Flexible Retirement Planner vs ProjectionLab
Flexible Retirement Planner
flexibleretirementplanner.com
ProjectionLab
projectionlab.comSide by side
| Figure | Flexible Retirement Planner | ProjectionLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $10.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 6 |
| Spec score · Retirement Planning Software | 8.8 (#5) | 9.0 (#3) |
| Founded | 2006 | 2021 |
| Open-source status | The product is proprietary and only selected incomplete source-code sections are published. | The public pages reviewed document a hosted web product and plugin API but do not state an open-source licence. |
| Purpose | The planner uses Monte Carlo simulation to model retirement outcomes and reports a probability of success. | ProjectionLab simulates personal financial and retirement scenarios to help users plan their financial future. |
| Security | The license agreement says the website may not be continuously available, secure, or private and makes no guarantee that use will be uninterrupted or error-free. | The maker states that data is encrypted in transit with HTTPS/TLS and at rest with AES-256, and that it uses multifactor authentication and SOC 2 aligned controls. |
| Simulation | It runs 10,000 simulated retirement paths covering both accumulation and spending phases. | The product includes Monte Carlo simulations and historical backtesting to explore possible financial outcomes. |
| Support | The maker directs users with launch errors to contact support by email and also invites questions through its support forum. | Support is available by email, through the Discord community, and via bookable educational 1-on-1 sessions. |
| What it does | Flexible Retirement Planner uses Monte Carlo simulation to model retirement outcomes and reports a probability of success. | ProjectionLab is a browser-based financial planner that models long-term household finances, milestones, cash flow, taxes and retirement outcomes. |
Plans
Flexible Retirement Planner
- Personal EditionFree
- Personal useFree
ProjectionLab
- BasicFree
- BasicFree
- Premium$129 a year
- Premium$129 a year
- Pro$549 a year
- Pro$549 a year
In their own words
Flexible Retirement Planner
Flexible Retirement Planner models retirement outcomes with Monte Carlo simulation and reports the probability that a plan succeeds. It runs 10,000 simulated paths spanning savings accumulation and retirement spending. Users can compare Stable, Flexible, and Conservative spending policies, test different assumptions, and use sensitivity analysis to see which inputs affect results most. The standalone version lets users save inputs and maintain multiple what-if scenarios, and it works offline. The planner includes income and savings growth projections, withdrawal planning, detailed tax modeling, and Social Security modeling. Standalone downloads are provided for Windows and Mac/Linux; the Windows version does not require Java. The planner is free for individual non-commercial use, and educators and trainers may use it for educational purposes. A voluntary contribution of any amount unlocks a personal-use license key. Commercial use, including by financial planners, is not authorized or supported. Its maker, Random Walk Ventures LLC, created it in 2006.
ProjectionLab
ProjectionLab simulates personal financial and retirement scenarios to help users plan for different possible futures. Users can model life milestones, cash flow, estimated taxes, investment strategies, account types, withdrawals and estate outcomes. Monte Carlo simulations and historical backtesting let users explore potential outcomes. The free Basic plan includes forecasting, financial planning, simulations and backtesting. Premium adds tax optimization, Roth conversions, ACA subsidies, capital gains harvesting, international planning and advanced analytics, and costs $129 a year. Pro costs $549 a year and is aimed at financial advisors and coaches, with client management tools and 10 client seats. ProjectionLab does not directly link financial accounts, so users can make plans without supplying account numbers or connecting bank or brokerage accounts. The web app can be installed on mobile devices as a Progressive Web App; the maker says it has no formal mobile app. Support is available by email, Discord and bookable educational sessions.