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Financial modeling software can be an essential asset for SaaS businesses, offering detailed insight into what’s happening with your customers, subscriptions, and revenue as it exists now and what that data means for the future.
As a result, financial modeling software is essential in helping your SaaS company make more informed decisions surrounding income, cash flow, revenue, risk management, and other financial outcomes.
We strongly recommend leveraging scenario-based forecasts for your business to better predict your SaaS and subscription finances. And since the forecasts are only useful if they’re truly accurate and actionable, let’s discuss the top financial modeling software on the market and how to choose what’s best for you.
Why should you use financial modeling software for your SaaS business?
Financial modeling software (also sometimes called a “financial model builder”) creates financial models based on imported data. These tools can generate diverse financial models that include revenue forecasts months or even up to two years in advance based on what’s currently happening with your business’s customers, pricing, and overall revenue trends.
Many SaaS businesses use financial modeling software to better understand their projected growth. They may also use these models to see how changes in pricing models or customer retention rates can impact their future financial status, as well as using them for risk management and financial planning.
In some cases, businesses may also use these financial models to appeal to potential investors during different fundraising rounds.
Top 7 Financial Modeling Software on the Market
There are plenty of financial modeling tools on the market, and we strongly recommend looking for tools that focus on SaaS or subscription-based models. And while there are plenty of great options to choose from, you want to choose a tool that can help with scenario-based forecasting.
Let’s look at seven of the best tools on the market and some standout features of each.
Baremetrics
Baremetrics is the best financial modeling software for 2023. It helps you track cash flow, subscription revenue, lost revenue, and other financial data.
To create a valuable and actionable SaaS financial model, you need data about subscriptions and customers. Baremetrics is a SaaS analytics platform that generates unrivaled subscription intelligence and beautiful data visualizations that provide key information for your financial models.
You can enter data manually, use Baremetrics integrations with key data sources, or export data from a billing system or Microsoft Excel to upload to the platform. Baremetrics even has a google sheets add-on that pulls data from your Baremetrics platform directly into Google sheets!
Read more: 7 Best SaaS Billing Systems.
Once up and running, Baremetrics provides accurate analytics about key performance indicators such as Monthly Recurring Revenue so you can track active customers, upgrades, cancelations, and downgrades from one system. Use these insights for your financial models.
Here are some benefits of using Baremetrics for modeling:
- Compare complex data comparisons in one dashboard, including financial data from different payment processing or subscription management tools
- Add in information directly with the Baremetrics API, such as with PayPal payments
- Create better forecasting models by analyzing data from cash flow statements, income statements, and other financials
- Prevent future budgetary, cash flow, and revenue problems from affecting your business
- Great for risk management and scenario analysis
- Generate insights into all aspects of subscription management such as customer segments, customer retention, pricing models, up-sells, cross-sells, and more
- Identify subscriber growth opportunities
- Track subscribers with customized daily, weekly, or monthly reports
- Access reports via email or Slack
- Discover lost revenue from failed card charges with the Recover feature
Baremetrics is the best financial modeling software for 2023. It helps you track cash flow, subscription revenue, lost revenue, and other financials. Check out our pricing page to find a model that works for you.
Make smarter decisions about your future. Start your Baremetrics trial. It’s 100% free for the first 14-days! Check out our pricing page to find a model that works for you
Oracle Business Intelligence
This business intelligence platform analyzes financial data and converts it into data sets for detailed financial analysis. You can create financial models to help you assess commercial success of subscription businesses, leveraging predictive analysis.
Top features include:
- Ad-hoc query and reporting.
- Enterprise reporting.
- Predictive analytics.
- Great option for busiensses already using the Oracle suite of tools.
There is no free trial for Oracle Business Intelligence, and according to Capterra, pricing starts at $150 per month.
Quantrix Modeler
Quantrix provides one-click financial forecasting to simplify the revenue forecasting process.
Track KPIs and identify scenarios that could put your enterprise at risk. You can also use this financial modeling software for demand planning and general business intelligence. Here are some other features of Quantrix Modeler:
These are the standout features to consider:
- Great customer service.
- Automatically-updated formulas to reflect new modeling structures.
- Interactive dashboards.
- Leverage automation with Groovy scripting.
A free trial is available, and you can contact sales for more pricing information.
Operis Analysis Kit
Operis is a forecasting platform that builds successful SaaS financial models and can help you make data-driven decisions about your future budgets and operations. The financial modeling software boasts features such as formula optimization, mapping, workbook comparison, and even debt modeling.
It was made for Microsoft and Excel to create financial models from the data you have on hand.
Standout features include:
- Diverse modeling options, including debt modeling
- Formula optimization for better data models
- Made for Microsoft and Excel
- Compare different spreadsheets to look for variances
- Reconstruct and audit formulas
This tool doesn’t provide the kind of interactive dashboards and visuals that you get with Baremetrics or Quantrix, but it’s a solid tool for those who only want to use data in Excel.
The annual subscription cost is currently $349.99.
Oracle Hyperion Planning
Oracle's Hyperion is another forecasting platform that replaces spreadsheets. It comes with a flexible modeling system for insights into pricing and financial statements. Other features include hybrid data models, workflow capabilities, and Microsoft Office integration.
Standout features include:
- Hybrid data models
- Workflow capabilities
- Microsoft Office integration
- Great for existing Oracle users
You need to contact sales for specific pricing information, but we know that this isn’t a low-cost tool.
SAP Business Objects
Business Objects has innovative financial planning capabilities that help SaaS companies prepare for the future. With reliable modelers, templates, and add-ins, Business Objects helps you manage your balance sheet.
Standout features of this tool include:
- Enterprise reporting system
- Ad-hoc reporting
- Self-service visualization and reporting tools
- Outstanding visualization platform
- Role-based dashboards
Pricing information isn’t readily available online, but you can request a demo or a quote.
IBM Cognos Analytics
IBM Cognos is an AI-based financial modeling platform with drag-and-drop capabilities for greater functionality. You can create models for risk management and scenario analysis and share data insights with stakeholders and team members.
Standout features of this financial modeling tool include:
Interactive dashboards
Strong data visualization
Enterprise-grade reports
Predictive forecasting
AI assistant
Pricing starts at $10.60 USD per user per month, but varies depending on which products you choose.
Recommended reading: Price Optimization in SaaS: Customer Retention.
How to Choose Financial Modeling Software
When choosing financial modeling software for your business, there are a few things every business should keep in mind:
- Reliability. Read customer reviews to see how accurate they say the financial models are. Do they consider enough data points, and do it well, to the point where you can base major financial decisions on those models? If not, opt for a different tool.
- Customer service and general support. If you need help importing data, learning how to use a new feature, or onboarding your team, you want to know that you’ll be able to get prompt and attentive customer service. Never choose any SaaS tool that has less-than-stellar service reviews on sites like G2 or Capterra.
- Scalability. Small startups may be tempted to choose a tool that caps the number of users at 5, but long-term this could be a disaster if you have five different teams with multiple people who need to access the software.
- Intuitive interface. No matter how tech-savvy you are, you want your financial modeling software to have an easy-to-use interface. There’s no need to add any extra confusion that could cause inaccuracies in the financial models.
In addition to these general considerations that all businesses should look for, there are also a few criteria that will vary depending on your specific business’s needs. These include the following:
- Does it align with your tech stack? Baremetrics, for example, has easy-use integrations for platforms like Recurly, Google Play, Stripe, and Shopify Partners, plus the option to import data manually or through the API. Streamlined and ideally automated data synching is best when possible.
- What kind of information do you need? Some financial forecasting software, for example, only provides a single model at the time, while others allow you to compare models based on variances. Some also provide different types of models, like debt forecasting. Consider what types of models you actually need, based on what you’re using the models for.
- Does it match your budget? Plenty of SaaS startups can’t afford a $10,000 a month price tag— and some financial modeling software costs that much. Get quotes from the providers you’re most interested in if free trials aren’t available to see what fits into your budget.
- Consider additional functionality. Baremetrics, for example, offers general revenue analytics that are focused on subscription-based businesses.
This means that in addition to our forecasting features, we also can provide revenue data and analysis, insights into cancellations and trials, and even features designed to prevent missed payments before they happen.
- Does it have the kind of data visualization you’re looking for? Some financial modeling tools only provide hard numbers and don’t actually provide the kind of visualizations that make data analysis easier and more efficient. Interactive visualizations are best-case scenario here, but make sure that you’re choosing a tool that delivers data in a medium and format you’re happy with.
- Easy report sharing. In most cases, you aren’t going to have a single decision-maker lording over the data and refusing to share; most teams distribute financial modeling data with multiple team members, potentially including external customers or vendors like consultants or investors. Simple exporting or report sharing features area must-have.
Bottom Line About Financial Modeling Software
Creating a new SaaS financial model based on forecasts, instead of just looking at actuals, will provide you the tools you need to improve revenue, profit, cash flow, and your entire bottom line.
But first, you’ll need reliable modeling software that pulls financial data into a separate system for evaluation and real-time metrics. The software above serves this purpose, providing you with lucrative resources for more accurate forecast-based models.
For superior forecasting, use Baremetrics!
Baremetrics is the No.1 modeling tool for SaaS companies that want to gauge their financial futures. It helps in forecasting data trends such as churn, cancelations, and downgrades from one centralized hub and power subscription intelligence in your enterprise.
This SaaS analytics program takes your financial data and generates insights about subscriptions, customers, cancelations, downgrades, upgrades, and revenue for better decision-making in your enterprise.
With multiple integrations, custom reports, and an easy-to-use API, you can track subscription-based KPIs in minutes. Global SaaS businesses use Baremetrics for financial modeling.
This subscription-centered software transforms financials into valuable data insights for budgeting, cash flow management, profitability, and growth.
Start your free 14-day Baremetrics trial today.
