retirement planning software comparison
Meridary vs Empower
Empower combines a free connected financial dashboard with retirement tools and separately offers advisory services. Meridary is paid software for exploring when retirement may be possible using manually entered savings, spending, and income assumptions.
By Steven, Founder · Updated October 14, 2026
Short answer
- Empower is the stronger fit for a free, connected view of accounts, spending, investments, and net worth.
- Meridary compares tax-aware retirement scenarios so you can examine how saving, spending, and retirement timing affect your estimated outlook.
- Empower offers separate human advisory services; Meridary sells software, not advice.
The central difference
Empower's official tools page lists a free Personal Dashboard for linked accounts, budgeting, cash flow, investments, net worth, savings, and retirement scenarios. Its Personal Strategy page separately describes paid portfolio management and ongoing financial planning for eligible clients.
Meridary models the supported household year by year to compare retirement scenarios, not to monitor transactions. It does not link accounts or provide advisory services. It charges $149–$199 for a founding lifetime license or $12 per month.
Choose Empower for an aggregated financial dashboard
Empower is the better match when the main job is automatically bringing financial accounts together, monitoring net worth and spending, and using broad planning tools without paying for the dashboard.
Consider Meridary to compare retirement assumptions
Consider Meridary when you want to explore whether saving more, spending differently, or working longer changes your estimated retirement timing. Its U.S. model supports two-earner wages and includes federal tax, a flat state rate, RMDs, taxation of one Social Security benefit, Roth conversions, IRMAA, and ACA premiums. You maintain account values yourself; it does not replace a connected dashboard.
Software and advice are different purchases
Empower's dashboard and advisory offering should be evaluated separately: one is a free software experience, while Personal Strategy is an investment-management and planning service. Meridary provides educational planning software only. Its results are scenario estimates, not advice or guarantees. Empower details reflect the cited source access dates.
Meridary vs Empower, at a glance
| Feature | Meridary | Empower |
|---|---|---|
| Software price | $149–$199 lifetime or $12/month | Personal Dashboard is free |
| Account data | Manual entry | Connected financial accounts |
| Primary software view | Year-by-year retirement projection | Net worth, spending, investing, and planning dashboard |
| Human advice | Not offered | Separate Personal Strategy advisory service |
| Published model scope | Detailed on the validation page | Broad tools described on the product page |
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Frequently asked
- Is the Empower Personal Dashboard free?
- Yes. Empower's official tools page states that the dashboard and financial tools are free. Its Personal Strategy advisory service is a separate offering.
- Do I have to link accounts to use Meridary?
- No. Meridary has no account aggregation; account values are entered manually. Empower's dashboard is designed around connected financial accounts.
Read next
Methodology
See how Meridary checks calculator figures, tests the planning engine, states model limits, and records corrections on the validation methodology page.
Sources
- Financial tools — Empower
The free Personal Dashboard, connected accounts, and planning tools.
Accessed October 14, 2026
- Personal Strategy — Empower
Empower's separate advisory and wealth-management offering.
Accessed October 14, 2026
This is an educational estimate, not tax or financial advice. Figures reflect the law year shown and the inputs you provide. Consult a qualified professional before acting.