FE CashCalc

FE CashCalc is a cloud-based financial planning suite for advisers and paraplanners who build lifetime cashflow plans for clients. Its breadth of modelling, calculators and reporting makes it a strong fit for professional advice workflows. The £80/month + VAT individual adviser licence is a material cost, and FE Analytics data exchange requires a separate licence for that product.

Overview

CashCalc brings cashflow modelling, goal planning, tax and investment planning, scenario analysis, insurance planning and a client portal into one adviser-focused suite. Its purpose is to help advisers map a client’s financial future and compare possible plans, rather than serve as a general-purpose household budgeting app. Larger firms can ask about a group licence; individual advisers can add a paraplanner licence at no extra charge.

Key features

Advisers can create deterministic, stochastic and gross cashflow models, then use market simulations and stress testing to examine different outcomes. This range is useful when a client conversation needs to weigh more than one forecast, though the tools are aimed at advice professionals rather than consumers planning on their own.

A visual timeline connects life events with client goals. Reports compare current and proposed plans in a client-friendly format, giving advisers a way to show how recommendations alter a plan. More than 35 calculators cover areas such as pensions, mortgages, equity release, school fees and inheritance tax. Mortgage and protection planning is included at no extra cost, with 10 calculators and stress tests; that adds useful scope without a separate charge for those tools.

FE Analytics users licensed for both products can import valuations and holdings, run a Medium Scan, download factsheets and documents, and export portfolios between the systems. This can make CashCalc a more natural fit for firms already using FE Analytics, but it is not a standalone integration benefit: the second product requires its own licence.

The cloud-based app is available on iOS and Android as well as the web. Advisers and clients can use it to access an account or Portal. An optional Nexus Assistant records client conversations and completes the fact-find automatically, with a compliant audit trail as advisers work. The maker describes AES-256 encryption for CashCalc information and OAuth2 with encrypted TLS connections for third-party integrations.

Pricing

The individual adviser licence costs £80/month + VAT per adviser and includes one paraplanner licence. That structure suits a solo adviser or a practice where paraplanner access supports an adviser’s work; it is less attractive for someone seeking a free entry point, since there is no free plan.

The Paraplanner licence is Free with every individual adviser licence, with one included per adviser licence. It is not a separate free plan for standalone use. Larger firms can choose a group licence at custom pricing, which may suit firms that need group licensing but requires a bespoke quote. The pricing note also gives a starting price of £75/mo; the individual adviser plan is priced at £80/month + VAT.

Platforms

FE CashCalc is available on web, Android and iOS. The mobile app extends account or Portal access to advisers and clients, while the product’s cloud-based delivery supports access across those platforms.

Who it's for

CashCalc is best suited to financial advisers and paraplanners who need to build and communicate lifetime plans across multiple goals, assumptions and advice areas. Larger firms can consider the group licence, while practices already using FE Analytics have an additional reason to look at it. It is not the right choice for a consumer wanting a free personal planning tool or for an adviser who does not need the breadth to justify a paid professional suite.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Multiple modelling approaches, market simulations and stress testing support comparisons beyond a single forecast.
• Pros: More than 35 calculators, plus mortgage and protection planning with 10 calculators and stress tests at no extra cost, cover a broad advice workload.
• Pros: One paraplanner licence is included with each individual adviser licence, and client-facing reports help present current and proposed plans.
• Cons: The individual adviser licence costs £80/month + VAT, and there is no free plan.
• Cons: FE Analytics data exchange depends on a separate FE Analytics licence, limiting its value to firms without that product.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse Financial Planning Software. myprosperity is a freemium option with a free Starter plan for client subscriptions and one-time bank and credit card syncs, plus one-time property and car valuations. Betterment offers a freemium alternative with free access; its Digital and Premium plans have eligibility thresholds, including $200 monthly recurring deposits for Digital and a $100,000 minimum eligible investment balance for Premium.

Boldin is worth considering for a freemium planning option: its free Basic plan includes 100+ inputs, two interactive explorers, 10+ charts and up to five Boldin AI questions per day. Elements also has a free tier for 0–5 clients, while its Core plan offers unlimited clients. Pocket Risk is another paid option and offers a free trial; its Professional plan describes three users and capacity for up to 500 clients.

ProjectionLab has a free Basic plan covering forecasting, financial planning, Monte Carlo simulations, historical backtesting and flexible modelling. AstuteWheel is a web-based paid option with separate admin and paraplanner subscriptions. Conquest is a paid web and API option for independent advisors and RIAs, with a 14-day trial described as upcoming.

Verdict

FE CashCalc is a strong choice for advisers and paraplanners who need comprehensive lifetime cashflow planning, a broad calculator set and reports for client conversations. The included paraplanner licence and built-in mortgage and protection tools strengthen its case. Look elsewhere if the £80/month + VAT adviser licence is hard to justify, or if FE Analytics integration is central to your decision but you do not intend to license both products.