Setting up a financial plan for your startup is one of the most important steps in growing your business. By understanding your budget, you can make informed decisions about what resources to devote to your startup, and you can avoid wasting time and money on unimportant things. With a well-crafted financial plan in place, you’ll be able to support your startup with the resources it needs while also making smart investments that will help you grow.
Related topics such as Best Software for Managing Small Business, Best Free Accounting Software, and Top 10 Accounting Software will be covered in this article.
Financial Planning Software for Startups
Startup Financial Model
Your one-stop shop for developing the full investor return summary, income statement, balance sheet, cash flows, pre-money & post-money valuation, customer lifetime value analysis, and other financial statements needed for operating a business and raising capital is the startup financial model.
The traditional company plan has been replaced by the startup financial model. The model has an easy-to-use interface and enables you to develop a thorough multi-sheet financial model for business planning in only one hour, including and connecting everything from sales to personnel.
Xero
Platforms like Xero have made cloud-based accounting platforms a reality. With Xero, an online accounting tool, you can track your cash flow in real time, make expert recurring invoices (and get updates when they’re opened), import and organize your most recent PayPal, credit card, and banking transactions, and easily create and send personalized purchase orders.
The platform has over 700 capabilities that may be used to manage payroll, inventories, and your primary corporate financial operations.
Quickbooks
With over 4.3 customers worldwide, Quickbooks is one of the most trusted business financial toolkit available online.
The tools available on Quickbooks let you:
- Track income & expenses
- Maximize tax deductions
- Invoice & accept payments
- Run reports
- Send estimates
- Track sales & sales tax
- Manage bills
- Work together with your team
- Clock employee time and billable hours
- Track Inventory
- Create and manage budgets
- Pay employees with free direct deposit
You can try Quickbooks free for 30 days and then choose the plan which fits to your needs better.
Freeagent
The accounting program Freeagent was created with the needs of freelancers and small enterprises in mind. You may manage all of your invoices, expenses, projects, and taxes with the online accounting software.
The straightforward pricing of this software makes it stand out from similar products.
Freshbooks
97% of clients, according to the business, suggest Freshbooks.
The software has an intuitive user interface, the capacity to automate invoicing, the management of projects and payments, and the tracking of time. You can manage your business from anywhere with Freshbooks’ availability on the Android and iOS platforms.
The three different plans for this accounting software start at $15. By registering for the website’s free trial, you can try any of them.
Bill.com
You can automate every financial transaction using Bill.com. It allows you to automate the way you pay bills, send invoices, and receive payments and is made to integrate with Quickbooks, Xero, and many other accounting programs (up to 3x faster).
Gusto
Gusto is a comprehensive yet shockingly simple to use platform to automate and simplify the payroll, benefits, and HR, together with expert support, addressing one of the largest problems that businesses confront.
Startups and other organizations can quickly set up and manage their payroll on the cloud thanks to their one-of-a-kind payroll solution. They also offer a ton of complimentary services to help you get your HRM strategies off the ground.
Float
You can manage your business and stay on top of your cash flow and budgeting techniques with the help of Float, an online solution for cash management and (daily and monthly) forecasts.
Additionally, you may produce stunning PDF reports of your projection to wow investors and board members. The application also enables you to simulate various outcomes and examine the effects of various spending choices or prospective new business in the medium run.
Expensify
The greatest expense reporting tool is Expensify, which enables you and your staff to scan receipts for reimbursement.
The application provides tools to/for smartscan the receipts, automatic reimbursements to employee accounts, duplicate cost identification, and credit card expense imports. It also seamlessly connects with the organization’s policies.
Paypal
Paypal should not be ignored if you’re planning to do business in this digital era. It is a powerhouse financial toolkit that allows you to:
- Get the benefits of a digital wallet (and a prepaid wallet)
- Transfer money to and from a bank account or Paypal account
- Receive payments
- Get credit
- Get working capital loan
Not just this, there’s a lot that can be done through/within Paypal.
Best Free Accounting Software
Managing your money successfully includes keeping a close eye on your expenses. One way to do that is to take advantage of free software and services. Free personal finance software can be surprisingly robust, helping you track spending, create and manage budgets, and run reports.
Mint
Mint is a free online budget planner from Intuit, the makers of TurboTax and Quickbooks. This app brings all of your financial data together, showing you an overview of your budget, spending, bills, and credit score. You can create your own budget, set goals and reminders, and sync your data between web and apps. Security is enhanced by encryption and multi-factor authentication. You can also use Mint to track your investments and portfolio.
Access Mint via the web or phone apps for iOS and Android.
GnuCash
GnuCash is desktop software; its features include tracking bank accounts, stocks, income, and expenses. GnuCash is based on double-entry accounting for balanced books and you can run a number of reports to see your financial data. GnuCash also offers small-business accounting tools that let you manage customers and vendors, handle invoicing and bill payment, and even payroll.
GnuCash is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, BSD, and Solaris. There is a companion app for Android that will let you track expenses on the go and later import them into the desktop software.
AceMoney Lite
AceMoney Lite bills itself as the best Quicken alternative. You can manage your budgets, track your finances in multiple currencies, keep an eye on your investments and analyze your spending habits. You can also do online banking. As this is the lite version, you’re limited to two accounts; the full version supports unlimited accounts.
AceMoney Lite is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
Personal Capital
Personal Capital offers free financial software for tracking investments and planning for retirement, in addition to its tools for cash flow, spending, budgeting and net worth. Personal Capital’s focus is on investments, showing you the performance of your portfolio over time and helping you make decisions for the future, so its budgeting components aren’t as robust as other software.
If you’re not an investor or prefer fine-tuning your budget to getting the broad view, Personal Capital may not be the best fit. However, if you want to save for college or retirement, its free tools will show you whether you’re on track.
Personal Capital can be accessed via the web or apps for Android and iOS.
Buddi
Buddi is an open-source budget software that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems and has been translated into multiple languages. Buddi can encrypt financial data with a password, and it’s designed to be easy to use even if you have no financial background.
Features include budgeting, tracking accounts, and personal finance reports, but you will have to enter transactions manually. Free plugins add more features, and the online user manual is easy to read and use.
Buddi is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Free Budget Spreadsheets
If you don’t need fully featured personal financial software and you’re just concerned about keeping a budget, there are some great free budget spreadsheet templates you can use with Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc or Google Sheets. Just download and open them in your spreadsheet software to get a handle on your cash flow.
Top 10 Accounting Software
FreshBooks
One of the top products in our accounting software category is FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the market’s most user-friendly accounting tool for independent contractors and small enterprises, according to our research team.
More than five million users use the program to make time tracking and invoicing more efficient. The software has just been upgraded by the seller to facilitate simple team communication and to include a newly designed dashboard where you can organize jobs and handle payments. FreshBooks continues to provide excellent invoice-to-payment functionality, such as direct payment gateways, overdue payment reminders, delay fees, and payment claims, while maintaining the traditional features. You can utilize the system to accept payments via Google Checkouts, Amex, PayPal, and credit cards while automating the process of recurring billing.
Additionally, the vendor provides a simple 30-day free trial so that you may try out the features before deciding to part with your money. The pricing is also reasonable for practically any budget.
QuickBooks Online
Small businesses, independent accounting firms, and freelancers can all use QuickBooks Online. To assist small firms in streamlining accounting and financial management activities, this cloud-based program combines all crucial accounting tools on a single platform.
Automated tax computations, spending tracking, bill administration, balance sheet reporting, sales monitoring, and more are some of its features. QuickBooks Online has auto-syncing features and supports a variety of devices, so no matter which one you use, your data will always be current.
You can connect QuickBooks Online with other Intuit products, such as QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Payroll, through integrations. In terms of third-party software, QuickBooks integrates with Bill.com, Jobber, Mavenlink, Method CRM, Shoeboxed, and Time Tracking by TSheets without any issues. Plans for QuickBooks Online start at $10.00 per month for a single user.
NetSuite ERP
Although NetSuite ERP may be used for order administration, customer service, sales and marketing automation, it is primarily a customer relationship management (CRM) system. It provides a wide range of features and tools to make handling finances easier.
Pre-configured dashboards with user-customizable settings are among the standard features. Additionally, NetSuite ERP has strong automation and scalability features. It may automate tasks like financial administration, order management, revenue management, fixed assets management, inventory management, and billing as your business expands.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Small firms should use Sage Business Cloud Accounting. It then provides two reasonably priced programs made to suit the needs and financial constraints of small businesses. You can utilize its entry-level accounting system for sole proprietors and small firms for $10 per month. The app’s more expensive subscription, which costs $25 per month, is available if you require tools for invoicing and cash flow management.
The program focuses on reducing spreadsheets, streamlining paperwork, and managing your finances. It streamlines payroll for businesses and guarantees ACA adherence. By combining data and automating intricate financial procedures, it enhances financial management. Additionally, it manages banking and payments.
Rossum
A robust cloud-based platform called Rossum is made to speed up account payable procedures, including document import, data collection, purchase order matching, and invoice processing. The self-learning AI engine that powers this program automates a number of crucial tasks, minimizing manual labor and human error.
Rossum overcomes the drawbacks of conventional OCR solutions as an intelligent cloud-based platform. All documents are automatically imported into the Rossum system by linking Rossum to your document sources (such as document scanners, DMS systems, API, RPA, and email inboxes). There is no need to set up or create templates for papers and invoices because its AI-powered engine can identify various document types and styles. A clean and well-organized curated feed of transactional data is maintained by Rossum by identifying duplicates, merged files, and auxiliary data and handling them appropriately.
Tipalti Approve
Tipalti Approve is a cloud-based software solution for managing and automating mass international payments. This qualifies the program for use by businesses with offices all over the world. Notably, you have access to six payment alternatives, including PayPal, wire, local bank transfer, and debit cards, as well as more than 190 nations and 120 different currencies. Additionally, the program makes it easier to maintain timely, accurate, and understandable financial data and processes for your business on a daily basis.
The program assists companies in avoiding late payments, noncompliance, and the accounting crew being overworked. Additionally, it provides adaptable capabilities for AP, financial reporting, and payment reconciliation that integrate with a wide range of ERP programs.
AvidXchange
A complete system for automating payments and managing invoices, AvidXchange is designed for companies of all sizes. To help you automate accounting procedures, it provides tools for paperless invoicing, purchase order automation, and payment processing. To increase productivity and strengthen visibility throughout your accounts payment operations, it also has a highly flexible interface and automated approval workflows. The program also provides search and filter features that make it simple to track bills and examine transactions.
Businesses may increase operational productivity and reduce the cost of accounts payable procedures by using AvidXchange. Additionally, since payments can be performed safely through the platform, it makes it simpler for businesses to pay their suppliers more quickly. More importantly, users may avoid fraudulent transactions and payment requests thanks to AvidXchange’s superior security and fraud detection capabilities.
Zoho Books
Any Zoho product is a quality one, and you can depend on the company’s productivity suite to streamline your operations. Because Zoho Books, its accounting software, is also of the highest caliber, it earned a high rating on our list.
Why is Zoho Books among the best accounting software in our opinion? This is due to the excellent value this award-winning solution provides. It makes it simple to generate and track retainer invoices, automate bank feeds with ease, and send payment reminders automatically. The technology stands out because it interacts with Stripe and makes payment reconciliation straightforward.
A2X
By sending transactional data from online retailers like Amazon and Shopify to your accounting software, A2X encourages correct bookkeeping. The days of manually entering sales transactions and creating financial statements on spreadsheets are long gone. Your financial information is simply loaded into your books thanks to its integration with reputable accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks.
Using A2X, you may keep an eye on the costs of goods sold and the gross margins of moving goods, which can be supported by the financials of your company. The inventory accounting component of this system can also be used to account for the quantity of stocks that remain after a series of orders has been placed. Reports are generated at the end of each month to analyze your holdings, their values, and their locations.
Zoho Expense
Zoho Expense automates a wide range of expense-related tasks, enabling you to quickly document your transactions. Receipts can be automatically transformed into expenses and grouped together so that reports can be generated as needed. Additionally, this technology robotically records and converts credit card transactions into expenses.
Zoho Expense can track your costs on whatever device you own. On both desktop computers and mobile devices, it can send comprehensive reports. It can eliminate all ambiguity regarding permitted expenses and spending caps. It guarantees that your expense rules are lawfully imposed and in compliance.
Best Software for Managing Small Business
1. Best accounting software: Xero
A cloud-based accounting program geared exclusively toward small businesses is called Xero. It offers capabilities for accountants to assist make sure their clients have sound balance sheets as well as tools for businesses to track financial performance and cash flow in real-time. Financial KPI tracking and performance comparisons between actual and chosen time periods are both possible with customizable financial reports. Businesses can quickly take online payments in many currencies from services like Stripe and PayPal as well as credit cards. Additionally, Xero makes it simple to prepare and distribute invoices, as well as to remind clients to make payments automatically when their bills are past due.
2. Best eCommerce software: Shopify
Although there are several excellent eCommerce systems available, Shopify is the best since it offers a hosted, all-in-one solution that makes it easier for small businesses to launch an online store rapidly. Users may utilize marketing tools like meta titles and descriptions, construct custom URLs, and easily enhance promotions across social media networks like as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Users can also sell products globally with local language support. Additionally, Shopify provides a huge selection of plugins to make processes like inventory management simpler.
3. Best project management software: Trello
Trello is a task management and collaboration application that supports a variety of projects, including data entry, marketing campaigns, content creation, customer assistance, and sales tracking. It’s vital to note that, while these types of papers can be attached, it works for the majority of projects except for budgeting and invoicing. It’s a handy and simple application for smaller organizations that tracks tasks effortlessly using due dates, card cover images, users, a task commenting function, labels, priorities, and more. Additionally, each project management pipeline can accept attachments like files, photos, or documents.
4. Best time tracking software: Toggl
For very small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who just need a simple time tracker, Toggl might be the best bet. While there are many great software solutions out there that include extensive features such as expense management, mileage tracking, employee monitoring, and more, many small businesses don’t need all of those features (and don’t want to pay for them). With Toggl, it’s all about ease of use because employees can instantly track time across hundreds of third-party apps, computers, and devices — just hit Start and the timer gets going. Toggl is free with paid tiers that start at $9/month for add-ons such as invoicing features.
5. Best online payment software: PayPal
Two of the most popular online payment platforms are PayPal and Stripe. Despite the fact that they have many similarities, including a processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments, PayPal is a superior choice for startups and small enterprises. PayPal is a better alternative for small business owners since it is simpler to set up and use, while Stripe gives more customization choices to suit larger enterprises. One of the most extensively used systems in the eCommerce sector, PayPal enables millions of customers and merchants to send and receive payments using bank accounts and credit cards. Customers can finish purchases using PayPal, PayPal credits, or Venmo by adding the PayPal button to the payment page.
6. Best email marketing software: MailChimp
Because MailChimp is adaptable, reasonably priced, and allows customers to add features and capabilities as business needs evolve, we believe small businesses can’t go wrong with it. In actuality, businesses with fewer than 2,000 users can use it for free. This is a big benefit for small businesses or entrepreneurs who wish to cut costs as much as they can while expanding their enterprises. However, even the higher tier plans are affordable, with the Essentials and Standard plans coming in at just $9.99 and $14.99 monthly, respectively. (Take note that the real rate changes depending on the subscription count.) However, MailChimp includes a wide range of tools, including behavioral targeting, A/B testing, customized templates, complex segmentation, and more, that place targeted marketing and other marketing strategies front and center.
7. Best collaboration tools: Slack
The Swiss Army Knife of team collaboration tools is Slack. It makes it possible for team members to connect on any desktop or mobile device, which is especially helpful for smaller organizations that do not have a single workplace (or whose employees work remotely due to COVID-19 measures). A variety of capabilities, including voice and video calling, are available on Slack. Additionally, it is simple to interface with other business tools like MailChimp and Google Drive, enabling effective information sharing between all of these platforms. Additionally, Slack makes it simple to upload and exchange documents including Word docs, JPEGs, MOVs, PDFs, and Google Drive files. Slack is actually used by some firms instead of email because it’s simpler.
8. Best document management software: G-Suite
Google’s free cloud computing, collaboration, and productivity package is called G-Suite. Because it offers a one-stop shop for all document management requirements, it is perfect for small enterprises and independent contractors. Users can quickly and simply create and share documents (Google Docs), spreadsheets (Google Sheets), and presentations inside the collection of separate apps (Google Slides). Team members can design an email account to make it appear more professional, access email, hold video meetings, and encrypt data. Documents, including large files, may be effortlessly uploaded and shared with anybody inside or outside the company thanks to G-15GB Suite’s of free cloud storage space. Owners of the documents specify how users can access each file and provide them the option to “see only,” “edit file,” or “completely access and edit.”
9. Best human resources/payroll software: Gusto
Many smaller businesses use both full-time workers and temporary or contract workers. They therefore require a payroll management system that can handle both W-2 and 1099 employees. Because it can handle payroll processing and payroll tax obligations for all types of workers, Gusto is perfect for these kinds of circumstances. Gusto makes it simple to add new employees and identify their job classification. Even better, because both categories of workers are regarded as employees, the expense of maintaining payroll for a full- or part-time employee is the same as that for a freelancer or contractor. In addition, Gusto charges monthly fees as opposed to other payroll firms’ per-payroll pricing models. This implies businesses can process payroll as often as necessary.
10. Best customer relationship management (CRM) software: Act!
built primarily to satisfy the requirements of small and medium-sized organizations. We are aware that many CRM tools are created with the robust requirements of enterprise businesses in mind, but our mission is to assist smaller businesses in gaining access to these benefits at a reasonable price point, without additional CRM integration fees, hidden costs, or expensive and pointless features. Key advantages consist of:
- Tiered plans to meet every need: Choose from one of three plans that offer basic to advanced CRM and email marketing that includes thousands of emails per month. With clear features and pricing, customers can choose the plan that’s right for them and scale as business needs change.
- Powerful built-in tools: Take advantage of relationship and task management capabilities across all three plans. Every plan includes a library of email templates, campaign management and reporting features, opportunity tracking, our companion mobile app, cloud storage, and more.
- Advanced automation: In our higher-tiered plans, customers benefit from powerful marketing automation tools, intuitive dashboards and analytics, team management features, app integrations, sales pipeline management, and more.
- Easy setup: Act! offers user-friendly onboarding processes that greatly simplify the experience for newcomers to CRM. Our dashboard is highly intuitive and fully customizable so businesses can adapt it to meet specific business needs, customer profiles, and market requirements.
- Cloud-based technology: Access business apps and data 24/7 from anywhere. The Act! mobile app makes it easy to stay engaged with customers without losing time or opportunities.
Conclusion
A financial plan is an important first step in securing a successful investment career. By choosing the right investing strategy and having a budget set, you can make smart choices that will help you grow your money over time. Additionally, it’s important to follow through with your investment plans, as making small mistakes in your investing can result in large losses. Make sure to get advice from a financial advisor if you want to achieve long-term success.