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Business startup costs: budget templates by industry

Understand which business startup costs to consider, then use our handy startup budget templates for a range of industries to work out what kind of capital you'll need to make your dream a reality.

How much does it cost to start a business?

Whether you're seriously considering launching your own business or casually contemplating the idea, understanding business startup costs—as well as what it takes to plan and launch a new venture—should be a priority.

So, how much does it cost to start a business? It’s a valid question asked by many an enterprising entrepreneur. That’s why Sage has created a range of startup guides and budget template worksheets for different industries. Our guides will walk you through the most important things to consider and plan for when starting a new bar, trucking or lawn care business, while our customizable budget worksheets will help you figure out average startup costs for a business—whether it's a restaurant, food truck, gym, or beauty salon you're hoping to launch.

Roundel of a laptop and tablet displaying a budget planner on a wooden table set with plates, cutlery and a bottle of wine

Restaurant startup cost calculator

A lot goes into calculating the cost of a restaurant startup, including costs for food handling permits to weighing whether you should buy or rent your location. Download this easy-to-understand worksheet to help you determine just how much you’ll need to start your own restaurant.
Roundel of a laptop displaying a budget planner on a round metal table in a coffee shop

Food truck startup cost calculator

Whether you want to sell scrumptious servings from a sidewalk for the long haul or your eventual goal is to transform your food truck into a brick-and-mortar location, this downloadable cost calculator will help you discover how much capital is required to get started.
Roundel of a computer displaying a budget planner on a desk with a potted plant

Beauty salon startup cost calculator

From a small bottle of nail polish to a large, industrial hooded hair dryer, the costs of starting a beauty salon all add up. Download this worksheet to calculate the costs of starting your own nail and/or beauty salon.
Roundel of a laptop displaying a budget planner, a pot of pens, a notepad and a phone on a table in the sunshine

Gym startup cost calculator

Want to start your own gym? Before you do, you’ve got to learn to hang in there with the best of ‘em, getting proper coding and health permits, as well as the equipment and machines required for success. Download this gym startup cost calculator to get your financial fitness on track before you open your doors!
Roundel of a laptop displaying a budget planner, a notepad and a glass of soda on the screen positioned on a wooden counter in a bar

Bar startup guide and cost calculator

From liquor licenses to location permits and top-of-the-line stock, there are a number of considerations and costs involved in starting your own bar. Explore our comprehensive guide on how to open a bar, and find out how much you'll need to put on your startup tab with our bar startup cost calculator worksheet.

Roundel of a laptop and tablet displaying a budget planner on a wooden table set with plates, cutlery and a bottle of wine

Trucking startup guide and cost calculator

If you're researching how to start a trucking business, check out our comprehensive guide. It covers everything from the types of trucking companies you could consider and creating a business plan, to initial as well as ongoing costs. And it comes with a customizable trucking startup cost calculator worksheet.

Roundel of a laptop displaying a budget planner, a pot of pens, a notepad and a phone on a table in the sunshine

Lawn care startup guide and cost calculator

There is a high, steady demand for professional lawn maintenance services, so the potential for a successful career in lawn care is significant. If you're thinking about it take some time to explore our guide, covering the most important things you need to consider before launch, and download our handy lawn care startup cost worksheet.

Why use our startup budget templates?

Starting your own business costs a lot of money—but our startup budget templates are free. 

So, how much money do you need to start a business? Business startup costs, by definition, vary according to industry. And the amount of startup business funding it'll take to get your venture off the ground will vary wildly from case to case.

For instance, although both are in the food industry, there's a big difference in the amount of money required to launch a food truck (approximately $50,000 to $150,000) versus a restaurant (between $275,000 and $425,000). Similarly, the equipment required to start a bar will be drastically different in scope and cost from equipment needed to open a gym or beauty salon.

Developing a solid understanding of your industry and the finances required to start a business early on is crucial. And that’s where Sage’s startup cost calculator worksheets come in. They offer guidelines for each industry on specific startup costs and line items, plus you can customize each form with room for additional fields to account for any of the extra costs that might crop up.

To help get you off on the right foot, you'll find detailed information on how much capital you'll need to start a business in your chosen field—and keep it thriving. In addition to our business startup cost worksheets, you’ll find valuable insights from startup owners in various industries, sharing knowledge that they wish they'd had before jumping in.

How to calculate your business startup costs

Overall, startup costs refer to the initial expenditures needed to get a brand new business up and running. These costs are sometimes referred to as pre-opening expenses. Typically, these are one-time costs and represent a large chunk of money needed by aspiring startup owners to launch their business.

Startup costs encompass all of the things you'll need to get your business operational and can include equipment costs (such as weight machine equipment for gyms, or ovens and griddles for restaurants), licensing fees and permits, attorney fees (to have a qualified professional review your documents), employee training, and a variety of other costs associated with opening your own business.

  • Choose your industry - the first step starts with solid market research and developing an understanding of the industry where you want to launch your startup. Weigh the pros and cons such as costs, industries where you have a built-in skill set or expertise, as well as location and trends to help inform your decision.
  • Make a startup business plan - once you know your industry, make a startup business plan—or hire someone to write a plan for you. Although you can’t always plan for the unexpected, a business plan will give you a roadmap to follow for year one and growing your business. It can also be a valuable tool in attracting backers and investors, if needed.
  • Sort out startup business funding - whether you’re saving your pennies, crowdsourcing funds for your venture, or accepting loans and donations from generous friends and relatives, having the cash on-hand to launch your startup is a crucial part of the process. Additionally, many startups are eligible for small business loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), an entity that can also direct you to lenders to help launch your business.
  • Choose a location and a name - you may have already had a specific city in mind or dreamed up the perfect business name a long time ago, doodling it on your notebook or saving it as a note in your phone when the right day came. However, scouting a precise location in your city or county can mean the difference between success and failure for your business. Similarly, a name you may have had your heart set on may already be registered to another business owner. Do your homework and some legwork in looking at different locations for your business and weighing the pros and cons of each, as well as having several backup names that you can live with and love well beyond launch day.
  • Get proper state and federal identification - once you have a name for your business and decide how it will be structured, file the appropriate paperwork to obtain a state and federal ID for your business. This will be required for tax purposes. Your federal ID number is sometimes known as the employer identification number, or EIN. While a person has a Social Security Number, a business will have a unique EIN number. You can obtain a federal EIN via the IRS. At the state level, regulations vary and some states do not require your business to pay income tax to the state.
  • Procure licenses and permits - these licenses and permits vary according to state, city and/or municipality. Do your research on what is required for your particular industry and make sure your business is compliant with the established rules and regulations. When in doubt, ask it in writing from specific, local licensing agencies what permits you are responsible for before proceeding to break ground, and which ones do not apply to you. Finding out what is required in advance can save you time and money on costly setbacks if you do not have proper licensing or permits for your business.

Sage lets you focus on building your business, not tracking expenses

When startup businesses are already strapped for time and resources, low overhead is critical to success and eventual expansion. To keep your startup dream alive and well, you’ll need to keep an accurate record of your expenses. When every dime and every minute counts toward your startup's bottom line, Sage 50 accounting software can help you easily track your expenses—in your startup’s first year and well into its successful future!

Ready to grow your business?

Sage 50 will help you spend less time on administration and more on attracting customers.

The startup costs shown here by industry are merely guidelines and average estimates based on information pulled from a variety of sources. While we have attempted to present the most accurate information available, please be aware that startup costs can vary greatly according to a number of factors, including but not limited to state and local fees, and contractor quotes. The information presented here is intended to help guide prospective business owners in the search for information on starting a business within a given industry, but should not be interpreted as an exact quote.

Sage provides the information contained here as a service to the public and is not responsible for and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising out of use of reference to, or reliance on any information contained on this site. While the information contained on this site is periodically updated, no guarantee is given that the information provided is correct, complete and up-to-date. Sage is not responsible for the accuracy or content of information contained on this site.