LivePlan

Overview

LivePlan is a business-planning service for founders and established companies that want financial forecasts connected to a written plan. Its strongest case is keeping plans and projections linked; the online-only workflow and one-active-company limit narrow its fit.

Key features

LivePlan links income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet forecasts, updating them when an assumption changes. That makes scenario analysis more useful for weighing a change across the financial picture, rather than treating each projection as a separate document. Cash-flow modeling is supported, while tax and insurance planning are not.

AI-powered idea validation helps users assess whether a business idea is worth pursuing. The market research feature draws, according to LivePlan, on more than 50 verified sources and provides geography-specific insights, a practical combination for evaluating a business in its intended market.

Users can generate a presentation from a plan, edit it in LivePlan, and export it to PDF or PowerPoint. More than 550 sample business plans provide starting points and examples. QuickBooks Online and Xero integrations pull accounting data into forecasts and dashboards, which can help businesses connect planning with their books.

Pricing

LivePlan’s pricing information includes a starting price of $15/mo (annual), while its named plans are priced monthly: Standard is $20 a month, and Premium is $40 a month. Both list one active company, five contributors, and unlimited guests. The one-company allowance is a real constraint for users managing several ventures: only one company can be active at a time.

The plan summaries give the same seat and company limits for Standard and Premium, so those limits do not distinguish the two. LivePlan Expert is a $30 a month add-on for 30-minute video meetings; the separately named LivePlan Expert (add-on) is also $30 a month and specifies 30-minute one-on-one video meetings plus priority assistance.

There is no free plan or free trial, so buyers must commit before using the service. LivePlan advertises a 35-day money-back guarantee. Chat support and weekday email support, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm (PST), are listed. The lower annual starting price is relevant to cost-conscious buyers willing to pay annually; those preferring monthly billing can choose the published Standard or Premium monthly rates.

Platforms

LivePlan is offered for Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows, but it requires an internet connection for all functions and has no mobile app. Mobile access runs through a device’s browser, so it is not suited to offline planning.

LivePlan says data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS, backed up daily, and stored on AWS infrastructure whose data centers undergo regular SOC 2 audits. The company says it submits an SAQ A 3.2 self-assessment for PCI compliance and can provide its certificate upon request after an NDA.

Who it's for

Startups can use the idea assessment, market research, sample plans, and connected forecasts to move from a concept toward a financial plan and presentation. Established companies may find the accounting integrations and performance tracking more relevant. The service also describes offerings for advisors, educators, and SBA partners. It is a weaker fit for teams that need multiple companies active at once or offline access.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Linked financial statements update when assumptions change, making scenario analysis less fragmented.
• Pro: Research, idea validation, sample plans, and presentation exports cover several stages of business planning.
• Pro: QuickBooks Online and Xero connections can bring accounting data into forecasts and dashboards.
• Con: No free plan or trial means there is no no-cost way to evaluate it before purchase, although a 35-day money-back guarantee is advertised.
• Con: One active company at a time limits users handling multiple businesses, even with five contributors and unlimited guests.
• Con: The internet requirement and browser-only mobile access rule out offline work and a dedicated mobile app.
• Con: Tax and insurance planning are not supported, so it does not cover those planning needs.

Alternatives

For personal financial planning rather than business plans, Boldin offers a free Basic plan with 100+ inputs, interactive explorers, charts, and up to five Boldin AI questions per day; it also has a free trial. Choose it when personal financial modeling is the priority.

ProjectionLab is another personal-finance-oriented option, with a free Basic plan covering forecasting, financial planning, Monte Carlo simulations, historical backtesting, and flexible modeling. Its listed platform set also includes API access.

myprosperity offers a free Starter plan through Partner plans, with client subscription features and one-time bank and credit-card sync and property and car valuations. Betterment offers free access and Digital and Premium tiers with balance or investment thresholds. MyPlan has a free web plan for net-worth and portfolio tracking, goals, budgeting, document storage, and estate-planning tools. Planswell is a free option for Android, iOS, and web. PlanTechHub offers free access accounts alongside paid services and shared advisor plans. MyOwnFP is a freemium web option.

Browse Business Plan Software, Financial Forecasting Software, Financial Modeling Software, Scenario Planning Software, or Financial Planning Software to compare categories.

Verdict

LivePlan is a strong choice for startups and operating businesses that want a business plan tied to connected forecasts, research, and pitch materials. Its main advantage is keeping planning and financial projections together; look elsewhere if you need free evaluation, offline use, multiple active companies, or tax and insurance planning.