Free Business Plan Templates, Samples and Spreadsheets
Download a sample business plan for your industry, a one-page plan, a lean canvas or Excel financial projections. Every template is free, editable and needs no sign-up.
Most popular business plan samples
Complete sample plans in Word and PDF with startup costs, KPIs and projections.
Restaurant Business Plan
A restaurant plan has to prove two things at once: that people in a specific neighborhood want this food at...
Food & HospitalityFood Truck Business Plan
A food truck plan is about mobility and repeatable stops.
Home ServicesCleaning and Janitorial Business Plan
Cleaning businesses are inexpensive to start and can grow quickly with recurring clients.
TransportationTrucking Business Plan
Trucking plans live and die on cost per mile.
Retail & EcommerceEcommerce and Online Store Business Plan
Online stores trade rent for marketing spend.
Food & HospitalityCoffee Shop Business Plan
Coffee shops sell a low-priced product many times a day, so the plan hinges on traffic, ticket size and speed.
Home ServicesLandscaping and Lawn Care Business Plan
Landscaping companies win on route density and recurring contracts.
Education & ChildcareDaycare and Childcare Center Business Plan
Childcare is regulated closely, so licensing and staff ratios shape every part of the plan.
Browse all industries
Planning templates
Quick ways to plan, test and present your idea.
One-Page Business Plan Template
Fit your whole plan on a single page.
Word + PDFLean Canvas Template
The startup version of the business model canvas.
Word + PDFBusiness Model Canvas Template
Map the nine building blocks of your business.
Word + PDFSWOT Analysis Template
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Word + PDFExecutive Summary Template
The first page every reader sees.
Word + PDFStartup Business Plan Template
The complete fill-in-the-blank plan.
Word + PDFSimple Business Plan Template
A short plan for small and local businesses.
Word + PDFMarketing Plan Template
Goals, audience, channels and budget.
Financial templates for Excel
Formulas already built in. Fill in the yellow cells and the totals calculate for you.
3-Year Financial Projections Template
Projected P&L and cash flow from simple assumptions.
ExcelStartup Costs Calculator
Add up one-time and monthly costs to open.
ExcelBreak-Even Analysis Template
Find the sales you need to cover costs.
Excel12-Month Cash Flow Forecast Template
Month-by-month cash in and cash out.
ExcelProfit and Loss Statement Template
12-month income statement.
ExcelBalance Sheet Template
Assets, liabilities and owner's equity.
ExcelSales Forecast Template
Units, prices and revenue by month.
ExcelPersonal Financial Statement Template
Your personal assets and debts for a lender.
Write your plan online, free
Our business plan builder walks you through every section and downloads a Word document.
How to write a business plan in 8 steps
Thinking about starting a business of your own? A business plan makes you think through the good and the bad before you commit, and it is the first thing a lender will ask for. Here is the short version:
- Describe the company: what you do, where, and your legal structure.
- Explain your products and services and why they are better.
- Research your market: who buys and how many of them there are.
- Study the competition and say how you will win.
- Plan your marketing: channels, budget and launch.
- Describe operations and your team.
- Build financial projections: startup costs, profit and loss, cash flow and break-even.
- Write the executive summary last, and include your funding request.
Read the full step-by-step guide, or see every business plan section explained. Looking for the original template from this site? Download the classic business plan template (.doc).
Frequently asked questions
What is a business plan?
A business plan is a written document that describes your business, its market, how it will make money and what it needs to succeed. It is used to plan the business and to apply for loans or investment.
Are these business plan templates really free?
Yes. Every template on this site is free to download and use for your own business, with no sign-up or email required.
Which template should I use?
If you are testing an idea, start with the one-page business plan or lean canvas. If you need a loan or investors, use a sample plan for your industry or the startup business plan template, along with the Excel financial projections.
What format are the downloads?
Business plans and planning templates come in Word (.docx) and PDF. Financial templates are Excel (.xlsx) files that also open in Google Sheets and LibreOffice.