A startup runway calculator tells you how many months your company can survive before running out of cash. Enter your current cash balance, monthly revenue, and expenses to instantly see your burn rate, zero-cash date, scenario comparisons, and a month-by-month cash projection table. Essential for founders planning fundraising timelines or cost-cutting decisions.
Your Numbers
Runway Overview
Scenario Comparison
Month-by-Month Projection
| Month | Revenue | Expenses | Net Burn | Cash Balance |
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How to Use the Startup Runway Calculator
Every startup founder needs to know exactly when the money runs out. This startup runway calculator takes your current cash, revenue, and expenses to project how many months you can keep operating — helping you decide when to fundraise, cut costs, or accelerate growth.
Step 1: Enter Your Cash Balance
Start with the total cash your company has available right now. This includes bank accounts, money market funds, and any immediately accessible capital. Do not include receivables, inventory, or other non-liquid assets — runway should reflect actual spendable cash.
Step 2: Add Revenue and Expenses
Enter your current monthly revenue (all income sources) and total monthly expenses (salaries, rent, software, marketing, everything). The difference between expenses and revenue is your net burn rate — the amount of cash you lose each month. If revenue exceeds expenses, congratulations: you are cash-flow positive and your cash grows over time.
Step 3: Set Growth Rates (Optional)
If your revenue is growing month-over-month, enter the growth percentage to see how increasing revenue extends your runway. Similarly, if you expect expenses to grow (new hires, scaling infrastructure), enter that rate too. Growth rates compound monthly, so even small percentages have a large impact over 12-24 months.
Step 4: Review the Scenario Analysis
The calculator automatically generates three scenarios. The pessimistic scenario assumes expenses rise 10% above your entered rate with revenue staying flat — modeling unexpected cost overruns. The optimistic scenario adds 20% to your revenue growth rate, showing what faster traction could mean. Comparing all three gives you a realistic range for planning.
Step 5: Study the Month-by-Month Table
The projection table shows revenue, expenses, net burn, and remaining cash for each of the next 24 months. Watch for the month where cash hits zero — that is your deadline. Rows turn red when cash goes negative, making it easy to spot exactly when you need new funding or profitability.
Privacy
All calculations run entirely in your browser. Your financial data — cash balance, revenue, and expenses — is never sent to any server. This tool works offline once loaded and stores nothing.
For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide: Startup Runway Planning Guide.
FAQ
What is startup runway?
Startup runway is the number of months a company can continue operating before it runs out of cash, assuming no additional funding. It is calculated by dividing your current cash balance by your net monthly burn rate (expenses minus revenue). Runway is the single most important metric for startup survival.
What is a good runway for a startup?
Most investors and advisors recommend maintaining at least 12-18 months of runway. This gives you enough time to hit milestones, raise the next round, or adjust your strategy. Startups with less than 6 months of runway should treat fundraising or cost reduction as an urgent priority.
What is burn rate vs. net burn?
Gross burn rate is your total monthly expenses regardless of revenue. Net burn rate is expenses minus revenue — the actual cash you lose each month. If you spend $50,000/month and earn $20,000/month, your gross burn is $50K and your net burn is $30K. Net burn is what determines your runway.
Is this runway calculator free to use?
Yes, this startup runway calculator is completely free with no account or signup required. All calculations run locally in your browser — your financial data is never sent to any server or stored anywhere. Use it as many times as you need for different scenarios.
Is my financial data private?
Absolutely. Everything runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is transmitted, stored, or logged on any server. You can even use this tool offline once the page has loaded. Your cash balance, revenue, and expense figures remain completely private.
How does revenue growth affect runway?
Monthly revenue growth extends your runway because each month you burn less cash than the previous month. Even a modest 5-10% monthly revenue growth rate can dramatically extend runway compared to the static calculation. The month-by-month projection table shows exactly how growth compounds over time.
What do the pessimistic and optimistic scenarios show?
The pessimistic scenario assumes your expenses increase by 10% while revenue stays flat — showing runway if costs rise unexpectedly. The optimistic scenario assumes revenue grows 20% faster than your entered growth rate. Comparing all three scenarios helps you plan for the best and worst cases.