Startup Cost Calculator

Estimate your initial startup costs by entering expenses below and setting your desired runway. Hover over (?) icons for details on each item.

One-Time Setup Costs

Legal & Incorporation Fees:

Permits & Licenses:

Branding & Logo Design:

Website/App Development (Initial):

Office Furniture & Equipment:

Computer Hardware:

Software Licenses (Initial Purchase):

Rent/Utility Security Deposits:

Office Renovations/Setup:

Initial Inventory/Materials:

Market Research:

Other One-Time Costs:

Recurring Monthly Costs (Non-Employee)

Rent/Mortgage:

Utilities (Elec, Water, Gas):

Internet & Phone:

Software Subscriptions (SaaS):

Marketing & Advertising:

Office Supplies:

Inventory Replenishment / Materials:

Insurance:

Accounting/Bookkeeping Fees:

Ongoing Legal Fees:

Payment Processing Fees:

Travel & Entertainment:

Maintenance & Repairs:

Loan Payments:

Other Recurring Costs:

Monthly Employee Costs

Salaries & Wages:

Payroll Taxes (Employer Share):

Benefits (Health, Retirement, etc.):

Workers’ Compensation Insurance:

Training & Development:

Other Employee Costs:

Number of Months Runway:

Contingency Buffer (%):

Estimated Startup Costs Summary

Based on 6 months runway and 15% contingency.

Total One-Time Costs: $0.00

Total Monthly Recurring Costs: $0.00

Total Monthly Employee Costs: $0.00

TOTAL Monthly Costs: $0.00

Base Funding Need (One-Time + Monthly x 6 months): $0.00

Contingency Amount (15%): $0.00

TOTAL ESTIMATED FUNDING NEEDED: $0.00

Getting Started

Explore Categories: You’ll see costs grouped into sections: “One-Time Setup Costs,” “Recurring Monthly Costs,” and “Monthly Employee Costs.” Click the header of any section to expand or collapse it. The arrow indicates if a section is open or closed.
Enter Costs: Find the specific cost items within each category. In the box to the right of each item, type your estimated amount for that cost.

– The calculator automatically adds commas as you type for easier reading.
– If you don’t expect a particular cost, leave the input as “0”.
Use the “Other” Fields: Each category has an “Other…” field at the bottom. Use this to enter a total for any miscellaneous costs in that category not listed separately.
Get Info with Tooltips: See the “(?)” icon next to each item? Hover over or click it to see a brief explanation of what that cost typically includes.

Setting Your Projection

Below the cost categories, find the “Settings” section:

Number of Months Runway: Enter the number of months you want the calculator to project your operating expenses for (e.g., enter 6 to calculate funding needed for the first 6 months of monthly costs, plus one-time costs).
Contingency Buffer (%): Input a percentage (e.g., 15 for 15%) as a safety net for unexpected expenses. The calculator adds this buffer to your total estimated need.

Understanding Your Results

The “Estimated Startup Costs Summary” updates automatically as you enter numbers. It shows you:

Total One-Time Costs: The sum of all your initial setup expenses.
Total Monthly Costs: The combined total of your recurring and employee costs per month.
Base Funding Need: The total one-time costs plus your total monthly costs multiplied by the number of runway months you entered.
Contingency Amount: The calculated buffer amount based on the percentage you set.
TOTAL ESTIMATED FUNDING NEEDED: The final projection combining your base need and the contingency amount. This is your estimated target.

Saving and Loading Your Progress

Use the buttons at the top:

Save Progress: Click this to save all your current inputs directly in your web browser.
Load Saved: Click this to reload the data you last saved in this browser.
Clear All: Click this to reset all fields to zero and clear any saved data. You will be asked to confirm first.

Note: Saved data is stored only in the browser you are currently using. It won’t be available on other devices or if you clear your browser’s storage.

Exporting Your Data

Need to share or analyze your numbers elsewhere? Use the export buttons:

Export CSV: Creates and downloads a comma-separated values (.csv) file, which you can open in spreadsheet software like Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. It includes all cost items (with values) and the summary totals.
Export PDF: Creates and downloads a PDF document summarizing your costs and the final estimate. This requires the jsPDF library included with the calculator to load correctly.

Final Tip

Remember, this calculator provides an estimate. Actual startup costs vary. Research thoroughly and refine these numbers as you learn more about your specific business needs. Good luck!