Free Download - Excel & Google Sheets

Free Project Budget Spreadsheet Template

Single-project cost tracking with planned vs actual for each line item.

Works in Excel and Google Sheets · CC BY 4.0

What's Included

Pre-filled budget worksheet titled "Project Budget" with sample income and expense categories
Automatic totals, running balance, and surplus/deficit calculation
Color-coded input cells so you know exactly where to type your own numbers
Step-by-step "How to Use" guide included in a second sheet
Works in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice Calc - no setup or sign-up

Free and Essentials - what's the difference?

Free $0

Pre-filled budget worksheet titled "Project Budget" with sample income and expense categories
Automatic totals, running balance, and surplus/deficit calculation
Color-coded input cells so you know exactly where to type your own numbers
Step-by-step "How to Use" guide included in a second sheet
Works in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice Calc - no setup or sign-up

Good for getting started

Essentials $12

Everything in Free
Dashboard with project budget overview showing total planned cost, actual spent, variance, and remaining budget
Budget detail sheet organized by task or phase with planned amount, actual amount, and variance per line item
Planned vs. actual cost tracking with automatic variance calculations that flag over-budget line items
Percentage complete column so you can track budget consumption alongside project progress milestones

View Essentials

How the Project Budget template works

Single-project cost tracking with planned vs actual for each line item. Open the spreadsheet, enter your own numbers, and let the formulas do the math.

When this template helps

You just started tracking spending and want a clear monthly snapshot.
You want to see where your money actually goes compared to what you planned.
Your expenses changed (new job, moved, new baby) and you need to re-baseline.
You prefer a spreadsheet you control over a budgeting app.

Tips to get the most out of it

Keep the column labels simple - the formulas work best when categories are consistent month to month.
Compare planned vs actual regularly - once a week is a good rhythm for most people.

Common mistakes to avoid

Forgetting to include savings as a category - treat savings like any other bill so it gets funded first.
Using gross income instead of take-home. Budget with what actually lands in your account.
Over-optimistic "variable" categories. Groceries and dining out almost always come in higher than memory suggests.

How to Use This Project Budget Template

Review the sample data so

Review the sample data so you understand the layout.

Replace the sample values

Replace the sample values in the highlighted input cells with your own project line items.

Totals and KPI strip

The totals and KPI strip at the top update automatically from your data.

When you hit

When you hit the row limit, upgrade to Essentials (or Ultimate) for more capacity.

Built by Claude AI. Perfected by us.

We use Claude AI to draft each template, after a deep research. Then our team steps in. We refine the layout, stress-test every formula, fix edge cases, and polish the design until it feels like something we would actually use ourselves. The AI gets us 80% there. The last 20% is all human judgment.

Works in Excel and Google Sheets · CC BY 4.0

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Free, Essentials, and Ultimate?

Free is a single-sheet starter template (sample data + How to Use guide). Essentials ($12) adds a dashboard, charts, expanded categories, and pre-filled subcategories. Ultimate (when available) adds multi-entity tracking, scenario analysis, and power-user reporting across 6-7 interconnected sheets.

Should I upgrade to Essentials?

Upgrade to Essentials if you want a dashboard with charts, more categories, larger capacity, and a more polished spreadsheet for ongoing use. The Free version is a good fit for one-off planning or trying out the layout.

Is Essentials worth $12?

Essentials is a one-time $12 purchase with no subscription. It typically adds a full dashboard, 30-50% more categories or rows than the Free version, and richer formulas. Most buyers upgrade after using the Free version for a few weeks and hitting its limits.

What is included in the free version?

The free Project Budget is a single-sheet template with sample data and a "How to Use" guide. It covers the essentials. The Essentials version ($12) adds a dashboard, larger capacity, and extended categories; Ultimate (when available) adds multi-entity tracking and ultimate-grade reporting.

Can I add or rename categories?

Yes. Insert new rows above the totals row and rename any existing category. The SUM formulas adjust to include new rows automatically.

How do I start fresh without the sample data?

Select the amount cells and clear them. Keep the category labels and formulas intact - you can overwrite category names too if you want different labels.

Is the file safe to download?

Yes. No macros, no sign-up, no tracking. The file is a plain .xlsx that opens directly in Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice Calc.

How do I open this in Google Sheets?

Upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, then open it with Google Sheets. All formulas and formatting will be preserved.

What license is this template under?

All free templates are released under CC BY 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution). You can use, modify, and share them freely - including for commercial purposes - as long as you credit FinancialAha.com. They are provided as-is and do not constitute financial advice.