ProjectionLab

Overview

ProjectionLab is a personal finance and retirement planning tool for building and comparing long-term financial scenarios. It is strongest for people willing to maintain their own inputs and who want control over taxes, withdrawals, and life changes. Its modeling range is substantial, but plans remain manual because it does not directly link financial accounts.

Key features

ProjectionLab lets users model milestones, cash flow, income, savings growth, estimated taxes, investment strategies, account types, withdrawals, Social Security, and estate outcomes. Monte Carlo simulations and historical backtesting provide different lenses on possible outcomes; they support comparison rather than certainty, and the projections depend on the assumptions entered.

Premium adds tax optimization, Roth conversions, ACA subsidies, tax estimation, capital gains harvesting, and advanced analytics. These tools make it the more relevant tier for users weighing tax-sensitive choices, while Basic offers the core forecasting and simulation tools without that expanded tax work. International tax presets and account types include examples for Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands, a useful addition for cross-border planning.

Third-party plugins can sync Lunch Money and YNAB, import Monarch Money data, or support custom automations. They are not a substitute for native account linking, which ProjectionLab does not support. The trade-off is that users can plan without connecting bank or brokerage accounts or providing account numbers, but must keep their planning inputs current themselves.

The maker says data is encrypted in transit with HTTPS/TLS and at rest with AES-256, and cites multifactor authentication and SOC 2 aligned controls. ProjectionLab says it does not sell user data or share planning data for advertising or marketing, and users can export or delete their data. Support is offered by email, through Discord, and in bookable educational one-on-one sessions.

Pricing

Basic costs nothing (billed $0 / year). It includes forecasting, financial planning, Monte Carlo simulations, historical backtesting, and flexible modeling. This is a meaningful starting point for personal planning, but it omits Premium's cash-flow projections, tax optimization, withdrawal strategies, estate planning, multiple plans, advanced analytics, international planning, flexible spending, and premium support.

Premium costs $129 a year (billed $129 / year) and includes everything in Basic plus those expanded planning tools. It is the best fit for individuals who need more than a broad forecast, particularly for tax, withdrawal, estate, or international scenarios. Pro costs $549 a year (billed $549/ year), includes everything in Premium, 10 client seats, additional clients for $2/month, and a directory listing. Its client-management focus makes it the advisor and coach tier rather than a sensible upgrade for most individual users. A 7-day trial is offered.

Platforms

ProjectionLab runs on the web and can be installed on mobile devices as a Progressive Web App. The maker does not offer a formal mobile app, so users who prefer a dedicated app should factor that in. Although Android and iOS are included among its platforms, the mobile experience described is web-based. API is also listed as a platform.

Who it's for

ProjectionLab suits individuals who want to compare detailed retirement and financial scenarios and are comfortable entering and updating their own data. Premium is the stronger fit for tax-aware, withdrawal, estate, or international planning. Advisors and coaches can consider Pro for its client seats and management tools. It is a weaker match for anyone who expects automatic account synchronization or a formal mobile app.

Pros and cons

• Broad scenario modeling: Milestones, taxes, investment strategies, withdrawals, and estate outcomes can be considered within a flexible plan.
• Multiple ways to examine uncertainty: Monte Carlo simulations and historical backtesting help users compare outcomes rather than rely on one forecast.
• International planning: Premium's presets and account types extend beyond a U.S.-only framing, with examples spanning five countries.
• Privacy without account access: Users can plan without connecting financial accounts, while the maker says users can export or delete planning data.
• Manual upkeep is a real cost: No direct account linking means users must maintain their financial inputs; third-party plugins provide only selected connections and imports.
• No formal mobile app: Mobile access is through an installable web app, not a dedicated app.
• Pro is a substantial step up in price: At $549 a year, it is aimed at professionals, not individuals who only need personal planning.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Retirement Planning Software and Financial Planning Software.

Boldin is worth considering for users who want a free tier with 100+ inputs, two interactive explorers, 10+ charts, and up to five Boldin AI questions per day, or who prefer its Android and iOS apps. Flexible Retirement Planner may suit individual non-commercial users seeking free software across Linux, macOS, Windows, and web, including educators using it for educational purposes. RetireePlan is a free, open-source option for readers who want web, desktop, or self-hosted access.

driftcurve is another free option. FI Calc offers free calculator access supported by donations. Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center generates a plan at no fee, though investment expenses and account transaction fees may still apply. FIRECalc provides a free core retirement calculator, with some additional features available through supporter registration on request. Retireator is a free, open-source retirement simulator.

Verdict

Choose ProjectionLab if you want a flexible personal planning model that can bring taxes, withdrawals, and long-term scenarios together, and you are willing to maintain your own inputs. Premium is the sensible choice when its expanded planning tools matter; Pro is for advisors and coaches managing clients. Look elsewhere if automatic account linking or a formal mobile app is essential.