10 Best Marketing Budget Templates for Free [2025]
A marketing budget template helps you track and plan your spending effectively. It shows exactly where your marketing dollars go each month.
It also saves you the stress of creating a budget from scratch. But they do not have to cost a fortune. Free templates give small businesses and startups the tools they need without extra cost.
Looking for the best free marketing budget templates?
We've gathered ten options for any marketing team. These downloadable budget spreadsheets will help you manage costs at every business level
Why You Need a Marketing Budget Template
Managing expenses without a clear plan is like flying blind. A marketing budget template provides structure, clarity, and a repeatable framework for your campaigns.
According to BusinessChat, 41.1% of businesses set marketing budgets yearly based on past expenses. Another 27.9% build fresh budgets each year for new goals. A template makes both approaches easier.
Here’s how a template helps:
Improves campaign ROI through structured spending
Creates clear accountability for marketing expenses
Builds stakeholder trust with transparent reporting
Helps teams make better financial decisions
What you gain from a template is hinged on how you use them:
Below are examples of how you can start using a marketing budget template:
Plan marketing campaigns: Set clear spending limits for each marketing activity
Track campaign results: Monitor which campaigns deliver the best returns.
Build trust with stakeholders and team lead: Show stakeholders exactly how money gets spent
Guide decisions: Make choices based on real budget data. This leads to better-informed decisions.
Smarter Marketing Budgeting
Use Rows to plan your marketing budget with tidy layouts, AI insights, and all the familiarity of spreadsheets.
Get started (it's free)What are the essential Elements of a Marketing Budget Template?
A good marketing budget tracks both fixed costs and changing expenses. Fixed costs include software subscriptions and employee salaries. Variable expenses cover ad spending and campaign costs. Smart Insights offers detailed guides on planning these budget categories effectively.
Your budget template should separate spending into clear categories. These include digital ads, content creation, and marketing tools. Each category needs both planned and actual spending columns. Capterra's website compares popular budget tools to help you choose the right one.
Leave room in your budget for testing new marketing channels. Set aside money for unexpected costs and growth opportunities. Track your return on investment for each marketing activity.
Basic budget elements include:
Monthly spending limits for each category
Space to record actual costs versus planned costs
Notes section for tracking campaign results
ROI calculations for major marketing efforts
Review of 10 Best Marketing Budget Templates for Free
Looking for the best free marketing budget templates? We've gathered ten options for any marketing team. These downloadable budget spreadsheets help manage costs at every business level. Smart cost management starts with picking the right template.
Each template serves unique marketing needs and can be customised for your goals. A small business might combine a simple monthly tracker with a campaign ROI template. An e-commerce store could mix social media and email marketing budget templates.
Choose one template or mix several to match your campaign requirements. A marketing agency might use different templates for each client project.
Template #1: Rows Marketing budget template
First on the list is Rows’ marketing budget template. Since marketing budgets require continuous updates to reflect dynamic campaigns, it is important to copy one and save it.
Rows marketing budget template solves the problem of overspending, miss targets, and underutilized capital. It provides you with a structured overview of your budget and metrics summary.
Here's how to use our marketing budget template:
Step 1: Visit Rows’ Marketing budget template page
Once done, click “use template.”
Afterward, you'll see a pop-up. Click “create spreadsheet.”
Step 2:
Go through the instructions on the first spreadsheet table. These are instructions on how to use the template.
There are basically 4 sections of spreadsheets tables for your view:
Input: This area has to do with inputs of figures into tables.
Summary and metrics: This is an overview summary of figures from the input page.
Calculator: The calculator page provides figures for your marketing budget based on different efficiency metrics targets.
Back office: a page dedicated to schedule automation.
Features of the Marketing Budget Template
This template stands out with its powerful and intuitive features:
Detailed Budget by Month: Allocate and track your monthly marketing budget in a clear, organized way.
Status Tracker: Monitor your year-to-date spending, assess semi-yearly planning progress, and view projections to compare planned vs. actual spending.
Summary Page: Access a high-level budget overview, including year-over-year comparisons and the breakdown of spending by category.
Metric Summary: Analyze your spending ROI with key SaaS metrics like Marketing Spend as % of Total CAC, CAC Ratio, and Payback Period.
Calculator Page: Discover your optimal marketing budget with three calculators based on efficiency metric targets.
Back Office Tools: Leverage built-in cost assumptions and a scheduler to automatically update your tracking data.
Smarter Marketing Budgeting
Use Rows to plan your marketing budget with tidy layouts, AI insights, and all the familiarity of spreadsheets.
Get started (it's free)
Template #2: Simple Monthly Budget Planner
Monthly budget templates help teams track and control marketing expenses regularly. Clear tracking prevents overspending and shows which channels deliver results.
This starter template offers straightforward expense tracking for small teams and solo marketers. It covers essential channels like SEO, PPC, and email marketing in one view.
Why We Chose It:
Makes monthly budget tracking simple and clear
Prevents overspending with easy expense monitoring
Helps small teams stay organized without complexity
Allows quick customization for different marketing needs
When to Use It:
This template is great when you need to:
Set Monthly Limits: Create clear spending boundaries for each marketing channel
Track Basic Metrics: Monitor essential marketing expenses and ROI
Plan Resources: Allocate budget across different marketing activities
Generate Reports: Create simple monthly spending summaries for small teams
Simple Monthly Budget Example: Google Sheets
Start with Google Sheets template if you're new to marketing budgeting. Perfect for small businesses tracking basic marketing expenses or startups managing their first campaigns. Use it for monthly planning and expense tracking across basic marketing channels.
Template #3: Yearly Marketing Spend Overview
Annual budget templates form the foundation for long-term marketing success. They help teams plan resources effectively and adapt to market changes throughout the year. This yearly planner maps out marketing investments across all channels. It reveals spending patterns and helps predict seasonal changes in marketing needs.
Why We Chose It:
Shows spending patterns throughout the year
Helps predict and plan for seasonal changes
It makes yearly budget planning more accurate
Allows quick comparison between months and channels
When to Use It:
Set annual budgets by creating comprehensive yearly marketing plans
Track seasonal trends to monitor and prepare for busy periods
Adjust quarterly plans by making data-driven budget changes
Compare performance to analyze year-over-year marketing results
Annual Marketing Budget Template by [object Object]
Template #4: Digital-Only Budget Tracker
Digital budget trackers help teams optimize online marketing spend and performance. They connect key metrics with spending to show the true cost of digital campaigns. This digital-focused template specializes in tracking online marketing channels. It measures success through lead generation and acquisition costs across digital platforms.
Why We Chose It:
Focused purely on digital marketing channels
Tracks important metrics like CPA and lead generation
Includes A/B testing measurement features
Helps optimize digital spending through data
When to Use It:
Track digital ROI by monitoring performance across all online channels
Test campaigns
Digital Budget Template Example: [object Object]
Template #5: Social Media Marketing Budget
Social media budget templates help track spending and engagement across multiple platforms. They connect your social media posts with real engagement metrics. This specialized template focuses on social advertising spend and results. It helps marketing teams understand the true cost of social media engagement.
Why We Chose It:
Designed specifically for social media platforms
Tracks both spending and engagement metrics
Perfect for managing multiple social channels
Shows which platforms deliver the best ROI
When to Use It:
Track platform costs by monitoring spending across Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram
Measure engagement by connecting costs to clicks, shares, and interactions
Compare channels to identify which platforms perform best for your budget
Plan content by allocating budgets based on platform performance
Social Media Budget Template Example: [object Object]
Template #6: eCommerce Marketing Budget Sheet
eCommerce budget templates connect marketing costs directly to product sales. They show which products generate the best returns on your marketing investment. This product-focused template tracks both marketing expenses and sales revenue. It helps online retailers understand the complete cost of selling each product.
Why We Chose It:
Built specifically for online retail businesses
Tracks product-level marketing performance
Shows true ROI including cost of goods
Helps optimize product-specific campaigns
When to Use It:
Track product costs by monitoring marketing spend per product line
Measure sales impact by connecting marketing costs to product revenue
Calculate ROI to see complete returns, including product costs
Plan inventory by aligning the marketing budget with product performance
eCommerce Budget Template Example: ActiveCampaign
Template #7: B2B Lead Generation Budget Planner
B2B budget templates connect marketing expenses to lead quality and sales outcomes. They help teams understand the true cost of acquiring valuable business leads. This lead-focused template tracks both inbound and outbound marketing costs. It shows how marketing spend translates into qualified business opportunities.
Why We Chose It:
Designed for B2B marketing strategies
Tracks lead quality alongside costs
Connects marketing spend to sales results
Integrates with CRM performance data
When to Use It:
Track lead costs by monitoring cost per lead across channels
Measure quality by connecting spending to lead quality scores
Analyze conversion rates to see how leads progress through the pipeline
Plan strategy by adjusting the budget based on lead performance data
B2B Budget Template Example: HubSpot
Template #8: Content Marketing Expense Tracker
Content marketing budget templates track creation and distribution costs separately. They reveal the true cost of your content strategy, from production to promotion. This content-focused template monitors expenses across your entire content operation. It connects content investments with engagement and conversion metrics.
Why We Chose It:
Specialized for content marketing expenses
Tracks creation and promotion separately
Monitors influencer collaboration costs
Shows content performance against spend
When to Use It:
Track creation costs by monitoring expenses for writing, design, and production
Measure distribution by tracking promotional spending across channels
Calculate content ROI by connecting costs to traffic and conversion metrics
Plan content calendars by budgeting for upcoming content projects
Content Budget Template Example: [object Object]
Template #9: Event & Webinar Marketing Budget
Event budget templates track both virtual and in-person marketing event costs. They help ensure profitable events by monitoring all expenses against attendance goals. This event-focused template captures both obvious and hidden event marketing costs. It links spending to attendance rates and post-event business results.
Why We Chose It:
Built for event marketing management
Tracks both online and offline event costs
Monitors promotional campaign expenses
Shows complete event ROI metrics
When to Use It:
Track event costs by monitoring venue, technology, and promotion expenses
Measure attendance by connecting costs to registration numbers
Calculate returns by tracking post-event conversion metrics
Plan future events by budgeting based on past performance
Event Budget Template Example: [object Object]
Template #10: Start-up-Friendly Budget Template
Startup budget templates help new businesses maximize limited marketing resources. They focus on essential channels while leaving room to test new opportunities. This simplified template helps startups track their core marketing investments. It connects basic marketing spend to key growth metrics without overwhelming complexity.
Why We Chose It:
Perfect for early-stage businesses
Focuses on essential marketing channels
Easy to add new channels as you grow
Tracks basic growth metrics clearly
When to Use It:
Track core channels by monitoring spending on essential marketing activities
Test new methods by budgeting for experimental marketing channels
Measure growth by connecting marketing costs to user acquisition
Plan expansion by scaling marketing as your business grows
Startup Budget Template Example: Slidebean
Smarter Marketing Budgeting
Use Rows to plan your marketing budget with tidy layouts, AI insights, and all the familiarity of spreadsheets.
Get started (it's free)How to choose the right marketing budget template
Before you choose a marketing budget template, there are certain factors you must consider to make your best choice.
1. Assess your business type and size
Choose a template that aligns with your company size and business type. For example, small business templates focus on essential channels and basic tracking. Enterprise templates include more complex allocations and departmental breakdowns. And startup templates emphasize growth marketing and customer acquisition costs.
2. Consider Your Marketing Goals
Choose a template based on your marketing goals and objectives. So, say you want to create brand awareness campaigns, you need templates that emphasize broad channel distribution. Or if you want to invest into lead generation you should focus on templates with conversion tracking.
3. Time Period
This is one of the most important criteria to check out for. Choose whether it's an annual template for strategic planning, quarterly templates for tactical adjustments or monthly templates for detailed tracking.
Conclusion—Start using Rows marketing budget template
As you ramp up your budget planning for 2025, it pays to choose a marketing budget template. Go for one that offers you simplicity, ease of use and clarity.
For a start, try out Rows’ marketing budget template —it's free and it comes with automated features, sl you don't have to type long formulas to aggregate data figures. Start using the template now!
