If your organization is looking for the best budgeting and forecasting software, you need a platform that does more than just crunch numbers. The right tool will help your finance team model scenarios, align department spending with company goals, and provide executives with real-time visibility into financial health.
In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into the best budgeting and forecasting tools on the market. From flexible platforms built for small businesses to enterprise-level forecasting engines, you’ll find a curated list that compares features, strengths, and weaknesses.
What is Budgeting and Forecasting Software?
Budgeting and forecasting software is a financial management tool designed to help organizations create, manage, and track their budgets while forecasting future financial performance. Unlike traditional spreadsheets, these platforms automate calculations, integrate with accounting and ERP systems, and provide real-time visibility into a company’s financial health.
At its core, the best budgeting and forecasting tools give businesses the ability to plan for the future with confidence. They allow finance teams to model different scenarios, track spending against budgets, and align departmental strategies with corporate goals. By centralizing financial data in one platform, these solutions eliminate manual errors, reduce repetitive tasks, and enable data-driven decision-making.
Benefits of Budgeting and Forecasting Software
Adopting forecasting and budgeting software comes with significant advantages for both finance teams and the organization as a whole. Those include:
- Improved Accuracy. Automated data entry, built-in formulas, and integration with accounting systems reduce human error and ensure that forecasts and budgets reflect actual business performance.
- Faster Planning Cycles. The best budgeting and forecasting tools cut down the time spent on financial reporting. Teams can generate rolling forecasts or update project budgets instantly instead of spending weeks reconciling spreadsheets.
- Scenario Analysis and Financial Forecasting. Advanced budget forecasting software allow finance leaders to run multiple “what-if” simulations. This helps organizations prepare for market shifts, new investments, or unexpected disruptions.
- Real-Time Visibility. Executives and managers gain instant access to real time data and dashboards showing up-to-date financial metrics. This transparency enables smarter and faster decision-making in financial management – and more.
- Better Resource Allocation. By comparing actuals against forecasts, companies can assess business performance, reallocate funds and resources to the most profitable initiatives.
- Strategic Agility. With forecasts combined with drag and drop functionality and dynamic updates, companies can quickly adapt financial plans in response to changing conditions, ensuring long-term resilience.
In essence, the best budgeting and forecasting platforms transform finance from a backward-looking reporting function into a forward-looking strategic partner for growth.
Budgeting and Forecasting Software – Key Features
Not all platforms are created equal. While some focus on basic expense tracking, others offer advanced forecasting and analytics tailored for complex organizations. To choose the right solution, it’s essential to understand the features that make the best budgeting and forecasting software stand out.
Here are the must-have features to look for:
- Customizable Budgeting Templates. Prebuilt templates make it easier to create budgets for departments, projects, or entire organizations. The best platforms also allow customization to reflect unique business structures and processes.
- Rolling Forecasting Capabilities. Instead of static annual budgets, top tools support rolling forecasting that update continuously based on real time financial data. This ensures financial planning stays relevant and responsive to change regardless of the circumstances.
- Scenario Planning and Modeling. The ability to run “what-if” analyses for multiple scenarios is crucial for evaluating potential investments, market fluctuations, or cost adjustments. This helps leaders anticipate outcomes before making critical decisions.
- Real-Time Data Integration. The best budgeting and forecasting tools integrate with accounting, ERP, and CRM systems, such as Quickbooks. This eliminates duplicate data entry and ensures accuracy by pulling live financial information directly from the source.
- Advanced Analytics and Reporting. Clear, visual reports and executive dashboards make financial data accessible to non-finance leaders. AI-powered insights are also a big plus, although they are offered by only the best budgeting and forecasting software on the market.
- Multi-Currency and Global Support. For multinational companies, the best platforms support multiple currencies, tax structures, and compliance requirements necessary for real time data processing regardless of your customers’ location.
- Integration with Business Intelligence (BI) Tools. Manual data transfers are a thing of the past. Some solutions offer real-time updates and extend their capabilities with predictive analytics, AI-driven insights, and integration with BI platforms for deeper financial analysis.
10 Best Budgeting and Forecasting Tools
With so many platforms available, it can be difficult to decide which tool is the best fit for your organization. To make it easier, we’ve curated a list of the 10 best budgeting and forecasting software solutions in 2025. Those include:
- BigTime – The leading budgeting and forecasting platform for professional services, offering powerful financial insights, time tracking, and advanced forecasting.
- Adaptive Insights (Workday Adaptive Planning) – Cloud-based financial planning with strong modeling and reporting capabilities.
- Anaplan – Enterprise-grade connected planning software built for scalability and collaboration.
- Prophix – A corporate performance management platform with strong automation and reporting.
- Vena Solutions – Excel-native planning software with workflow automation and forecasting tools.
- Planful – A financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform designed for mid-sized to large organizations.
- Centage Planning Maestro – Simplified budgeting and forecasting with real-time reporting for SMBs.
- Jedox – AI-powered financial planning and performance management with strong BI integrations.
- QuickBooks Online Advanced – Best for small businesses needing built-in budgeting features within their accounting software.
- Sage Intacct – A robust cloud-based accounting and financial management system with strong forecasting capabilities.
Best Budgeting and Forecasting Software – Ranking
| Description | Strengths | Limitations | |
| BigTime | Professional services automation with advanced budgeting, forecasting, and time tracking. | Powerful forecasting, time & expense management, utilization tracking, invoicing; strong integrations. | Best suited for professional services. |
| Adaptive Insights (Workday) | Cloud-based FP&A platform for planning, reporting, and modeling. | Scalable for enterprises; strong reporting and analytics. | Pricing higher for SMBs; steep learning curve. |
| Anaplan | Enterprise connected planning platform. | Excellent scalability; collaboration across finance, HR, and operations. | Complex to implement; high cost. |
| Prophix | Corporate performance management with automation. | Automated workflows; strong reporting and variance analysis. | Can be less intuitive for new users. |
| Vena Solutions | Excel-based planning with workflow automation. | Familiar Excel interface; flexible forecasting models. | Dependent on Excel; less modern UI. |
| Planful | FP&A solution with cloud-native financial planning. | Good mid-market option; strong reporting. | Pricing can be prohibitive; setup takes time. |
| Centage Planning Maestro | Budgeting and forecasting for SMBs. | Easy to use; real-time reporting; affordable. | Limited scalability for large enterprises. |
| Jedox | AI-powered financial planning and BI integration. | Predictive analytics; strong Excel and BI integrations. | Requires advanced setup for complex use. |
| QuickBooks Online Advanced | Accounting software with built-in budgeting. | Easy for small businesses; integrated with accounting. | Basic forecasting; limited scalability. |
| Sage Intacct | Cloud financial management system. | Advanced reporting; strong accounting + forecasting. | More expensive; geared toward larger organizations. |
BigTime
Reviews: G2: 4.5, Capterra: 4.6
Pros:
- Comprehensive budgeting and forecasting features tailored for professional services firms.
- Real-time utilization tracking to ensure resources are allocated efficiently.
- Native time and expense management tied directly to budgets and forecasts.
- Invoicing and payments built into the platform, improving cash flow visibility.
- Strong integrations with accounting, CRM, and project management systems.
Cons:
- Advanced functionality can require onboarding support for new users.
- Best suited for professional services; may be more than needed for product-based businesses.
BigTime is not just another budgeting tool — it’s a complete professional services automation (PSA) platform designed to bridge the gap between project delivery and financial performance. Where many tools focus narrowly on financial modeling, BigTime combines forecasting, budgeting, time tracking, and invoicing into a single platform. This makes it particularly powerful for services organizations that need both detailed project oversight and accurate predictions in financial processes.
One of BigTime’s biggest strengths lies in its ability to connect delivery data with financial forecasts. By pulling in actual project hours, expenses, and utilization rates, the platform automatically updates forecasts, ensuring that executives and finance leaders always work with the most accurate projections.
BigTime also offers robust capacity and utilization forecasting complete with enterprise resource planning, helping managers understand who is available for upcoming projects, where workloads are too heavy, and how resource allocation impacts profitability. Additionally, BigTime supports multi-currency and multi-entity operations, making it a great fit for global enterprise businesses and small companies alike.
Key Features:
- Budgeting & Forecasting: Create detailed financial plans, run rolling forecasts, and model different scenarios. Predict future revenue based on sales data and create expense plans for weeks, months and years to come.
- Time & Expense Tracking: Capture billable and non-billable hours, track expenses, and feed them directly into forecasts, and use the data on resource planning for financial projections.
- Resource Planning: Forecast capacity and utilization to optimize team productivity and profitability. Optimize resources with actionable insights provided by the system to make the most of each working hour.
- Invoicing & Payments: Automate repetitive tasks, generate invoices and accept payments directly within the platform.
- Advanced Analytics. Analyze past trends based on historical data, monitor the latest financial data and create advanced reports in seconds to draw accurate conclusions from every process in your company.
- Integrations: Connects with leading accounting, project management, and CRM platforms.
Pricing: BigTime offers tiered plans (Essentials, Advanced, Premier) with per-user pricing. Each tier adds more advanced features, and a free trial is available for new users.
Adaptive Insights (Workday Adaptive Planning)
Reviews: G2: 4.5, Capterra: 4.5
Pros:
- Strong modeling and forecasting capabilities for large enterprises.
- Scalable platform with advanced reporting tools.
- Cloud-based and secure, with enterprise-level compliance.
Cons:
- Steep learning curve for new users.
- Pricing can be prohibitive for small to mid-sized businesses.
- Heavy reliance on IT support for advanced customization.
Adaptive Insights is one of the most recognized names in enterprise financial planning, offering powerful budgeting, forecasting, and modeling features. It’s designed for companies with complex structures and high demands for accurate financial forecasts. While it excels in scalability, its complex setup and high cost make it less suitable for smaller organizations looking for the best budgeting and forecasting software.
Many users find that while the platform is strong in financial modeling, it requires significant onboarding and technical resources on top of necessary data integrity. Compared to more intuitive tools, Adaptive Insights feels rigid, which can slow down adoption. For enterprises with dedicated FP&A teams, it’s a strong option — but for organizations seeking agility, the overhead can outweigh the benefits.
Key Features:
- Enterprise-scale scenario modeling and forecasting.
- Advanced reporting dashboards.
- Integration with ERP and HR systems.
Pricing: Quote-based, typically higher than mid-market competitors.
Anaplan
Reviews: G2: 4.4, Capterra: 4.5
Pros:
- Extremely scalable, built for global enterprises.
- Strong collaboration across finance, HR, and operations.
- Flexible modeling with connected planning.
Cons:
- Very high cost compared to alternatives.
- Complex and time-consuming implementation.
- Requires significant admin resources to maintain.
Anaplan is often praised as a powerhouse for enterprise planning, but it comes with a price — literally and figuratively. While it offers deep connected planning across departments, its complexity makes it difficult for many organizations to adopt. Small to mid-sized businesses will likely find it overwhelming and unnecessarily expensive.
Still, Anaplan’s workforce forecasting software has some downsides, too. The tool only shines in environments with large FP&A teams that can dedicate resources to setup and ongoing maintenance. For companies without that level of infrastructure, Anaplan risks becoming more of a burden than a solution.
Key Features:
- Cross-departmental financial and operational forecasting.
- Advanced scenario modeling.
- Strong security and governance controls.
Pricing: Premium, enterprise-only pricing model.
Vena Solutions
Reviews: G2: 4.6, Capterra: 4.6
Pros:
- Excel-native interface, familiar for finance teams.
- Good workflow automation for approvals and submissions.
- Flexible forecasting with templates and integrations.
Cons:
- Still heavily dependent on Excel, which limits scalability.
- Interface feels less modern than cloud-first competitors.
- Advanced functionality requires more configuration than expected.
Vena Solutions is a budgeting and forecasting platform that appeals to finance teams who already rely on Excel. Its biggest selling point is that it keeps users in a familiar environment while layering on workflow automation and collaborative features. For teams hesitant to adopt a completely new tool, this hybrid approach can make adoption easier.
However, the reliance on Excel is also its biggest limitation. While this demand forecasting software adds guardrails and automation, users are still constrained by spreadsheets — which means performance and scalability can lag behind more modern, cloud-native tools. Additionally, while Vena advertises flexibility, many organizations find that advanced forecasting requires significant setup and training.
Key Features:
- Excel-based budgeting and forecasting templates.
- Workflow automation for approvals.
- Integration with ERP and accounting systems.
Pricing: Available upon request; typically mid-range but climbs with enterprise needs.
Prophix
Reviews: G2: 4.3, Capterra: 4.5
Pros:
- Solid automation for routine budgeting tasks.
- Strong reporting and variance analysis.
- Cloud and on-premise deployment options.
Cons:
- Interface feels dated compared to modern tools.
- Not as intuitive; onboarding takes time.
- Limited flexibility for complex scenario modeling.
Planful positions itself as a modern financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform, offering budgeting, forecasting, and reporting tools in one place. In general, the platform is praised for its reporting depth, making it easier for finance teams to analyze performance and align with corporate goals.
That said, Planful is not without its drawbacks. Setup is far from plug-and-play — organizations often require consulting support to implement the tool properly and use it to analyze data and create financial statements. Its pricing model also makes it harder to justify for smaller businesses that don’t need enterprise-level forecasting. In terms of usability, the interface can feel less intuitive compared to the best budgeting and forecasting tools that emphasize user experience.
Key Features:
- Automated budget workflows.
- Variance and performance reporting.
- Role-based access for finance teams.
Pricing: Subscription-based, with costs rising for advanced features.
Planful
Reviews: G2: 4.4, Capterra: 4.5
Pros:
- Strong FP&A capabilities with cloud-native design.
- Good fit for mid-market and large organizations.
- Flexible reporting and dashboards.
Cons:
- Pricing can be steep for smaller businesses.
- Implementation requires time and expertise.
- Interface is not as user-friendly as competitors.
Planful positions itself as a modern financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform. The platform is praised for its reporting depth, making it easier for finance teams to analyze performance and align with corporate goals.
That said, Planful is not without its drawbacks. Setup is far from plug-and-play — organizations often require consulting support to implement the tool properly. Its pricing model also makes it harder to justify for smaller businesses that don’t need enterprise-level forecasting. In terms of usability, the interface can feel less intuitive compared to competitors that emphasize user experience, such as BigTime.
Overall, Planful delivers strong financial planning features, but the cost and complexity can limit its appeal unless your company has the resources to fully leverage it.
Key Features:
- Rolling forecasts and scenario planning.
- Advanced reporting and dashboards.
- Integration with ERP and HR systems.
Pricing: Subscription-based, typically higher than SMB-focused tools.
Centage Planning Maestro
Reviews: G2: 4.4, Capterra: 4.2
Pros:
- Easy to use with a clean, straightforward interface.
- Real-time reporting with simple dashboards.
- More affordable than most enterprise-focused tools.
Cons:
- Limited scalability; not ideal for complex organizations.
- Lacks advanced scenario modeling.
- Reporting feels basic compared to higher-end platforms.
Centage Planning Maestro is aimed squarely at small to mid-sized businesses that want to move beyond spreadsheets and manual data entry without the heavy cost of enterprise solutions. It provides core budgeting and forecasting capabilities, along with real-time reporting that helps finance teams stay on top of expenses and projections.
Where Planning Maestro struggles is in its limited depth. Larger organizations, or those with multiple entities and global operations, will quickly find its features restrictive. The reporting and scenario planning are serviceable but lack the sophistication of more advanced platforms like BigTime.
For SMBs, however, Centage is a practical, cost-effective option — but it won’t scale with your business as complexity grows.
Key Features:
- Core budgeting and forecasting functions.
- Real-time financial dashboards.
- Basic integration with accounting systems.
Pricing: Tiered pricing designed for SMBs, generally lower than enterprise competitors.
Jedox
Reviews: G2: 4.5, Capterra: 4.4
Pros:
- AI-powered forecasting with predictive analytics.
- Strong integration with Excel and BI tools.
- Highly customizable for complex organizations.
Cons:
- Setup and configuration require significant expertise.
- Interface feels less polished compared to competitors.
- Advanced features often locked behind steep pricing.
Jedox positions itself as an AI-driven financial planning and performance management platform, appealing to companies that want predictive insights beyond traditional budgeting. For finance teams with technical expertise, Jedox can deliver highly flexible and sophisticated forecasting models.
However, the tool is not beginner-friendly. Implementing Jedox often requires consultants or dedicated in-house specialists, which drives up costs. The learning curve is steep, and smaller teams may struggle to unlock its full potential, even with all the operational data in place. Additionally, while it advertises AI as a differentiator, many users find the predictive features more difficult to apply in real-world planning.
Overall, Jedox is powerful but best suited for organizations that already have advanced analytics maturity. For businesses seeking simplicity and quick ROI, it can feel overly complex and expensive.
Key Features:
- Predictive analytics and AI-powered forecasting.
- Deep Excel integration.
- Strong connections to BI platforms.
Pricing: Quote-based; typically higher-end due to advanced capabilities.
QuickBooks Online Advanced
Quickbooks
Reviews: G2: 4.3, Capterra: 4.4
Pros:
- Built-in budgeting within a familiar accounting platform.
- Easy to use for small business owners.
- Strong integration with QuickBooks ecosystem.
Cons:
- Very basic forecasting tools.
- Not designed for mid-sized or enterprise needs.
- Limited reporting beyond standard accounting.
QuickBooks Online Advanced is a natural choice for businesses already using QuickBooks for accounting. Its budgeting tools are easy to set up and allow users to track expenses against forecasts directly in the same environment where they manage their books. For smaller organizations with straightforward financial planning process, this convenience is valuable.
That said, the platform’s limitations show quickly. Forecasting options are extremely basic, and the tool lacks the depth needed for scenario modeling or strategic planning. Reporting is focused more on accounting compliance than financial insight, making it inadequate for businesses looking for advanced financial planning.
In short, QuickBooks Online Advanced is best seen as a budget add-on for accounting rather than a true budgeting and forecasting platform. Businesses planning to scale will quickly outgrow it.
Key Features:
- Simple budgeting templates tied to accounting data.
- Expense vs. budget tracking.
- Seamless integration with QuickBooks apps and add-ons.
Pricing: Starts at $200/month for 25 users, with costs increasing for larger teams.
Sage Intacct
Reviews: G2: 4.4, Capterra: 4.3
Pros:
- Strong financial management with built-in forecasting.
- Advanced reporting and analytics tools.
- Scalable for mid-sized and enterprise organizations.
Cons:
- Expensive compared to many competitors.
- Implementation and training can be lengthy.
- More focused on accounting than agile forecasting.
Sage Intacct is a cloud-based financial management system with budgeting and financial forecasting capabilities built on top of its robust accounting foundation. It’s well-suited for organizations that want their financial planning directly connected to their core accounting system. The platform excels in reporting and compliance, making it a favorite for companies in regulated industries.
However, Sage Intacct is often criticized for its high cost and complexity. Smaller businesses will struggle to justify the investment, especially when many of its strengths lie in accounting rather than forecasting innovation. While it handles budgets and long-term planning well, it lacks the agility and usability of dedicated forecasting platforms like BigTime.
Overall, Sage Intacct is a strong contender for organizations already invested in Sage’s ecosystem, but it’s not the most flexible or forward-looking choice in this category.
Key Features:
- Core accounting with budgeting and forecasting modules.
- Multi-entity and multi-currency support.
- Advanced financial and compliance reporting.
Pricing: Premium, subscription-based pricing model tailored to mid-market and enterprise clients.
What is the Best Free Budgeting and Forecasting Software?
Free budgeting and forecasting tools exist, but they often fall short of what most organizations need once they begin to scale. Free platforms typically lack advanced forecasting, automation, and integrations with accounting or ERP systems. This means that financial teams spend more time manually updating spreadsheets or patching together multiple tools. Reporting is also limited, making it difficult to provide executives with accurate and timely insights.
In practice, most businesses quickly outgrow free solutions. While they are a good starting point, they do not offer the strategic planning capabilities, scenario modeling, or real-time insights that the best budgeting and forecasting software provides.
What is the Best Budgeting and Forecasting Software for Small Businesses?
For small businesses, choosing the right budgeting and forecasting tool can be especially challenging. Many platforms are either too complex and expensive, designed for large enterprises with dedicated FP&A teams, or too simplistic, offering little more than spreadsheet-style tracking.
This is where BigTime stands out as the best budgeting and forecasting software for small businesses. Unlike platforms that focus only on accounting or enterprise-level financial modeling, BigTime provides a practical, all-in-one approach. It allows smaller teams to:
- Create accurate budgets and forecasts without needing advanced technical skills.
- Track time, expenses, and utilization in real time, making it easier to understand how resources impact profitability.
- Generate invoices and manage cash flow directly from the platform, eliminating the need for multiple disconnected tools.
- Scale seamlessly — starting small with core budgeting features and expanding into advanced forecasting, reporting, and resource planning as the business grows.
In short, BigTime gives small businesses the power to plan confidently, allocate resources effectively, and grow sustainably — all without the complexity and cost of enterprise-only platforms. For companies looking for a solution that will support them today and scale with them tomorrow, BigTime is the clear winner.
Which Budgeting and Forecasting Software is the Best?
Choosing the best budgeting and forecasting software is not an easy task. Still, among all the platforms we reviewed, BigTime stands out as the best budgeting and forecasting software overall.
Unlike competitors that focus solely on accounting or financial modeling, BigTime bridges the gap between project delivery, resource utilization, and financial forecasting. This makes it particularly valuable for professional services firms, consultancies, and organizations that bill by the hour — where accuracy in forecasting isn’t just about numbers, but about profitability and growth.
If your organization is ready to take control of its financial future, the next step is simple:
