Top 5 LivePlan Alternatives

Navigating the world of business planning software can feel overwhelming for entrepreneurs and small business owners. While popular tools like LivePlan offer comprehensive solutions, it’s always beneficial to explore the market and understand your options. Every business has unique needs, and what works perfectly for one may not be ideal for another. 

This article will cover some of the top business planning platforms available today. It’ll examine their standout features, pricing structures, and target audiences to help you make an informed decision about which tool might best support your business’s growth and success.

Top LivePlan Competitors (2024)

LivePlan is a popular business planning software option that offers a user-friendly interface for creating professional business plans and financial forecasts as well as conducting performance tracking. It’s known for its step-by-step guidance, industry-specific plan templates, and ability to generate visually appealing reports. 

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners appreciate LivePlan for its comprehensive features and ease of use. But, while LivePlan is an excellent tool for many, exploring alternatives can prove beneficial. Different businesses have varying needs in terms of complexity, customization, and/or specific industry features. Some may prefer more advanced financial modeling capabilities while others might seek simpler, more affordable options for basic planning. Additionally, as the business software landscape evolves, new platforms emerge with innovative features or specialized focuses that could align more closely with your specific business goals or workflow preferences.

Best LivePlan Competitors & Alternatives in 2024:

1. Upmetrics
2. Bizplan
3. Enloop
4. PlanGuru
5. IdeaBuddy

1. Upmetrics  – $7/month to $37/month

First on our list is one of the most affordable and advanced business plan tools—Upmetrics. It’s designed for startups and small businesses seeking a user-friendly yet feature-rich platform. Here’s what we like most about Upmetrics:

• Sample Plans: Upmetrics offers an extensive library of sample business plans crafted for different industries. These modern templates allow you to create professional, customizable business plans more effectively with minimal effort. 
• Realistic Financial Forecasting: With its AI capabilities and automated forecast calculators, Upmetrics lets you generate detailed financial statements and offers clear insights into revenue streams, expenses, and profitability over time. It also helps users visualize their business’s financial health and projections.
• AI Pitch Deck Creator: In addition to business plans, Upmetrics also provides tools for creating investor-ready pitch decks and streamlines the process of preparing professional presentations. These features enable you to clearly communicate your business model, goals, and financial projections.

Upmetrics comes with 3 subscription models that cater to different business needs and preferences. The Starter plan costs just $7/month, the Premium plan is priced at $14/month, and the professional plan is available for $37/month. There’s even a 15-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Upmetrics review to learn more.

2. Bizplan – $29/month to $349 for lifetime access

Moving on to our next pick, we’re talking about Bizplan due to their affordable lifetime plan that grants perpetual access to their business plan software. The additional free tools like Startup Courses and LaunchRock make Bizplan an even better value. We also like the following features:

• Templates: Just drag and drop to add charts, graphs, and other graphics to make your plan more visually appealing and professional. The templates handle the formatting so you don’t have to mess with spreadsheets and layouts.
• Guidance: Bizplan breaks down the process down into manageable steps and provides guidance every step of the way. You’ll never feel lost or unsure when building your business plan with Bizplan’s helpful support.
• Shareability: Bizplan makes it easy to get your business plan in front of investors and spread brand awareness. Their software allows you to publish a digital version of your completed plan that is perfectly formatted and professional looking.

With plans starting at just $29 per month, Bizplan offers an affordable path to creating professional business plans. They also offer annual access for $249 per year for greater savings or a one-time fee of $349 to lock in lifetime access to this powerful software.

3. Enloop – Free to $39.95/month

Enloop is another one of the more popular business planning software companies. They offer a full suite of features including a focused approach towards statistics and analysis. Because of this, they offer a number of number-centric features such as:

• Performance Scoring: Enloop’s founder wanted to create a platform that helped you to see all the potential pitfalls in your business plan. Because of this, Enloop developed a performance-scoring tool that analyses you proposed business plan and gives you a numerical assessment. The higher your score, the better your business plan.
• Financial Forecasting: As you input information into your business plan, Enloop generates a number of financial reports including balance sheets, profits & loss, cash flow and more, so you can see exactly where your business is heading.
• Report Card: When you’re ready to start presenting your business plan, Enloop runs a secondary analysis of your plan and provides you with a final report. It looks at three key areas, including: performance score, critical financial metrics and positive cash flow.

Enloop offers two different packages that range in price, features, and the number of users. The company’s Detailed package starts at $19.95 per month while its Performance package costs $39.95 per month, making Enloop an extremely cost-effective option.

4. PlanGuru – $99/month to $299/month

PlanGuru is a comprehensive financial planning and analysis software tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, accountants, and financial advisors. It goes beyond basic business planning, offering tools to dive deep into your company’s financial health and future prospects. A few of our favorite features included with the platform are: 

• Forecasting Methods: Users gain access to more than 20 standard forecasting methods. Plus, the platform allows for forecasting using assumptions and key performance indicators (KPIs). 
• Robust Importing: Users’ import interactions are compatible with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Microsoft Excel for up to five years of actual results.  
• Unlimited Scenarios: All users — regardless of plan — receive an unlimited number of scenarios per company.  

PlanGuru offers two plans for businesses and nonprofits. The Single Entity plan includes one user and costs $83 per month when billed annually. The second plan option, Multi-Department Consolidations, includes three users and costs $250 per month when billed annually. 

5. IdeaBuddy – Free to $40/month

IdeaBuddy is an intuitive business planning and financial performance management platform designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners turn their ideas into actionable plans. It combines visual brainstorming tools with practical business planning features, making it particularly appealing for those who prefer a more creative and interactive approach to business strategy. Some of the features we consider the most notable include: 

• AI Requests: IdeaBuddy users receive up to 1,500 AI requests for creating business plans and financial statements.
• Customizable Templates: Users can access the platform’s business plan templates to create a customized business plan quickly and easily. 
• Traditional and Lean Canvas Plans: Users can choose between a traditional business plan or a one-page, lean canvas business plan. 

IdeaBuddy offers three plan options as well as a free, 15-day trial. The first paid option is the Dreamer plan, which starts at $6 per month for one user when billed annually. The second option —  the Founder plan — starts at $9 per month for one user when billed annually. Finally, the third option — the Team Pro plan — starts at $11 per month for one user when billed annually. 

The Bottom Line

While LivePlan remains a solid choice for many entrepreneurs, it’s always worth considering alternatives that might align even more closely with your specific goals and working style. 

One alternative that’s been gaining traction is Upmetrics. This platform offers business and financial planning features that could ideally suit your needs. 

Upmetrics might be worth a closer look if you’ve enjoyed the strengths of LivePlan, but are curious about what else is out there. Remember, the best tool is the one that helps you turn your business vision into reality so don’t hesitate to explore your options and find the perfect fit for your entrepreneurial journey.