Free AI Tools for Writing Business Plans (2026)

Here are the top truly free AI-powered tools for generating business plans, based on current availability. I prioritized tools that offer full or near-full plans (not just summaries) without payment walls, though some have usage limits or require sign-up. General-purpose AIs like ChatGPT (chatgpt.com, free tier with limits) or Google Gemini (gemini.google.com, unlimited free) can also work well with custom prompts like "Generate a full business plan for [idea] including market analysis and financials"—but dedicated tools are more structured.

I focused on 7 standout options, verified as free as of February 2026. Comparison table below, followed by details.

Quick Comparison Table

Recommendation: Start with Bizplanr.ai or QuillBot for no-sign-up, full plans. Use Canva if you want visuals. Avoid if seeking investor-grade (these are starters—always customize).

Detailed Recommendations

1. Bizplanr.ai (bizplanr.ai) ★ Top Pick for Simplicity

• How it works: Answer simple questions about your idea; AI builds a full plan with market analysis, financial projections.
• Pros: Completely free, quick (minutes), industry-tailored, downloadable/shareable.
• Cons: Basic financial tools; refine for complexity.
• Ideal for: Solopreneurs needing a lender-ready draft.

2. QuillBot AI Business Plan Generator (quillbot.com/ai-writing-tools/ai-business-plan-generator)

• How it works: Chat-style input (idea, competitors, trends); generates detailed plan incl. goals, market/competitor analysis, financials.
• Pros: No limits/sign-up, adaptable (e.g., SaaS, bakery), strong starting point.
• Cons: Accuracy depends on your details; copy to Word/PDF.
• Ideal for: Flexible, no-commitment use.

3. Contentideas.io Business Plan Generator (contentideas.io/business-plan-generator)

• How it works: Enter business description + audience; get 10 sections (e.g., market positioning, revenue model, scaling).
• Pros: Unlimited free, no sign-up, AI insights (market intel, predictions).
• Cons: No direct export (copy text); strategy-heavy, light on financials.
• Ideal for: Market/strategy brainstorming.

4. Canva AI Business Plan Generator (canva.com/ai-business-plan-generator)

• How it works: Prompt your idea (e.g., "coffee shop in NYC"); generates editable Doc with sections, charts.
• Pros: Visuals/charts, 20 languages, collaborative.
• Cons: 50-query lifetime limit (free); sign-up needed.
• Ideal for: Design-focused plans.

5. PrometAI (prometai.app)

• How it works: Describe idea/goals; AI creates full plan + pre-filled presentation/financials, customizable.
• Pros: 100+ industries, benchmarks, SWOT; secure.
• Cons: Sign-up required; export unclear.
• Ideal for: Data-driven startups.

6. IdeaBuddy Free Generator (ideabuddy.com/free-ai-tools/business-plan-generator)

• How it works: Quick Q&A on idea/market/funding; simple tailored plan.
• Pros: Instant (1 min), no sign-up, industry support.
• Cons: Basic/not detailed (use as outline).
• Ideal for: Idea validation.

7. Piktochart AI (piktochart.com/ai-business-plan-generator)

• How it works: Prompt or upload docs; AI makes visual plan w/ images/charts.
• Pros: Pro visuals, templates (startup/growth/etc.).
• Cons: 50 credits/mo; export needs paid Pro (~$14/mo).
• Ideal for: Pitch decks/infographics.

Tips for Best Results

• Combine tools: Generate with Bizplanr/QuillBot, visualize in Canva.
• Enhance with free LLMs: Paste outputs into ChatGPT for refinements (e.g., "Improve financial projections").
• Limitations note: Free tiers are great starters but lack advanced forecasting (upgrade for that). Always add your data for accuracy.

What type of business (e.g., tech startup, retail)? Do you need financial projections, visuals, or just text? Share details for tailored advice or prompt examples!

To write a business plan for free using AI, you have two main options: Specialized AI Plan Generators (which offer structured templates) and General LLMs (which are more flexible but require better prompting).

Below are the top-rated free tools as of 2026, categorized by how they help you.

1. Best Specialized AI Generators (Structured)

These tools are designed specifically for business planning and often use a "wizard" style (asking you questions to build the plan).

• Bizplanr: One of the few platforms that remains "fully free" for generating an initial draft.
  • Pros: Extremely beginner-friendly; generates core sections like Market Analysis and Financials quickly.
  • Cons: The free version is often "read-only" or restricted to one plan; you may need to pay to export to PDF or make extensive edits.
• PrometAI: Known for producing investor-ready structures using AI.
  • Pros: Strong focus on "valuation" and strategic structure; has a functional free tier for simple drafts.
  • Cons: Advanced financial modeling features are locked behind the paid plan.
• Grammarly Business Plan Generator: Best for the writing phase.
  • Pros: Great for drafting a professional Executive Summary or refining your "mission statement."
  • Cons: It is a text-generator, not a full business modeling tool; it won't build your spreadsheets for you.

2. Best Visual & Template Tools

If your goal is to present your plan to investors or partners, these tools help with the "look and feel."

• Canva (Magic Write): Canva's AI-assistant, Magic Write, can generate business plan content directly into their beautiful templates.
  • Pros: Excellent for pitch decks and visual plans; free users get up to 50 AI queries.
  • Cons: You have to manually organize the output into sections; it's not a "guided" business tool.
• PlanBuildr: Offers a free basic version that focuses on quick generation.
  • Pros: Very fast; good for "lean" business plans.
  • Cons: Limited customization and advanced features.

3. Best General-Purpose AI (Flexible)

These are the most powerful "free" options, but they require you to provide the structure yourself.

• ChatGPT (OpenAI): Still the most versatile tool.
  • How to use for free: Ask it for a "Business Plan Outline for a [Your Industry] startup." Then, feed it details about your business section-by-section.
  • Pros: Can handle deep research and brainstorm creative marketing strategies.
• Claude (Anthropic): Preferred by many for its more "human" and nuanced writing style.
  • Pros: Excellent for summarizing long documents or market research reports you’ve already found.
  • Cons: Lower daily message limits on the free plan compared to ChatGPT.
• NotebookLM (Google): Best for research-heavy plans.
  • Pros: You can upload your own PDFs (industry reports, competitor menus, local laws) and the AI will write your plan based only on those facts, reducing "hallucinations."

Comparison Summary

Quick Tips for Using Free Tools:

1. Work in Sections: Don't ask AI to "Write a whole business plan" at once. Ask for the "Executive Summary," then the "Market Analysis," then the "Operations Plan" separately for higher quality.
2. The "Export" Hack: Many specialized tools (like Bizplanr or 15MinutePlan) charge you to download a PDF. You can often get around this by copying and pasting the AI's text into a free Google Doc or Word template.
3. Validate Financials: AI is notorious for making mistakes with math. Always double-check any profit/loss projections generated by a chatbot.

Are you looking to write this for an internal roadmap, or are you preparing a document to show to a bank or investor? (The requirements for an investor-ready plan are much stricter).