# Best Free Cash Flow Forecast Templates Compared (and How to Choose)

Source: https://www.cashflowforecasttemplates.co.uk/guides/best-free-cash-flow-forecast-templates-compared
Updated: September 25, 2026

> Free cash flow forecast templates fall into four groups: basic templates built into spreadsheet apps, templates from banks and small business support organisations, reports from accounting software, and specialist forecasting templates. The best free template has a rolling balance, weekly or monthly views that suit your business, a low-balance warning and works in both Excel and Google Sheets.

Search for a free cash flow forecast template and you’ll find hundreds. They look similar, but they vary enormously in what they do and how reliable they are. Rather than rank individual files, which change constantly, this guide compares the four main types of free template, explains what to check before you rely on one, and helps you pick the right kind for your business.

## The four types of free template

### 1. Templates built into spreadsheet apps

Excel and Google Sheets both offer basic budget and cash flow templates from their template galleries.

**Good for:** a first look at the idea, very simple businesses, personal finances.
**Watch for:** many are budgets rather than forecasts, with no rolling balance between months, no weekly view and no low-balance warning. They rarely distinguish when cash moves from when income is earned.

### 2. Templates from banks and business support organisations

Banks, government small business services and business support charities often publish free cash flow templates, especially for business plans and loan applications.

**Good for:** start-ups preparing a business plan, and loan applications where the lender expects that format.
**Watch for:** they’re usually monthly only, sometimes in PDF or older formats, and designed for a one-off submission rather than ongoing use. They rarely include actual vs forecast tracking.

### 3. Reports from accounting software

Many accounting packages include a basic cash flow projection based on invoices and bills already entered.

**Good for:** a quick short-term view of known invoices and bills.
**Watch for:** they only know what’s already in the system, so future sales, planned hires, tax and seasonality are often missing. They’re useful alongside a forecast rather than instead of one.

### 4. Specialist forecasting templates

Templates built specifically for cash flow forecasting, such as ours, usually have a rolling balance, weekly or monthly views, warnings and a summary.

**Good for:** ongoing management of cash, with the option to upgrade to industry-specific versions.
**Watch for:** quality varies between publishers, so test before relying on one.

## Comparison

| Feature | App gallery | Bank / support org | Accounting software | Specialist template |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling balance | Sometimes | Usually | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly view | Rarely | Rarely | Sometimes | Yes (13-week) |
| Low-balance warning | Rarely | Rarely | Sometimes | Yes |
| Future sales and plans | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Works in Excel and Sheets | Usually | Varies | Export only | Usually |
| Built for ongoing use | Sometimes | Rarely | Yes | Yes |

## What to check before relying on any template

Spend five minutes testing any free template:

1. **Change the opening balance by 1,000.** Every closing balance should change by exactly 1,000.
2. **Add a payment in one month.** Every later month should fall by that amount.
3. **Insert a new line** inside a section and check the totals include it.
4. **Look for a buffer warning** and test it.
5. **Open it in Google Sheets** if you plan to use Sheets, and look for errors.
6. **Check for macros or external links**, which can cause security warnings and break in Sheets.

A template that fails the first two tests has a formula error and shouldn’t be used.

## Red flags

Walk away from a free template if you see any of these:

- **Opening balances typed in by hand** for every month, rather than linked to the previous closing balance.
- **“Income” and “expenses” instead of cash in and cash out**, which usually means it’s a budget, not a forecast.
- **Hidden or locked sheets** you can’t inspect.
- **Totals that stop at a fixed row**, so new lines are silently left out.
- **Requests to enable macros** or content from the internet.
- **A download that asks for payment details** for something described as free.

## Moving up without starting again

If you outgrow a free template, you shouldn’t have to rebuild your forecast from scratch. Our premium templates use the same structure as the free ones: settings at the top, cash in and cash out sections, a rolling balance. You can copy your lines and figures across in a few minutes, then use the extra tabs such as scenarios, actuals and industry calculations from day one.

## Which type suits you?

- **Just starting, very simple finances:** a specialist free template, such as the [simple 12-month template](/templates/simple-12-month-cash-flow-forecast-template). See [the beginner’s guide](/guides/simple-cash-flow-forecast-template-for-beginners).
- **Tight cash, weekly payroll:** a free [13-week template](/templates/free-13-week-cash-flow-forecast-template).
- **Writing a business plan for a specific lender:** check whether they require their own format first; otherwise a 12-month template plus a three-year summary.
- **Household money:** the [free personal template](/templates/free-personal-cash-flow-forecast-template).
- **Early-stage startup:** the [free runway template](/templates/free-startup-runway-template).

## Our free templates

All four are free, work in Excel and Google Sheets, have no macros, and pass the checks above:

| Template | Best for | View |
|---|---|---|
| Simple 12-Month | Any small business | Monthly, 12 months |
| 13-Week | Tight cash, weekly payroll | Weekly, 13 weeks |
| Personal | Households | Monthly, 12 months |
| Startup Runway | Pre-seed and seed startups | Monthly, 18 months |


## A realistic view of free templates

Free templates are genuinely useful. For many small businesses, a simple monthly forecast kept up to date every month is all the forecasting they need, and it costs nothing. The limits appear when the business gets more complex: several income streams paid on different terms, stock bought months ahead, seasonal swings, or a lender asking for weekly figures. At that point, the time you spend adapting a free template usually costs more than a template built for the job. Start free, keep it current, and upgrade only when the free version stops answering your questions.

## When free isn’t enough

Free templates cover the essentials. It’s worth paying for a template when you need:

- Weekly and monthly views **linked** in one file
- **Scenarios**: expected, best and worst case with one switch
- **Actual vs forecast** tracking and variance reports
- **Industry calculations**: construction retainage, restaurant food costs, ecommerce stock lead times, SaaS churn, rent rolls and more
- A **dashboard** to share with a partner, lender or board

See the [templates by industry](/cash-flow-forecast-template), or read [how to choose a template for Excel and Google Sheets](/guides/cash-flow-forecast-template-excel).

### Is there a good free cash flow forecast template?
Yes. A good free template has a rolling balance, editable lines, a low-balance warning and a summary, and works in Excel and Google Sheets. Our free 12-month and 13-week templates meet all of these.

### Are free templates accurate?
A template is only as accurate as the numbers you put in, but some free templates contain formula errors. Test any template before relying on it.

### When should I pay for a template?
When your cash timing is complicated, you need weekly and monthly views linked together, scenarios, actual vs forecast tracking, or industry-specific calculations.

### Can I use a free template for a loan application?
Often yes, if it shows 12 months, clear assumptions and all costs. Some lenders provide their own format, so check first.

### Do free templates work in Google Sheets?
Many do, but templates that use macros or newer Excel-only functions may break. Check before you commit.