Cube is the best budgeting and forecasting software for most finance teams in 2026, and Jirav is the best pick for small finance teams that want a published price. Cube lets planners stay in Excel or Google Sheets while working from one shared set of numbers, and Jirav bundles planning, reporting, and implementation help for companies without a large FP&A staff.
The other picks fit larger or more specific needs. Workday Adaptive Planning suits mid-size and large companies with complex models. Datarails fits Excel-first teams that consolidate many data sources, and Planful serves enterprises that want planning and the financial close on one platform.
Plan for implementation before you sign. These tools only work once your chart of accounts, departments, and data connections are mapped, and that setup often takes weeks. Ask each vendor who does the work, how long it usually takes, and whether it costs extra.
Our top pick
Cube
Spreadsheet-friendly planning that finance teams adopt quickly.
Quick picks
Best overall
Best for complex models
Best for Excel users
Best for planning and close
Best for small teams
How we ranked these tools
We scored each platform on five criteria: fit for corporate finance and FP&A teams, depth of budgeting, forecasting, and reporting features, pricing and value, ease of use, and support. We based the scores on vendor documentation, published pricing pages, and public user reviews. No vendor paid for placement. Prices and plan details reflect what vendors published as of October 2026, and most of these vendors quote prices individually, so confirm terms with each one.
The 5 best budgeting and forecasting software tools
1. Cube
Best for finance teams that plan in spreadsheets
Our rating4.7 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planFree trial
Cube is an FP&A platform that connects your ERP, accounting, and HR data to the spreadsheets your team already uses. Every plan includes Cube Web plus Excel and Google Sheets integrations, so analysts pull actuals and push budget changes without passing files around. Cube quotes each plan, from Bronze for a single legal entity to Gold for up to 50, and offers a free trial. Ask about training hours if your team is new to FP&A software, since Bronze includes only four.
Pros
- Works inside Excel and Google Sheets
- Quick adoption for spreadsheet-heavy teams
- Plans scale by number of legal entities
Cons
- No published pricing
- Multicurrency consolidation costs extra on lower plans
Key features
- Excel and Google Sheets integrations
- Budget and forecast versions
- Scenario planning
- Workflows on higher plans
2. Workday Adaptive Planning
Best for complex models at mid-size and large companies
Our rating4.6 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planFree trial (30 days)
Workday Adaptive Planning is a cloud platform for budgeting, forecasting, workforce planning, and reporting. It connects to any ERP or general ledger, supports unlimited versions and what-if scenarios, and includes OfficeConnect for building reports in Microsoft Office. Pricing is quote-based. Workday offers a 30-day free trial with a guided walkthrough of planning, reporting, and dashboards, which is rare in this category. It fits mid-size and large companies with complex models, and small teams will find it more than they need.
Pros
- Unlimited versions and scenarios
- Connects to any ERP or general ledger
- 30-day free trial
Cons
- No published pricing
- Complex models take real effort to build
- More than a small company needs
Key features
- Workforce planning
- What-if scenarios
- Active dashboards
- OfficeConnect reporting
3. Datarails
Best for Excel-first teams with many data sources
Our rating4.5 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planNo
Datarails is an Excel-native FP&A platform. Finance teams keep their existing spreadsheets while Datarails pulls data from accounting, ERP, and other systems into one governed source. It handles multi-entity consolidation with different charts of accounts, currency translation, and intercompany eliminations, and it adds AI agents for recurring analysis. Pricing is custom. The Professional plan includes two users and one integration, so a larger team or more data sources moves you to a higher tier.
Pros
- Keeps Excel at the center of planning
- Strong multi-entity consolidation
- AI agents for recurring analysis
Cons
- No published pricing
- Entry plan includes only two users and one integration
Key features
- Excel-native planning
- Entity consolidation
- Dashboards and reporting
- AI analysis agents
4. Planful
Best for planning and financial close on one platform
Our rating4.3 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planNo
Planful is a financial performance management platform that combines budgeting, forecasting, consolidation, and the financial close. It suits enterprise and upper mid-market finance teams that want planning and close on one system rather than two separate tools. Planful sells through custom quotes, so ask for implementation, training, and renewal costs in writing before you sign. Smaller companies with a single entity usually get more value from lighter tools such as Cube or Jirav.
Pros
- Planning, consolidation, and close together
- Built for enterprise finance teams
- Structured workflows for budget owners
Cons
- No published pricing
- Longer setup than lighter tools
- Too much platform for small teams
Key features
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Financial consolidation
- Close management
- Reporting and dashboards
5. Jirav
Best for small finance teams that want published pricing
Our rating4.2 / 5
Starting price$10,000 / year
Free planNo
Jirav is a planning and reporting platform for small and midsize businesses, and one of the few in this category with published prices. Starter costs $10,000 a year for company-level, short-range planning with two admins. Pro costs $15,000 a year and adds departmental planning, more dashboards, and up to 48 months of data. Every plan includes implementation support and integrations with accounting, workforce, and spreadsheet tools. Billing is annual, and the Starter limits arrive quickly once departments want their own budgets.
Pros
- Published annual pricing
- Implementation support on every plan
- Sized for small finance teams
Cons
- Annual billing only
- Starter limits plans, admins, and history
Key features
- Dynamic planning
- Dashboards and report packages
- Accounting integrations
- Workforce data integrations
Compare the top budgeting and forecasting software
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | Finance teams that plan in spreadsheets | Custom pricing | Free trial | 4.7 |
| Workday Adaptive Planning | Complex models at mid-size and large companies | Custom pricing | Free trial (30 days) | 4.6 |
| Datarails | Excel-first teams with many data sources | Custom pricing | No | 4.5 |
| Planful | Planning and financial close on one platform | Custom pricing | No | 4.3 |
| Jirav | Small finance teams that want published pricing | $10,000 / year | No | 4.2 |
How to choose budgeting and forecasting software
Start with how your team works today
If your analysts live in Excel, pick a tool that keeps them there, such as Cube or Datarails. If you want to replace spreadsheets with a governed web model, Workday Adaptive Planning and Planful are built for that. Forcing a change in habits slows adoption more than any missing feature.
Count entities, users, and data sources
Most vendors price by legal entities, users, and integrations. Cube’s tiers step up at one, 10, and 50 entities, and the Datarails entry plan covers two users and one integration. List what you need now and in two years before you request quotes.
Budget for implementation
Mapping accounts, departments, and headcount data takes time. Ask whether implementation is included, who does it, and how long it took for a company your size. Jirav includes implementation support on every plan, while other vendors may charge separately or rely on partners.
Test with your own data
Workday Adaptive Planning offers a 30-day trial and Cube offers a free trial. A demo with sample data hides the hard parts, so load a real month of actuals and build one department budget before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is budgeting and forecasting software?
Budgeting and forecasting software helps finance teams build budgets, compare them with actual results, and project future revenue, expenses, and cash. It pulls data from accounting and other systems, supports multiple scenarios, and removes the version-control problems that come with emailed spreadsheets.
How much does budgeting and forecasting software cost?
Most FP&A platforms quote prices on request. Jirav is an exception, with plans at $10,000 and $15,000 a year. Cube, Datarails, Planful, and Workday Adaptive Planning price by entities, users, and modules, so expect a custom quote and ask about implementation fees before you compare totals.
Can you keep using Excel with FP&A software?
Yes. Cube includes Excel and Google Sheets integrations on every plan, and Datarails is built to work inside Excel. Workday Adaptive Planning offers OfficeConnect for reporting in Microsoft Office. These tools keep the familiar spreadsheet interface while centralizing the data behind it.
When should a company move budgeting off spreadsheets?
Move when budgets take days to consolidate, when version errors reach leadership, or when you add entities and departments. A single-entity company with a simple budget can stay in spreadsheets longer. Once several people edit the model every month, a dedicated tool usually pays for itself in saved time.
Which budgeting software is best for a small finance team?
Jirav is the best fit for a small finance team that wants predictable pricing and implementation help. Its Starter plan costs $10,000 a year. Teams that prefer to stay in spreadsheets should also request a quote from Cube, whose Bronze plan covers a single legal entity.
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