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Honest UK app comparison · Updated August 2026

WealthR vs ProjectionLab: the UK-built alternative for post-retirement planning.

ProjectionLab is a polished, much-loved planning tool with a genuinely flexible modelling canvas. But it's US-built, with the UK bolted on as a localisation. WealthR gives you serious projection depth too — percentile forecast bands and a 5,000-run Monte Carlo with real UK tax and State Pension baked into every path — but built UK-first, around UK rules, State Pension and the realities of a UK retirement, and priced in pounds. Here's an honest read on both, side by side.

The short answer

Choose WealthR if you want a plan that speaks UK — correct tax treatment for ISAs, LISAs, SIPPs and the State Pension, phased retirement with PAYE and National Insurance, UK inheritance tax, and £ pricing. Free at the core tier, privacy-first, built for what happens after you stop full-time work.

Choose ProjectionLab if your priority is the most freely-configurable modelling canvas — granular milestone modelling, 10,000-run Monte Carlo, a dedicated historical-backtest mode and a mature compare mode. It supports UK account types, but the tax model and headline features are US-first.

If you moved to ProjectionLab from a US-centric tool and found it still didn't quite fit the UK — especially post-retirement — WealthR is built for exactly that gap.

Quick comparison

Side by side

Feature WealthR ProjectionLab
Built for✓ UK-first — the whole app is keyed to UK rules~ US-first with a UK localisation layer
Pricing currency✓ Pounds (£) — no FX to think about~ US dollars ($) — UK users carry FX
Free tier✓ Core features free forever✓ Free Basic tier (forecasting, Monte Carlo)
Paid tier pricePro £5.99/mo or £39.99/yrPremium $129/yr · Pro (adviser) $549/yr
UK State Pension modelling✓ Triple-lock uprating · NI qualifying-years forecast · auto-updates each April✕ Not a named feature
Phased / semi-retirement with PAYE✓ Employment / PAYE salary income stream — income tax + employee NI to State Pension age, tapers via end date✕ Working/retired modelled as a transition, not a UK PAYE-with-NI stream
UK income tax accuracy✓ 2026/27 bands, HICBC, Marriage Allowance, Scottish bands, £100k–£125k taper, salary sacrifice, Student Loan plans~ UK tax presets & effective brackets (generic, not UK-rule-complete)
UK tax wrappers✓ All 6 — S&S ISA, Cash ISA, LISA, JISA, IFISA, Help to Buy · per-wrapper allowances~ ISA, workplace pension, SIPP account types (LISA/JISA not named)
Post-retirement income modelling✓ 12 UK income stream types with correct tax (State Pension, DB, SIPP drawdown, annuity, ISA, GIA dividends/interest, rental, offshore bond, PAYE salary, other)~ Withdrawal strategies & cash-flow, modelled on US tax logic
Tax-efficient withdrawal ordering✓ UK sequence (Cash → GIA → SIPP UFPLS → ISA → SIPP marginal)~ Withdrawal strategies (Roth conversions / US-oriented)
Monte Carlo simulation✓ 5,000-run Monte Carlo with real UK tax + State Pension in every path · optimistic/likely/pessimistic forecast bands in-app✓ 10,000-run Monte Carlo (more paths; US-first tax model)
Historical backtesting~ Projections use real historical returns (FTSE / S&P / MSCI); no dedicated backtest mode✓ Dedicated historical-backtest mode
Flexible / granular event modelling✓ Forecast bands, Scenarios, what-if & stress tests (income shock, child cost, rate rises)✓ Highly configurable milestone canvas — more freely tweakable
Sequence-of-returns stress test✓ −20%/−10% crash years 1–2 with 7yr recovery curve~ Via Monte Carlo distribution
UK Inheritance Tax / estate planning✓ Estate & IHT tab — nil-rate bands, residence NRB, IHT on pensions~ Estate planning (US-oriented)
CGT & dividend allowance (UK)✓ CGT calculator + £500 dividend allowance modelled~ Capital-gains harvesting (US framing)
US-only features you don't needn/a — UK-only by designRoth conversions, ACA subsidies — irrelevant in the UK
Free standalone UK calculators✓ 19 on wealthr.co.uk/tools/ — HICBC, Marriage Allowance, CGT, SDLT, LBTT, LTT, Coast FIRE, salary sacrifice and more✕ None
FIRE / Coast FIRE / depletion✓ Full FIRE, Coast FIRE, portfolio runway in years✓ Strong FIRE modelling
Couples / household planning✓ Partner pensions tagged · joint property ownership % · partner State Pension✓ Flexible modelling supports partners
Privacy / bank linking✓ Manual entry, privacy-first — no bank linking✓ Also privacy-first / manual entry
Mobile✓ iOS & Android (PWA)✓ Web app (works on mobile browsers)
Maturity~ Launched 2026 — newer, moving fast✓ Established, polished, large following
Built inEdinburgh, UKUnited States
Honest assessment

What each does well

Where WealthR is stronger

WealthR's advantage is UK specificity, and it runs deep. The whole app is keyed to UK tax years — State Pension with triple-lock uprating and an NI qualifying-years forecast, all six ISA wrappers with per-wrapper allowances, HICBC with the higher-earner rule, Marriage Allowance, Scottish bands, the 60% personal-allowance taper between £100k and £125,140, salary sacrifice relief, CGT and the £500 dividend allowance. ProjectionLab offers "UK tax presets," but that's a localisation of a US model, not a UK-rule-complete engine.

It's also built for the messy reality of a UK retirement. You can model phased or semi-retirement directly: add an Employment / PAYE salary stream alongside your pensions and drawdown, and WealthR taxes it correctly — income tax and employee National Insurance up to State Pension age, then NI drops off automatically, with the stream tapering out on an end date as you wind down. The post-retirement module covers 12 UK income stream types each with the right tax treatment, plus a tax-efficient withdrawal order and a UK Inheritance Tax view. This is precisely where US-first tools tend to fall over for British users.

And it's cheaper and simpler to buy: free at the core tier, Pro at £39.99/year in pounds, versus ProjectionLab's $129/year Premium plus the friction of dollar pricing and FX.

It also holds its own on projection depth. The Forecast shows optimistic, likely and pessimistic bands rather than a single line; the Monte Carlo runs 5,000 simulated futures with real UK tax, State Pension and sequence-of-returns risk modelled inside every path — not a US tax model with a UK label — and projections are grounded in real historical returns for the FTSE All-Share, S&P 500 or MSCI World. It's serious modelling, just pointed at the UK.

Where ProjectionLab is stronger

Credit where it's due — ProjectionLab's modelling canvas is exceptional. It's more freely configurable than WealthR's: arbitrary milestone-based life events, highly tweakable assumptions, 10,000-run Monte Carlo (twice WealthR's path count) and a dedicated historical-backtest mode that cycles your plan through real past market sequences. If you love building a detailed, endlessly adjustable model, ProjectionLab is superb at it — and it's a more established product, with a longer track record and a large community behind it.

WealthR — pros

  • UK-first — the whole app is built around UK tax rules
  • Priced in pounds; free core tier, Pro just £39.99/yr
  • UK State Pension with triple-lock uprating & NI years
  • Phased / semi-retirement with PAYE + employee NI
  • 12 UK income stream types with correct tax treatment
  • Tax-efficient UK withdrawal ordering
  • Full UK income tax calculator (HICBC, Scottish bands, £100k trap)
  • All 6 UK ISA wrappers with per-wrapper allowances
  • UK Inheritance Tax / estate view (incl. IHT on pensions)
  • Sequence-of-returns stress test for decumulation
  • Percentile forecast bands + 5,000-run Monte Carlo with real UK tax & State Pension
  • Projections grounded in real historical returns (FTSE / S&P / MSCI)
  • 19 free standalone UK calculators (no sign-up)
  • Privacy-first — no bank linking
  • One subscription covers the whole household

WealthR — cons

  • No dedicated historical-backtest mode (uses real historical returns instead)
  • Monte Carlo runs 5,000 paths vs ProjectionLab's 10,000
  • ProjectionLab's modelling canvas is more freely configurable
  • Launched 2026 — newer, smaller track record
  • Manual entry — about two minutes a month
  • Not regulated — planning aid, not advice

ProjectionLab — pros

  • Exceptional, highly flexible projection engine
  • 10,000-run Monte Carlo simulations in-app
  • Historical backtesting
  • Granular milestone / event-based modelling
  • Mature compare mode for weighing plans
  • Privacy-first, manual entry
  • Established product with a large following
  • Supports UK account types (ISA, workplace pension, SIPP)

ProjectionLab — cons

  • US-first — UK is a localisation layer
  • Priced in US dollars; UK users carry FX
  • No paid tier under $129/yr (vs WealthR £39.99/yr)
  • State Pension not a named feature
  • No phased-retirement PAYE stream with UK employee NI
  • UK tax model is preset-based, not UK-rule-complete
  • LISA / JISA not named as wrappers
  • Headline features include US-only Roth conversions & ACA subsidies
  • No standalone free UK calculators
Decision framework

When to choose which

Choose WealthR if…

  • You're a UK user who wants the tax to actually be right
  • You're approaching, in, or planning phased retirement
  • You still have some PAYE income alongside pensions
  • You want State Pension, ISA/LISA/SIPP and IHT modelled properly
  • You want percentile forecasts and a UK-accurate Monte Carlo
  • You'd rather pay in pounds — and pay less
  • You want a free tier and free UK calculators
  • You value privacy and no bank linking

Choose ProjectionLab if…

  • You want the most freely-configurable modelling canvas
  • You love building detailed, endlessly adjustable models
  • 10,000-run Monte Carlo and a dedicated backtest mode matter to you
  • You're comfortable with a US-first tax model
  • Dollar pricing and FX aren't a concern
  • You want a mature product with a long track record
Frequently asked

FAQ

Is WealthR a UK alternative to ProjectionLab?
Yes. ProjectionLab is a powerful, US-built projection engine with a UK localisation layer — it supports ISAs, workplace pensions and SIPPs with UK tax presets. WealthR is built UK-first: the entire app is keyed to UK rules — State Pension with triple-lock uprating, ISA/LISA/JISA/SIPP wrappers, HICBC, Marriage Allowance, Scottish tax bands, salary sacrifice, CGT and dividend allowances — and it's priced in pounds. Want UK tax accuracy and post-retirement modelling first? WealthR is the closer fit. Want the most freely-configurable model? ProjectionLab is exceptional at that.
Does WealthR handle phased or semi-retirement with continuing PAYE income?
Yes — this is a recent addition and a deliberate one. WealthR treats retirement as a spectrum, not an on/off switch. Add an Employment / PAYE salary income stream alongside your pensions and drawdown, and it's taxed correctly: income tax and employee National Insurance up to State Pension age, after which NI stops automatically. Give the stream an end date and WealthR tapers it out as you wind down. Keeping some PAYE income while drawing a pension is a common UK reality that most projection tools force into a binary "working" or "retired" state.
How much does ProjectionLab cost compared to WealthR?
ProjectionLab has a free Basic tier, then Premium at $129/year and a Pro (adviser) tier at $549/year — priced in US dollars, so UK users also carry FX conversion. WealthR is free at the core tier and Pro is £5.99/month or £39.99/year, priced in pounds. For a UK consumer, WealthR's paid tier is materially cheaper with no dollar conversion to think about.
Is ProjectionLab better than WealthR at anything?
Yes — a few genuine things. ProjectionLab's modelling canvas is more freely configurable (arbitrary milestones and assumptions), its Monte Carlo runs 10,000 paths to WealthR's 5,000, it has a dedicated historical-backtest mode, and it's a more established product. That said, WealthR is no lightweight on projections — percentile forecast bands, a 5,000-run Monte Carlo with real UK tax and State Pension in every path, and projections grounded in real historical returns. WealthR's edge is UK specificity — correct UK tax, State Pension, phased retirement with PAYE and NI, UK IHT, £ pricing — plus a free tier and 19 free UK calculators. Choose ProjectionLab for the most configurable model; choose WealthR for UK accuracy and post-retirement realism.
Can I move my plan from ProjectionLab to WealthR?
There's no automated import, but setup is quick — enter your accounts, pensions and income streams once (a few minutes) and WealthR applies the correct UK tax treatment automatically. Because WealthR is manual-entry and privacy-first (like ProjectionLab, it doesn't require bank linking), the two are set up in a similar way, so switching mainly means re-entering the same figures into a UK-native model.
Does WealthR do Monte Carlo and stress testing like ProjectionLab?
Yes — properly. WealthR's Monte Carlo retirement tool runs 5,000 simulated futures with real UK tax, State Pension and sequence-of-returns risk modelled inside every path, and the app's Forecast shows optimistic, likely and pessimistic bands plus a sequence-of-returns stress test (a −20%/−10% crash in the first retirement years). ProjectionLab runs more paths (10,000) and adds a dedicated historical-backtest mode. More runs isn't automatically better, though — WealthR's simulations apply correct UK tax and State Pension in each path, where ProjectionLab's run on a US-first tax model.

The UK-built alternative — try it free.

Free forever at the core tier. Built around UK tax, State Pension and phased retirement, priced in pounds. No bank linking, no credit card. See how your plan looks in a model made for the UK.

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Disclaimer. This comparison reflects publicly available information from projectionlab.com as of 5 August 2026. Features, pricing and plan tiers may have changed since — always verify current details on the official ProjectionLab website before making a decision. WealthR is a planning aid, not regulated financial advice. ProjectionLab is a third-party product and trademark of its respective owner, referenced here under nominative fair use for objective comparison purposes only. WealthR is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with ProjectionLab. Spotted something inaccurate? Email [email protected] and we'll review and update promptly.