A cash-flow forecast answers a plain question: will there be enough money in the account on the day payroll, rent or a big supplier bill is due? Profit reports can't answer it, because a profitable month can still end with an empty checking account if customers pay late.
Every tool below starts from your accounting data, so a forecast is only as good as the books behind it. We checked each product on its own website in September 2026. Several names in this category have changed owners in recent years, and we note that where it applies.
If your books aren't current enough to forecast from, start there. See our list of catch-up and QuickBooks cleanup services or our own small business bookkeeping, which includes financial reports you can act on.
How we chose these tools
- Sold to new customers in 2026, confirmed on the vendor's own site
- Builds the forecast from your accounting data rather than a blank spreadsheet
- Connects to QuickBooks Online (and usually Xero)
- Lets you test what-if changes, such as a late payment or a new hire
- Clear about who it is built for, from owner-operators to finance teams and advisers
QuickBooks Online Cash Flow Planner
The Cash Flow Planner is built into QuickBooks Online. It projects money in and out from your QuickBooks data, including open invoices, bills and connected bank accounts, and lets you add planned items (one-time or repeating) without touching your books.
Intuit's help article lists it in the Essentials, Plus and Advanced plans and Intuit Enterprise Suite.
- No separate subscription for eligible QuickBooks Online plans
- Add planned income and expenses, including repeating items
- Planning items don't affect your books
Worth knowing
- Not available when multicurrency is turned on, per Intuit
- A short-range planner, not a multi-year model
Xero short-term cash flow
Xero includes a short-term cash flow view that shows your balance and expected cash flow over the coming days and weeks, based on invoices due, bills to pay and predicted recurring transactions. You can add one-off amounts to see the effect of a late payment or a big purchase.
Xero says the length of the projection depends on your plan, with the longer 90-day view available through its Analytics Plus add-on.
- Built into Xero
- Shows invoices due and bills to pay alongside the projection
- Manual adjustments for one-off events
Worth knowing
- Only for businesses keeping their books in Xero
- Longer projections need the paid Analytics Plus add-on
Float
Float is still operating as an independent cash-flow forecasting app. It syncs with QuickBooks Online or Xero every 24 hours and builds weekly, 13-week rolling and monthly forecasts, with scenarios you can toggle on and off.
It shows receivables and payables with expected dates, compares budget to actuals, and supports several entities on its higher plan.
- 13-week rolling cash view
- Scenario planning
- Unlimited users on every plan, with a 14-day free trial
Worth knowing
- Plans are tiered by company revenue; check the US pricing on Float's site
- QuickBooks Online and Xero only (Sage Intacct listed as coming soon)
Cash Flow Frog
Cash Flow Frog builds a rolling 36-month cash-flow forecast with scenario planning for hiring, spending and growth decisions. It connects to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, Zoho Books, FreshBooks and others.
Pricing is based on annual revenue, and the Pro plan starts at $55/month as listed on September 23, 2026, with discounts for yearly billing.
- Rolling 36-month forecast
- Scenario planning
- Connects to QuickBooks Online and Desktop
Worth knowing
- Revenue-based pricing rises as the business grows
- Its newer AI assistant connector is optional; the core forecast doesn't need it
Pulse
Pulse is a cash-flow app for small businesses that shows cash yearly, monthly, weekly or daily and can report by customer or project. It connects to QuickBooks Online.
Plans begin at $29/month as listed on September 23, 2026, and Pulse lists contractors, agencies and service firms among the businesses it serves.
- Daily through yearly cash views
- Customer- and project-level reporting
- QuickBooks Online connection
Worth knowing
- We didn't find a Xero connection on Pulse's homepage
- Simpler than the scenario-heavy tools here
LivePlan
LivePlan, from Palo Alto Software, combines business planning with forecasting. You can build a forecast from scratch or sync QuickBooks or Xero data, compare actuals against the forecast each month, and build best-case and worst-case versions.
Its homepage lists plans from $20/month as of September 23, 2026. LivePlan notes that live accounting sync is part of its Premium tier.
- Forecast built from QuickBooks or Xero data
- Multiple forecast versions for what-if planning
- Monthly review of actuals against the forecast
Worth knowing
- The entry plan does not include accounting sync; check which tier you need
- Monthly rather than week-by-week focus
Fathom
Fathom is a reporting and forecasting platform, now part of The Access Group, which announced the acquisition on its own site. Its three-way forecasts project the profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow together.
It connects to QuickBooks Online, Xero, QuickBooks Desktop and spreadsheets, and it is used by both business owners and the advisers who report to them.
- Three-way forecasts (P&L, balance sheet and cash flow)
- Branded management reports
- 14-day free trial
Worth knowing
- Pricing is per company and aimed partly at accounting firms
- More than a sole proprietor usually needs
Jirav
Jirav is a financial planning and analysis platform that forecasts the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow together, alongside budgeting and reporting. It serves accounting and CFO advisory firms as well as small and midsize businesses.
Its help center lists accounting imports from QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, NetSuite and Sage Intacct, refreshed nightly.
- Integrated three-statement forecasting
- Budgeting and scenario planning
- Nightly import from QuickBooks Online or Xero
Worth knowing
- Built for finance teams and advisers; setup takes more effort than a simple cash app
- Pricing isn't shown on the pages we checked
Dryrun
Dryrun automates cash-flow forecasts at daily, weekly and monthly intervals, with receivables and payables management, multiple scenarios, and consolidation across entities and currencies.
It connects to QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Excel. The company is based in Edmonton, Canada.
- Daily, weekly and monthly forecasts
- Multi-entity and multi-currency consolidation
- QuickBooks Online and Xero connections
Worth knowing
- Aimed at mid-market finance teams
- Pricing requires booking a demo
How to choose
Try the free planner in your accounting software first. If you find yourself exporting it to a spreadsheet to add scenarios or look further ahead, a dedicated tool is worth the subscription.
Match the tool to who will maintain it. An owner checking cash each Monday needs something simple like Pulse or Float. A company with an outside adviser or fractional CFO may get more from Fathom or Jirav.
- How far ahead do you need to see: weeks, months or years?
- Will you forecast weekly (for payroll timing) or monthly (for planning)?
- Do you need what-if scenarios for hires, loans or big purchases?
- Who will keep the forecast updated each month?
A forecast needs current books
Every tool here reads your accounting file. If bank accounts aren't reconciled, invoices are marked paid late, or bills aren't entered until they're due, the forecast will be wrong in ways that are hard to spot. Close each month first: our monthly bookkeeping checklist covers the routine, and our QuickBooks services include cleanup and catch-up when the file has fallen behind.
