Software business models for startups are a new way of thinking about how to make money from a software company. People thought of a lot of different ways to make a profit from a software business. Before you even began thinking of the business model, you should ask yourself how you could monetize your application. The practice of monetizing applications is called Software Revenue Management .
Here are the best softwares you can adopt quickly to effectively run your business.
nTask – Best Business Planning and Management Software
nTask goes beyond the typical business planning by several huge strides.
Yes, you can plan your business or whatever project you are working on, but the best part comes in bursts of nTask robust planning features.
So, saying that nTask is merely a business planning software would be an understatement. The program was developed to help project managers, home users, contractors, and MNCs with their daily workflow activities.
To that end, this tool is doing an amazing job. Top it all off with competitive pricing and a visual Gantt Chart feature that you can interact with for timeline management and create task dependencies. You can also create multiple workspaces in nTask to streamline different projects simultaneously.
nTask Features:
- Multitasking by managing multiple workspaces, projects and teams on one app
- Project Collaboration: Multi-user management and real-time team collaboration
- Task Management: Users can create, organize, assign and manage unlimited tasks using nTask app.
- Issue tracking and management
- Risk assessment matrix implementation
- Timesheets and various other time tracking modules
- Budget Tracking: Billing system (billable & non-billable projects), budget management and financial summary
- Gantt Charts: Ability to show business and project progress through interactive Gantt charts
- Ability to invite stakeholders to view your projects/ businesses
- 3rd party app integrations such as Zapier, Zoom, Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar.
nTask Pros:
- Ability to bring all business teams in one loop.
- Business meeting management features
- Complete project management suite
nTask Cons:
- No templates available for now
- No mind mapping features
Pricing:
- Basic free plan
- Premium plan starts at $2.99 per user/ per month.
- nTask Business starts at $7.99 per user/ per month.
- nTask is one of the Best Business Planning App.Manage all your tasks, projects, collaboration, timesheets and more in one place. Sign up today!
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Enloop – Automatically write business plans online.
Enloop is a cloud-based business plan software.
With almost 300,000 users, it is a great option to consider if you want a software that helps you create a plan catered to a bank or an investor in a short amount of time.
With a load of valuable features, Enloop is a tool that can help make the process of making a convincing plan easier and faster.
Enloop Features:
- AutoWrite and TextSync feature automatically generate basic customized text for your business plan, including 10 of the main sections for any impressive plan.
- Forecast Modules in Enloop allows you to create a business plan based on one of two different forecast modules. You can choose from an annual or 36-month option, that provides a profit and loss forecast, balance sheet forecast, and cash flow forecast.
- Financial projections in Enloop allow you to include in your business plan how your business will perform from a financial standpoint.
The tool gathers personal financial information and alongside financial data in the industry. Such features reportedly help to create financial reports and ratios that can be analyzed and used in your plan.
Enloop Pros:
- Enloop provides great automation for a range of data
- Along with Auto Write features, Enloop allows multiple customizable options
Enloop Cons:
- You can only reach their customer support through an online form. Therefore they may not be as easy to reach as other options
- Certain fields of data required to be filled do not provide enough data to properly understand how to do it
Enloop Pricing Plans:
- A detailed plan for $19.95/month
- Performance plan for $39.95/month
ProofHub – Complete Business Planning And Collaboration Software
ProofHub is a robust award-winning business planning software with project management and collaboration features included.
ProofHub is used by more than 85,000+ teams and businesses from all over the world for planning their projects and keeping track of everything. Along with project planning, ProofHub has got amazing team collaboration tools as well. It brings all your teams, projects, and communications together to keep things centralized and secure.
ProofHub Features
- You can use existing project templates or create new ones.
- Gantt charts to boost your project planning efforts with features like project timelines, task dependencies and more.
- Effectively manage teams with its powerful task management features. You can create custom workflows using kanban boards or use tasks lists for managing simple tasks.
- An in-built chat tool for communicating with team members, and a dedicated space to carry out real-time discussions.
- Comes with a reporting tool, in which you get project and resource reports for effectively managing your resources and planning your projects.
- Integrates with third-party apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Freshbooks and more to give you a central place to access all your favorite tools.
ProofHub Pros
- All-in-one tool for planning your projects, collaborating with teams, and keeping your work organized
- Has a free trial, and paid plans includes unlimited users and projects
ProofHub Cons
- Limited third-party integrations
ProofHub Pricing Plans
- Essential plan available at $45/month (billed annually)
- Ultimate control plan available at $89/month (billed annually) with unlimited users and projects
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
Enloop
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.
Pros
- 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
Cons
- Limited additional educational resources
- Only one template option
- No integration options
Features
- 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
Pricing
- 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
Bizplan
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.
Pros
- 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
Cons
- No free trial
- No templates based on industry
- No mobile access
Features
- 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
Pricing
- Monthly plan: $29 per month
- Annual plan: $20.75 per month, billed at $249 per year
- Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee
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.
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
Today, there are different software distribution models that you could use to sell software. Each model is unique and has its own characteristics that appeal to different target customers and consumers. If you’re thinking about starting a software company, then you should consider which software distribution model will be most suitable for your target audience.