanced by a solid collection of features, most of them customizable. While its help resources leave something to be desired, Enloop is a good choice for those with relatively simple planning needs.

International, multilingual approach.
Simple user interface.
Variety of currencies and templates.
Rudimentary set of options.
Limited flexibility.

iPlanner.NET from NetEkspert is a fairly easy way to build a quick business plan, but the company seems more focused on helping consultants build plans for clients rather than on folks building business plans for their own use. On the other hand, fewer features mean a simple process and it's even got a fairly nice price.

Lots of opportunity to customize business plan elements.
Not much education or encouragement about what to say in a business plan.
You get good structure but little inspiration.

The Business Plan Shop provides a good-enough business plan writing aid, but mainly for people who know what needs to be in the document. Beginners or those looking for plan writing guidance will need to keep looking.

What Is a Business Plan?

Many of us have been there: That sudden epiphany in the shower or at a bar chatting with friends. The slew of initial ideas hastily scribbled on napkins or perhaps simply forgotten entirely. Many great businesses started with these same events, but millions more never got beyond them. That's because the next step can be both difficult and labor-intensive, namely writing a coherent business plan. Going from random napkin-notes to an organized, thorough plan to get your business started, funded, and generating revenue for the foreseeable future can be a mammoth undertaking, especially for beginners and even more so for people trying to go it alone.

Fortunately, there's plenty of help if you know where to look, especially if what you really need is a written business plan that simply communicates a clear vision. This will help you attract the right people and resources to implement your idea. A business plan tells others how you will get customers and clients, who will run the business, and how early-stage venture capital (VC) will be raised. Business plans help you talk about yourself, explain your strengths, and ask for money to back up your idea.

So, people write business plans in order to acquire funding or to document the company's intended direction. That is, you want a bank loan, VC funding, or other help to get your startup off the ground. A business plan can also be the most concrete way to get everyone's agreement on "This is what we're doing, right ?!" Keeping the plan updated as the business matures is an easy way of measuring success.

In all of these cases, the business owner has to do something that can be scary: become a business document management expert by creating a structured document (that is, a business plan) with lots of numbers and compelling prose, with the awareness that this pitch is make-or-break for the company's vision. That's a tough job. It's hard to express your product's unique selling points, analyze competitors' strengths and weaknesses, and back up your assertions about why you need this much money. Believe me, I know. In my pre-journalistic life, I wrote two in-depth business plans. One plan taught me that I didn't have what it took to pull off that project and the other plan got my startup business accepted by a VC conference.

So, when we lack expertise, we should ask for help. Software with "follow the bouncing ball" instructions for business plans can serve the same role as online accounting services because, in each case, you rely on specialists to walk you through the process. Even better, many of the products we review in this business plan creation tool roundup back up their software offerings with in-person coaching and mentoring as well as loads of online learning resources, like videos and how-to articles.

Business Plan Software Options

The 10 online business plan software solutions examined in this roundup —Atlas Business Solutions Ultimate Business Planner 5.0, Enloop, EquityNet, NetEkspert iPlanner.NET, OnePlace, Palo Alto Software LivePlan, PlanGuru, StratPad, Tarkenton GoSmallBiz, and The Business Plan Shop — each promise to help you construct a polished business plan, with all of the numbers and narrative you need. So, whether you want to start your own accounting firm, real estate operation, or e-commerce business, you'll be all ready to go.

All of these online business plan software solutions certainly do deliver on their promise to help you, and none of them are bad choices. However, a few of them provide additional services such as connecting you to funding sources (EquityNet gets a nod here) or comparing your plan to others' plans in your industry (such as what Enloop's performance score does). Ultimately, though, the two Editors' Choice winners were clear: Palo Alto Software LivePlan and Tarkenton GoSmallBiz, both of which checked off most boxes on a typical entrepreneur's wish list.

These Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications can't give you the irresistible prose to convince an investor you will make your projections come true, but they do guide you in answering all of the questions that investor is likely to have. Here are eight key factors to look for when choosing a business plan software solution for your business:

1. Business Plan Structure Business plans have a lot of elements, some of which won't occur to someone who hasn't written one before. Ideally, the business planning software solution will walk you through each section that is appropriate for your class of business, ensuring you answer all of the relevant questions. These solutions may prompt you to respond to issues that you might not have thought to address.

2. Do the Numbers Ultimately, a business plan shows how your company will make money. Even the simplest plan needs to include financial reports such as charts for profit-and-loss, balance sheets, and month-by-month and yearly projections.

3. Context and Analysis Some business plan software solutions (such as EquityNet and Editors' Choice Palo Alto Software LivePlan) help you compare your numbers to others in your industry, including regions and company size. You might claim that the Jewish deli you propose to open in Asheville, North Carolina will turn a profit in three years, but the market data suggests five years is typical. This data helps you back up your assertions before a banker can raise an eyebrow. This is a "nice-to-have" feature for some businesses but an irrelevant one for others.

4. Helpful Advice Even if the business plan software solution gives you places to plug in data (think "Mad Libs" for businesses), ultimately you need a good idea (you're on your own, there) and to understand the information investors want to see. As with tax preparation software, it's reassuring when the business planning software solution defines terms, provides sample data, and explains the sort of information expected in each field. StratPad's educational videos are a model for how this sort of thing should work.

5. Report Depth and Presentation The result of all of this work is a business plan, a document for others to read. These don't always need to be works of art but it helps if the business plan software solution packages your business plan attractively and permits customization. Don't treat these tools as all-in-one solutions to your problems. Set your expectations correctly and you'll find these business plan software solutions to be far more helpful.

6. Treat the Business Plan as a Work-In-Process Collect everything you think is necessary before getting started. But I promise you that, at least once while you use these business plan software solutions, you will say, "Gee, I don't know; I have to look it up." That's a good thing as it means the software is asking for relevant information you didn't think to include on your own.

For any but the simplest of proposals, it's an iterative process. So, you need to highlight the parts to come back to (after your accountant responds, for example). Or, the software should at least save data in some kind of draft status. However, across all of these apps, some forms insist you must enter something in a field before it will save everything on the page, which is irksome. Worse, it could lead to errors because you might not remember to go back and fix the temporary guess. I kept wishing for a way to bookmark "temporary" data that needs to be double-checked ("I'll write in 800 for now…"); the best answer to this was Palo Alto Software LivePlan's comment field but it would be nice to see a business planning software solution that let me mark a field as "Don't forget."

7. You Still Need a Spreadsheet In general, these business plan software solutions will act as though you are reasonably organized before you log into their websites wherein you will paste summary information. However, based on my hands-on experience, I advise you to still expect to do background math yourself. For instance, if you need to fill in the projected head count for marketing for the next five years and you keep adjusting the number of people to hire (based on your spreadsheet guesswork), expect to keep manually updating the total in the software rather than having the data automatically sync. In other words, these business plan software solutions are helpers, not "I will do the thinking for you" kind of apps. And this is okay, as long as you don't expect them to be something they're not.

These are all SaaS apps, some of which have a free version with the basics as well as a paid version with more feature depth. If your needs are incredibly simple and you just need "fill-in-the-blanks" forms to give to a banker, then you may find several completely free options that do the trick.

8. A Plan for All Businesses These business plan software solutions must be relevant for everyone, from a solo entrepreneur trying to open a small to midsize accounting firm to an established manufacturing company aiming to fund a new factory. To judge suitability to task, I used data from two real business plans: a New Jersey restaurant startup and a nine-year-old horror film festival. I also measured the software against the business plan I once wrote with the help of professional advisors (back when I sought significant VC).

All of these business plan software solutions are good apps; none of them gravely disappoint. However, Palo Alto Software LivePlan and Tarkenton GoSmallBiz were head and shoulders above the rest. It won PCMag's admiration based on the clarity and understandability of their documentation and the impressive depth of their features and options. However, each of the 10 business plan software solutions reviewed has strengths that may make one a better choice over another for your business. So, look at all of the options to see which one is the best fit for you.

Compare Specs The Best Business Plan Software

Company	Forbes Advisor Rating	Starting Price	Team messaging	Roadmapping	Learn more CTA below text
Wrike	5.0	Free; $9.80 per user, per month	Yes	Yes	On Wrike's Website
Smartsheet	5.0	$7 per user, per month (billed annually)	Yes (added cost)	Yes	On Smartsheet's Website
LivePlan	4.8	$15 per month (billed annually)	Yes	Yes
Aha!	4.3	$59 per user, per month (billed annually)	Yes (added cost)	Yes
Bizplan	4.0	$20.75 per month (billed annually)	Yes	No
IdeaBuddy	3.9	Free; $6 per month (billed annually)	No	No
iPlanner	3.8	$55 for one year	No	No
Enloop	3.5	$11 per month (billed annually)	No	Yes
AchieveIt	3.4	$80 per, user per month (billed annually)	No	No
Business Sorter	3.2	$10 per month (billed annually)	No	No


Rating	4.0	4.0	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.0	3.0	3.0	3.0

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About Esther Schindler

Longtime tech industry journalist Esther Schindler has translated geek-talk into English since 1992. She loves to explain how technology can, indeed, improve the quality of life. Find her on Twitter at @estherschindler. Bring chocolate.

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

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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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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?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

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...

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Convey the exact mood you desire for your business plan with over a million images, thousands of icons, dozens of charts and data widgets to visualize information in an engaging way. Apply a color scheme to all your slides with one click. Add animation effects, transitions, interactivity, pop-ups, rollovers and third-party content to support your business case.

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Meet the Team

Mission Statement

Product Overview

Value Propositions

Industry Landscape

Market Size

Customer Descriptions

Market Growth

Competitive Comparison

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Business Growth Projections

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LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS PLANS

What is a Business Plan ?

A business plan is a written document or presentation that allows business leaders to share the business potential and goals, as well as your plans for the future. The business plan is a key step in working towards getting investors looking at your product.

If you're looking to flesh out a new business idea or venture in order to get cofounders or investors on board, you need a business plan. Get started with one of our templates to give you a starting point and framework for your own plan.

Why do I need a business plan?

Writing a business plan is a key step in securing funding and convincing high level executives that your business is worth their time. A well-executed business plan is crucial to the success of a business and it’s one of the first steps you should take.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED + MORE

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VISUALIZE YOUR DATA

Charts & Graphs

Showcase in-depth data, statistics, and financial projections in a unique way. Harness the power of data visualization with Visme’s professional infographics, charts and graphs.

MEASURE THE IMPACT

Gain insight into the impact of your business plan with an analytics report. Track how many people have viewed your business plan and gauge its effectiveness.

HOW IT WORKS

How to Make a Business Plan in 5 Steps

If you are wondering how to write a business plan, you’ve come to the right place. Instead of starting your business plan from scratch, use our business plan templates to get you going in no time.

Learn more about creating your own business plan presentation or document by going through our step-by-step tutorial below or watching this quick video.

Log into your Visme dashboard or create a new account, then click Create New Project.
Access our business plan templates by searching for “Business Plan” in the search box.
Select the template, then customize the content for your business.
Update any charts and graphs to reflect your business goals.
Once all your content is added, customize colors, logos, icons and more.

Questions About the Business Plan Template

How much does it cost to create a business plan with the business plan template, what types of charts and graphs are available in visme, can i use my brand kit to create my business plan with visme, is the business plan template completely customizable, can i use any photo in the image library in my business plan, your business plans deserve to be beautiful and so does the rest of your content.

Best business plan software of 2024

For planning your business finance

Best overall

Best budget, best established, best for speed.

How we test

The best business plan software makes it simple and easy to plan your business finances in order to present them to a bank or investors.

1. Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best basic 4. Best established 5. Best for speed 6. FAQs 7. How we test

The whole point of a business plan is that it allows you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, not least via your Unique Selling Point (USP) ,and make product or service comparisons with competitors.

Of course, even the best business plan relies on estimates and guesstimates, as it's impossible to predict market changes, developments, and future performance under such conditions.

Ultimately, though, a business plan will demonstratively prove why your business is a solid enough investment to risk putting money into, and shows that you have properly and thoroughly researched your market, and details the real potential of a new business opportunities.

Here then are the best business plan software providers currently available.

You may also be interested in our featured business guides on best business laptops , best business computers and best business smartphones .

The best business plan software of 2024 in fill:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Bizplan is the online business planning tool that claims usage of 30,000 startup founders from the Startups.co platform. They use a guided creator that can break the big project down into the component pieces that get tracked with a Progress Tracker, and expert guidance each step of the way including templates that can be dropped in, and completed, along with simple integration of visuals along the way.

Additional resources are also provided via the Bizplan Academy, with lessons on relevant topics, for example, “Building a Brand: How to Tell a Powerful Brand Story,” and “Critical Path Your Way to Higher Revenues,” among the many offerings. Those that need even more assistance also can take advantage of an expert consultation from a financial expert.

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2. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive, and powerful software package in the business planning space. Education is provided via a series of case studies at their PlanGuru University and a whole slew of video tutorials.

The feature set includes flexible budgeting that can handle a simple small business, or a larger multi-department operating budget, and financial forecasting that uses multiple methods, including intelligent and turn-key methods - twenty methods in total. Historical results can also be imported with the general ledger import utility which can then applied to produce a rolling forecast. They also offer PlanGuru Launch, a service to bring in expertise and is charged per hour of assistance.

A significant downside is Planguru charges a higher cost than other software options. The cheapest option is around $75 per month for one business entity when billed annually. While there is no free trial, PlanGuru does offer a 30 day money back guarantee.

Our expert review:

Enloop is a great choice for business planning software for the cash strapped business as it is the rare offering that has a free tier. Step up up to the next tier, and this is no barebones product, as it has over 100 currency symbols, can automatically generate bank-ready financial reports, and even has automated text writing that can sync with financial data to turn it into text. There is also a real time performance score assigned, that dynamically changes as the business plan is strengthened.

The plans start with the Free tier, which is limited to a single business plan with simple text, no images, and does not offer any advanced features. The next plan up is the Detailed plan, that supports three business plans, and offers a significant 55% discount when paid annually, making it even better value. This plan costs around $20 per month. For a more comprehensive package you can buy the Performance plan costing around $40 per month.

Read our full Enloop business plan software review .

4. LivePlan

LivePlan is business planning software that offers a simple pricing scheme as there is only a single plan to choose from. As they have a 15+ year track record, they offer a clean and simple interface, that can create business plans that look like they were done by an expert consultant, and the software includes a live dashboard that can track day-to-day performance. Those with writer’s block will benefit from the over 500 included sample plans that can be turned to for inspiration.

Rather than complicate things with too many tiers to choose from, LivePlan only has a single plan which can be paid for monthly or annually.

5. Business Sorter

Business Sorter promises to simplify and speed up business planning and claims to be able to flesh out a plan in an hour or two, via a novel 273 card sort system that covers many common situations.

The ability to reword cards is included, or also to add cards to the already expansive deck, so no worries if there is not a pre-made card for your situation. Unlike some sites that have videos, the educational resources here are provided as PDFs and Word files, which can be quicker to access, but harder to follow for some learners.

The lowest tier plan, Basic is fully featured, and includes up to three team leaders.

Read our full Business Sorter review .

Other business plan software to consider

We've only covered some of the most popular business plan software platforms out there, but there are a number of other notables worth mentioning, plus a wide variety of providers of business plan templates. Below we'll briefly cover a range of some of the additional options out there that are worth considering to get your business plan right.

Go Business Plans is more of a consultancy than a software solution, but is worth mentioning for the simple fact that it's one of America's biggest business plan companies. While software might be able to do the job for you, if you're looking for significant funding, it's probably useful to get some professional advice, not least in terms of strategic planning, feasibility studies, and financial projections to ensure you have a solid base for your business plan.

Wise Business Plans provides a very wide range of templates to work from in constructing a business plan. These are particularly designed with funding in mind, no matter what kind of business you run. What is especially helpful is that Wise doesn’t simply deal with business plan templates for a diverse range of business types, the company also provides plan templates for franchises and non-profits.

Plan Writers is another bespoke service that essentially listens to what you want and then puts the plan together for you. Again, this technically falls outside of business plan "software", but the chances are you'll use a software package as a platform to build from, and Plan Writers can then help you build up from that base.

Bplans is another provider of business plan templates, but goes beyond that with additional pitch and SWOT analysis templates. There are also business plan guides, industry reports, and a free course on writing a business plan. Bplans also publishes a lot of free-to-use articles on business planning, financials, and tax reporting, to help ensure you can keep your figures and projections accurate and compliant.

We've also listed the best free software for small business .

A business plan is essentially your roadmap to profitability from an initial investment. Whether it's your own money, or a loan from a bank, it's still a good idea to set up a business plan for yourself.

Main things to look to are a SWOT analysis to provide an idea of your business idea's strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify a unique selling point (USP) that will give your business an edge.

While business plans inevitably demand the use of figures, and while these can be impossible to be accurate with, at least by making intelligent guesses you can set yourself targets to work towards.

That's another common feature of a plan, so that specific periods you can review your business progress and make adjustments to your plan as required. This allows you to use real figures for your projections, allowing you to better plan ahead.

Which business plan software is best for you?

When deciding which business plan software to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

How we tested the best business plan software

To test for the best business plan software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each business plan software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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Home > Business > Business Startup

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

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

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

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

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

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

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

Business plan software 101

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


Cloud-based software	$12.00/mo.	60-day money back guarantee
Windows app and cloud-based software	$20.75/mo.	60-day money back guarantee
Professional service	Custom quote	N/A
Cloud-based software	$10.00/mo.	14 days
Cloud-based software	$39.00/mo.	N/A

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LivePlan: Best overall business plan software

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

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

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

LivePlan software pricing


	$12.00/mo.	$15.00/mo.
	$24.00/mo.	$30.00/mo.

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

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

BizPlanBuilder: Most user-friendly

Need something easy to use? BizPlanBuilder fits the bill.

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

BizPlanBuilder software pricing


$20.75/mo.	$29.00/mo.	$349.00

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

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

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

Wise Business Plans: Best professional service

Custom quote

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

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

Wise Business Plans service pricing


N/A	N/A	Custom quote

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

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

Business Sorter: Best for internal plans

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

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

Business Sorter software pricing


	$10.00/mo.	$80.00/yr.
	$30.00/mo.	$240.00/yr.
	$80.00/mo.	$640.00/yr.
	Custom pricing	Custom pricing

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

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

GoSmallBiz: Most extra features

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

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

GoSmallBiz software pricing


	$39.00/mo.
	$49.00/mo.
	$199.00/mo.

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

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

PlanGuru : Best financial forecasting
EnLoop : Cheapest tool for startups

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

Honorable mention software pricing


$899.00/yr.	$99.00/mo.	N/A
$11.00/mo.	$19.95/mo.	N/A

PlanGuru: Best financial forecasting features

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

EnLoop: Cheapest tool for startups

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

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

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

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

Why you need a business plan

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

Still too vague? Then let’s get specific.

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

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

What to include in your business plan

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

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

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

How business plan software can help

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

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

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

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

Choosing business plan software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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Disclaimer: The information featured in this article is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the customer’s location, package chosen, added features and equipment, the purchaser’s credit score, etc. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.

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🤖 Free Business Plan Generator (AI-Powered)

Starting a business is an exciting journey, filled with aspirations and ambitions, yet crafting a solid business plan can sometimes feel like navigating through a dense fog. The AI-Powered Business Plan Generator shines a light on this path, offering a straightforward way to outline your vision, strategies, and financial forecasts. By providing customized, coherent business plans, this tool assists in laying down the foundation of your entrepreneurial dream, ensuring every aspect is addressed. It simplifies the planning process, enabling you to focus on bringing your business idea to life with confidence and clarity.

Help us improve. How was the output?

Writing a business plan can often feel like navigating through a dense forest without a map. You know your destination—securing investment, defining your business strategy, or setting clear objectives—but the path isn't always clear. Enter the AI-powered business plan generator, a tool designed to illuminate the way forward. This guide will walk you through the essentials of crafting a comprehensive business plan, touching upon the traditional elements that captivate stakeholders. In the final stretch, we'll introduce how an AI-powered business plan generator can streamline this process, making it more accessible and less time-consuming.

How to create a Business Plan

Now that you're familiar with the executive summary, let's tackle how you can create the rest of your business plan.

You can start manually by outlining your plan's structure and filling in the details step by step, or opt for a business plan generator to streamline the process.

Either method requires careful consideration of each section to ensure your plan is thorough and compelling.

Manual Methods for creating a Business Plan

You'll start with the Executive Summary, distilling your business idea into a compelling snapshot that captures attention.

Next, you'll outline your Company Overview, providing a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for.

Then, lay out your Business Objectives, Products and Services, and your Market Analysis Approach to build a solid foundation for your plan.

Executive Summary Essentials

Although it's often crafted last, the Executive Summary stands as the crucial opener of your business plan. It distills key aspects such as your mission, product highlights, and financial ambitions for quick investor insight. It encapsulates your company's essence for investors and maps out the business plan development milestones.

Ensure it crisply outlines your executive summary, underscoring the company's financial goals. This will help capture investors' attention right off the bat.

Company Overview

Begin your company overview by detailing your business's foundational elements, including its name, location, and the team driving its operations.

Here's what to include:

A clear description of your business structure and ownership.
The mission statement that defines your business's purpose.
An outline of the products or services you offer.
Background information that paints a picture of your company's history and objectives.

Business Objectives

To set your business on the path to success, start by defining clear and measurable objectives that reflect both your immediate and long-term aspirations.

Align your business objectives with strategic objectives to meet financial goals.

Conduct market research to fine-tune your target market strategies .

Ensure company goals are realistic and adaptable, setting a course for growth and market competitiveness.

Regular updates keep your plan relevant.

Products and Services

After setting clear business objectives, focus on articulating the core of your offering by detailing the products and services your business provides. Your description should also include:

Unique features and benefits of each product or service.
Specific products' competitive advantages.
Your strategy for sales, distribution, and supply chain.
Trademarks and market placement for your products and services.

Market Analysis Approach

A thorough market analysis is crucial for your business plan as it reveals the dynamics within your target market and guides your competitive strategy .

You'll identify potential customers, understand established market trends, and analyze how competitors differentiate themselves.

This knowledge shapes your sales plan and informs your marketing and sales efforts, highlighting opportunities in an otherwise crowded marketplace and showcasing your grasp of the competitive landscape.

Marketing and Sales Strategies

Crafting a marketing and sales strategy requires precise identification of your target customers to ensure your message resonates and spurs action. Here's how to proceed:

Define your target market for the new product.
Develop a pricing and sales channel approach.
Design a marketing plan with promotional tactics.
Analyze market trends to refine your strategy.

Stay focused on meeting customer needs and differentiating from competitors.

Financial Analysis and Projections

Diving into the financials, you'll need to gather historical data and conduct a thorough analysis of revenue streams , costs, and profit margins to inform your projections for the next three to five years.

Your financial plan hinges on these insights.

Operations Plan

To ensure your business runs like a well-oiled machine, start by mapping out your key operational processes and procedures. Your operations plan is a vital section of your business plan. Here's what to include:

Outline technology's role in business operations.
Develop a comprehensive staffing plan.
Establish a robust inventory management system.
Implement quality control measures to provide additional assurance of product or service excellence.

Funding Requirements

Having established the operational foundations of your business, let's now focus on determining the capital necessary to fuel your growth and operational needs.

Outline your funding requirements by presenting clear financial data, including projected income, balance sheets, and cash flows.

You'll need this to secure funding from venture capital firms or potential investors, ensuring they grasp how their capital will propel your business towards its targets.

Appendices and Exhibits

When crafting your business plan, don't overlook the appendices and exhibits; these sections provide the substantiating details that reinforce your proposal's integrity. Include:

Documents that outline key personnel qualifications and experience.

Details on intellectual property, such as patents.

Additional information for financial institutions, like credit histories.

Contracts, leases, or other legal documents relevant to your business.

Using a Business Plan Generator

You might wonder why you'd use a Business Plan Generator—these tools streamline the planning process, making it easier for you to focus on the core aspects of your strategy.

To get started, you'll follow a series of steps that help structure your executive summary, goals, and market analysis within a proven framework.

The benefits are clear: using a generator can save you time and provide you with a professional, investor-ready plan.

Steps to use the Business Plan Generator

To create a business plan using a generator, start by selecting a template that aligns with your industry and business type.

Here are the steps to use a business plan generator:

Identify Your Business Details : Start by providing the name of your business and the industry it operates in. This foundational step sets the stage for the tailored guidance the generator can offer.
Describe Your Offerings : Clearly articulate what products or services your business sells or offers. This will help the generator understand the value proposition of your business.
Define Your Target Audience : Specify who your ideal customers are, including demographic information. Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating a focused and effective business plan.
Outline Your Marketing Plan : Detail your strategies for promoting your business. This includes how you plan to reach your target audience and differentiate yourself from competitors.
Detail Your Operational Strategy : Explain how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis. Include information on your supply chain, logistics, and any other operational details.
Provide Financial Information : Input how much money you need to start your business and project how much revenue it will generate. This financial planning is critical for assessing the feasibility of your business idea.
Set Business Objectives : List what you aim to achieve with your business in the short term and the long term. These goals will guide the direction of your business strategy.
Click on Generate : After entering all the necessary information, click the "generate" button to create your personalised business plan. This plan will be tailored to the specifics of your business, providing a roadmap for success.

Benefits of using a Business Plan Generator

Harnessing a business plan generator can significantly streamline the process, saving you both time and effort as you craft a detailed blueprint for your venture.

Here are the benefits:

Provides a structured framework to write a business plan efficiently.
Helps identify opportunities in new markets.
Enhances financial literacy through budgeting and forecasting tools.
Clarifies business objectives, aiding in communication with stakeholders.

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

When crafting your business plan these tips collectively form a comprehensive business plan, providing a roadmap for your business and presenting a compelling case to investors and lenders.

Here are the tips for creating a business plan:

Articulate your mission and vision succinctly.
Outline your offerings and financial ambitions.
Provide a snapshot of your business's financial health and market potential.
Clarify the business structure ( sole proprietorship , partnership, corporation).
Highlight ownership details.
Showcase key employees, emphasizing their expertise.
Define short- and long-term goals for your business.
Align goals with your strategic direction.
Establish a direct link between financing needs and future growth.
Describe your offerings and emphasize how they meet market needs.
Support claims with market research.
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of your competition.

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Blog Business 8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024

8 Best Business Plan Software for 2024

Written by: Krystle Wong Jan 01, 2024

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

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

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

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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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Welcome to a world without writer's block

LivePlan's business plan builder asks you questions about your business, you simply plug in the answers. It's as easy as that. Get expert guidance, instructions, and examples at each step.

Not sure where to start? The AI-Powered LivePlan Assistant will automatically generate ideas for each section of your plan and offer improved versions of your writing, adjusting for tone, voice, and grammar or spelling errors.

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Forget the formulas and focus on your vision

Forget the complex formulas and spreadsheets — with automatic financials and drag-and-drop forecasting you can finish faster and be confident your numbers are accurate.

Instantly get tailored revenue and expense suggestions to add to your forecast using the AI-Powered LivePlan Assistant.

Growth Planning

Manage your growth with a data-driven process

Markets change faster than ever and technology evolves at breakneck speed. Be ready to adapt quickly, stay focused, and make decisions that are best for your business with growth planning.

LivePlan's business plan builder will teach you this simple, repeatable, four-step process to help keep your business healthy — no matter what stage you're at.

How We're Different

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LivePlan isn't just a business plan builder — it's a comprehensive business planning system to help you plan, fund, and grow.

Plenty of support to help you succeed

Inspiration powered by ai.

Use LivePlan's online business plan builder to instantly generate ideas at each step of your plan. You can also access 550+ sample plans to find one that matches your industry.

Guidance from business experts

Stay on track with video walkthroughs, webinars, and more from business planning experts.

If you ever get stuck, our team will help

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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.
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