Startup Cost Calculator
Estimate exactly how much it costs to start your business. Pick your business type to pre-fill every line with real industry data, edit anything to match your plan, and see the total cash you need to launch. Free, includes licensing and legal fees, and exportable to PDF.
One-Time Startup Costs
$40,000Monthly Operating Costs
$8,000Cash needed to launch
$88,000
$40,000 one-time plus 6 months of operating costs
One-time
$40,000
Monthly
$8,000
First-year
$136,000
What Counts as a Startup Cost?
One-time costs are everything you pay once to open: licenses and permits, equipment and fixtures, leasehold improvements, initial inventory, deposits, branding, and professional fees.
Monthly operating costs are the recurring bills that keep the doors open: rent, payroll, utilities, insurance, software, and marketing.
Cash to launch is your one-time total plus a few months of operating costs as runway, because most businesses are not profitable on day one. Funding three to six months of runway is the most common safety margin.
Startup Cost Calculator FAQs
Is this startup cost calculator free?
Yes, it is completely free with no sign-up. Enter your own numbers or pre-fill the calculator with real cost data for 60+ business types, then print or save your estimate as a PDF.
How do I calculate startup costs for my business?
Add up your one-time costs (licenses and permits, equipment, build-out, initial inventory, deposits, branding, and professional fees) and your monthly operating costs (rent, payroll, utilities, insurance, software, and marketing). Your cash to launch is the one-time total plus several months of operating costs as runway.
Does it include licensing and legal fees?
Yes. The calculator has dedicated lines for licenses, permits, and registration, plus legal, accounting, and contingency, so your estimate reflects the fees first-time founders most often forget.
Can I get an industry-specific estimate?
Select your business type and every line pre-fills with real benchmark data for that industry, from cafes and bars to car washes and gas stations. Then edit any line to match your specific plan.
How much does it cost to start a small business?
Most small businesses cost between $10,000 and $250,000 to start, depending on the industry. Service and home-based businesses sit at the low end; restaurants, retail, and anything needing real estate or heavy equipment sit at the high end. Use the calculator for a figure specific to your business type.
Can I export or save my estimate?
Yes. Use the Print / Save as PDF button to download a clean copy of your startup cost breakdown, ready to drop into a business plan or share with a lender or investor.