Free burn rate calculator
Cash runway calculator
See how cash decisions change your runway.
Calculate my runwayEstimated: 3 minutes
02
Your decision window
Cash runway and act-by date
The model uses cash collected and cash paid, spreads monthly activity across calendar days, and shows the base case beside your scenario.
Example · base cash runway
9.0 mo
Scenario: 16.4 mo. +7.4 months versus the base case.Act by May 3, 2027 to preserve a 90-day decision window in the base case.Active scenario assumptions
What changes the scenario result
- 10% cost reduction
- No monthly revenue change
- Receivables collected in 30 days
- No new monthly hire cost
| Period | Base case | Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Now | $120,000 | $120,000 |
| 3 mo | $120,205 | $147,113 |
| 6 mo | $59,754 | $113,864 |
| 9 mo | $0 | $80,977 |
| 12 mo | $0 | $48,090 |
What this means
The modeled buffer is strong. Use the scenario to protect it before adding fixed costs, and refresh the forecast whenever collections or hiring timing changes.
Show the burn-rate and runway assumptions
Net burn = monthly cash outflows minus monthly cash inflows. Runway is projected day by day from cash on hand, with the selected receivable arriving once on its collection day. Scenario cost cuts and revenue changes start now; new-hire cost starts in the selected month. The act-by date is 90 days before modeled cash depletion. This is general planning information, not financial advice.
The 13-week workbook uses your current what-if inputs and editable formulas. It continues below zero to expose funding gaps; the chart stops at cash depletion. The CSV is a values snapshot, not a live model.
Download your 13-week cash forecast.
Download a formula-driven 13-week XLSX seeded from this scenario, a base/scenario CSV values snapshot, and the TXT decision plan. The weekly recipe stays copyable. Files download here, not by email; your financial inputs stay in this browser.
Preview the download and see what is included
- Your runway scenarios
- Dated cash projection
- Decision plan
Inside the 13-week workbook
These are the current scenario inputs written into the workbook. The weekly forecast recalculates when opened in a compatible spreadsheet app.
- Cash on hand
- 120000
- Monthly cash inflows
- 70000
- Monthly cash outflows
- 90000
The CSV is a values snapshot; the TXT file contains the complete decision plan.
How this tool works
Cash, inflows, outflows, and receivables in. Base runway, an act-by date, and a side-by-side what-if scenario out.
- Enter the current cash picture.
- Test collections, costs, revenue, and hiring.
- Download the 13-week formula workbook and scenario snapshot.
The useful distinction
Burn rate is an average. Runway is a dated decision window.
Net burn rate is monthly cash outflows minus monthly cash inflows. Cash runway asks how long cash on hand can support that burn, while the dated model also accounts for when a material receivable is expected to arrive.
A scenario is useful only when its assumptions can become actions. Treat faster collections, cost cuts, revenue changes, and hiring dates as decisions with owners, not optimistic lines in a spreadsheet. This calculator is general planning information, not financial advice.
Questions owners ask
Burn rate and cash runway FAQ
Does the 13-week spreadsheet keep calculating?
Yes. The browser-downloaded XLSX starts from your current what-if inputs. Opening cash, inflows, outflows, and closing balances use formulas; each next week rolls forward. It continues below zero to show funding gaps. The separate CSV is only a base/scenario values snapshot. Workbook edits do not sync back, and personalized files are not emailed.
How do you calculate net burn rate?
Net burn rate equals monthly cash outflows minus monthly cash inflows. If a business collects $70,000 and pays $90,000 in a month, its net burn is $20,000. Use cash actually collected and paid rather than booked revenue or non-cash accounting entries.
How do you calculate cash runway?
A simple estimate divides cash on hand by monthly net burn. This tool projects cash day by day instead so it can include the timing of one material receivable, a cost or revenue scenario, and a future new-hire cost.
What does the act-by date mean?
It is 90 days before the modeled cash-out date, or today when less than 90 days remain. It is a planning guardrail that preserves time to make decisions; it is not a financial rule or guarantee.
Does Nerd Out store my financial numbers?
No. The calculation and personalized exports are generated in your browser. Email capture uses the magnet identity, but does not send your cash, revenue, expense, receivable, or scenario values.