Runway Calculator
Calculate Runway metrics for ecommerce, SaaS, marketing, and operations.
This runway calculator finds how many months a company can continue operating at its current spending rate, based on cash balance and monthly net burn rate - a critical planning number for any business not yet consistently profitable.
Enter your current cash balance and monthly net burn rate, and the calculator returns your runway in months.
Worked Calculation Examples
| Scenario | Result | Calculation Step |
|---|---|---|
| $600,000 cash, $50,000 net monthly burn | 12 months of runway | Runway = 600,000 ÷ 50,000 = 12 months. |
| $300,000 cash, $20,000 net monthly burn | 15 months of runway | Runway = 300,000 ÷ 20,000 = 15 months. |
The Runway Formula
Runway (months) = cash balance / monthly net burn rate. A company with $600,000 in the bank burning $50,000 net per month has 12 months of runway - though this assumes a constant burn rate, which often changes as a company grows or cuts costs.
Why Runway Drives Fundraising Timing
Most startups aim to begin fundraising well before runway reaches zero - commonly 6+ months ahead - since raising capital takes significant time and negotiating from a position of urgency (very low remaining runway) typically results in worse terms than raising proactively.
How to Use the Runway Calculator
- Open the Runway Calculator and enter the values requested in the input fields.
- Check the units, percentages, dates, or time periods before reading the answer.
- Review the instant result and adjust any value to compare another scenario.
- Use the formula, example, and FAQs below to understand how the runway calculator works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate startup runway?
Divide current cash balance by monthly net burn rate: runway (months) = cash balance / net burn rate.
How much runway should a startup maintain?
Many startups aim to start fundraising when 6-12 months of runway remain, since raising capital typically takes several months and starting too late can force less favorable terms.
Does runway change if burn rate changes?
Yes - runway is a snapshot calculation based on current burn rate. If spending increases or revenue grows and reduces net burn, the runway figure changes accordingly and should be recalculated regularly.
How do I use this runway calculator?
Enter the known values, review the units or settings, and the calculator updates the result instantly. The formula and example on this page show how the answer is produced.
What does the Runway Calculator calculate?
Calculate Runway metrics for ecommerce, SaaS, marketing, and operations. It is designed for fast browser-based calculations without sign-up, downloads, or manual spreadsheet setup.
What formula does this runway use?
The formula is: Runway (months) = Cash Balance ÷ Net Monthly Burn. The aviation metaphor - runway representing the distance available before a plane must either take off (reach profitability or raise new funding) or run out of room - became standard startup terminology alongside burn rate in the venture capital vocabulary of the dot-com era, and remains one of the first metrics investors ask about when evaluating a startup's financial position.
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Last updated: September 27, 2026.