Startup Runway Calculator
Calculate your startup runway based on cash balance, burn rate, and revenue. See month-by-month projections and what-if scenarios.
About Startup Runway Calculator
This startup runway calculator shows how long your company can keep operating with its current cash and spending. Enter your cash balance, monthly expenses (as a single number or broken down by category), and any revenue to get an instant projection.
How Runway is Calculated
The formula is straightforward: divide your current cash balance by your monthly net burn rate. Net burn equals total expenses minus monthly revenue. If your revenue exceeds expenses, your runway is effectively unlimited - you are already profitable. The calculator also generates a month-by-month table so you can see exactly when your balance hits zero.
Itemized Expenses and What-If Scenarios
You can enter expenses as a single total or break them down into categories like salaries, rent, and marketing. The what-if slider lets you explore how cutting expenses by a given percentage would extend your runway, which is useful when preparing for board discussions or budget reviews. If you are also evaluating the profitability of specific products, the profit margin calculator can help with that.
Visual Runway Indicator
A color-coded bar gives you an at-a-glance view of your financial health. Green means 12+ months of runway, amber means 6 to 12 months, and red means under 6 months. The month-by-month projection table shows your projected balance over time so you can plan ahead.
Pair this with the break-even calculator to figure out exactly how much revenue you need to stop burning cash. All calculations run in your browser and nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is startup runway?
Startup runway is the number of months your company can operate before running out of cash. It is calculated by dividing your current cash balance by your monthly net burn rate (expenses minus revenue). A longer runway gives you more time to hit milestones, raise funding, or become profitable.
What is a good runway for a startup?
Most investors recommend having at least 12 to 18 months of runway. Less than 6 months is generally considered risky because fundraising itself can take 3 to 6 months. Having 18+ months gives you breathing room to experiment and pivot without constant financial pressure.
What is the difference between gross burn and net burn?
Gross burn is your total monthly expenses before any revenue. Net burn subtracts your monthly revenue from those expenses. If you spend 50,000 per month but earn 15,000, your gross burn is 50,000 and your net burn is 35,000. Net burn gives a more accurate picture of how fast you are actually using cash.
How can I extend my runway without raising more money?
Common approaches include reducing non-essential spending, renegotiating contracts, slowing hiring, increasing prices, focusing on higher-margin customers, or accelerating revenue growth. Even a 15-20% cut in expenses can add several months to your runway.
Should I include one-time costs in my burn rate?
It is better to exclude large one-time costs and focus on recurring monthly expenses for a more accurate runway estimate. If you have a known upcoming one-time expense, subtract it from your cash balance instead of spreading it across your monthly burn rate.