Best Financial Planning Software (2026): 11 Compared

Every financial plan starts as a set of guesses: how long you'll work, what you'll spend, how markets will behave. Good software doesn't remove the guesses. It shows what happens when they change.

That's the job these eleven tools do, for advisers and for do-it-yourself planners. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're deciding whether to plan alone or with help, my piece on the benefits of using a financial planner is worth a read first.

Financial planning tools side by side

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account, a free edition or an open source release. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Asset-Map	Visual planning software for advisers	Showing a client's whole picture on one page	Not stated
Boldin	DIY retirement planner	Savers planning their own retirement	Trial only
eMoney	Adviser planning platform	Large firms wanting a client portal	Trial only
Holistiplan	Tax, estate and insurance planning	Reading tax returns in minutes	Trial only
Income Lab	Retirement income planning software	Planning withdrawals and income in retirement	Trial only
MaxiFi	Planning tool with optional planner help	Lifetime spending and Social Security choices	Not stated
MoneyGuide	Goals-based planning platform	Goals-based planning conversations	Trial only
Pralana	Retirement modelling tool	Detailed spreadsheet-style retirement modelling	Not stated
ProjectionLab	Personal financial planning app	Modern, visual plans for individuals	Not stated
RightCapital	Adviser planning software	Advisers wanting tax-aware plans	Trial only
Voyant	Cash-flow planning software	Cash-flow and goal-based plans	Trial only

Eleven financial planning tools

Asset-Map

Best for: Advisers who want a visual map of a household's accounts, cover and goals that clients can follow at a glance.

Boldin

Best for: People who'd rather plan their own retirement and finances online than hire an adviser, with a free trial of the planner.

eMoney

Best for: Advisory firms who want planning, a client portal and workflow in one established platform, with a free trial offered.

Holistiplan

Best for: Tax-focused advisers who want tax planning, estate and insurance analysis from scanned client documents, with a free trial.

Income Lab

Best for: Retirement income specialists who want guardrails-style withdrawal plans they can update as markets move.

MaxiFi

Best for: Households who want a planning tool with the option of help from a certified financial planner when they need it.

MoneyGuide

Best for: Planning teams who want a long-running goals-based planning platform from Envestnet, from basic plans to detailed ones, with a free trial.

Pralana

Best for: Hands-on savers and planners who want very detailed retirement modelling and don't mind a steeper learning curve.

ProjectionLab

Best for: Individuals planning toward financial independence who want a modern, visual tool to simulate their finances year by year.

RightCapital

Best for: Independent advisers who want planning, workflows and client insights in one tool, starting with a 14-day free trial.

Voyant

Best for: Firms and advisers who want cash-flow, retirement and goal-based planning in one tool, with a free trial on offer.

Who each planning tool is built for

• Advisers wanting a visual client map: Asset-Map.
• Established firms with a client portal: eMoney or MoneyGuide.
• Independent advisers: RightCapital or Voyant.
• Tax and estate questions: Holistiplan.
• Retirement income and withdrawals: Income Lab.
• People planning their own retirement: Boldin, MaxiFi or ProjectionLab.
• Deep, hands-on modelling: Pralana.

Why every projection carries a warning

FINRA Rule 2214 sets the conditions for firms offering investment analysis tools. One of them is a disclosure: projections about the likelihood of investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, don't reflect actual investment results and aren't guarantees of future results.

That's a useful reminder whichever side of the desk you sit on. A plan is a model, not a promise. The better tools make it easy to show a range of outcomes rather than one confident line, and that's what clients and DIY planners need to see.

Adviser platform or do-it-yourself planner?

Adviser platforms are built around client meetings: data gathering, a presentation, a portal the client logs into and the paperwork a regulated firm keeps.

Do-it-yourself planners strip that away. They're for one household modelling its own future, often in more detail than an adviser would show, and they assume you'll do the thinking.

Some households use a DIY planner to get organised, then take the output to an adviser. That's a sensible way to make a first meeting shorter and sharper.

Advisers can also use AI around the planning work, and our guide to AI tools for financial advisers compares what is on offer.

What to check before you commit to a planner

1. Does it model tax on withdrawals, not just growth?
2. Can you see a range of outcomes as well as an average?
3. Will it link to accounts, or does everything go in by hand?
4. Does it cover your country's pensions and tax rules?
5. Can clients or family members see the plan safely?
6. How easy is it to update the plan when life changes?

If you're on the lending side, our list of loan management software lines up software that runs loans from application to repayment.

Signs a spreadsheet isn't enough any more

• You keep copying tabs for each scenario. Use a model built for it.
• Tax on withdrawals is a guess. Model it in software.
• Clients glaze over at your charts. Show a clearer picture.
• One change breaks every formula. Move to a planner.

Do you make financial planning software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on financial planning software

Build the same simple plan in two tools: your real ages, a rough spending number and a retirement date. Then change one thing, such as retiring two years later, and see which tool makes the effect clearest. Clarity beats features here.

If you're an adviser looking to grow, my marketing ideas for financial advisers pair well with a planning tool clients enjoy using.

Frequently asked questions

What does financial planning software do?

It models a household's finances over time, such as savings, retirement income, tax and goals, so you can see the effect of different choices before you make them.

Is financial planning software only for advisers?

No. Some tools are built for advisers and their clients, while others are designed for people planning their own retirement at home.

Are the projections guaranteed?

No. FINRA Rule 2214 requires firms offering these tools to say projections are hypothetical and aren't guarantees of future results.

Can I try financial planning software for free?

Several tools offer a free trial. Check the free plan column above, then confirm what's included on the vendor's site.

What's the difference between cash-flow and goals-based planning?

Cash-flow planning maps money in and out year by year. Goals-based planning starts from targets, such as retiring at a set age, and tests whether the plan reaches them.

Does it work outside the US?

Many of these tools are built around US tax and retirement accounts, so check that your country's pensions and tax rules are covered before you rely on one.