Runway & Burn Calculator
Model your runway with real numbers. Toggle hiring, churn, and revenue scenarios to see how each decision shifts your survival timeline.
Runway is the number one metric founders obsess over. How many months until we run out of cash? But most founders calculate it wrong. They guess at burn, overestimate revenue, or don't model how hiring or revenue changes shift the timeline. The result: they think they have more time than they actually do.
This calculator takes your actual cash, monthly burn, and revenue, then models scenarios—new hires, cost cuts, revenue changes—to show exactly how long you can operate. See your zero-cash date and get specific guidance on whether your runway position is critical, caution, healthy, or strong.
Enter Your Numbers
Toggle scenarios to model changes:
How to Read Your Results
Runway is measured in months. The calculator compounds your revenue growth month-to-month, assuming it continues at the rate you enter. The zero-cash date tells you exactly when you'll run out of money if nothing changes. The advisory note categorizes your runway position: Critical (less than 6 months), Caution (6-12 months), Healthy (12-18 months), or Strong (18+ months).
Startup Runway Benchmarks
Runway benchmarks vary by stage and situation, but these ranges reflect typical healthy positions:
Common Mistakes When Calculating Runway
Forgetting Variable Costs in Burn Rate
Many founders only count fixed costs (salaries, rent) and forget variable costs scale with revenue. Payment processing, hosting, customer support—these all increase as you grow. Add them to burn or you'll overestimate runway.
Not Accounting for Growth in Revenue
If revenue is growing 10% month-over-month, your burn gets "offset" more each month. The calculator compounds this. But be conservative—if growth is sporadic or seasonal, use a lower number or zero.
Using "Average" Burn Instead of Current Burn
Use your current monthly burn rate, not a 3-month average. Burn often trends up (hiring, infrastructure) or down (cost cuts). The trend matters more than history.
Forgetting One-Time Expenses
Tax bills, insurance renewals, equipment purchases, legal fees—these hit in specific months. Budget for them. If you have a known big expense coming, model it into your burn or reduce your runway estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
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