LivePlan is business plan software that walks you through writing a plan and building a financial forecast, then compares your forecast with real results. Verdict: it is a good choice for first-time founders and small business owners who want guidance and lender-ready financials, and who are happy to pay a monthly subscription. If you only need a one-off document or a free template, a cheaper tool or a spreadsheet may be enough. This review also covers Bplans, which we previously listed separately.
The official site is liveplan.com.
What LivePlan is and who it is for
LivePlan is a web-based tool for planning and managing a small business. You answer guided prompts to write a business plan, build linked profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheet forecasts, and, on the higher plan, track actual results against that plan. LivePlan says it is used by over one million small businesses.
It suits startups testing an idea or estimating funding needs, existing owners building budgets, and advisors, educators and accountants who help others plan. It is less suited to large teams, because each plan includes a limited number of contributors.
What about Bplans?
Bplans is a long-running site of business planning guides and free sample business plans. When we checked in October 2026, requests to bplans.com were being redirected to liveplan.com, so we could not verify what the Bplans site currently offers on its own. If you want sample plans, LivePlan includes a library of more than 550 of them. We have therefore folded the old Bplans page into this review.
Key features
- Guided plan builder: step-by-step prompts with AI drafting help and 550+ sample plans.
- Financial forecasting: linked profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheet projections, which you can start from scratch, from your own spreadsheet or from a QuickBooks or Xero import.
- Lender-readiness review: checks your plan and numbers the way a lender might and flags gaps.
- Pitch and idea tools: pitch presentation tools and Idea Validation are included.
- Premium tracking tools: QuickBooks Online and Xero connections, budget versus actual dashboards, a monthly financial review, what-if scenarios and market research with industry benchmarks.
- Support: email and live chat, with an optional paid add-on for one-on-one expert sessions.
Pricing
Prices are in US dollars per month, as listed on LivePlan’s pricing page, checked October 2026. Both plans can be billed monthly or yearly, and the per-month figure is lower when you pay yearly.
| Plan | Billed yearly (per month) | Billed monthly | Main extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $15 | $20 | Forecast and budget, funding-readiness review, AI writing help, sample plans, pitch tools |
| Premium | $30 | $40 | Everything in Standard plus accounting integrations, plan versus actual dashboards, what-if scenarios, market research |
| LivePlan Expert (add-on) | Not listed | $30 | One-on-one 30-minute video meetings and priority assistance |
Each plan includes one active company, five contributors and unlimited guests. You can create unlimited business plans, but only one can be open for editing at a time. LivePlan lists a 35-day money-back guarantee and says there are no contracts. We did not find a free trial listed on the pricing page.
Pros and cons
- Pro: clear guidance suits people who have never written a business plan.
- Pro: forecasts, statements and the lender-readiness review cover the numbers that banks and investors ask for.
- Pro: the Premium plan connects to QuickBooks Online and Xero to compare plan with actual results.
- Pro: a 35-day money-back guarantee lowers the risk of trying it.
- Con: it is an ongoing subscription for what is often a one-time task.
- Con: the most useful tracking features are only on Premium, which costs double.
- Con: only one plan can be edited at a time, which is awkward for advisors with many clients.
- Con: some reviewers on Capterra mention advanced financial features take time to learn and that there is no direct spreadsheet import.
Alternatives
- Upmetrics: AI-assisted plan writing, financial forecasting and a pitch deck builder. On its own comparison page, Upmetrics lists Premium at $14 per month billed annually with a 15-day money-back guarantee. That page is promotional and undated, so check current pricing on its site.
- Enloop: generates editable plan text and financial forecasts from a template. Capterra lists it from $19.95 per feature per month with a free trial, but that listing is unclaimed and its only review is from 2018, so verify the current product and price before relying on it.
- Spreadsheet and free templates: a free template with your own spreadsheet costs nothing, but you build and check the forecast logic yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Premium?
Standard is enough if you mainly need to write a plan and build a forecast. Choose Premium if you want to connect accounting software and keep comparing results with your plan.
Can I get a refund?
LivePlan states that all subscriptions come with a 35-day money-back guarantee. Read the current terms before you buy.
Will LivePlan get me funding?
No tool can promise that. LivePlan helps you prepare a plan and financial statements that lenders and investors expect, but the decision is theirs.
Does it work with accounting software?
Yes. LivePlan lists QuickBooks and Xero integrations, with the connections included in Premium.
Closing verdict
LivePlan is a solid, beginner-friendly option if you want a guided plan and credible financials in one place. Use the money-back window to test it, and compare Upmetrics before paying for a year.
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