Budget Variance Calculator

Compare actuals vs budget with favourable/unfavourable flags.

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Currency

Budgeted amount ($)Actual amount ($)

Variance = Actual − Budget. For expenses, spending under budget is favourable; for revenue, beating budget is favourable.

+$7,500

Variance (Unfavourable)

+15.0%

Variance %

115%

Attainment

Unfavourable

Status

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Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates — verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.

Running month-end and need to explain the numbers? Compare actuals to budget and instantly see whether each line is favourable or unfavourable — for both spend and revenue.

How to embed Budget Variance Calculator on your website

Add this free tool to your own site, blog or intranet — it's 100% free to embed. Paste this snippet where you want the tool to appear; it loads a clean, self-contained version with no ads or navigation.

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About Budget Variance Calculator

Compare actuals against budget and instantly see whether the variance is favourable or unfavourable. Built to handle both expenses (under budget is good) and revenue (over budget is good).

How to use Budget Variance Calculator

1Choose expense or revenue mode.
2Enter the budgeted and actual amounts.
3Read the variance, variance % and favourable/unfavourable status.

Why use Budget Variance Calculator?

✓Monthly budget-vs-actual reviews.
✓FP&A and departmental spend tracking.
✓Flagging overspend early.

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate budget variance?+

Budget variance = Actual − Budget. Express it as a percentage by dividing by the budgeted amount. The sign's meaning depends on whether it is an expense or revenue line.

What is a favourable vs unfavourable variance?+

For expenses, spending under budget is favourable and over budget is unfavourable. For revenue, beating budget is favourable and missing it is unfavourable.