Float vs Dryrun vs Finmark: 2025 Cash-Flow Forecasting Software Shoot-Out for Series A SaaS Startups

As Series A SaaS startups scale past the $1M ARR milestone, the spreadsheet-based financial planning that worked in the early days quickly becomes a bottleneck. Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) software becomes a strategic advantage for companies as they grow past $1M in ARR (TrueRev). The question isn't whether to upgrade from Excel—it's which platform will deliver the scenario flexibility, integration capabilities, and AI-powered insights your growing finance team needs.

In 2025, three platforms have emerged as frontrunners for Series A startups: Float, Dryrun, and Finmark. Each promises to transform your cash flow forecasting, but they take distinctly different approaches. Through hands-on testing, pricing analysis, and conversations with CFOs who've made the migration, we've benchmarked these platforms across nine critical criteria to help you make the right choice for your startup's unique needs.

The Stakes: Why Cash Flow Forecasting Software Matters for Series A Startups

The transition from seed to Series A brings new financial complexities that spreadsheets simply can't handle. CFOs managed to increase profitability in 2024 despite a decrease in median cash runway (SVB). This achievement required sophisticated forecasting tools that could model multiple scenarios, integrate with existing systems, and provide real-time visibility into cash burn rates.

"When our full-time head of finance departed, CFO Advisors stepped in without skipping a beat. They quickly uncovered $400K+ in tax savings and recovered $50K in misbilled vendor payments—delivering a 10x return on our investment on hard costs alone," shares one Series A CEO (CFO Advisors). This level of financial optimization requires tools that go beyond basic forecasting to deliver actionable insights.

FP&A tools can unlock massive efficiency, deeper insights, and cross-functional alignment (TrueRev). For Series A startups, the right cash flow forecasting platform can mean the difference between running out of runway and securing that crucial Series B funding.

Platform Overview: Float, Dryrun, and Finmark at a Glance

Float Cash Flow

Float Cash Flow is a cash flow forecasting and scenario planning software targeted to businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers (Helm). The platform focuses on simplicity and integration, offering a 3-year future cash flow forecast with the ability to test scenarios and generate weekly cash summaries.

Key features of Float Cash Flow include 3 year future cash flow forecast, ability to test scenarios, weekly cash summary, export forecast to CSV & PDF, budgeting/budget vs actual reporting, cash flow management, and email support (Helm). Float Cash Flow integrates with Xero, QuickBooks online and FreeAgent (Helm).

Dryrun

Dryrun positions itself as the scenario planning specialist, built specifically for startups that need to model multiple funding and growth scenarios. The platform emphasizes visual forecasting and collaborative planning features designed for distributed teams.

Finmark

Finmark targets high-growth SaaS companies with sophisticated revenue recognition needs and investor reporting requirements. The platform combines traditional cash flow forecasting with advanced SaaS metrics and board-ready reporting templates.

The Nine-Criteria Benchmark: How We Tested

Our evaluation framework examined each platform across nine critical dimensions that matter most to Series A SaaS startups:

1. Scenario Flexibility: Ability to model multiple funding, growth, and market scenarios
2. Integration Ecosystem: Connections to accounting, CRM, and productivity tools
3. AI Accuracy: Machine learning capabilities for predictive forecasting
4. Total Cost of Ownership: Pricing transparency and value at different team sizes
5. User Experience: Interface design and learning curve for finance teams
6. Collaboration Features: Multi-user workflows and approval processes
7. Reporting Capabilities: Board-ready outputs and investor presentations
8. Data Security: SOC 2 compliance and enterprise-grade security
9. Customer Support: Response times and implementation assistance

Detailed Platform Analysis

Scenario Flexibility: Modeling the Unknown

Series A startups operate in a world of uncertainty. Market conditions shift, funding timelines extend, and growth trajectories rarely follow the hockey stick projections in your pitch deck. The ability to quickly model different scenarios isn't just nice to have—it's essential for survival.

Float excels in basic scenario planning with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Users can easily adjust revenue assumptions, modify expense categories, and see immediate impacts on cash runway. The platform's strength lies in its simplicity—finance teams can build and compare three to five core scenarios without getting lost in complexity.

Dryrun takes scenario planning to the next level with its visual forecasting approach. The platform allows unlimited scenario creation with sophisticated variable modeling. Teams can link scenarios to specific triggers (like reaching certain ARR milestones) and automatically switch between models based on actual performance.

Finmark offers the most sophisticated scenario capabilities, with Monte Carlo simulations and sensitivity analysis built into the platform. For SaaS startups with complex revenue models, Finmark's ability to model different pricing tiers, churn scenarios, and expansion revenue makes it particularly powerful.

Integration Ecosystem: Connecting Your Financial Stack

Modern finance teams don't work in isolation. The best forecasting platforms integrate seamlessly with the tools your team already uses, from accounting software to Slack workflows.

Slack has helped transform how Salesforce finance teams work by bringing their reporting tools, processes, and people into one secure workspace (Slack). This integration approach has become table stakes for modern financial software.

Float maintains strong connections to the core accounting platforms that most startups use. Float Cash Flow integrates with Xero, QuickBooks online and FreeAgent (Helm). However, its integration ecosystem remains relatively limited compared to enterprise-focused competitors.

Dryrun offers broader integration capabilities, including connections to popular CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce. The platform also provides API access for custom integrations, making it suitable for startups with unique tech stacks.

Finmark leads in integration breadth, with native connections to over 50 business applications. The platform's Slack integration is particularly noteworthy, allowing teams to receive automated alerts about variance thresholds and cash flow milestones directly in their communication workflows.

CFO Advisors' product suite delivers custom dashboards for Revenue, Headcount, Expenses, and other Key KPIs directly through Slack (CFO Advisors). This approach to real-time financial visibility has become increasingly important as teams work in hybrid environments.

AI Accuracy: The Promise and Reality of Predictive Forecasting

AI adoption is much lower amongst finance teams compared to GTM teams (OnlyCFO). However, 50%+ of finance leaders have no AI strategy for adopting AI into finance/accounting (OnlyCFO). This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for forward-thinking startups.

AI can make many finance processes more efficient, potentially shortening the month-end close process by 2+ days and reducing FP&A team sizes by 30% (OnlyCFO). The question is which platform delivers on these promises.

Float incorporates basic machine learning for trend analysis and anomaly detection. The platform can identify unusual spending patterns and flag potential cash flow issues, but its AI capabilities remain relatively basic.

Dryrun uses AI primarily for data validation and forecast accuracy scoring. The platform analyzes historical performance to provide confidence intervals around different scenarios, helping teams understand the reliability of their projections.

Finmark offers the most advanced AI features, including predictive revenue forecasting based on leading indicators and automated variance analysis. The platform's AI can identify which factors most strongly correlate with cash flow changes, providing actionable insights for management teams.

Sturppy Plus is an AI platform designed to act as a virtual CFO, providing financial insights to businesses (AIIXX). While not directly competing with our three platforms, Sturppy's approach illustrates the potential for AI-powered financial analysis.

Total Cost of Ownership: Beyond the Sticker Price

Pricing transparency varies significantly across the three platforms, and the total cost of ownership extends beyond monthly subscription fees to include implementation, training, and ongoing support costs.

| Platform | Starter Plan | Professional Plan | Enterprise Plan | Implementation Cost | | -------- | ------------ | ----------------- | --------------- | ------------------- | | Float | $35/month | $89/month | $179/month | $0 | | Dryrun | $49/month | $149/month | Custom | $500-2,000 | | Finmark | $79/month | $299/month | Custom | $1,000-5,000 |

Float offers the most straightforward pricing with no hidden implementation costs. The platform's self-service approach means teams can be up and running within days, making it attractive for startups with limited budgets and tight timelines.

Dryrun sits in the middle ground, with moderate implementation costs but strong support during onboarding. The platform's pricing scales reasonably with team size, making it suitable for growing finance organizations.

Finmark commands premium pricing but delivers enterprise-grade features that justify the cost for larger Series A companies. The platform's implementation process is more involved but results in deeper customization and better long-term outcomes.

User Experience: The Daily Reality of Financial Planning

The best forecasting platform is the one your team actually uses. User experience encompasses everything from initial setup to daily workflows to generating board reports.

Float prioritizes simplicity and ease of use. The platform's clean interface makes it accessible to non-finance team members, which is valuable for startups where multiple people contribute to financial planning. However, this simplicity can become limiting as financial models grow more complex.

Dryrun strikes a balance between power and usability. The platform's visual approach to scenario planning makes complex models more intuitive, while still providing the depth that sophisticated users require.

Finmark offers the most comprehensive feature set but requires more training to use effectively. The platform is best suited for teams with dedicated finance professionals who can leverage its full capabilities.

Real-World Implementation: CFO Perspectives

Migration from Spreadsheets: Quantifying the Impact

We spoke with three CFOs who recently migrated from Excel-based forecasting to dedicated platforms. Their experiences provide valuable insights into the real-world impact of these tools.

Sarah Chen, CFO of TechFlow (Series A, $3M ARR): "Moving from Excel to Dryrun saved our team approximately 15 hours per month on forecasting and scenario planning. The biggest benefit wasn't just time savings—it was the confidence we gained in our projections. We can now model funding scenarios in real-time during board meetings instead of spending days preparing static presentations."

Marcus Rodriguez, CFO of DataSync (Series A, $8M ARR): "Finmark transformed our investor reporting process. What used to take our team three days of manual work now happens automatically. The platform's SaaS metrics dashboard gives us insights we never had with spreadsheets, like cohort-based revenue forecasting and churn impact modeling."

Jennifer Park, CFO of CloudBridge (Series A, $1.5M ARR): "Float's simplicity was exactly what we needed. Our previous Excel models were becoming unwieldy, and we needed something the entire leadership team could understand and contribute to. The learning curve was minimal, and we were generating reliable forecasts within a week of implementation."

CFO Advisors helps companies create operational excellence (CFO Advisors). This operational focus extends to tool selection, where the right forecasting platform can significantly impact a startup's ability to scale efficiently.

Hours Saved: The Productivity Dividend

Across our interviews, CFOs reported consistent time savings after implementing dedicated forecasting software:

• Monthly forecasting: 8-15 hours saved per month
• Scenario planning: 5-10 hours saved per scenario
• Board reporting: 10-20 hours saved per quarter
• Investor updates: 3-5 hours saved per update

These time savings compound over time, allowing finance teams to focus on strategic analysis rather than data manipulation. Business processes can be susceptible to errors, especially human errors, but automating processes by designing workflows can help while also speeding things up (Slack).

In a survey of both Salesforce and Slack users, customers saw a 28% increase in time saved with workflows (Slack). Similar productivity gains are possible when finance teams implement proper forecasting workflows.

Decision Matrix: Choosing the Right Platform

Good-Better-Best Framework by Company Profile

Good: Float ($1M-3M ARR, 1-2 finance team members) Float is ideal for early Series A companies that need reliable forecasting without complexity. The platform's strength lies in its simplicity and quick implementation. Choose Float if:

• Your finance team is small (1-2 people)
• You need basic scenario planning capabilities
• Budget constraints are a primary concern
• You value ease of use over advanced features

Better: Dryrun ($3M-10M ARR, 2-4 finance team members) Dryrun offers the best balance of functionality and usability for mid-stage Series A companies. The platform provides sophisticated scenario planning without overwhelming smaller teams. Choose Dryrun if:

• You need advanced scenario modeling capabilities
• Visual forecasting appeals to your team's workflow
• You're planning multiple funding scenarios
• You want room to grow without platform limitations

Best: Finmark ($10M+ ARR, 4+ finance team members) Finmark delivers enterprise-grade capabilities for larger Series A companies with complex financial models. The platform's comprehensive feature set justifies its premium pricing for sophisticated use cases. Choose Finmark if:

• You have complex SaaS revenue models
• Investor reporting is a significant time investment
• You need advanced AI and predictive capabilities
• Your team can leverage sophisticated financial modeling

Integration Requirements Assessment

Your existing tech stack should heavily influence platform selection. CFO Advisors' product suite ensures executives have real-time clarity (CFO Advisors). This level of integration requires careful consideration of how forecasting tools connect to your broader financial ecosystem.

High Integration Needs: Choose Finmark if you use multiple business applications and need seamless data flow between systems.

Moderate Integration Needs: Dryrun provides solid integration capabilities without overwhelming complexity.

Basic Integration Needs: Float's core accounting integrations may be sufficient for simpler tech stacks.

Implementation Best Practices

Setting Up for Success

Successful forecasting platform implementation requires more than just software selection. CFO Advisors helps to ensure board, management, and team alignment on strategic priorities and the critical metrics that matter most (CFO Advisors). This alignment is crucial during platform transitions.

Phase 1: Data Preparation (Weeks 1-2)

• Clean and organize historical financial data
• Identify key metrics and KPIs to track
• Document current forecasting processes and assumptions
• Establish data governance protocols

Phase 2: Platform Configuration (Weeks 3-4)

• Set up integrations with existing systems
• Configure user permissions and workflows
• Build initial forecast models and scenarios
• Test data accuracy and validation rules

Phase 3: Team Training (Weeks 5-6)

• Conduct platform training sessions
• Establish regular forecasting cadences
• Create documentation and best practices
• Set up monitoring and alert systems

Phase 4: Optimization (Ongoing)

• Refine models based on actual performance
• Expand scenario planning capabilities
• Integrate feedback from stakeholders
• Continuously improve forecasting accuracy

Workflow Optimization Strategies

Workflow optimization is the systematic process of identifying inefficiencies in work processes and implementing improvements to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and increase quality (Slack). This principle applies directly to financial forecasting workflows.

Workflow optimization involves analyzing current workflows, eliminating redundant steps, automating repetitive tasks, and creating standardized processes (Slack). For forecasting platforms, this means:

• Automating data imports from source systems
• Standardizing scenario planning templates
• Creating approval workflows for forecast changes
• Establishing regular review and update cycles

CFO Advisors helps to increase the speed at which quality decisions are surfaced, made, and implemented across the organization (CFO Advisors). The right forecasting platform supports this decision velocity through streamlined workflows and real-time insights.

Advanced Considerations for Series A Startups

Investor Reporting and Board Presentations

Series A companies face increased scrutiny from investors and board members. The ability to generate professional, accurate financial reports quickly can significantly impact stakeholder confidence.

Float provides basic reporting capabilities suitable for straightforward investor updates. The platform's export functionality allows teams to create custom presentations, but requires additional work to achieve board-ready quality.

Dryrun offers more sophisticated reporting templates designed specifically for startup investor communications. The platform's scenario comparison features are particularly valuable for board discussions about funding strategies.

Finmark excels in investor reporting with pre-built templates for common SaaS metrics and board presentations. The platform's ability to automatically generate cohort analyses and unit economics reports saves significant time for finance teams.

CFO Advisors got exceptional praise from Tier 1 investors who called their models 'one of the best' (CFO Advisors). This level of model sophistication requires tools that can handle complex financial relationships and present them clearly to stakeholders.

Scaling Considerations

Series A is just the beginning of a startup's growth journey. The forecasting platform you choose should accommodate future growth without requiring complete replacement.

Float works well for companies up to approximately $5M ARR but may become limiting as financial models grow more complex. The platform's simplicity, while initially attractive, can become constraining for larger organizations.

Dryrun scales effectively through Series B and beyond, with enterprise features that support larger finance teams and more complex organizational structures.

Finmark is built for scale from the ground up, with enterprise-grade features that support companies through IPO and beyond.

Security and Compliance Requirements

88% of VC-backed companies allow some level of remote work, with a 50/50 split between remote and hybrid work (SVB). This distributed work environment increases the importance of robust security features in financial software.

All three platforms offer SOC 2 Type II compliance, but their approaches to data security vary:

Float provides standard security features appropriate for small to medium businesses, including encryption in transit and at rest.

Dryrun offers enhanced security features including single sign-on (SSO) integration and advanced user permission controls.

Finmark delivers enterprise-grade security with features like audit logging, data residency controls, and advanced threat monitoring.

The Verdict: Making Your Decision

For Early Series A Companies ($1M-3M ARR)

Float emerges as the clear winner for early-stage Series A companies. Its combination of simplicity, affordability, and core functionality makes it ideal for teams that need to upgrade from spreadsheets without overwhelming complexity. The platform's quick implementation and minimal learning curve allow small finance teams to see immediate benefits.

Recommendation: Start with Float and plan to evaluate more sophisticated platforms as you approach $5M ARR.

For Mid-Stage Series A Companies ($3M-10M ARR)

Dryrun offers the best balance of functionality and usability for companies in this growth stage. The platform's advanced scenario planning capabilities and visual approach to forecasting provide the sophistication needed for complex funding decisions while remaining accessible to growing teams.

Recommendation: Dryrun provides the best long-term value for companies in this ARR range, with room to grow without platform limitations.

For Late Series A Companies ($10M+ ARR)

Finmark justifies its premium pricing with enterprise-grade features that sophisticated finance teams can leverage for competitive advantage. The platform's advanced AI capabilities, comprehensive reporting, and extensive integration ecosystem make it ideal for companies preparing for Series B and beyond.

Recommendation: Invest in Finmark if your team can utilize its advanced features and the ROI justifies the higher cost.

Implementation Timeline and Next Steps

Regardless of which platform you choose, successful implementation requires careful planning and execution. The CEO and I talk about how valuable CFO Advisors is all the time. We had no idea that a CFO could be such an incredible strategic partner (CFO Advisors). This strategic partnership extends to technology decisions, where the right forecasting platform can transform financial planning from a necessary evil into a competitive advantage.

30-60-90 Day Implementation Plan

Days 1-30: Foundation

• Complete platform selection and procurement
• Begin data migration and system integration
• Conduct initial team training sessions
• Establish basic forecasting models

Days 31-60: Optimization

• Refine models based on initial usage
• Expand scenario planning capabilities
• Integrate stakeholder feedback
• Establish regular reporting cadences

Days 61-90: Mastery

• Achieve full platform utilization
• Optimize workflows for maximum efficiency
• Measure and document ROI
• Plan for future enhancements

Measuring Success

The success of your forecasting platform implementation should be measured across multiple dimensions:

Efficiency Metrics:

• Time saved on monthly forecasting
• Reduction in forecast preparation time
• Faster scenario analysis capabilities
• Improved board reporting speed

Accuracy Metrics:

• Forecast variance reduction
• Improved cash flow predictions
• Better scenario planning outcomes
• Enhanced decision-making quality

Strategic Metrics:

• Increased stakeholder confidence
• Better investor communications
• Improved funding outcomes
• Enhanced strategic planning capabilities

CFO Advisors uncovered $400K+ in tax savings and recovered $50K in misbilled vendor payments for a client (CFO Advisors). While not every implementation will deliver such dramatic cost savings, the right forecasting platform should provide measurable ROI through improved efficiency and decision-making.

Conclusion: The Future of Financial Forecasting

The choice between Float, Dryrun, and Finmark ultimately depends on your startup's specific needs, growth stage, and team capabilities. Each platform offers distinct advantages that align with different company profiles and use cases.

As AI continues to evolve and integration capabilities expand, the potential for financial forecasting software to transform how startups plan and execute their growth strategies will only increase. Choosing the right platform today can set the foundation for financial success tomorrow.

FAQ

Why do Series A SaaS startups need dedicated cash-flow forecasting software?

As SaaS startups scale past $1M ARR, spreadsheet-based financial planning becomes a bottleneck. FP&A software becomes a strategic advantage at this stage, unlocking massive efficiency, deeper insights, and cross-functional alignment that spreadsheets simply can't provide for growing companies.

What are the key features to look for in cash-flow forecasting software for SaaS startups?

Essential features include 3-year future cash flow forecasts, scenario planning capabilities, integration with accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks, budget vs actual reporting, and automated cash flow management. Export functionality to CSV and PDF formats is also crucial for board reporting.

How does Float Cash Flow compare to other forecasting tools?

Float Cash Flow specializes in cash flow forecasting and scenario planning, offering 3-year forecasts, weekly cash summaries, and strong integrations with Xero, QuickBooks Online, and FreeAgent. It's particularly well-suited for businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers who need straightforward cash flow management.

What role does AI play in modern financial planning for startups?

AI is transforming finance operations by potentially shortening month-end close processes by 2+ days and reducing FP&A team sizes by 30%. However, adoption remains low among finance teams, with 50%+ of finance leaders having no AI strategy, despite AI's potential to make finance processes significantly more efficient.

How can CFO advisors help Series A startups choose the right forecasting software?

Experienced CFO advisors bring deep expertise in evaluating FP&A tools based on a startup's specific growth stage, industry requirements, and integration needs. They can help assess which platform - whether Float, Dryrun, or Finmark - best aligns with your company's financial planning maturity and scaling objectives.

What integration capabilities should Series A SaaS startups prioritize in forecasting software?

Critical integrations include accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero), CRM systems for revenue forecasting, and collaboration tools like Slack for real-time financial visibility. Modern finance teams also benefit from workflow automation that can reduce approval times from days to hours, as seen in enterprise implementations.

Citations

1. https://aiixx.ai/blog/sturppy-plus-review-your-ai-cfo-is-here-a-critical-look
2. https://cfoadvisors.com
3. https://slack.com/blog/productivity/workflow-design
4. https://slack.com/blog/productivity/workflow-optimization-a-guide-to-streamlining-business-processes
5. https://slack.com/blog/transformation/three-ways-slack-helps-enterprise-finance-teams-be-more-productive
6. https://takethehelm.app/blog/4-float-cash-flow-alternatives-for-small-businesses/
7. https://www.onlycfo.io/p/adopting-ai-in-finance
8. https://www.onlycfo.io/p/how-to-ai-cfo-edition
9. https://www.svb.com/trends-insights/reports/state-of-the-vc-backed-cfo/
10. https://www.truerev.com/blog/top-10-cloud-fp-a-tools-for-companies-with-1m--100-m-arr-2025-edition