There has been a lot of hype and buzz around business plan software. Many people and organizations have written and talked about best business plan software free. However, there is still a lot of confusion as to what it actually means. Do not worry, as we are here to help you understand the true meaning of the whole business plan software buzz.
Is your business plan software confusing? Are you having trouble finding the best business plan software to fit your plan objectives, future goals, and growth strategies? These are all questions that you might be asking yourself. Most business owners know that proper planning is necessary for all businesses. You need to formulate a strategy on how you’re going to achieve your goals and develop something to help you plan. This is where business plan software comes in.
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.
Pros
- 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
Cons
- Limited integration options
- Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections
- Can be difficult to learn
Features
- 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
Pricing
- 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
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.
Pros
- 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
Cons
- Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives
- Limited business plan features
- Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word
- Outdated interface
Features
- 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
Pricing
- $39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation
Bizplan – $29/month, $249/year, $349 lifetime
Bizplan rates high on our list because they offer a lifetime plan that gets you “forever access” to their business plan software. As an added bonus, you also receive free access to Startup Courses and LaunchRock, a landing page builder.
Features:
- Easy, “fill-in-the-blanks” plan builder
- Publish your business plan online
- Unlimited business plans
- Bizplan takes care of the financials
- Cloud-based (use any browser on any computer)
- Unlimited tables
- Unlimited sections
- Options to add more graphics and photos
- Export to PDF
- Currently integrates with Xero accounting software
- QuickBooks integration in the works
Pros:
- Inexpensive lifetime plan
- Low-cost yearly plans
- Affordable pay-as-you-go plans
- No contracts
- No cancellation fees
- Clean platform
- Cloud-based; works on any business machine (Linus, Windows, Mac)
- Create unlimited business plans
- Xero to import your data easily
- Excellent and responsive customer support (email/chat/phone)
- Free access to Startup.com and LaunchRock.com
- Discount at Fundable.com (connect with lenders and investors)
Cons:
- No valuation capabilities
- Can’t export in Word
- Doesn’t currently integrate with QuickBooks
- No free trial
- No third-party app integrations
Insider Information:
Talking with BizPlan insiders, we learned that the premise behind BizPlan is to help startups easily create professional business plans to give them a leg-up with lenders and investors.
Here’s what else we learned:
- BizPlan’s does all your financial calculations for you.
- BizPlan strives to be an all-in-one solution for Startups needing funding.
- BizPlan is constantly making improvements to its software.
Enloop – Free to $39.95/month
If you’re looking to try before you buy, Enloop is a strong choice as one of the only business planning software tools with a free trial.
Features:
- User-friendly platform
- Compare your financials against your industry’s performance
- Bank ready financial statements (Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash flow)
- Enloop’s business plan software lets multiple team members work on a business plan
- 36-Month detailed financial reports
- Sync date and text into your business plan
- Real-time performance rating
- Financial projections
- Generated business plan Pass/Fail report
- Colored charts
- Multiple currency formatting
- Enloop’s performance rating score
- Customizable sample plans
- Write a business plan fast with auto writing feature
Pros:
- Seven-day free trial (no credit card required)
- Video tutorials to help you with business plan writing
- Low-cost yearly plans
- Affordable pay-as-you-go plans
- Advanced financial ratios
- Financial projections
- No contracts
- No cancellation fees
- Cloud-based; works on any business machine (Linus, Windows, Mac)
Cons:
- No phone or chat support, just a “contact us” form.
- No valuation capabilities
- Three business plan limit per account
- Doesn’t integrate with QuickBooks or Xero
- No third-party app integrations
- No financial forecasts beyond 36-months
- No 30-day money-back guarantee
Insider Information:
We learned that the premise behind Enloop is to make business planning easier for entrepreneurs. Enloop achieves this by making plan software easy to navigate through and takes risks off the table with their no credit card needed seven-day free trial. Their business plan creation software offers financial forecasting for up to 36 months.
Here’s what else we learned:
- Enloop utilizes 16 financial ratios to get your business ready for investors.
- Enloop offers some sample business plans that are easy to modify.
- Enloop’s performance score increases as you create your detailed plan.
- A new business or small businesses benefit the most from Enloop’s solutions.
- The process of creating an Enloop business plan is relatively straightforward.
Wise Business Plans
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.
inancial 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.
Pros
- 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
Cons
- 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
Features
- 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
Pricing
- 14-day free trial
- $99 per month (additional users $29 per month)
- $899 per year (additional users $299 per year)
Conclusion:
Business plan software are the best business planning tools for business people. These business planning tools are not just for startups but for existing businesses as well. These business plan softwares are perfect management software for your current business.