How to Write a Business Plan with AI (Free Template Inside)

You’ve got an idea that’s been buzzing in your head for weeks—maybe even months. But when it comes time to sit down and write a business plan, everything suddenly feels complicated. Sound familiar?

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not stuck. In 2025, writing a business plan doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth. Thanks to some incredible AI tools, what once took weeks can now take a few focused hours—without sacrificing clarity or quality.

Whether you're a first-time founder, an engineer with a side hustle, or a business professional looking to map out your next big move, this guide will walk you through how to write a powerful, compelling business plan with help from the smartest tools available today.

Why You Still Need a Business Plan in 2025

Sure, some startups go viral without a formal strategy. But let’s be real: most don’t. A business plan isn’t just a formality—it’s your foundation.

It helps you:

• Organize your thoughts

• Understand your market

• Build a realistic roadmap

• Impress investors, partners, and lenders

AI tools won’t think for you, but they will help you think better—and faster.

Best AI Tools in 2025 to Help You Write a Business Plan

Here are three AI-powered platforms that make business planning feel less like homework and more like building something real.

1. Upmetrics Review: A Friendly Starting Point for Beginners

Upmetrics takes you step-by-step through each section of your plan. It offers real-life examples, smart suggestions, and beautiful formatting right out of the box.

• How to use Upmetrics: Choose your industry, answer a few simple prompts, and the AI will help draft each section.

• Upmetrics vs. LivePlan: If you’re new to all this, Upmetrics is more intuitive. LivePlan is great for more complex financial forecasting, but it’s not as beginner-friendly.

Check out Upmetrics

2. Copy.ai Review: The Copywriter in Your Pocket

Need help writing a polished executive summary or market analysis? Copy.ai is like having a copywriter who never sleeps.

• Tool name + review: Copy.ai review highlights how well it generates clear, confident business language.

• How to use Copy.ai: Pick the “business plan” template, enter your info, and let it do its magic.

Explore Copy.ai

3. Notion AI: Best for Teams and Tinkerers

If you're someone who likes to collaborate or keep things flexible, Notion AI is a great workspace. You can brainstorm, edit, and organize your plan—all in one place.

• Tool name vs. competitor: Notion AI vs. ChatGPT—Notion wins when you want to stay organized and collaborative; ChatGPT is stronger for long-form drafting.

Try Notion AI

A Simple Step-by-Step Approach to Writing a Business Plan with AI

Let’s keep it simple. Here’s how to go from idea to investor-ready plan, without burning out.

Step 1: Clarify Your Idea

Before you touch any tools, get your core idea down. Ask yourself:

• What exactly am I offering?

• Who is this for?

• What problem does it solve?

• Why now?

Your answers don’t have to be perfect—they just need to be real. AI is powerful, but it can’t create direction out of thin air.

Step 2: Use AI to Draft the Plan

Here’s a free structure you can use, along with AI prompts to get going:

Executive Summary

• Prompt: “Summarize a [type of business] targeting [audience] with clear goals and vision.”

Company Overview

• Prompt: “Describe a company focused on [industry], including its mission and unique approach.”

Market Research

• Prompt: “Explain the trends and customer needs in [industry] in 2025.”

Marketing Plan

• Prompt: “Write a marketing strategy for launching a [product/service] online and offline.”

Operations Plan

• Prompt: “Outline how this business will run day to day and reach key milestones.”

Financial Plan

• Prompt: “Estimate startup costs and a basic revenue forecast for the first year.”

Use these with your AI tool of choice. Personally, I start in ChatGPT for rough drafts and polish with Notion AI or Upmetrics.

A Quick Word of Caution: Don’t Let AI Do All the Work

AI is a tool, not a crystal ball. Here are three things to watch out for:

1. Don’t Copy-Paste Everything
   You still need to read, tweak, and tailor. Your business isn’t generic—your plan shouldn’t be either.

2. Reality Check the Numbers
   AI can estimate startup costs, but you need to check those numbers. What’s rent really like in your city? How much does your software stack cost?

3. Make it Look Good
   Formatting matters. Tools like Upmetrics or Canva can help you design a plan that’s clean, scannable, and impressive.

Maya’s Story: How One Engineer Turned an Idea into a Pitch Deck

Maya is a software engineer who had a vision for an AI-powered app to help parents track their baby’s development. She wasn’t sure how to write a plan or pitch it.

She used Copy.ai to write the executive summary and Notion AI to draft the operations section. After editing and adding real-life numbers, she pitched it to a local investor—and got $25,000 in seed funding.

That’s the power of combining AI with your own insights.

Final Thoughts: Your Plan is Just the Beginning

Writing a business plan used to be a chore. Now? It’s an opportunity. With today’s AI tools, you don’t need to start from scratch or struggle through writer’s block.

You just need a little clarity, the right prompts, and a willingness to hit “generate.” The rest? That’s up to you.

Want a head start?
Grab our free AI-powered business plan template and join our email list to get bonus tools, expert walkthroughs, and real-world examples.

Your idea deserves to be more than a note in your phone. Let’s build something real.