Finance · Free tool
Budget vs Actual Variance Calculator
The monthly budget review comes down to a simple question per line: how far did the actual land from the plan, and by what percent? This calculator lists as many budget lines as you need, computes each variance, and totals them. It is designed for controllers, department heads, and founders running a monthly or quarterly review.
- OutputVariance and variance percent
- No sign-up
- Copy or print the result
- How it works ↓
Your entries stay in this browser. Use Fill example to see a finished page first.
What this finance tool gives you
The top row shows total budget, total actual, total variance, and variance percent. A table below gives every line with its budget, actual, variance, and variance percent, so the lines that moved most stand out at once. Copy it into your review deck or print it for the meeting.
What you enter
- Currency: USD by default, or EUR or GBP (only changes how amounts are formatted)
- Line: the name of each budget line (for example a cost center or revenue stream)
- Budget: the planned amount for that line, zero or more
- Actual: the amount that actually happened for that line, zero or more
- Add as many lines as you need; fully blank rows are ignored
Worked example
The tool's example has three lines. Founder draw was budgeted at $4,000 and came in at $4,000, a zero variance. The developer line was $2,500 against $3,000 actual, a $500 or 20% overrun. Visits came in at $180 against $300, which is -$120 or -40%. In total, $7,180 of actual against a $6,800 budget is a $380 variance, or 5.6% over.
How is budget variance calculated?
Variance = actual − budget, and variance % = variance ÷ budget × 100. A positive variance means the actual is above budget; a negative one means it is below. The same two formulas are applied to the totals of all lines.
A line with a zero budget shows a dash instead of a percent, because there is nothing to divide by. The tool does not decide whether a variance is good or bad: over budget on a revenue line is welcome, while over budget on a cost line is not, so read the sign against what each line measures.
Tips before you use the result
- Put revenue and cost lines in separate runs, or label them clearly, so a positive variance is not misread.
- Large percentages on small lines, like the -40% on visits, can distract a review. Sort attention by the currency variance first, then the percent.
- Enter the same period for budget and actual; comparing a monthly budget with a quarter-to-date actual produces meaningless variances.
- Use the total variance percent as the headline and the line table as the explanation in your management report.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate budget variance percentage?
Subtract the budget from the actual to get the variance, then divide the variance by the budget and multiply by 100. A $3,000 actual against a $2,500 budget is a $500 variance, and $500 ÷ $2,500 × 100 = 20%. This calculator applies the same formula to every line and to the totals.
Is a positive variance favorable or unfavorable?
It depends on the line. This tool defines variance as actual minus budget, so a positive number means the actual came in above plan. For revenue that is usually favorable; for a cost it is usually unfavorable. The calculator leaves that judgment to you instead of labeling lines automatically.
Why is there no variance percent for some lines?
Variance percent divides by the budget. When a line's budget is zero, there is no meaningful percent, so the table shows a dash. The currency variance is still shown, which is the number to explain for unbudgeted spending or income.
Where are my budget lines kept?
The lines you enter are saved in this browser only, so you can close the tab and return to the same draft later. No login is involved. If you work on a shared computer, use Clear when you finish so the figures do not stay behind.
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Results depend on the figures you enter; check them against your own records before you rely on them. Last updated: October 2026 · Kurums editorial team.