How to price a service and cover the work behind it
Startup Costs | Blank working worksheet | September 6, 2026
https://startup-costs.com/guides/pricing-services/

Result to produce: A tested price, contribution per completed sale and the sales needed to cover monthly fixed costs.

Business and format:
Address or service area:
Prepared by:
Date:

BEFORE YOU START
Define one paid service, what it includes, its delivery cost, the full monthly paid roster and a realistic number of completed sales. Separate tax collected for an authority from your business revenue.

CALCULATION INPUTS
Monthly fixed costs, including the paid roster (USD):
Monthly operating surplus target (USD):
Completed sales per month (sales):
Extra cost of delivering one sale (USD):
Payment fee as a share of selling price (%):
Price you want to test (USD):

Use the guide calculator for formulas and results. Enter your own values and retain the evidence for each assumption.

DECISION RECORD
1. Service scope
Included work, exclusions, complexity and customer unit
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

2. Variable delivery cost
Item, amount, source and what changes with each sale
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

3. Standing costs
Full scheduled payroll and overhead, counted once
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

4. Price and fees
Customer price, fee basis, discounts and collection terms
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

5. Demand and capacity
Completed sales expected and deliverable limit
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

6. Price decision
Contribution, break-even, test result and next revision
Finding or value:
Evidence, scope and date:
Status (Unverified / Assumed / Supported / Needs review):
Next action, person and date:

DECISION RULES
If: Required price exceeds evidenced willingness to pay
Action: Change scope, delivery method or fixed commitments and retest.

If: Break-even volume exceeds capacity
Action: Rework the format before buying more advertising.

If: A discount reduces contribution below zero
Action: Do not assume more sales will fix the loss on each service.

YOUR DECISION
Next commitment:
Conditions still to resolve:
Decision and reason:
Next review date:

Sources and background:
SBA: planning a business: https://www.sba.gov/counseling/plan-your-business/

This is a blank personal planning worksheet. Its completion is not an approval, a market estimate or a completed state research record.
The examples and calculator defaults on the guide are authored illustrations. Keep your own evidence and limitations with any result.
Financial information supports planning and education and is not personalized financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Results do not guarantee costs, revenue, profit or financing.