Updated May 2026 · Edited by Max · Prices verified from vendor pages
Best Retirement Planning Software 2026
The standalone-software tier ($109-$149/yr) is the only place where a DIY user gets serious Monte Carlo modelling without paying advisor prices ($2,000-$5,000/yr) or settling for linear-projection free tools. Here's what's in that tier, who each tool is for, and what it actually does.
Most planners need a free Monte Carlo tool + a paid tax tool — here's why →
Every "best retirement planning software" list reviews tools in isolation. The truth most listicles won't say: most serious DIY plans need two tools, not one. Free Monte Carlo engines (FIRECalc, cFIREsim) are often better at probability-of-success modelling. Paid tools (Boldin, Maxifi) are better at year-by-year tax optimisation. Use both.
See the two-tool stack by segment →The paid-tool shortlist
/ 10
Boldin PlannerPlus
Top PickBest for: Roth conversion, IRMAA modelling, pre-retirees
$120/yr (monthly)
/ 10
ProjectionLab Premium
FIRE PickBest for: FIRE: 10,000 Monte Carlo runs, clean scenario UI
$109/yr or $799 lifetime
/ 10
/ 10
Why this tier ($109-$149/yr) exists
The price gap between free tools and CFP advisory is enormous. Free tools (Fidelity Retirement Score, Vanguard Nest Egg, Bankrate) use linear projection and can't model sequence risk. A fee-only CFP charges $2,000-$5,000 for a one-off consultation. The $109-$149/yr tier is the only market segment where a DIY user gets Monte Carlo simulation, Roth conversion modelling, and year-by-year tax projections without paying for an advisor.
The SERP doesn't surface this clearly. Most listicles include Betterment and Personal Capital in their "best retirement planning software" lists. Those are robo-advisors — they manage portfolios; they don't model retirement scenarios. The tools in this list are a different category.
The Monte Carlo prerequisite
Every tool on this list uses Monte Carlo simulation. Every tool NOT on this list (Fidelity, Vanguard, Bankrate, Betterment's tracker) uses linear projection. This distinction determines whether your plan is a stress test or a guess. See our Monte Carlo explainer for why this matters.
A note on what this costs
Free tools (FIRECalc, cFIREsim, ProjectionLab free) take you 80% of the way for $0. The paid tier ($109-$149/yr) is worth it once you're within 10 years of retirement and the Roth conversion and tax-optimisation EV starts to matter — $1,000-$5,000/yr in optimised tax outcomes is not unusual at $200K+ household income. Above $300/yr for software, the EV calculation flips toward hiring a fee-only fiduciary for an annual session instead.