Startup Cash Runway
Calculator
Results
- Runway (months)
- 12 mo
- Ending cash
- $-20,068.49
- Month one net burn
- $45,000.00
- Total revenue
- $284,656.90
Projected path over the horizon
- Cash balance
- Revenue
- Operating spend
Period-by-period projection
| 1 | 15,000.00 | 60,000.00 | 45,000.00 | 455,000.00 |
| 2 | 16,200.00 | 61,200.00 | 45,000.00 | 410,000.00 |
| 3 | 17,496.00 | 62,424.00 | 44,928.00 | 365,072.00 |
| 4 | 18,895.68 | 63,672.48 | 44,776.80 | 320,295.20 |
| 5 | 20,407.33 | 64,945.93 | 44,538.60 | 275,756.60 |
| 6 | 22,039.92 | 66,244.85 | 44,204.93 | 231,551.68 |
| 7 | 23,803.11 | 67,569.75 | 43,766.63 | 187,785.05 |
| 8 | 25,707.36 | 68,921.14 | 43,213.78 | 144,571.27 |
| 9 | 27,763.95 | 70,299.56 | 42,535.61 | 102,035.66 |
| 10 | 29,985.07 | 71,705.55 | 41,720.48 | 60,315.18 |
| 11 | 32,383.87 | 73,139.67 | 40,755.79 | 19,559.39 |
| 12 | 34,974.58 | 74,602.46 | 39,627.87 | -20,068.49 |
Comparison
| Scenario | Runway (months) | Ending cash |
|---|---|---|
| Doing nothing | 10.00 | -6,983.26 |
| Your scenario | 12.00 | -20,068.49 |
Formula
cash_t = cash_(t−1) + R₀(1+g)^(t−1) − B₀(1+b)^(t−1)= 12.00
Note
Simplified model: this is the exact arithmetic of the stated recurrence applied to your inputs, with every rate held constant for the whole horizon. Real businesses see growth, churn, seasonality and costs move, and no projection accounts for competition, financing terms, tax or one-off events. Treat the crossing month as an order of magnitude, not a date, and check it against your own books before committing money.
More in Business projections
See all →Frequently asked questions
What exactly counts as "burn rate" in this calculator?+
Burn rate is your net cash outflow per month: total cash spent minus any cash revenue collected in the same period, not accounting-basis profit or loss. If you're pre-revenue, gross burn (total spend) and net burn are the same number; once you have revenue, always use net burn for an accurate runway.
Why is my runway shorter than "cash divided by monthly burn"?+
A simple division assumes burn stays perfectly flat, but most startups' burn rate climbs as they hire, so the calculator (if it accounts for burn growth) front-loads the higher future spending. If your burn is genuinely flat, the two numbers will match; if you're planning headcount growth, the trended calculation is more realistic.
Should I include incoming funding I haven't closed yet?+
No, runway should always be calculated on cash you actually hold in the bank today, not funding that's in negotiation or verbally committed. Term sheets fall through and closes slip, so treat uncommitted capital as upside, not as part of the runway number you plan around.
What runway length should I be aiming for before raising again?+
Most investors expect founders to start fundraising with at least 6 months of runway left, since a raise itself commonly takes 3-6 months from first pitch to funds in the bank. If your runway calculation shows less than 9-12 months, it's generally time to either start raising or cut burn.
How does a one-time expense affect the runway calculation, versus a recurring cost?+
A one-time expense (e.g., a legal fee or equipment purchase) shortens runway by pulling down the cash balance once, but doesn't change the ongoing monthly burn rate used to project future months. A recurring cost, like a new hire's salary, raises the monthly burn itself, which compounds every month going forward and shortens runway far more than a one-time cost of the same size.