Cash Flow Calculator
Calculate total cash inflows, cash outflows, net cash flow, closing cash balance and cash flow margin instantly.
Calculate Business Cash Flow
Enter cash received and cash paid during your selected period.
Cash available at the beginning of the period.
Cash Inflows
Money received during the period
Loans received, investment funds, asset sales or other receipts.
Cash Outflows
Money paid during the period
Taxes, equipment purchases, owner withdrawals or other payments.
Your Result
Cash Flow Summary
Net Cash Flow
Enter your values to calculate net cash flow.
Total Inflows
Total Outflows
Closing Cash Balance
Cash Flow Margin
Estimated Cash Runway
Runway is estimated when net cash flow is negative.
Formula Used
Net Cash Flow = Total Cash Inflows − Total Cash Outflows
Closing Balance = Opening Balance + Net Cash Flow
Note: This calculator provides mathematical estimates based on the values entered. It is not a substitute for professional accounting, tax or financial advice.
How It Works
Calculate Cash Flow in 3 Simple Steps
Estimate your cash movement and closing balance without manual calculations.
Enter Opening Cash
Add the cash balance available at the beginning of your selected period.
Add Inflows & Outflows
Enter cash received and cash paid during the selected period.
Review Results
See net cash flow, closing balance, margin and estimated runway.
Cash Flow Formulas
How Cash Flow Is Calculated
The calculator uses straightforward cash movement formulas.
Net Cash Flow
Net Cash Flow = Total Inflows − Total Outflows
A positive result indicates more cash entered than left during the period.
Closing Balance
Closing Cash = Opening Cash + Net Cash Flow
This estimates the cash remaining at the end of the selected period.
Cash Flow Margin
Margin = (Net Cash Flow ÷ Total Inflows) × 100
This compares net cash flow with the total cash received.
Common Uses
Who Can Use a Cash Flow Calculator?
Small Businesses
Compare cash received with operating payments.
Ecommerce Stores
Track sales receipts against business cash costs.
Freelancers
Compare client payments with recurring expenses.
Startups
Estimate negative cash flow and potential runway.
Cash Flow Guide
What Is a Cash Flow Calculator?
A Cash Flow Calculator is an online tool that helps estimate how much cash enters and leaves a business during a selected period. It compares total cash inflows with total cash outflows to calculate net cash flow.
The calculator can also combine net cash flow with an opening cash balance to estimate the closing cash balance. This can make it easier to review short-term cash movement for a month, quarter or year.
How to Calculate Net Cash Flow
Net cash flow is calculated by adding the cash received during a period and subtracting the cash paid during the same period. The basic formula is total cash inflows minus total cash outflows.
Cash flow example
Suppose a business receives 35,000 in total cash inflows and pays 25,000 in total cash outflows. The net cash flow is 10,000. If the opening cash balance was 8,000, the estimated closing cash balance would be 18,000.
What Is Positive Cash Flow?
Positive cash flow means that total cash inflows are greater than total cash outflows during the selected period. In simple terms, more cash entered than left.
Positive cash flow may increase available cash, but the result should still be interpreted alongside liabilities, upcoming payments, taxes, financing activity and other business factors.
What Is Negative Cash Flow?
Negative cash flow occurs when total cash outflows exceed total cash inflows. A business may experience negative cash flow for many reasons, including large purchases, expansion, seasonal changes, delayed customer payments or operating losses.
Important distinction
Negative cash flow does not automatically explain why cash declined. The underlying transactions and business context should also be reviewed.
Cash Flow vs Profit
Cash flow and profit are different concepts. Cash flow focuses on actual cash entering and leaving during a period. Profit generally compares recognized revenue with expenses under the relevant accounting method.
A business can report profit while experiencing cash pressure if customers have not yet paid invoices. Similarly, a business may receive loan proceeds that increase cash even though those proceeds are not operating profit.
| Metric | Main Focus | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Flow | Cash movement | Money entering and leaving |
| Profit | Revenue and expenses | Earnings after relevant costs |
| Cash Balance | Available cash | Estimated cash at a point in time |
What Is Cash Flow Margin?
In this calculator, cash flow margin compares net cash flow with total cash inflows. It expresses the result as a percentage. This provides a simple ratio showing how much of total inflow remains after the entered outflows are deducted.
This simplified calculator ratio should not be confused with specialized accounting metrics that may use operating cash flow and net sales from formal financial statements.
What Is Cash Runway?
Cash runway is an estimate of how long available cash may last if a negative cash flow rate continues. This calculator estimates runway only when net cash flow is negative.
For monthly calculations, the estimate is shown in months. Quarterly and annual selections are converted into an approximate monthly burn rate for a more comparable runway estimate.
Important Note
Cash runway is only an estimate. Actual future inflows and outflows may change significantly. Use detailed forecasts and professional advice for important business decisions.
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FAQ
Cash Flow Calculator FAQs
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