Startup Runway Calculator
Months of cash left, with revenue and cost growth.
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Enter your numbers to see the result.
This startup runway calculator shows how many months your company can keep running before cash runs out. Enter cash in the bank, monthly costs, monthly revenue and how fast each is growing. It works out gross and net burn, months of runway, the month cash runs out, and whether revenue catches up with costs first.
What is a Startup Runway Calculator?
Runway is the number of months a startup can operate before it runs out of cash. It depends on cash in the bank and net burn, which is monthly costs minus monthly revenue. Gross burn is total monthly spending.
A simple runway divides cash by today’s net burn, but revenue and costs rarely stay flat. This startup runway calculator projects both month by month, so you can see when cash runs out or whether you become ‘default alive’, reaching break-even before the money ends.
How does the Startup Runway Calculator work?
Each month, the calculator subtracts net burn (costs minus revenue) from cash, then grows revenue and costs by their monthly rates. It stops when cash runs out or when revenue overtakes costs with cash still left.
How to use the Startup Runway Calculator step by step
- Enter cash in the bank.
- Enter monthly costs and revenue.
- Enter monthly growth for each.
- Read the runway and break-even month.
- Check the projection table.
- Plan fundraising or cost cuts accordingly.
Startup Runway Calculator example with real numbers
Your startup has ₹1.2 crore in the bank, spends ₹15 lakh a month and earns ₹4 lakh a month. Revenue grows 8% a month and costs 2%.
| Example input | Value |
|---|---|
| Cash in the bank | ₹1,20,00,000 |
| Monthly costs (gross burn) | ₹15,00,000 |
| Monthly revenue | ₹4,00,000 |
| Revenue growth per month | 8% |
| Cost growth per month | 2% |
| Example output | Value |
|---|---|
| Months of runway | 12 months |
| Net burn now | ₹11,00,000 a month |
| Gross burn now | ₹15,00,000 a month |
| Runway at today's burn (no growth) | 10.9 months |
| Break-even month | Not within runway |
| Rule of thumb | Start fundraising with 9–12 months of runway left |
Net burn today is ₹11,00,000 a month. At today’s burn you would last 10.9 months, but with growth the startup runway calculator shows 12 months: Cash runs out in month 12.
Key features of this Startup Runway Calculator
- Gross and net burn
- Simple and projected runway
- Break-even (default alive) check
- Projection table
- Indian rupee formatting
Who should use the Startup Runway Calculator?
Who is this Startup Runway Calculator for?
- Startup founders
- Finance leads
- Angel investors
- Incubator mentors
Practical use cases
- Planning a fundraise
- Testing cost cuts
- Checking default alive status
- Board meeting prep
Key benefits
- Realistic: growth included.
- Clear deadline: cash-out month.
- Decision tool: test scenarios fast.
- Private: no data shared.
Tips for better results
- Start fundraising with 9–12 months of runway left.
- Model a cautious revenue growth case.
- Cut costs early rather than late.
- Include one-off costs like annual licences.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming revenue growth that has not been seen yet.
- Ignoring rising costs from hiring.
- Using gross margin instead of cash.
- Waiting too long to raise.
Limitations of this Startup Runway Calculator
- It assumes smooth monthly growth.
- Fundraising, loans and one-off costs are not modelled.
- Projection is capped at 10 years.
Startup Runway Calculator vs other ways to calculate
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gross burn | Total monthly spending |
| Net burn | Spending minus revenue |
| Runway | Months until cash runs out |
| Default alive | Reaches profitability before cash runs out |
For uneven months, use the cash flow calculator. For unit economics, see the break even calculator.
Privacy and data handling
This Startup Runway Calculator runs entirely in your browser. The numbers you type are not sent to Qorico or stored on any server, and nothing is saved after you close the page. The Copy and Download buttons create the result on your own device. If the page has analytics turned on, it may count that a calculation happened, but it does not record the values you entered.
Startup Runway Calculator FAQs
What is startup runway?
The number of months until a startup runs out of cash at its current burn.
How do I calculate runway?
Cash in the bank ÷ monthly net burn, or a month-by-month projection that includes growth.
What is the difference between gross and net burn?
Gross burn is total spending; net burn is spending minus revenue.
How much runway should a startup have?
Many aim for 18–24 months after a raise and start the next raise with 9–12 months left.
What does default alive mean?
That the company will reach profitability with the cash it already has.
How can I extend runway?
Cut costs, raise prices, grow revenue faster or raise more funding.
Related tools
Sources and references
We checked the method and the current figures used in this Startup Runway Calculator against these official and primary sources:
Written and reviewed by the Qorico Team
