Fast fact: 70% of businesses that survive for 5 years follow a strategic business plan. Having a comprehensive and compelling business plan is essential for long-term business growth. It serves as a roadmap and demonstrates your vision, strategy, and potential to investors and stakeholders. Drafting a business plan from scratch can be challenging, but many excellent business plan software solutions are available to simplify the process.
This article covers the top 10 business plan software options available in 2024, each offering unique features, pricing structures, and capabilities to cater to diverse business needs.
1. Upmetrics
Upmetrics is a modern, AI-powered business plan generator that simplifies the complexities of creating a comprehensive business plan. Its intuitive business plan builder and built-in templates allow users to customize their plans and forecasts according to their specific needs.
Key Features:
- 400+ customizable business plan templates
- AI Pitch Deck Creator
- Strategic Planning Tools
- Financial forecasting capabilities
Pricing: Starter plan at $7/month, Premium plan at $14/month (annual billing).
2. LivePlan
LivePlan is a comprehensive and user-friendly business plan software that caters to businesses of all sizes and industries. It offers a user-friendly interface and step-by-step guidance to make the process of crafting a professional business plan easier.
Key Features:
- Customizable templates and industry-specific examples
- Financial forecasting and budgeting tools
- Pitch deck and presentation mode
- Real-time collaboration and sharing capabilities
- Expert advice and educational resources
Pricing: Starts at $20/month for the basic plan, with more advanced options available.
3. Enloop
Enloop is a cloud-based solution designed specifically for creating business plans for investors, banks, and lenders. Enloop’s writing and text synchronization features streamline business plan creation.
Key Features:
- Free version for testing the solution
- Available in multiple languages
- Interactive PDF export
- Step-by-step guidance and templates
Pricing: Basic plan starts at $9/month, with more advanced plans ranging from $11 to $40/month.
4. BizPlan
BizPlan is a versatile business plan builder that connects to the Startups.com network, making it an ideal choice for startups seeking investment. With its step-by-step approach and the Progress Tracker tool, BizPlan helps users stay organized and on track.
Key Features:
- Connectivity to Findable for attracting financial investment
- Online educational programs for entrepreneurs
- Multiple owner access to a single account
- Lifetime access option available
Pricing: Monthly plan at $29/month, annual plan at $249/year, or lifetime access for $349 (one-time fee).
5. GoSmallBiz
GoSmallBiz is an online support system designed for small businesses and startups in the United States. In addition to business plan creation, GoSmallBiz offers valuable resources and educational materials to help aspiring entrepreneurs succeed.
Key Features:
- Access to up-to-date management information
- Unlimited access to online consultants
- Customer database for attracting and retaining customers
Pricing: Monthly fee of $39.
6. Business Sorter
Business Sorter is a cloud-based solution that simplifies the process of creating internal business plans. Featuring a user-friendly card system and pre-designed solutions tailored to different business needs, Business Sorter is perfect for entrepreneurs who aren’t looking for investor-focused presentations.
Key Features:
- 173 digital cards for comprehensive business planning
- Unlimited team member access and monitoring
- Multi-device accessibility
- Built-in help function and strong data protection
Pricing: Cost depends on the number of users, with a special offer for companies with an unlimited number of team members.
7. iPlanner
iPlanner is a multifunctional platform for business planning and project management. The tool provides a variety of business plan templates and financial forecasting tools, making it suitable for a broad spectrum of startups, from restaurants to large enterprises and venture capital initiatives.
Key Features:
- Step-by-step business plan creation wizard
- Integration with Microsoft Office and DropBox
- Training content library with practical recommendations
- Experienced mentor support
Pricing: Professional Plan at $55 (supports 1 project), Corporate Plan at $93 (supports 12 projects), and Corporate Plus (custom pricing).
8. Cuttles
Cuttles is a fully interactive business planning software with a focus on planning, budgeting, and financial forecasting. With its ready-made templates and multi-language support, Cuttles caters to a global audience of entrepreneurs.
Key Features:
- One-page business plan template for banks, investors, and lenders
- High-level security through cloud storage
- PDF export for business plans
- Online training courses and resource library
Pricing: Seed Plan at $8/year (1 startup, 1 user), Grow Plan at $16/year (1 startup, unlimited users), and Series Plan at $48/year (unlimited startups and users).
9. MAUS Master Plan Lean
MAUS Master Plan Lean is an Australian-based business plan creation software designed for strategic planning. With its comprehensive toolset, MAUS Master Plan Lean helps users create actionable plans, track tasks, and monitor performance.
Key Features:
- Strategic planning wizard
- Step-by-step action plan creation and task tracking
- Schedule creation and collaboration tools
- Real-time marketing reports and performance tracking
Pricing: Business Planning & HR Pack at $97/month, MasterPlan Learn at $299/year, and Business Planning Pack at $499/year.
10. Storydoc
Storydoc is a business plan creator designed to help entrepreneurs and businesses create outstanding and innovative business plans, as well as other types of presentations. With its intuitive interface and a wide range of features, Storydoc makes it easy to organize and present various aspects of your business plan.
Key Features:
- Ready-made interactive slide templates optimized for engagement
- Robust integrations with existing tech stack
- Ability to pull company branding directly from website
- Extensive analytics panel for tracking performance
Pricing: Starter plan at $40/month per user, Pro plan at $60/month per user, and custom Team plans (pricing available upon request).
11. Retable
Retable is a versatile and intuitive project management and data management software designed to streamline operations of all sizes of business. With its easy-to-use interface and robust feature set, Retable makes managing data sets, tasks, and projects simpler and more efficient.
Key Features:
- Customizable templates for various use cases
- Advanced data views like grid, kanban, list, card, calendar, chart, map, and form
- Collaborative workspaces with real-time updates
- Organization, team, and role management
- Integration with popular productivity apps
- Over +30 column types
- Custom branding
Pricing: Starts at $12/month for the team plan.
Why Use Business Plan Software?
Using business plan software offers several advantages over creating a business plan from scratch. These software solutions are designed to streamline the process, provide guidance, and ensure a professional and well-structured outcome. Here are some key reasons to consider using business plan software:
- Time-saving: Business plan software automates many tasks, such as formatting, financial calculations, and data organization, saving you valuable time and effort.
- Guided approach: Most business plan software provides step-by-step guidance, prompts, and templates to ensure you cover all essential components of a comprehensive business plan.
- Professional presentation: These software solutions offer built-in tools to create visually appealing and professional-looking business plans, increasing the chances of impressing potential investors or stakeholders.
- Financial forecasting: Advanced financial forecasting tools help you create accurate financial projections, a critical component of any successful business plan.
- Collaboration and sharing: Many software options offer collaboration features, allowing multiple team members to contribute to and review the business plan, ensuring a cohesive vision.
By leveraging business plan software, you can simplify the process, improve efficiency, and create a compelling and comprehensive business plan that effectively communicates your vision and increases your chances of success.
How to Choose the Right Business Plan Software?
With many business plan software options available, choosing the right one for your needs can be challenging. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the best business plan software:
- Ease of use: Look for software with intuitive navigation and a user-friendly interface to ensure a smooth learning curve and efficient workflow.
- Industry-specific templates: Consider software that offers customizable templates and industry-specific examples relevant to your business sector.
- Financial forecasting capabilities: Evaluate the financial forecasting tools and their ability to create accurate projections based on your business data.
- Collaboration and sharing features: If you plan to involve multiple team members or stakeholders, prioritize software with robust collaboration and sharing capabilities.
- Educational resources and support: Software that provides educational resources, such as tutorials, expert advice, and customer support, can be invaluable, especially for first-time business plan creators.
- Integration with existing tools: Consider software that easily integrates with your existing platforms and tools, such as accounting software or cloud storage solutions.
- Pricing and scalability: Evaluate the pricing plans and ensure they align with your budget and long-term goals, considering the potential for business growth and scalability.
By carefully assessing your specific needs and prioritizing the features that matter most to your business, you can select the best business plan software that will streamline the process and maximize your chances of success.
Conclusion
Creating a well-crafted business plan is similar to preparing a business proposal; it should be neat, to the point, and engaging enough to attract investors or partners. The top 10 business plan software options discussed offer a wide range of capabilities to cater to diverse needs.
From user-friendly interfaces to advanced financial forecasting tools, collaboration features, and industry-specific templates, tools like Upmetrics streamline the creation of a comprehensive and professional business plan. Selecting the right software requires careful consideration of factors such as ease of use, financial forecasting capabilities, collaboration features, educational resources, and integration with existing tools.
By utilizing business plan software, you can present your vision with clarity and professionalism, increasing your chances of attracting the resources and support needed for long-term success.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which business plan software is the best? The best business plan software depends on your specific needs, goals, and budget. Some top options include Upmetrics, LivePlan, Enloop, and BizPlan, each offering unique features and pricing structures. Evaluate the capabilities of each software against your requirements to make an informed choice.
How do I create my own business plan? Start by choosing business plan software that provides templates, guidance, and tools for different components like executive summaries, market analysis, and financial projections. Follow the step-by-step process outlined by the software, filling in the necessary information and customizing as needed. Leverage the software’s features to create a comprehensive and professional business plan.
What are the different types of business plans? The main types include standard business plans for presenting to investors or banks, lean business plans without extensive background information, and one-page business plans or pitches. Additionally, there are operational, tactical, strategic, and contingency business plans tailored to different purposes and business stages.
Is business plan software secure? Most reputable business plan software solutions prioritize security features like multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection, data encryption, and regular security updates. Evaluate the specific security measures of the software you’re considering to ensure the protection of your sensitive business data.
Is it necessary for small businesses to use business plan software? While not strictly necessary, using business plan software can significantly benefit small businesses by streamlining the process, providing guidance, and ensuring a professional outcome. It can save time, improve efficiency, and increase the chances of impressing potential investors or stakeholders.
What are the benefits of using Business Plan Software? Key benefits include time-saving through task automation, a guided approach with templates and prompts, professional presentation tools, advanced financial forecasting capabilities, and collaboration features for multiple team members. Overall, business plan software simplifies the process and improves the quality of your business plan.
