Cash Flow Forecast Calculator
Project your cash flow for 6-24 months. Visualize revenue, expenses, and cash balance over time to plan your business finances with confidence.
Your Numbers
Ending Cash
After 12 months
Lowest Point
Start
Avg Monthly Flow
Net positive
Cash Runway
Sustainable
Cash Balance Projection
Revenue vs Expenses
Total Revenue
Over 12 months
Total Expenses
Over 12 months
Monthly Breakdown
| Month | Revenue | Expenses | Net Flow | Cash Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $105,000 |
| May 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $110,000 |
| Jun 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $115,000 |
| Jul 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $120,000 |
| Aug 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $125,000 |
| Sep 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $130,000 |
| Oct 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $135,000 |
| Nov 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $140,000 |
| Dec 26 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $145,000 |
| Jan 27 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $150,000 |
| Feb 27 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $155,000 |
| Mar 27 | $50,000 | $45,000 | +$5,000 | $160,000 |
How Cash Flow Forecasting Works
Build a realistic projection of your future cash position
Enter Starting Cash
Input your current cash balance as the foundation for projections.
Set Revenue & Expenses
Enter your monthly revenue and expenses. Optionally add growth rates.
Add One-Time Items
Include planned equipment purchases, funding rounds, or major deals.
Analyze Results
See your projected cash balance, runway, and identify potential shortfalls.
What Your Forecast Reveals
Cash Runway
How many months until you run out of cash at current burn rate. Critical for planning fundraising timing or expense cuts before you hit zero.
Low Point Timing
When will your cash balance hit its lowest? Knowing this helps you time credit lines, payment terms negotiations, or expense deferrals.
Growth Sustainability
Can your cash support your growth rate? See if revenue growth outpaces expense growth or if you're on a path to cash crunch.
Investment Capacity
How much buffer do you have for opportunities? Identify when you have excess cash for hiring, marketing pushes, or equipment investments.
Example: 12-Month Cash Flow Projection for a Pre-Revenue Startup
A B2B SaaS startup launches with $500K in seed funding. Here's how their quarterly cash flow unfolds as they grow from zero to break-even:
| Quarter | Cash In | Cash Out | Net | Ending Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | $5,000 | $45,000 | -$40,000 | $460,000 |
| Q2 | $15,000 | $50,000 | -$35,000 | $425,000 |
| Q3 | $35,000 | $55,000 | -$20,000 | $405,000 |
| Q4 | $60,000 | $60,000 | $0 | $405,000 |
Starting with $500K, this startup reaches break-even by Q4. Revenue growth from $5K to $60K/month is aggressive but achievable for B2B SaaS with strong product-market fit. Without revenue growth, the same startup runs out of cash in month 10. Use the runway calculator to model how different revenue growth rates extend your cash runway.
Who This Calculator Is For
Pre-Revenue Founders Planning Runway
Model how long your seed funding lasts under different revenue growth scenarios before committing to headcount or spending.
Small Business Owners Forecasting Cash
Anticipate tight months before they arrive and plan credit lines, payment terms, or expense deferrals with enough lead time.
Finance Teams Building Board Reports
Generate quarterly cash projections with variance analysis to present to investors and board members alongside actuals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about cash flow forecasting
How accurate are cash flow forecasts?
Accuracy depends on your inputs and business predictability. Subscription businesses with recurring revenue can forecast with 90%+ accuracy. Project-based businesses may see 70-80% accuracy. The key is updating forecasts monthly with actual results. For a step-by-step approach, read our cash flow forecasting guide for small businesses.
Should I use conservative or optimistic estimates?
Use conservative (lower) revenue estimates and realistic (slightly high) expense estimates. It's better to be pleasantly surprised by extra cash than caught off guard by a shortfall. You can create multiple scenarios for planning.
What if my business is seasonal?
For seasonal businesses, don't use flat monthly averages. Adjust revenue and expenses by month based on historical patterns. Our detailed mode lets you add one-time items for peak season inventory builds or quarterly expenses.
How often should I update my forecast?
Update monthly at minimum. After each month closes, replace forecasted numbers with actuals and extend the forecast another month. This "rolling forecast" approach keeps projections grounded in reality and surfaces variances early.
How do you create a 13-week cash forecast?
List all expected cash inflows (revenue, funding, receivables) and outflows (payroll, rent, vendors, loan payments) by week. Start with your current cash balance and project forward week by week. Update every Monday with actuals from the prior week. The 13-week window matches one quarter and is the standard format used by lenders and investors for short-term liquidity monitoring.
How accurate are cash flow forecasts?
Accuracy decreases with time horizon. One-month forecasts are typically 90-95% accurate. Three-month forecasts drop to 80-85%. Twelve-month forecasts are 60-70% accurate at best. The key to improving accuracy is updating monthly with actual results and narrowing your assumptions. Companies that update forecasts weekly achieve 10-15% better accuracy than those updating quarterly.
How do you forecast cash flow for a restaurant?
Restaurant cash flows are seasonal and weekly-cyclical. Key inputs include daily covers multiplied by average check size, food cost (target 28-35% of revenue), labor (25-35% of revenue), rent, utilities, and equipment payments. Track weekly rather than monthly because weekday vs weekend variance is significant. Budget 2-3% of revenue for unexpected repairs and account for seasonal dips.
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