The short answer
A professionally written business plan typically costs $1,500–$3,500, with a typical project around $2,500. A lean plan for internal use sits lower; an investor- or loan-ready plan with full financials sits higher. The market spread:
| Tier | Range | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Template / DIY | $0–$100 | A structure to fill in yourself. Fine for clarifying your thinking. |
| Basic plan | $1,000–$1,800 | Standard narrative, simple financials, general-purpose use. |
| Investor / loan-ready | $1,800–$3,500 | Market research, three-statement financials, polished for outside readers. |
| Comprehensive / complex | $3,500–$6,000+ | Deep research, detailed models, pitch deck, franchise or immigration plans. |
What actually moves the price
Financials. The narrative is the easy part; the financial model is where the cost lives. A plan with realistic three-statement projections, assumptions someone can challenge, and a funding ask that adds up takes real work. A plan without credible numbers won’t survive a lender or investor — so this is not the place to cut.
Research depth. A generic industry overview is cheap. Genuine market sizing, competitor analysis, and customer validation cost more because someone has to actually dig. The SBA Business Guide is a solid free starting point for the structure and what lenders expect.
Audience. A plan to organize your own thinking can be lean. A plan going to an SBA lender, an investor, or an immigration case has requirements and a bar to clear, and that raises both effort and price.
How this guide is priced
Figures are compiled from public rate listings and market data — see the source below and our data methodology. As Mindhyv grows, these ranges will reflect real, anonymized engagement data from the marketplace.
Before you hire
Read the business plan writer hiring guide to match the plan’s depth to its purpose. If funding is the goal and grants are an option, compare it against what a grant writer costs. And if you write plans for a living, the commission savings calculator shows what you’d keep selling the same work commission-free.