ProjectionLab alternative
Retirology vs. ProjectionLab
ProjectionLab is a polished, well-loved web app for modeling your financial life. Retirology covers much of the same retirement math as a desktop app you buy once — with your data kept on your own computer. Here's an honest comparison.
Updated October 2026
The short version
| Retirology | ProjectionLab | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19+ once; every update free | Free Basic; Premium $129/year; Pro $549/year |
| 10 years of use | $19–$65 total (your choice) | $1,290 for Premium |
| Where it runs | Desktop app — macOS, Windows, Linux | Web app in your browser |
| Your data | One file on your computer; no account | Stored with your online account |
| Monte Carlo | Yes — normal and historical, plus 5 historical stress tests | Yes, plus historical backtesting |
| Roth conversions | 4 ladder modes with per-conversion 5-year tracking | Yes (Premium) |
| ACA subsidies | MAGI cap by % of poverty level, 2026 cliff rules | Yes (Premium) |
| State taxes | All 50 states + DC with 2026 retirement exclusions by age | Tax estimation (Premium) |
| International planning | US only | Yes (Premium) |
ProjectionLab details are from its public pricing page as of October 2026. Check projectionlab.com for current plans.
Where Retirology is different
- You pay once. $19 is the floor, $65 is suggested, and every future version — including each year's tax-table refresh — is free. There's nothing to renew.
- Your plan never leaves your machine. No sign-up, no login, no cloud copy of your net worth. The app makes one network request per launch: a check for updates.
- Built around US early-retirement tax moves. Roth ladders, the 2026 ACA subsidy cliff, 72(t) SEPP and the Rule of 55, IRMAA, and every state's 2026 rules for Social Security and retirement income — applied year by year, by age.
- Optimize my plan. One click tries your Roth ladder strategy, ACA income target and SEPP choice together and explains each change it recommends in after-tax dollars.
When ProjectionLab is the better choice
- You want to use your plan from any browser, or on your phone.
- You're planning across countries.
- You want to share your plan with a financial advisor or coach who uses ProjectionLab.
- You want to model your whole financial life in visual detail, not mainly the US retirement-tax side.
Plenty of people use both: a broad life plan in one, and the tax-heavy retirement drawdown in the other.
Common questions
How much does ProjectionLab cost?
As listed on ProjectionLab's pricing page in October 2026: Basic is free, Premium is $129 a year, and Pro (for advisors) is $549 a year. Roth conversions, tax estimation and ACA subsidies are Premium features.
Is there a ProjectionLab alternative without a subscription?
Retirology is a one-time purchase from $19, with every future update included. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux and stores your plan locally instead of in an online account.
Can I move my plan from ProjectionLab to Retirology?
There's no automatic import. Retirology's setup wizard takes a few minutes, and you can then add accounts, income and spending in as much detail as you like.