GUIDE · 6 min read · March 2026
Startup Costs Explained: The 6 Buckets
Equipment, legal, marketing, software, inventory, and buffer — with lean vs recommended ranges.
The 6 buckets
Every idea on this site breaks costs into equipment, licensing & legal, initial marketing, software & tools, inventory/supplies, and a working-capital buffer.
Lean vs recommended
Lean is the absolute minimum to get a paying customer. Recommended adds 30–50% buffer so one surprise does not kill you.
Rule of thumb
Service businesses start under $500. Product and food concepts need $2k–$10k. Model yours in the profit calculator.