Pre-revenue after a $500k pre-seed
A small team spending $40k a month with no revenue yet. Simple division: about a year before the next raise has to close.
Result: 12 months of runway
Free tool
Startup runway calculator
How many months your cash lasts at today's burn and revenue growth — and whether you're default alive or need to raise.
Never runs out — breakeven in month 20.
Net burn now$45k/mo
BreakevenMonth 20
StatusDefault alive
At this growth rate, revenue catches up with spending before the cash runs out.
| Month | Revenue | Cash left |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $17k | $469k |
| 6 | $22k | $350k |
| 9 | $28k | $247k |
| 12 | $35k | $165k |
| 15 | $44k | $107k |
| 18 | $56k | $82k |
| 21 | $70k | $96k |
| 24 | $88k | $161k |
| 27 | $111k | $290k |
| 30 | $140k | $499k |
| 33 | $176k | $809k |
| 36 | $222k | $1.2M |
Updated Oct 1, 2026
Worked examples
Seed-stage SaaS growing 10% a month
$1.5M in the bank, $120k monthly burn and $30k MRR growing 10% month on month.
Result: Never runs out — breakeven in month 16.
Close to breakeven
$400k left, $50k burn, $35k revenue growing 6% a month — growth gets there before the cash runs out.
Result: Never runs out — breakeven in month 8.
How it works
Each month, revenue grows by your growth rate, spending stays flat, and the difference comes out of the bank. Runway is the number of full months before cash goes negative; breakeven is the first month revenue covers spending. Enter amounts in any currency — the $ sign is only a label.
Common questions
How do you calculate startup runway?
Runway is cash in the bank divided by monthly net burn (spending minus revenue). This calculator also grows revenue each month, so a growing company's runway is longer than the simple division suggests.
What does default alive mean?
A company is default alive if, at its current growth rate and spending, revenue catches up with costs before the cash runs out — it survives without raising again. Otherwise it is default dead and needs to raise, cut costs or grow faster.
How much runway should a startup have?
Many founders aim for 18–24 months after a raise, and start fundraising with at least six months left, because raising often takes several months.
Read more: What is runway? · Burn rate · Bridge rounds · SAFE dilution calculator
General information, not legal, tax or investment advice.