Rates, 2026
What should a business plan consultant charge in a major city?
About $925 a day for a business plan consultant who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $700 in the first years, $1,175 when senior. A business plan or deck runs about $4,050.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$700
a day · $90 an hour
Working, booked
$925
a day · $125 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,175
a day · $150 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$925 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$125 per hour
- A business plan or deck$4,050 per project
Sold a project fee, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Business plan$1,700 to $6,800 each
- Investor deck, content and story$1,275 to $4,250 each
- Financial model$1,275 to $5,100 each
- One-pager$350 to $1,025 each
How the number is made
Business plan and pitch consultants at this level in this market day at about $925 ($700 to $1,500 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A business plan or deck runs $1,500 to $8,000 and takes about 30 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $3,750. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a business plan consultant in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $925 a day for someone working and booked, $700 in the first years, $1,175 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a business plan or deck?
- $4,050 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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