Neural Project InstituteProject management certification for the AI era

Templates · Finance & estimating

Free Budget Template for Google Sheets and Excel (Monthly)

A budget template lets you plan spending by category and month, record actuals and see variances immediately, whether you are budgeting for a project, a team or your household.

Written byProject management editorial team
  • Published
  • Google Sheets · Excel · PDF
budget template

Free download · no sign-up

Get the budget template

Pick your level and format: Google Sheets, Excel or a print-ready PDF. Spreadsheets include dropdowns, formulas and sample rows you can overwrite.

Beginner

Essential columns only, one tab. Quick to fill in.

1 tab · 4 columns

GSheetsXExcelPPDF
AdvancedMost popular

The full template with every tab, dropdowns and formulas.

2 tabs · 6 columns

GSheetsXExcelPPDF
Expert

Adds a live dashboard, instructions and revision history.

2 data tabs + instructions, dashboard and revision history

GSheetsXExcelPPDF

Budget Template preview

Monthly budget
CategoryPlanned ($)Actual ($)Variance ($)Variance (%)Notes
Income6,0006,2002003%
Salaries / labour3,0003,100-100-3%
Software and tools400380205%
Marketing600720-120-20%Extra ad spend
Travel30015015050%
Other200210-10-5%

Sample rows are examples: replace them with your own.

What's included

  • Monthly planned vs actual budget with variance in $ and %
  • Annual 12-month view with totals
  • Monthly budget: Category, Planned ($), Actual ($), Variance ($), Variance (%), Notes
  • Annual by month: Category, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Total

How to use the budget template

  1. List income and cost categories that matter to you.
  2. Enter planned amounts for the month (and the year on the second tab).
  3. Record actual figures as they come in.
  4. Check variances: totals and percentages calculate automatically.
  5. Adjust next month's plan based on what you learn.

Tips for getting the most from it

  • Update actuals weekly so surprises are small.
  • Keep a contingency line.
  • Use Google Sheets to share the budget with your team.
  • For projects, track cost variance and EVM.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

What is a budget template?

A budget template is a spreadsheet for planning income and costs by category and comparing them with actual figures.

Is this budget template free?

Yes. The budget template is free in Google Sheets, Excel and PDF.

Is there a budget template for Google Sheets?

Yes. Make a copy of the Google Sheets budget template and share it.

Is the budget template a monthly budget template?

Yes. The first tab is a monthly budget template; the second gives a 12-month view.

How is variance calculated in the budget template?

For costs, variance = planned − actual; for income, actual − planned; the percentage divides by the plan.

Can I use the budget template for a project budget?

Yes. Replace the categories with project cost lines; see project budget.

Can I use the budget template for personal finances?

Yes. Use personal categories such as rent, food and savings.

Is there a simple budget template in Google Sheets for free?

Yes. This simple budget template is free and works in Google Sheets and Excel.

How often should I update the budget template?

Weekly for actuals, and review the budget monthly.

What is the difference between a budget template and a cost estimate?

A cost estimate predicts costs; a budget template tracks spending against an approved plan.

What is the difference between the beginner, advanced and expert budget template?

The beginner budget template keeps only the essential columns on one tab; the advanced version is the full template with every tab, dropdown and formula; the expert version adds a live dashboard, instructions and revision history.