Business
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Startup Runway Calculator.
Calculate how many months of cash your business has left
Set your values
Results update as you type.
Financials
Total liquid assets available.
Average monthly income (MRR).
Total operating costs (Salaries, SaaS, Rent, etc.).
Burn Rate is the speed at which your company is losing money. Low burn rate equals more time to find product-market fit.
Months of Runway
10.0Estimated Survival Until: September 2027
Warning: Less than 12 months of runway remaining. It may be time to focus on fundraising or increasing revenue.
FAQs
What is startup runway?
Runway is the number of months a business can continue to operate before it runs out of money, assuming revenue and expenses stay constant.
What is burn rate?
Burn rate is the amount of money your company is losing each month. It is calculated as Monthly Expenses minus Monthly Revenue.
What is "Default Alive"?
A startup is "Default Alive" if it is already profitable or will reach profitability before running out of its current cash reserves.
How to Use the Startup Runway Calculator
Transparency on your cash position is vital for startup survival. This calculator helps you see how much 'time' you have left to reach profitability or raise another round of funding.
- Enter your current 'Cash on Hand' (liquid bank balance).
- Input your average 'Monthly Revenue' (MRR or total receipts).
- Enter your total 'Monthly Expenses' (all operating costs including salaries).
- Review your monthly burn rate and total months of runway remaining.
The Math of Burning Cash
Runway calculation is the most critical metric for any venture-backed or bootstrapped company.
Monthly Burn Rate
This represents how much money your company 'burns' or loses every month. If revenue is higher than expenses, your burn rate is zero.
Example:
Input: $15,000 expenses, $5,000 revenue
Calculation: 15,000 - 5,000
Result: $10,000 monthly burn
Runway (Months)
Calculates exactly how many months you can continue operating at current levels before your bank balance hits zero.
Example:
Input: $100,000 cash, $10,000 burn
Calculation: 100,000 ÷ 10,000
Result: 10 months
Strategic Runway Planning
Use this data to make critical decisions for your startup.
Fundraising Calibration
Start your next fundraising round when you still have 6-9 months of runway. Never wait until the last minute.
Hiring Decisions
Before hiring a new employee, see how their salary will impact your burn rate and reduce your total runway.
Pivot vs. Persevere
If runway is getting short and growth is stalled, use this calculation to decide if a shift in strategy is needed.
Startup Survival Tips
Tips
- Always keep a 'buffer' of at least 3 months for unexpected expenses or market downturns.
- Monthly burn can fluctuate; use a 3-month average for a more realistic estimate.
- Focus on 'Gross Margin'—know how much it actually costs you to deliver your product before fixed costs.
- Reducing fixed costs (like expensive office space) is the fastest way to extend runway.
- Revenue is the best fuel; focusing on sales preserves runway more effectively than cutting costs alone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Underestimating 'hidden' costs like taxes, insurance, and annual software renewals.
- Excluding the founder's own salary from the expense calculation.
- Being overly optimistic about revenue growth projections while burn remains high.
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Cite this calculator
Canonical URL: https://mathify.one/en/business/startup-runway
Cite as: Mathify. (2026). Startup Runway Calculator. https://mathify.one/en/business/startup-runway
Use Cases
Assess financial health for fundraising
Determine how many months of runway you have to show investors, helping you plan your next funding round.
Example: With $300k cash, $10k revenue, and $40k expenses, your runway is 10 months.
Plan cost-cutting measures
See how reducing expenses or increasing revenue extends your runway, guiding budget decisions.
Example: Cutting expenses by $5k/month adds 2 months to your runway.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is the monthly burn rate calculated?
- The monthly burn rate is calculated as expenses minus revenue. If your expenses are $50,000 and revenue is $20,000, your burn rate is $30,000 per month.
- What does the runway represent?
- Runway is the number of months your startup can operate before running out of cash, assuming no changes in revenue or expenses. It's calculated by dividing your current cash by the monthly burn rate.
- Can I use this calculator if my revenue exceeds expenses?
- Yes. If revenue is greater than expenses, your burn rate is negative, meaning you are cash-flow positive. In that case, the runway is not applicable, but the calculator will indicate that you are not burning cash.
Tips & Common Mistakes
Tips
- Use conservative estimates for revenue and expenses to avoid overestimating your runway.
- Re-calculate your runway monthly as your financials change.
- Include all recurring expenses, not just salaries, to get an accurate burn rate.
- Consider having at least 6 months of runway to give your startup time to grow.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to subtract revenue from expenses, leading to an overestimated burn rate.
- Using one-time expenses or revenue in the calculation, which distorts the monthly average.
- Ignoring that runway is a static estimate; it doesn't account for future changes in revenue or expenses.
Last updated: August 13, 2026