The number every fundraiser must know
- 100%
- Of pitch decks need it
- <2 min
- Average time to calculate
- 12
- Languages supported
- Free
- No credit card required
Free founder calculator
Know your burn rate before investors ask
Drop in your cash on hand, monthly revenue, and monthly expenses. We show you the burn rate and runway VCs want to see in your deck.
- Monthly burn rate in dollars and as a runway figure
- Net burn versus gross burn, the way investors track it
- Free. No card. Localized in 12 languages.
Used by founders raising at YC, Techstars, 500, Antler, and Google for Startups.
Created by founders from top global accelerators
How it works
Three numbers. One clear answer. Zero spreadsheet wrestling.
- 01
Drop in your three numbers
Cash on hand, monthly revenue, monthly expenses. Take them from your last bank statement and your accounting software.
- 02
We compute net and gross burn
Net burn = expenses minus revenue. Gross burn = full expenses. Both numbers matter, in different conversations.
- 03
Get runway and scenario breakdowns
Months of runway at current burn, plus stress-tested scenarios (no revenue, 20% revenue drop) ready for your deck.
See what you'll get
A clear burn breakdown ready to drop into your pitch deck. Sign up to calculate your own and see scenario projections.
Sample result
Net monthly burn$48,500Monthly expenses minus monthly revenue. The number that actually drains your bank.
Gross monthly burn$72,000All monthly expenses, before revenue. What investors stress-test on a worst-case scenario.
Runway14 monthsMonths until cash runs out at the current net burn. 12 months is the minimum to start raising the next round.
Sign up to calculate your own burn and see month-by-month runway projections.
What burn rate actually tells investors
Burn is not just a number. It is a story about discipline. Four things partners read into it.
01
Low burn at low revenue is fine. High burn at low revenue is not.
A $20k burn at $0 revenue is a lean pre-revenue startup. A $200k burn at $5k revenue is a problem. Investors look at the ratio of burn to traction. They fund efficiency, not just speed.
02
12 months of runway is the minimum to start raising
Fundraising takes 3 to 6 months at the seed stage, longer at Series A. If you have less than 12 months of runway, investors smell desperation. Start raising when you have 14 to 18 months, not 6.
03
Track net burn weekly, not monthly
Monthly looks like a single number. Weekly looks like a trend. If burn is climbing 5% week over week and you do not know why, find out before the next board update. Investors hate surprises more than they hate bad numbers.
04
Burn that pays for revenue is good debt
Burn on engineering and customer acquisition that produces revenue is investment. Burn on a fancy office or a CFO before $1M ARR is waste. Investors do the breakdown. Make sure your line items survive scrutiny.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between gross and net burn?
Gross burn is total monthly expenses. Net burn is expenses minus revenue. Net burn is the number that drains your bank. Gross is the number investors stress-test against worst-case scenarios where revenue goes to zero.
Should I include my salary in burn rate?
Yes. Founder salary is a real expense and investors expect to see it included. If you are paying yourself nothing (common pre-seed), include market salary as an implied burn so the model is honest about long-term sustainability.
What is a healthy burn rate for a seed-stage SaaS?
Depends on revenue. As a rule, burn 12 to 18 months out from the next raise, and aim for burn multiple under 3 (every $3 of burn produces $1 of new ARR). Series A standard is burn multiple under 1.5.
Does this calculator account for non-recurring revenue?
It treats whatever you put in as monthly recurring. For seasonal or one-off revenue, average the last 6 months. For accurate burn modeling on lumpy revenue, use a 6-month rolling average instead of a snapshot.
How often should I recalculate?
Monthly minimum. Weekly if you are 6 months from running out. Burn changes faster than founders expect, especially around hiring, marketing pushes, and infrastructure scaling.
Keep going
Burn is one number. Here are the others investors will ask for.
Round Funded
Know your burn. Raise the round.
Round Funded gives you the numbers, the investors, and the outreach so you raise on real metrics, not hope. Track every send and reply in one pipeline.