# Burn rate and runway calculator: how many months of cash are left

> Gross burn is total monthly spending; net burn is spending minus revenue. Runway = cash in the bank ÷ net burn. With $500,000 in cash, $90,000 of monthly costs and $40,000 of revenue, net burn is $50,000 and runway is 10 months. If revenue grows faster than costs, runway stretches; the company is “default alive” if it reaches break-even before the cash runs out.

- Interactive version: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator
- Type: free instant calculator
- Category: SaaS
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-05
- Publisher: Infikey Technologies (https://infikeytechnologies.com)

## Example result (default inputs)

| Input | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Currency | USD ($) |
| Cash in the bank | 500,000 |
| Monthly revenue | 40,000 |
| Monthly expenses (gross burn) | 90,000 |
| Monthly revenue growth | 5% |
| Monthly expense growth | 2% |

**Runway with growth: 10 months.** Net burn is $50,000 a month. At today’s numbers runway is 10 months; with the growth rates entered, cash runs out in month 11.

Default dead at current rates: cash runs out in month 11. Start fundraising or plan cost cuts while you still have negotiating time.

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Gross burn per month | $90,000 |
| Net burn per month | $50,000 |
| Runway at today’s numbers | 10 months |
| Break-even month | Not before cash runs out |
| Lowest cash balance | -$26,913 |
| Default alive? | No |

### Cash balance forecast

| Item | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Today | $500,000 |  |
| Month 1 | $450,000 |  |
| Month 2 | $400,200 |  |
| Month 3 | $350,664 |  |
| Month 4 | $301,460 |  |
| Month 5 | $252,662 |  |
| Month 6 | $204,346 |  |
| Month 7 | $156,595 |  |
| Month 8 | $109,497 |  |
| Month 9 | $63,146 |  |
| Month 10 | $17,641 |  |
| Month 11 | -$26,913 |  |

- Growth rates compound every month. Model a cautious case too: halve revenue growth and see whether the company is still default alive.

Open this result on the website: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator?currency=USD&cash=500000&revenue=40000&expenses=90000&revenue_growth=5&expense_growth=2

## Use from a link or API

Add these query parameters to https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator (pre-filled page), https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator.md (this plain-text page) or https://infikeytechnologies.com/api/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator (JSON).

| Parameter | Meaning | Accepted values |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `currency` | Currency | one of USD, INR, AED, GBP, EUR |
| `cash` | Cash in the bank | number from 0 to 100000000000 (in the chosen currency), default 500000 |
| `revenue` | Monthly revenue | number from 0 to 10000000000 (in the chosen currency), default 40000 |
| `expenses` | Monthly expenses (gross burn) | number from 0 to 10000000000 (in the chosen currency), default 90000 |
| `revenue_growth` | Monthly revenue growth | number from -50 to 100 (%), default 5 |
| `expense_growth` | Monthly expense growth | number from -50 to 100 (%), default 2 |

- Seed-stage startup: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator?currency=USD&cash=1500000&revenue=15000&expenses=110000&revenue_growth=10&expense_growth=2
- Series A SaaS: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator?currency=USD&cash=8000000&revenue=250000&expenses=600000&revenue_growth=6&expense_growth=2
- Bootstrapped, near break-even: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator?currency=USD&cash=120000&revenue=45000&expenses=52000&revenue_growth=3&expense_growth=0.5

## How it is calculated

- **Net burn**: monthly expenses − monthly revenue
- **Runway (simple)**: cash ÷ net burn
- **Runway with growth**: months until cash + Σ (revenue × (1 + g_r)^(m−1) − expenses × (1 + g_e)^(m−1)) < 0

## Gross burn vs net burn

Gross burn is everything you spend in a month: salaries, rent, software, marketing. Net burn subtracts revenue, and is what actually drains the bank account.

Investors look at both: net burn for runway, gross burn for how much the company could cut if revenue fell.

## How much runway is enough?

- Fundraising commonly takes three to six months from first meetings to money in the bank.
- Many founders aim for 18–24 months of runway after a raise.
- Start fundraising with at least 6–9 months of runway left to avoid negotiating under pressure.

## Ways to extend runway

- Offer annual plans paid up front.
- Pause hiring and review every software subscription.
- Move to usage-based cloud pricing and right-size infrastructure.
- Focus sales on the shortest sales cycles.
- Use an offshore development team for engineering capacity at a lower monthly cost.

## FAQ

### How do you calculate runway?

Divide cash in the bank by monthly net burn. $500,000 of cash and $50,000 net burn gives 10 months of runway.

### What is the difference between gross burn and net burn?

Gross burn is total monthly expenses. Net burn is expenses minus revenue — the amount the cash balance actually falls each month.

### What does default alive mean?

A startup is default alive if, at current revenue growth and costs, it reaches profitability before running out of money. Otherwise it is default dead and needs funding or cuts.

### How much runway should a startup have?

Commonly 18–24 months after raising, and fundraising should start with at least six to nine months left.

## Get expert help

Send these results to an Infikey Technologies specialist from the form on https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/burn-rate-runway-calculator#estimate or via https://infikeytechnologies.com/contact.

More free calculators: https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools.md

## Disclaimer

This calculator is provided free for general information and planning only. Results are estimates based on the inputs you enter and the assumptions described on this page, reference data such as published prices may change, and actual costs and outcomes will differ. Nothing on this page is financial, legal, tax, investment or other professional advice. Infikey Technologies Private Limited, Infikey Technologies LLC and their directors, employees and affiliates make no warranty, express or implied, about the accuracy, completeness or suitability of this tool or its results, and accept no liability for any loss or damage, direct or indirect, arising from its use or from reliance on its results. Verify all figures independently and seek professional advice before making any decision. Use of this tool is at your own risk.