How much a business plan really costs in the UK — and what each tier buys you
The price of a UK business plan ranges from free to over £5,000. The spread is not about quality alone: it is about who writes it, which lender they are writing for, and whether the financial model survives a credit committee. This guide explains every tier so you pay for what you need and skip what you do not.
GigBlend11 min readUpdated
Why business plan prices vary so much
A business plan is not a commodity. A three-page summary for a landlord and a forty-page document for a Start Up Loan application share a name and little else. The price differences — from zero to more than £5,000 — reflect who writes it, what the reader expects, and how much of the financial modelling is done from scratch rather than adapted from a template.
| Tier | Typical UK cost | Who writes it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free template | £0 | You, filling in blanks | Thinking through the idea before you talk to anyone |
| Paid template pack | £15–£60 | You, guided by a structure | A simple plan for a sole trader or a small loan |
| AI-drafted (checked) | £60–£150 | An AI agent, reviewed by a second model; optional human sign-off | A lender-ready plan where the format and checks matter more than bespoke advice |
| Freelance writer | £300–£1,500 | A person, typically a generalist writer or a junior consultant | A first full plan where you want someone to pull the story together |
| Specialist consultant | £1,800–£5,000+ | An accountant or a former lender who knows the format the reader expects | A plan going to a credit committee, an investor, or a regulated sector |
Free templates: the real cost
Every high-street bank and every start-up support body publishes a free template. They are genuinely useful for structuring your thinking and they cost nothing. The hidden cost is time: a first-time writer spends 20–40 hours filling gaps they did not know existed, and the result often lacks the sensitivity analysis and the cash-flow logic a lender looks for. If the plan is for your own clarity, start with a free template. If it is for a lender, a template alone is usually not enough.
AI-drafted plans: what the £60–£150 tier actually delivers
The fastest-growing segment of the UK business plan market is AI-drafted plans checked by a second model. At £60–£150, these plans include a full narrative, a three-year or five-year financial model with sensitivity tables, and a lender-facing format. The model is built from your inputs — industry, turnover assumptions, cost base — and the output is checked against UK lending conventions. What you do not get: a phone call with the person who built it, or sector-specific strategic advice. What you do get: a document that passes the format check a lender runs before reading the numbers. GigBlend's business plan service sits in this tier, with an optional staff sign-off for an extra layer of review.
Price check: a lender-ready AI-drafted plan on GigBlend starts at £61.95 (Basic tier, AI-only). The same plan with a human staff sign-off starts at £130.95 (Staff Sign-off tier). These are the total prices, service fee included — nothing added at checkout.
Freelance writers and generalist consultants
Between £300 and £1,500, you are paying for a person to interview you, understand the business, and write the narrative. The financial model at this tier is often adapted from a standard spreadsheet rather than built bespoke, and the writer may not have lending experience. If your plan needs to convince a reader who understands your sector — a trade supplier, a commercial landlord, a small grant body — this tier can be the right fit. For a regulated lender, check that the writer has produced plans for that specific scheme before you commit.
Specialist consultants: when £1,800+ is the right price
A specialist charges £1,800 to £5,000 and above because they bring two things a template and a generalist cannot: they know the exact format a specific lender or investor reads, and they build the financial model from scratch so every assumption can be defended in a credit committee. If you are applying for a Start Up Loan above £15,000, raising equity, or entering a regulated sector (financial services, healthcare, childcare), the cost of a plan that fails the first review is higher than the fee. At this tier, always ask for a sample plan written for the same type of reader and check that the financial model includes a sensitivity case with at least two scenarios.
What makes a plan "lender-ready" — and why it affects the price
A lender-ready plan is not a longer plan. It is a plan where the reader can find four things inside the first two pages: the amount you need, what you are spending it on, how you will repay it, and what happens if revenue misses by 20%. Plans that bury these answers cost more to fix than to write, because the person fixing them has to reverse-engineer the assumptions the first writer built in. That is why the price gap between a £60 AI plan and a £300 freelance plan often disappears after one revision: the AI plan was built conservatively from the start, and the freelance plan needs a second draft to tighten the numbers.
Hidden costs to watch for
- **Re-drafts at an hourly rate.** Some writers quote a flat fee for the first draft and £40–£80/hour for changes. If the brief changes, the cost can double. Agree the revision terms before you start.
- **Financials sold separately.** A plan without a financial model is a brochure. Check that the price includes a P&L, cash-flow forecast and balance sheet, not just the narrative.
- **"Investor-ready" promises without evidence.** If a writer claims their plans secure funding, ask for a reference from a lender, not a client — the client may have succeeded despite the plan, not because of it.
- **Platform fees on top.** On some marketplaces the listed price excludes a buyer fee of 5–12%. On GigBlend the price you see is the total you pay.
Which tier is right for you?
The answer depends on who reads the plan, not on how much you can afford. A plan for a commercial landlord needs a profit-and-loss forecast and a break-even point. A plan for a Start Up Loan needs a cash-flow forecast with a sensitivity case and a personal survival budget. A plan for an angel investor needs a credible market size and an exit route. Pay for the tier that matches the reader, and do not pay for a tier above it unless the reader demands it. If you are unsure which reader your plan needs to convince, start with the lender-facing format — it is the most conservative and the easiest to adapt upward.
Questions people ask
- How much does a business plan cost for a Start Up Loan?
- For a UK Start Up Loan, expect to pay £60–£500. An AI-drafted plan with a checked financial model (£60–£150) meets the format requirements for most applications. A specialist consultant (£300–£500) is worth it if you are borrowing above £15,000, if your sector is unusual, or if you have been refused once already. The Start Up Loans Company does not prescribe who writes the plan; it prescribes what the plan must contain.
- Can I write my own business plan for free?
- Yes, and if the plan is for your own clarity or for a supplier who does not require financials, a free template is the right starting point. If the plan is for a lender, an investor, or a grant body, a template alone is unlikely to pass the first review unless you already know how to build a cash-flow forecast and a sensitivity case.
- What is the difference between a £60 AI plan and a £500 freelance plan?
- The AI plan is built from structured inputs and checked against lending conventions by a second model; it is consistent and fast but you cannot discuss the business with the writer. The freelance plan involves a person who interviews you, interprets the answers, and may bring sector knowledge. Both can produce a lender-ready document; the choice is whether you need the conversation. At £60–£150, some buyers buy the AI plan first, then hire a person only if the lender asks for something the AI plan did not cover.
- Do I need a business plan for a small side business?
- If you are not borrowing money, signing a lease, or bringing in a partner, a full business plan is probably unnecessary. A one-page summary covering what you sell, to whom, at what margin, and what could go wrong is enough for most side businesses. Write that yourself; you do not need to pay for it.
- How long does it take to get a business plan written?
- An AI-drafted plan can be delivered within 24 hours once you have supplied the inputs. A freelance writer typically takes 5–10 working days. A specialist consultant may need 2–4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the financial model and the availability of your own figures. Always ask for a delivery date before you pay.