A new business generally needs two things. First, it needs a reason to exist. What are you going to bring to the marketplace that no one else is providing or how are you going to provide an existing product in a “better” fashion? Second, you’re going to need some cash. Even if you’re just going to be making websites in your bedroom, you’ll need some money for internet access, food, and some software or hosting.

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These two problems can both be addressed through a solid business plan.

A business plan tells you – and anyone you decide to share it with – what your core function is. It helps you focus in on the things that you do best and it gives you metrics to determine what your success looks like. I say, “It gives you,” but really it’s just a template for managing your own thoughts.

In the same way that a blueprint is the physical manifestation of a building plan, a business plan is the physical manifestation of your business goals. Could you build a house without drawing up a blueprint? Sure. Is it a super good idea that we’re all about to adopt? Not even close.

In addition to putting your own thoughts on paper and making the organization process more structured, a good business plan is also your pitch. When you go into the bank, you’re going in with a clear message about what you do, who buys it, and how much you’re expecting them to spend with you over time.

The forecasting and economic consolidation that happens in your business plan makes talking to the bank – or VC or neighbor or rich uncle – that much easier.

To help you pull a plan together, there are – of course – plenty of software solutions. These range from the simple to the complex. You can opt for a solution that basically just lays the material you create out or one that helps you with every step of the process.

Today, we’ll look a few free business plan software options to help get you started. I’ll also give you a few non-software solutions, just in case you want to get your hands a bit dirty.

Note: Your hands may not get dirty, except in a metaphorical sense. Much depends on the type of pen you employ.

Free business plan software options

1. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software solution. There are a few different versions, depending on how many business plans you want to make, but for one plan, you can get a free account. As an additional little bonus, if you happen to teach business at a high school or university, StratCloud has a free version of its Unlimited offering.

That little bonus points to what StratCoud is really all about. The company provides workshops, videos, and educational blogs for entrepreneurs. It makes the bulk of its revenue not through subscriptions, but through the introductions it provides via StratPad Connect.

There, business coaches, accountants, and other professionals can connect with new businesses. Those leads generate a small fee from the professional, paid to StratPad. You’re not paying, so you’re the product – but it’s a pretty tame version of the old adage.

StratPad comes with follow along instructions and ends up generating a very clean and classic looking business plan. I like the layout of the system and I’m apparently not the only one. StratPad claims over 100,000 businesses are currently using its service.

2. Enloop

Enloop is another free option for those seeking a single business plan. The company attempts to bring a little bit of credibility with its offering by scoring your business plan. Once it’s been scored, bankers or investors can look to see how well you did.

The score encompasses some basics like cash flow and growth. It updates as you update the document, so you can see what metrics are having the biggest – in Enloop’s mind – impact on your business’s viability. Sharing the actual score is only available to paid users.

Enloop also makes it easy to collaborate on plans, and the free version of the service gives you one additional user. You’ll be able to forecast up to 36 months out for financials, and all of it can be dropped into a PDF.

3. Plan Cruncher

This is my wildcard entry into the mix. Plan Cruncher isn’t really a business plan software. Instead, it takes the information you give it and generates a sort of elevator pitch/cover letter for your business plan.

When you’ve input all the details, you’ll end up with a one-page overview of the business, including what you’re going to do, who’s involved in the project, where you are in the funding process, and what you’re looking for next.

I like this for two reasons. First, it’s kinda fun. The final product is covered in these little logos that Plan Cruncher has come up with, so you get a nice visual view of the business. Second, it makes you summarize the whole thing. You’ll be entering details in 140 character boxes and chopping your offering down into small consumable chunks. This is a great way to determine what the core parts of your business really are.

Plan Cruncher has just the one version. It’s free and you end up with a nice PDF when it’s all said and done. That being said, it is 100 percent focused on tech startups looking for cash from investors. If you roll into the bank with this thing, it better be because you’re the founder of Plan Cruncher and you brought it along to demonstrate what the service does. No banker is going to care about this.

Non-software options for business plan creation

Software doesn’t always have to be the solution. I mean, sure, you’ll need some software to make any business plan, but we’re talking about Microsoft Office style programs. These resources are excellent alternatives to software.

The SBA wants you to succeed in business and it’s got a whole host of resources to help you generate your own business plan on its website. One of the things you’ll miss out on by using software is a solid education.

By building your own plan, you’ll be forced to learn how the whole thing works, what investors are looking for, and what all the terms means. You’ll be forecasting and analyzing before you know it. The SBA has a great set of instructions on how to get up to speed before you head down to your bank.

Speaking of which…

Many major banks have free business planning tools to help you get started. On the Wells Fargo site, for instance, you can learn about how business plans work, use some tools to bring the whole thing together, and even do some competitive analysis.

As a major benefit, you’ll be working with the company that you’re going to be asking for money, right out of the gates. If you don’t like your bank’s offering, you can always find another bank that has better tools. Most of them are available without an account.

Another SBA shout out. The SCORE network hooks successful business folk up with the next crop of winners. You can reach out to knowledgeable, local, mentors who can help you craft a business plan. These people are there to help and to make business better.

That means 1) there’s not a cost associated with reaching out and 2) they’re not going to do your homework. If you show up with all your research and a good start, a mentor can help you put some finishing touches on or send you in search of more details. If you show up with nothing, expect to get nothing in return.

That’s probably a little unfair. I’m sure you can get help finding your way if you haven’t kicked things off yet. Just don’t expect to drop off your bank records and walk out with a plan that they’ve drawn up for you.

We’ll end on another quirky one. The BMC was developed by Swiss business consultant Alexander Osterwalder. The BMC breaks a business into nine basic building blocks and then has you fill out all those blocks. The result is a sort of brainstorm of business planning that fits on a single page.

This is a popular framework for lean start-ups, as you can present the entirety of the plan in a single slide – with more detail than Plan Cruncher provides. If that sounds intriguing, check out Alexander Cowan’s overview of the BMC for more details on how it actually works.

Final thoughts

A business plan can help you understand and champion the growth of your business. Thinking through your business’s core functions and challenges can give you a better understanding of where you should be spending your time.

You’ll also be in a better position to get the funding you need, when you need it. Business planning may be the least exciting part of starting your business, but it’s one of the most important. If you’ve got any other tools or software options that you’ve used and loved, let me know in the comments.

Enthusiasts know that Apple products are slick, quick, and easy-to-use machines. Apple device users–be it an iPhone, iPad, or iMac–have been described as cool and creative trendsetters.

Businesses aren’t any different. Many high-profile companies, like Facebook, Google, Cisco, and almost half of U.S. enterprise-level corporations have bought into Macs for their business.
So it makes sense that when companies are shopping for project management software, they’re specifically looking for project management software for Mac.

The Best Project Management Software for Mac

Googling Mac-specific project management software largely leads to lots of cloud-based options. While programs like Wrike, LiquidPlanner, and Teamwork are fantastic tools for Mac, many companies are looking for a locally installed option.

With that in mind, I dove into the top five project management software for Mac to help buyers figure out what options are available.

While evaluating these tools, I looked for traits that Mac users tend to look for–intuitive design, mid-end pricing, and the “coolness” factor found in Mac’s brand in the form of easy functionality.

These Mac project management software options are arranged alphabetically.

Daylite

If your small business is looking to find an all-in-one customer relationship management software and project management tool that’s designed for Apple products, check out Daylite. The software has almost 50 reviews on Capterra with a solid 4.5/5 rating, and users praising its “tight integration with Apple hardware and software.”

The UI should feel familiar to anyone who’s worked within Apple’s ecosystem—Daylite’s look and feel is similar to tools like iCal and Keynote and is similarly intuitive to use. Project managers can use Daylite to link all of their important project pieces together—from notes to tasks to emails to contacts. The result is a light project management software (or heavy task manager) ideal for client-focused small businesses.

Notable features

• All related activities can be grouped together into projects, which Daylite automatically tracks and logs.
• Customizable enough to create your own pipelines and approval processes for new projects.
• Works on iOS, so you’re not tethered to your MacBook or iMac to use the tool effectively.

Price: $29/user/month

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(Used Daylite? Share your thoughts with a review!)

FastTrack Schedule 10.2

FastTrack Schedule 10.2 knows its user base. Its whole interface is intuitive–one reviewer from Macworld said it best:

[FastTrack Schedule 10] sports the familiar Mac look and feel with easy-to-identify icons for layouts, filters, sorting, and more— all with a text label that matches what you see in iPhoto, et al.

In other words, if you’re used to working with Mac software like Keynote or Safari, FastTrack Schedule 10 will be easy to pick up.

Notable features:

• New project managers can jump right in with the program’s 30+ templates, which rely on a simple drag-and-drop UI.
• Project managers can see who on their team is working on what part of the project and when they’re doing so. Project managers can use these features to make sure they don’t overload their team members.
• Want to see the big picture? FastTrack Schedule 10 has a “master schedule” where users can see how all projects line up. This feature is great for bigger companies who want to invest in enterprise project management software.

Price: $349

(Used FastTrack Schedule? Share your thoughts with a review!)

iTaskX3

One reviewer notes that iTaskX is ridiculously simple to use, saying that the software is, “easy to learn, has an intuitive interface, and it’s easy to work [sic] even when you have never touched itaskX before.”

iTaskX’s program is nicely laid out and simple to use. Its biggest claim to notoriety is that it fully integrates with Microsoft Project, the most popular project management software by a landslide. iTaskX lets users open Microsoft Project files and easily exchange information using XML and MPX files.
iTask is based around Waterfall project management–it runs off Gantt charts, tasks, and resources, and organizes all of these bits of information into simple graphics.

Notable features:

• iTaskX is robust enough to manage enterprise-level project management as it stays updated with everyone on the system.
• The project management software offers over 60 different calculators based off task fields, including slack time, cost accruals, and effort-driven scheduling.
• iTaskX also offers full customizability for layout and design. Project managers can adjust the aesthetics on all their projects, from custom fonts to custom layouts. And for those of us who are a little less creative, iTask comes with plenty of templates as well.

Price: $140

(Used iTaskX? Share your thoughts with a review!)

Merlin Project 4

I couldn’t write this review without taking note of one of the most popular project management software options for Mac: Merlin Project.

The first thing that jumps out about Merlin is how intuitive it is. Don’t get me wrong, Merlin may have the most features available on this list, but the developers are careful to present the system’s options in an intuitive layout.

Instead of a jumble of menus and folders, Merlin takes all of its features and displays them simply. TechRadar explains,

Everything happens in one big window that’s divided up into a main panel plus one or more smaller ones that change according to the aspect you’re currently working on.

There are four principal views for the main panel…. Gantt chart with critical paths displayed as bold lines, a network diagram using the Activity on Node format, a list of resources involved in the project, and a time-based display of resource utilisation[.]

The smaller panels are where you’d enter detailed information on selected tasks, resources and so on.

All of that is to say that Merlin makes project planning simple, even when the project manager is relying on a ton of tools to do so.

Notable features:

• Merlin can double as a document management system, as users can upload files straight to tasks.
• The system offers instant reporting, including the ability to create entirely custom reports.
• Gorgeous Gantt charts and simple-to-use interface.

Price: $349

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(Used Merlin Project? Share your thoughts with a review!)

OmniPlan 3

Now this is a gorgeous project management software option for Mac.

OmniPlan is one of the most visually appealing project management applications out there, regardless of platform.

Simply drag and drop team members into tasks, set the task’s estimated time for completion, and voila! OmniPlan pumps out a beautiful Gantt chart.

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Need to adjust a task because you have team members who have limited availability or because one task took longer than expected? No problem. Again, just drag and drop, and the program will fix estimates for you.

Notable features:

• OmniPlan has incredible filtering options. Project managers can narrow down their task lists by date, resource, effort, priority, dependency claims, and more, so they don’t get overwhelmed by all the information presented in the master Gantt chart.
• OmniPlan also offers Violation Resolution, which means that if something doesn’t look right to the program’s estimates, the software flag the task for the project manager’s review.
• The system is entirely compatible with Microsoft Project.

Price: $149.99

(Used OmniPlan 3? Share your thoughts with a review!)

More?

There are lots of other great project management systems for Mac out there, including xPlan and AltiProject. My bet is that more will emerge as Apple takes over the market for business computers.

I’m interested in your thoughts on these project management software selections. Have you used any of them? Was there a software worth reviewing that I missed (review it on the main Capterra site too!)? Please jot down your thoughts in the comments below–I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

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Want more software recommendations? You may be interested in these articles:

Software For Business Plan

Looking for Project Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Project Management software solutions.