Runway is the number that decides everything else — hiring, spending, when to raise. This tells you how many months of cash you have left, in plain English.
What this tool does
You enter your cash on hand and your monthly cash in and out; it shows your net monthly burn and how many months of runway you have.
Who it's for
Founders and operators who want a clear, honest read on how long the business can keep running.
How to use it — step by step
- Enter cash on hand. What's actually in the bank today.
- Enter monthly cash in and out. Real cash, not accounting profit.
- Read your runway. Net burn and months remaining.
- Decide with it. Use the number to time hires, cuts, or a raise.
How to read your result
If runway is under ~6 months, you're in raise-or-cut territory now, not later. Runway shrinks faster than people expect once burn creeps up — recheck it monthly.
Worked examples
The same tool behaves differently depending on what you put in. Here are 3 situations.
Flat burn
Inputs: $300k cash, $50k in, $90k out.
What the tool shows: Net burn $40k/month → 7.5 months of runway.
What to do: Start a raise now — fundraising takes longer than 7 months.
Burn creeping up
Inputs: Same cash, but spend rising each month.
What the tool shows: Shows runway is shorter than a flat calc suggests once burn grows.
What to do: Freeze new spend until you've re-based the number.
Revenue offsetting burn
Inputs: Growing revenue reduces net burn.
What the tool shows: Longer runway as cash-in rises — but only if revenue is real cash, not invoices.
What to do: Confirm collections before you count the runway.
Common questions
Cash or profit? Cash — runway is about the bank balance, not accounting profit.
How often should I check? Monthly, and before any big spending decision.
What's a safe runway? Enough to close a raise with margin — usually 12+ months when you start.