Free Tool
Marketing Budget Calculator for Startups
Figure out how much to spend on go-to-market and where to put it. Answer five questions about your startup and get a recommended monthly budget with a channel-by-channel breakdown.
1. Stage
2. Monthly Revenue (ARR / 12)
3. Primary Market
4. Business Model
5. Marketing Team Size
About this tool
The GTM Budget Calculator helps startup founders figure out how much to invest in go-to-market each month and where to put that money. It uses your funding stage, monthly revenue, business model, target market, and team size to calculate a recommended budget range. Then it breaks that budget into specific channels -- content and SEO, paid ads, outbound, events, tools, and brand -- based on what works best for your business model. B2B SaaS companies get different allocation advice than B2C apps or marketplaces. The formulas are based on benchmarks from startups at each stage: pre-seed through Series B and beyond. If you're spending less than your stage benchmarks suggest, you're likely underinvesting in growth. If you're spending more, you might be burning cash without the infrastructure to support it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
It depends on stage and revenue. Pre-seed startups typically spend 15-20% of revenue on GTM (minimum $2K/month). Seed-stage: 20-30% (minimum $5K). Series A: 25-35% (minimum $15K). Series B+: 20-30% (minimum $30K). These are monthly figures and include all marketing and sales spend.
Everything related to acquiring and converting customers: paid ads, content creation, SEO tools, email outreach platforms, event sponsorships, design work, marketing automation software, and agency or contractor fees. It does not include product development or engineering costs.
Different models have different cost-effective channels. B2B SaaS companies get more from content, SEO, and outbound email. B2C apps and e-commerce need heavier paid ad spend. B2B services rely more on outbound and events. Marketplaces need community and paid acquisition on both sides.
The calculator uses stage minimums when revenue is zero. A pre-seed startup with no revenue should still invest at least $2K/month in GTM to validate channels and messaging. The exact amount depends on your runway and how quickly you need to find product-market fit.
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