Startup budget template + runway tracker (2026)
Free startup budget template with a monthly burn tracker, default-alive toggle, burn-multiple line, and a what-to-cut order when runway gets thin.
startup-budget-runway-template.txt
STARTUP BUDGET + RUNWAY TRACKER — one column per month (M1 … M24)
INPUTS (set once, top of sheet)
Starting cash: {{STARTING_CASH}}
Monthly revenue (base): {{MONTHLY_REVENUE_BASE}}
Revenue growth (MoM): {{REVENUE_GROWTH_RATE}} <- set 0% for the default-alive scenario
Target runway (months): {{TARGET_RUNWAY_MONTHS}}
MONTHLY EXPENSES
Team salaries (gross + employer load): {{TEAM_SALARIES}}
Contractors / fractionals: {{CONTRACTORS}}
Tools & SaaS: {{TOOLS_AND_SAAS}}
AI / API spend (keep on its own line): {{AI_API_SPEND}}
Marketing: {{MARKETING_SPEND}}
Office & ops: {{OFFICE_AND_OPS}}
CALCULATED (per month)
Revenue = prior-month revenue x (1 + REVENUE_GROWTH_RATE)
Total expenses = sum of the six expense lines
Net burn = Total expenses - Revenue
Ending cash = Starting cash - Net burn (carry to next month's Starting cash)
Runway months = Ending cash / Net burn (show only while Net burn > 0)
KPIs (quarterly)
Quarterly new ARR
Burn multiple = Quarterly net burn / Quarterly new ARR (target under 2x at seed)
Headcount
DEFAULT-ALIVE CHECK
With REVENUE_GROWTH_RATE = 0%, does Ending cash stay positive through TARGET_RUNWAY_MONTHS?
If not, the gap is your raise-or-cut decision — act before runway drops under 12 months.
Variables · fill before sending
- STARTING_CASHCash in the bank the month you start tracking (post-seed close, net of legal fees)
- MONTHLY_REVENUE_BASELast-30-days net revenue. Use cash collected, not booked ARR
- REVENUE_GROWTH_RATEConservative MoM growth assumption. Default 0% for the default-alive scenario
- TEAM_SALARIESTotal monthly gross payroll including founders and employer taxes (UK NI / US FICA)
- CONTRACTORSMonthly spend on freelancers, fractional CTO, design contractors
- TOOLS_AND_SAASVercel, Linear, Notion, Postgres host, monitoring, the whole stack
- AI_API_SPENDOpenAI, Anthropic, embeddings, vector DB. Track separately, it grows non-linearly
- MARKETING_SPENDPaid acquisition, content, events, swag. Zero is a valid answer at seed
- OFFICE_AND_OPSRent, coworking, legal retainer, accounting, insurance
- TARGET_RUNWAY_MONTHSWhat you told the board you'd hit. Usually 18 or 24
How to use it
- Update on the 1st of every month with last month's actuals. Forecasting a budget you never reconcile is theater.
- Treat the default-alive number as the only one that matters in board updates. Growth-case runway is for the deck, not for the operator.
- When burn multiple goes above 3x for two quarters, cut before runway forces it. Cuts under pressure are messy and political.