whatifi lets founders and CFOs build visual what-if cash flow scenarios without spreadsheets. Free plan; paid plans from $125/user/month.
Researched and fact-checked by Bartu Cavusoglu · Updated October 26, 2026
whatifi is a scenario planning and forecasting tool for small and mid-sized businesses. It lets founders, in-house finance leads and fractional CFOs model runway, staffing, capacity and profit outcomes visually, without spreadsheets or formulas, and share the results with teams, clients and investors in real time.
The product grew out of the founder's background. Jon Cowley spent 25 years in film and television visual effects, where work is timeline-based, visual and built to absorb constant change. He asked why financial models could not work the same way, and whatifi applies that event-driven approach to forecasting.
Users build a scenario by connecting pre-built business logic blocks called Events in a decision-tree-like builder. Each Event handles a transaction or calculation, so the model reads as a chain of cause and effect. The company describes the result as closer to a database than a spreadsheet.
Because every calculation is graphed step by step, users can trace a result back to its source instead of chasing formulas. Several scenarios can run side by side, and Goal and KPI Events help filter and compare outcomes. The company says forecasts can be built in seconds, though it also notes a steep but short learning curve.
The core feature is the visual scenario builder, supported by templates and the option to create custom Events for a niche. Step-by-step error checking, KPI calculations at multiple decision points and the ability to sort scenarios by financials or sentiment ratings help users compare options without feeling buried in them.
Collaboration and reporting come next. Scenarios can be shared interactively so clients can test their own assumptions, and reports can be customized and exported to Excel. Agencies get a unified dashboard with alerts and notifications, while paid Modules, such as Capacity and Staffing, cover more advanced calculations.
whatifi is a scenario planning and cash flow forecasting tool. It lets decision-makers visually model runway, staffing, capacity and profit scenarios using pre-built Events instead of spreadsheet formulas, and share them with teams, clients and investors.
There is a free Preview plan, and Solo Business costs $125 per user per month. Agency is $1000 per month with 5 client accounts, and Enterprise starts at $5,000 per month. Modules are priced on request, and paying annually in advance earns a 10% discount.
Yes. The Preview plan costs $0 and includes Basic Events, up to three scenarios, a one-year scenario limit and 25 Events per scenario. It excludes PRO Events and Modules.
It is aimed at founders, in-house CFOs, financial planners and fractional CFO agencies at small and mid-sized businesses. The site has dedicated pages for startups, VFX and gaming companies, and fractional CFOs.
The integrations page lists Excel, Google Sheets, QuickBooks, Xero, Railz, Plaid and OpenAI, all marked coming soon. The features page also names Freshbooks, NetSuite, Google Maps and Yahoo Finance, so ask the vendor what is live.
No. The company says early-stage startups do not need a finance background and offers a startup plan. It does note a steep but short learning curve and suggests booking a demo first.
No. The site states it is desktop-only software. Mobile visitors can sign up and receive login details by email to use it on a desktop computer.
Yes. For a one-time fee, whatifi will import your spreadsheet, balance sheet or P&L and build a scenario around your question. The pricing FAQ says most initial setups cost between $300 and $500.