SBA business plan guide

The U.S. Small Business Administration publishes a guide to writing a business plan, with traditional and lean startup formats, example plans and a startup cost spreadsheet. Free business counseling is also available.

U.S. Small Business AdministrationUpdated monthly · checked 26 h ago

SBA business plan guide is a finance and ops perk from U.S. Small Business Administration, offering free business counseling, for startups in the US, no funding required.

Value: Free business counseling
Who qualifies: No funding needed
Benefit type: Free plan
Terms: Verified

Apply at U.S. Small Business Administration

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While you apply

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Applying to U.S. Small Business Administration takes a few minutes. Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.

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What you get

Inside SBA business plan guide

The SBA guide explains traditional and lean startup business plan formats, with a list of the common sections. It offers downloadable example business plans, one for a consulting firm and one for a toy company, and a fillable PDF spreadsheet for calculating startup costs. Free business counseling is available for help.

Source: The provider's official program page

Eligibility

Who it's for

Free resource Any startup

Funding / backing: No funding needed
Geography: United States
Recurring / expiry: Free guide with no time limit.
Other requirements: The example plans and the startup cost spreadsheet are downloads from sba.gov.

How to claim

How to apply for SBA business plan guide

Steps to apply

1Read the guide and download the examples at sba.gov.
2No application is needed.

Good to know: Pages read on sba.gov on October 28, 2026.

Apply at U.S. Small Business Administration

Source: The provider's official program page

Value is the headline maximum U.S. Small Business Administration advertises. What your company actually receives depends on your eligibility and how you use the program, and terms can change. A comparison, not endorsed by the programs listed. A link labeled as a referral link may earn us a commission, and a program labeled Same owner comes from the company that runs StartupPerks. Confirm current terms on the provider's page.

If you don't qualify

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Questions

SBA business plan guide: common questions

What do you get with SBA business plan guide?

SBA business plan guide offers free business counseling.

Who qualifies for SBA business plan guide?

SBA business plan guide is for startups in the US, no funding required. The example plans and the startup cost spreadsheet are downloads from sba.gov.

Do I need to be VC-backed or in an accelerator to get SBA business plan guide?

No. SBA business plan guide is open to any startup that meets the stated criteria, no investor or accelerator backing required.

How do I apply for SBA business plan guide?

Read the guide and download the examples at sba.gov. No application is needed.

How long do I have to use SBA business plan guide, and does it expire?

Free guide with no time limit.

Is SBA business plan guide available outside the US?

SBA business plan guide is available in the US.

Free business plan software, comparedSBA business plan guide's free plan next to every other free planning toolWhat each planning tool gives you free today, its main limit and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.