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Head-to-head · Retirement Planning Software

Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center vs driftcurve

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center #2 in Retirement Planning Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Fidelity
driftcurve #9 in Retirement Planning Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit driftcurve

Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center leads on 0 checks, driftcurve on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFidelity Planning & Guidance Center · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth

Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center scores higher on our rubric for retirement planning software: 9.3 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #9.

On tax modeling, Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center gives you Detailed where driftcurve offers Basic. On account synchronization, Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center gives you Read_only where driftcurve offers None.

Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center is the better fit for fidelity customers wanting free, connected planning. driftcurve is the better fit for open-source users needing broad household modeling.

  • Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center fits best

    Fidelity customers wanting free, connected planning

  • driftcurve fits best

    Open-source users needing broad household modeling

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center 9.3/10 Visit ↗ driftcurve 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.5
Ranking #2 in Retirement Planning Software #9 in Retirement Planning Software
Best for Fidelity customers wanting free, connected planning Open-source users needing broad household modeling
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free Free
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Features Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center 5/5 · driftcurve 5/5
Income projection ✓ ✓
Savings growth projection ✓ ✓
Withdrawal planning ✓ ✓
Social Security modeling ✓ ✓
Scenario analysis ✓ ✓
Specs
Tax modeling Detailed Basic
Account synchronization Read_only None
Our review
Pros
  • Models retirement income, savings growth and withdrawal strategies
  • Estimates federal, state and local taxes and Social Security benefits
  • Connects Fidelity and external accounts through Full View
  • Models household assets, debt, pensions, and Social Security.
  • Includes Monte Carlo forecasts, spending guardrails, and scenario comparison.
  • Free under Apache License 2.0, with web, API, and self-hosted options.
Cons
  • Plans are informational and hypothetical, not actual tax calculations
  • External account data is read-only; manually entered accounts do not update
  • Investment expenses and trading or transaction fees may still apply
  • No account synchronization; household data is user-entered.
  • Local mode stores household data in the browser and runs forecasting locally.
  • Tax modeling is basic.
Our verdict

Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center gives Fidelity customers and workplace-plan participants a free way to assess retirement readiness and plan other financial goals. It considers savings, future contributions, income sources, expenses,…

Read the review →

Retirement planning often spans more than investment balances: households may need to account for debt, property, pensions, income, and different retirement dates. driftcurve is an open-source retirement planning engine for individuals and…

Read the review →
  1. Fidelity Planning & Guidance CenterRetirement Planning Software 9.3Free plan
  2. driftcurveRetirement Planning Software 8.5Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Fidelity Planning & Guidance Center — where it wins

    • Models retirement income, savings growth and withdrawal strategies
    • Estimates federal, state and local taxes and Social Security benefits
    • Connects Fidelity and external accounts through Full View

    Where it doesn't

    • Plans are informational and hypothetical, not actual tax calculations
    • External account data is read-only; manually entered accounts do not update
    • Investment expenses and trading or transaction fees may still apply

  • driftcurve — where it wins

    • Models household assets, debt, pensions, and Social Security.
    • Includes Monte Carlo forecasts, spending guardrails, and scenario comparison.
    • Free under Apache License 2.0, with web, API, and self-hosted options.

    Where it doesn't

    • No account synchronization; household data is user-entered.
    • Local mode stores household data in the browser and runs forecasting locally.
    • Tax modeling is basic.

More comparisons

All retirement planning software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update