Runway Calculator
Project how long your startup can operate with its current cash, burn rate, and revenue growth.
Total cash available in the bank
Total monthly operating expenses
Current monthly revenue
Monthly revenue growth rate
Enter your cash and burn details, then click Calculate.
How Runway Calculation Works
What is Runway?
Runway tells you how long your startup can survive with its current cash and spending patterns. It is the most fundamental survival metric for any venture-backed company. Without enough runway, you cannot execute your strategy, and you lose negotiating leverage with investors.
Simple Runway Calculation
The basic formula is straightforward: Runway = Cash Balance / Monthly Net Burn. If you have $1.5M in the bank and spend $100K more than you earn each month, you have 15 months of runway. This simple calculation assumes flat revenue and expenses.
Modeling Revenue Growth
In practice, most startups have growing revenue. This calculator lets you model monthly revenue growth to get a more accurate projection. With a 10% monthly growth rate, a startup earning $20K/month would earn $22K next month, $24.2K the month after, and so on. This compounding effect can significantly extend your runway.
Month-by-Month Projection
Rather than a single number, this calculator shows you a month-by-month cash projection. You can see exactly when cash runs out, how revenue growth bends the curve, and at what point you might reach breakeven. This detailed view helps you plan fundraising timing and expense management.
Default Alive vs Default Dead
Paul Graham coined these terms: if your current trajectory leads to profitability before cash runs out, you are "default alive." If not, you are "default dead." Knowing which category you fall into changes how you should operate and how urgently you need to fundraise.