Portfolio Performance

Overview

Portfolio Performance is a portfolio tracker for investors who want transaction-level records and detailed return analysis across securities accounts. It is strongest for people willing to maintain their portfolio in a desktop app; its phone app is a companion for viewing and analysis, not a replacement for editing.

The desktop application is free and open source, with performance calculations, allocation and risk analysis, tax-lot tracking, and exports. The trade-off is a desktop-centered workflow: mobile access depends on the portfolio file, and some analysis and dashboard features differ between platforms.

Key features

Portfolio Performance calculates both true time-weighted return and internal rate of return. Those measures help investors assess performance from different angles, while portfolio overviews, key figures, charts, historical prices, security classification, allocation analysis and rebalancing help explain results and portfolio composition. Risk analysis and tax-lot tracking add useful depth for investors managing more than a simple holdings list.

Users can record purchases, sales, taxes, fees and other transactions, or import statements from online banks and brokers. Historical price sources include HTML, JSON, Yahoo Finance, Quandl, AlphaVantage and CoinGecko, as well as a built-in provider for German and US stocks. This range can serve portfolios with varied holdings, but the price history depends on the sources configured.

Portfolio data is stored in XML and can be exported as CSV or JSON, giving users portable formats for their records. The project began in 2012, and its source code is licensed under the Eclipse Public License 1.0.

The mobile app reads the desktop portfolio file for viewing and analysis, but editing remains on desktop. Mobile supports configured historical-price sources such as Portfolio Report, Yahoo Finance, HTML, JSON, CoinGecko and Eurostat HICP, but does not use latest-price configurations. It supports 36 of the desktop app’s 48 dashboard widgets; volatility and portfolio fee rate are among the unsupported widgets. Larger files and complex calculations may need a more powerful phone or tablet.

Mobile file access uses the operating system and third-party cloud apps; users report success with iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive and Jottacloud. The app says password-protected files use AES256 encryption, financial bookings are processed on the phone, and basic local use does not transmit portfolio files to the service. Desktop help is directed to the maker’s forum, while mobile support is provided by email.

Pricing

The Desktop plan costs nothing and provides the open-source desktop application. It is the natural choice for investors who want the full editing workflow without a software subscription.

Premium mobile subscriptions are optional and unlock dashboards: Premium (Monthly) costs $3 a month, and Premium (Yearly) costs $25 a year. Both renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. These plans are for users who want the additional mobile dashboards; the mobile app remains a viewing and analysis tool rather than an editor.

Platforms

Portfolio Performance is available on Linux, macOS and Windows desktop, with mobile apps for Android and iOS. The mobile app supports iOS 12 and Android 7 or later. Its file-based workflow means mobile users need access to the desktop portfolio file, commonly through a cloud app.

Who it's for

Choose Portfolio Performance if you want a free desktop tool for tracking securities transactions across accounts and examining returns, risk, asset allocation and tax lots. It is particularly suited to investors comfortable managing a portfolio file and configuring price sources. Look elsewhere if you need to edit holdings on a phone or expect the desktop dashboard and calculations to carry over unchanged to mobile.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free desktop app combines transaction tracking with time-weighted and internal-rate-of-return calculations, supporting more detailed performance review than a simple holdings list.
• Pros: XML storage and CSV or JSON export give users options for keeping and reusing portfolio data.
• Pros: Multiple historical-price sources and coverage of allocation, risk and tax lots suit investors who want to examine portfolio composition as well as returns.
• Cons: The mobile app cannot edit the portfolio, so changes still require the desktop application.
• Cons: Mobile lacks some desktop dashboard widgets and does not use latest-price configurations, limiting parity for users who rely on those views.
• Cons: Larger files and complex calculations may require a more powerful mobile device.

Alternatives

Compare portfolio management software if you want to consider a broader set of tools.

• Sharesight is worth considering if a free plan capped at one portfolio, 10 holdings including closed holdings, and one custom group fits your needs.
• Snowball Analytics offers a free plan for beginners and index fund investors, limited to one portfolio and 10 holdings.
• Stock Rover may suit readers looking for free basic research on individual stocks and market monitoring.
• Finary offers a Finary Plus plan at €149.99 a year, with unlimited linked accounts and tracked goals.
• getquin is an option for readers seeking a free plan with unlimited bank and broker connections, real-time financial data and a net-worth overview.
• rotki may suit users seeking a free, self-hosted option; its free plan includes 1,000 recent events and 10 user notes.
• Wealthfolio has a Basic plan at $2.99 a month, billed monthly, with one person, up to six devices and device sync, but no broker connections.
• Temenos Wealth Front Office is another option for readers considering paid wealth software.

Verdict

Portfolio Performance is a strong choice for investors who want free, desktop-based transaction tracking and substantive return and portfolio analysis. Its combination of return methods, risk and allocation views, tax-lot tracking and export formats is the main reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if mobile editing is essential or if you need the desktop dashboard experience in full on a phone.