Startup Cost Calculator
Estimate startup costs by business type including legal fees, equipment, marketing, inventory, rent, insurance, and working capital. Get a realistic budget for launching your business.
5 minutes Medium
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your business type to auto-fill typical cost ranges
- Enter your one-time startup costs (legal, equipment, buildout, etc.)
- Enter your monthly recurring costs (rent, payroll, marketing, etc.)
- Add revenue projections for months 1, 6, and 12
- Set your available funding and desired runway
- Click Calculate to see total costs, runway, and cash flow projections
Business Type
Selecting a type will pre-fill suggested costs
One-Time Startup Costs
$
$100-$1,500 depending on structure
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$
$
$
$
$
Typically 2-3 months rent
$
$
$
$
$
Monthly Recurring Costs
$
$
people
$
Payroll = employees x salary
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$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
10-20% buffer recommended
Revenue Projections
$
$
$
How revenue scales between projections
Runway Planning
$
Total cash available to start the business
months
12-18 months recommended
💰 Startup Funding Basics
Total startup funding should cover all one-time costs plus enough monthly operating capital to sustain the business until it becomes profitable. Most experts recommend having 12-18 months of runway before needing additional funding or reaching profitability.
📊 Runway Planning Tips
- Gross Burn Rate: Total monthly spending before any revenue
- Net Burn Rate: Monthly spending minus monthly revenue
- Runway: Available cash divided by net burn rate
- Rule of thumb: Double your estimated costs and halve your projected revenue
- Seed stage: Plan for 18-24 months runway minimum
⚠️ Common Cost Mistakes
- Underestimating timeline: Revenue almost always takes longer than expected
- Forgetting hidden costs: Taxes, benefits, maintenance, transaction fees
- No buffer: Unexpected expenses always arise — add 15-25% contingency
- Ignoring opportunity cost: Your salary/draw is a real business expense
- Over-spending on launch: Start lean, validate, then scale spending
🔗 Save & Share Your Calculation
Your inputs are automatically saved in the URL. You can bookmark this page to save your calculation, or use the Share button to send it to others.
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