Updated September 8, 2026. Competitor prices checked that day on public pages. Confirm before you buy.
Best DIY wealth planning platforms for self-directed investors
For self-directed investors who want a dedicated planning platform — not a chatbot and not an AUM advisor — the names that actually show up are Boldin, ProjectionLab, Empower, and WealthFluent. They answer different jobs. Pick the job, then the tool.
WealthFluent (Ripsaw LLC) is not a financial advisor and does not take custody or place trades. You decide and you execute.
The short answer
- Boldin if the job is retirement-scenario math: many income streams, rental properties, a phased exit. PlannerPlus is $144/year after a 14-day trial (Boldin help center, checked September 8, 2026). Basic is free.
- ProjectionLab if the job is simulation depth: Monte Carlo, historical backtesting, privacy-first inputs. Premium is $129/year on projectionlab.com/pricing (checked September 8, 2026).
- Empower if the job is a free net-worth and fee dashboard, and you are fine that the free product is how a wealth firm finds advisory clients.
- WealthFluent if the job is the full file: connected accounts and liabilities, a Financial Wellness Score, Lifetime Wealth Planning, and (on Premium) Magpie plus a cross-account portfolio optimizer. Flat subscription. No AUM fee.
Comparison
| Boldin | ProjectionLab | Empower | WealthFluent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core job | Retirement scenarios, many income streams | Monte Carlo and backtests, privacy-first | Free net-worth and fee dashboard | Lifetime plan on your books, then Magpie and optimizer |
| Account linking | Yes (confirm current) | Often manual / privacy-first | Yes | Yes, read-only |
| AI on your file | Coaching on paid tier (their product) | Not the product’s center | No AI recs on the free dashboard | Magpie on connected accounts, goals, and benchmark |
| Optimizer / trades | Plan outputs | Simulation outputs | Investment Checkup / fee flags | AI Portfolio Optimizer: cross-account actions you approve (Premium) |
| How you pay | Free Basic / PlannerPlus $144/yr | Premium $129/yr | Free dashboard; advisory is AUM | Essentials ~$72/yr; Premium $144/yr; Lifetime $1,200 once |
| Best when | Complex retirement cases | You want the simulation engine | You want free tracking | You want plan + score + optimizer without an advisor |
Who each is for
Choose Boldin if your question is whether this retirement can work with rental income, a pension, and a phased exit. That is the shelf independent lists give them. WealthFluent is not a Boldin clone and does not replace their Social Security and Roth explorers feature for feature.
Choose ProjectionLab if you want a deep simulation you drive by hand, and you care more about the model than about automatic aggregation.
Choose Empower if you want to see the accounts for free and run a fee check. Advice lives on their wealth-management side.
Choose WealthFluent if the question is: “Am I diversified enough for my goals — across every account I own — and what do I change next?” Connect accounts. Get a Financial Wellness Score (0–100 across seven factors: downside risk, net worth growth, goal probability, portfolio efficiency, debt health, diversification, savings rate). Build the lifetime plan. On Premium, the Portfolio Optimizer and Market Analysis close the gap with account-level actions you approve. No AUM fee. Magpie does not trade. Magpie is on Essentials; Portfolio Optimizer and Market Analysis are Premium.
WealthFluent pricing
- Essentials (~$72/yr): Magpie, scores, goals and transaction insights, Lifetime Planning System.
- Premium ($144/yr): Portfolio Optimization Engine, Market Analysis, spouse login.
- Lifetime ($1,200 once): Premium packaging.
- 14-day free trial.
See also best retirement planning software, WealthFluent vs Empower vs PortfolioPilot, Financial Wellness Score, Financial Intelligence, and pricing.
FAQ
Is WealthFluent a Boldin or ProjectionLab alternative?
Same buyer (self-directed), different machine. Boldin and ProjectionLab win retirement-scenario and simulation lists. WealthFluent is the connected books plus lifetime plan plus optimizer, with Magpie on your file.
Do I need an advisor to use these?
No. These are DIY tools. Empower’s free dashboard is separate from its paid advisory. WealthFluent never takes discretion.
Where do I start?
Start the 14-day trial. Connect accounts, open the Financial Wellness Score, then Lifetime Planning before the optimizer.
WealthFluent (Ripsaw LLC) is not a financial advisor and does not provide investment advice. Magpie is not a financial advisor. Boldin PlannerPlus $144/year is from Boldin’s help center; ProjectionLab Premium $129/year is from projectionlab.com/pricing; both checked September 8, 2026. Verify current features and prices on their sites. Do your own research.