The best business plan software 2024: a comprehensive comparison

Creating a detailed business plan is an essential step in laying the foundations for the success of a company. In 2024, there is a variety of business plan software available to help make the planning process efficient and structured. Whether you're running a start-up, a small company or an established business, the right software will save time, improve organization and facilitate communication with investors. Here is a detailed comparison of the best business plan software for 2024.

IdeaBuddy - From concept to implementation

IdeaBuddy is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to develop their business idea from scratch. The software provides a structured process for developing, validating and planning your idea. It guides you through all the key stages - from outlining your idea to turning it into a full business plan. IdeaBuddy is particularly useful for entrepreneurs who have a creative idea and are looking for software to help them develop it into a sound business model.

What makes IdeaBuddy unique:

The software places a strong focus on the feasibility of the idea and helps you to find out whether it can be successful. It provides useful hints and tips to avoid potential stumbling blocks.

Advantages:

• Ideal for the development and validation of business ideas.
• Structured step-by-step process.
• Easy to understand and suitable for beginners.

Disadvantages: Less advanced features for established businesses.

Price: From 15 CHF/month.

Upmetrics - collaboration in real time

Upmetrics offers a cloud-based platform that is teamwork designed for teamwork. This software allows multiple users to work on a business plan at the same time, which is very beneficial for companies with multiple decision makers. Upmetrics also offers a variety of templates and tools to create business plans, pitch decks and financial forecasts create.

What makes Upmetrics unique:

The ability to edit plans in real time with multiple team members makes it a great choice for larger teams and companies that rely on collaboration. In addition, the tools for creating pitch decks are useful for giving investors a quick overview of the business idea.

Advantages:

• Real-time collaboration.
• Ideal for teams and companies with several decision-makers.
• Comprehensive templates and tools for business plans and pitch decks.

Disadvantages: Less suitable for sole traders.

Price: From 9 CHF/month.

LivePlan - Versatile and user-friendly

LivePlan is one of the most popular business plan software programs and scores points for its user-friendliness. The software guides you step by step through the planning process and offers many templates that are adapted to different industries. Particularly useful is the function to continuously update the plan with real-time data so that you always have access to the latest financial forecasts. The financial forecasts are easy to visualize, giving you a good overview of the status of your business.

What makes LivePlan special:

The ability to synchronize financial data with Excel and QuickBooks is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to create comprehensive financial analyses. You can also compare your progress with benchmarks from other companies and make adjustments to improve your performance.

Advantages:

• Step-by-step instructions for creating a business plan.
• Real-time financial forecasts and synchronization with financial tools.
• Industry-specific templates.

Disadvantages: Requires a monthly subscription, free version not available.

Price: From 20 CHF/month.

GoSmallBiz - Comprehensive functions for small businesses

GoSmallBiz is more than just software for creating business plans. It offers a variety of tools that are specifically designed for small businesses. In addition to the planning process, you have access to CRM tools, legal advice and business tracking functions. This software is ideal for entrepreneurs looking for an all-in-one solution to manage their entire business.

Main advantages of GoSmallBiz:

The CRM tool allows you to manage customer relationships while monitoring the progress of your business with integrated analytics tools. GoSmallBiz is especially useful for small business owners who not only want to create a business plan, but also optimize their day-to-day operations.

Advantages:

• Integrated tools for managing and tracking business processes.
• Legal advice available in the software.
• Comprehensive business plan templates.

Disadvantages: Due to the variety of features, it can be overwhelming for some users.

Price: From 15 CHF/month.

BizPlan - Perfect for start-ups and fundraising

BizPlan offers a solution specifically tailored to start-ups and is ideal for companies specializing in fundraising focus. The software is easy to use and provides clear guidance for each section of the business plan, including business strategy, market analysis and financial planning. BizPlan also offers seamless integration with fundraising platforms such as crowdfunding and allows the business plan to be made directly accessible to potential investors.

What makes BizPlan unique:

The software offers cloud-based solutions that make it possible to access the business plan from anywhere. This is particularly practical for companies that are often on the move or work in different locations. BizPlan also helps to dynamically adapt the plan to respond quickly to investor feedback.

Advantages:

• Specially designed for start-ups.
• Seamless integration with fundraising platforms.
• Cloud-based solutions for flexible access.

Disadvantages: No free version available, only paid subscriptions.

Price: From 29 CHF/month.

Enloop - Automated planning and performance evaluation

Enloop is an innovative business plan software that is particularly characterized by its automated functions. It offers an automatic financial analysis and plan evaluation that allows investors to make a quick assessment. The system gives your business plan a score based on your financial projections and general planning. This provides a valuable opportunity to assess the success of your business at an early stage and make any necessary changes.

What makes Enloop special:

The ability to create automatic calculations and financial analyses saves a lot of time. Even beginners can quickly create a professional plan, as the system guides the user step by step and automatically optimizes areas that are often overlooked.

Advantages:

• Automated financial analyses and plan evaluation.
• Simple user interface.
• Time-saving automation functions.

Disadvantages: Limited customization options for templates.

Price: From 20 CHF/month.

PlanGuru - Detailed financial analysis for advanced users

PlanGuru is one of the best options if you need detailed financial financial forecasts and analysis for your business. The software offers a variety of tools for creating budgets and financial models. You can create forecasts for up to ten years which allows you to create a long-term financial strategy. Integration with Excel and QuickBooks makes importing existing data simple and efficient.

What makes PlanGuru special:

For businesses that require in-depth financial planning, PlanGuru is an excellent choice. The ability to create complex budget plans and develop long-term forecasts makes it ideal for growing businesses that need to closely monitor their finances.

Advantages:

• Comprehensive financial planning and budgeting tools.
• Integration with Excel and QuickBooks.
• Ideal for long-term financial strategies.

Disadvantages: The focus is almost exclusively on financial forecasts and less on creative planning.

Price: From 99 CHF/month.

Conclusion

Choosing the right business plan software depends heavily on your individual requirements. LivePlan and GoSmallBiz offer versatile solutions for companies of all sizes, while BizPlan and IdeaBuddy provide particular support for start-ups and creative business ideas. For detailed financial planning PlanGuru is ideal, and Upmetrics is ideal for teams working together in real time. Each of these softwares offers specific features to help you create a professional business plan and run your business successfully.