Comparison · 2026
Yearfold vs ProjectionLab: an honest 2026 comparison
Two privacy-friendly, manual-entry planners — one paid and deep, one free and honest. Here's the fair comparison.
Part of our roundup of the best retirement calculators in 2026. Last reviewed May 31, 2026.
Editorial review pending — see editorial process
Yearfold is a financial-education tool. It is not a registered investment adviser and does not provide personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Results are probabilistic projections based on historical data and stated assumptions; they are not guarantees. Methodology
Transparency: We make money from Yearfold Pro, and this page compares us with ProjectionLab, a product we compete with. Every price and feature claim below is sourced and dated — if something is wrong or out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it.
Yearfold vs ProjectionLab: side by side
| Feature | Yearfold | ProjectionLab |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Paid price | $99/yr or $12/mo (Pro) | $129/yr (Premium) · $549/yr (Pro) source ↗ |
| 10,000-path Monte Carlo | Yes | Yes |
| Models couples | Yes | Yes |
| Models dependents explicitly | Yes | — |
| Account / bank linking | No | optional |
| AI assistant | Yes | — |
| Tax / Roth tools | Deep | Deep |
| Runs without a signup | Yes | — |
| No bank linking required | Yes | Yes |
ProjectionLab facts last verified May 31, 2026 · prices change — verify on the source before deciding.
Choose ProjectionLab if…
- You love building detailed, flexible models and want best-in-class scenario tooling and visualizations.
- You want granular control over every assumption and milestone, and you'll invest the time to set it up.
- You're happy on the free Basic tier or willing to pay $129/yr for Premium's depth.
Best for: Detail-oriented DIY planners who want beautiful, flexible scenario modeling and prefer entering data by hand.
Choose Yearfold if…
- You want a rigorous 10,000-path Monte Carlo projection for free, with no account and no bank linking required to run it.
- You want your spouse and dependents modeled explicitly, not folded into one spending number.
- You want the honest range of outcomes — the 10th-to-90th-percentile band — instead of a single optimistic figure.
- You'd consider the living-plan features (monthly plan updates, a personalized tax calendar, AI Q&A over your own numbers, bracket alerts) at $12/mo Pro — the same monthly price as Boldin, with annual at $99.
The honest verdict
ProjectionLab is, deservedly, a favorite among detail-oriented DIY planners. It has a genuine free tier that already includes Monte Carlo simulations, gorgeous visualizations, and deeply flexible scenario modeling, with Premium at $129/yr unlocking the full depth. Like Yearfold, it's privacy-friendly — data is entered manually and many users never link a financial account.
Where they differ is philosophy. ProjectionLab rewards people who enjoy constructing detailed models and tuning every assumption. Yearfold is built for the person who wants an honest answer fast: enter five numbers, get a 10,000-path projection with the full 10th-to-90th-percentile range, your spouse and dependents modeled explicitly, and no signup required. Both are good tools; they're built for different temperaments.
Pick ProjectionLab if you want to build a rich, hands-on model and enjoy the process. Pick Yearfold if you want a rigorous, free, honest projection without the setup — and the option of $12/mo Pro for living-plan features if you want them later.
See your own honest projection — free.
10,000 simulated futures, your whole household, no signup. Pro is $99/yr if you want the living-plan features.
Frequently asked
Is Yearfold really free?
Yes. The 10,000-path Monte Carlo projection — modeling your spouse, dependents, Social Security, Medicare, and inflation — is free, and there's no signup required to run it. Yearfold Pro ($99/yr or $12/mo) adds living-plan features, but the core projection is free, forever.
Can I import my ProjectionLab plan into Yearfold?
No — there's no import. But Yearfold only needs a handful of inputs to run, so re-entering them takes a couple of minutes, and you can do it without creating an account.
Does Yearfold link my bank?
No. Yearfold never connects to your bank or brokerage — you enter your numbers and nothing is aggregated to run a projection. That privacy choice is one of the main reasons people choose it.
Is ProjectionLab worth it?
For people who enjoy detailed modeling, yes — its free tier is unusually capable and Premium ($129/yr) is well-regarded. If you'd rather not build a detailed model and just want an honest projection, Yearfold gives you that for free.