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Software · head to head

Personal Capital vs GnuCash

Personal Capital logo

Personal Capital

Software

Invest wisely, retire confidently

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GnuCash logo

GnuCash

Software

Personal finance and accounting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Personal Capital wealth management requires a 100,000 USD minimum for Investment Services, 250,000 USD for Wealth Management and 1,000,000 USD for Private Client; GnuCash desktop only, with no mobile application
  • They diverge on capability: Personal Capital covers Investment tracking, GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Personal Capital and GnuCash actually diverge.

Attributes where Personal Capital and GnuCash differ
AttributePersonal CapitalGnuCash
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWindows, Mac, Linux
Founded20101997

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Personal Capital

  • Investment tracking
  • Retirement calculator
  • Fee analyzer
  • Net worth tracking
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Real estate
  • Web support

Only in GnuCash

  • Double-entry bookkeeping
  • Multi-currency support
  • Reports and graphs
  • Budget tracking
  • Import/Export
  • OFX format
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Personal Capital

  • Tracking net worth and investment accounts in one dashboardnot GnuCash
  • Managed portfolio construction with tax loss harvesting for high balance investorsnot GnuCash
  • Retirement planning projections across linked accountsnot GnuCash

GnuCash

  • Personal finance tracking with a checkbook register interfacenot Personal Capital
  • Double-entry bookkeeping for a small businessnot Personal Capital
  • Tracking stocks, bonds and mutual fund accountsnot Personal Capital
  • Importing transactions via QIF, OFX or HBCInot Personal Capital
  • Scheduled recurring transactions and financial reportsnot Personal Capital

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Personal Capital

  • Wealth management requires a 100,000 USD minimum for Investment Services, 250,000 USD for Wealth Management and 1,000,000 USD for Private Client
  • The annual advisory fee is charged as a percentage of assets under management on a tiered structure rather than a flat subscription
  • Assets are custodied at Pershing Advisor Solutions rather than by the provider itself

GnuCash

  • Desktop only, with no mobile application
  • Version 3.11 is the last release supporting Windows 7 and macOS 10.12 and earlier
  • Uses strict double-entry accounting, so every transaction needs two sides

Pricing, plan by plan

Personal Capital

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Account tracking
    • Net worth monitoring
    • Investment analysis
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Financial advisor access
    • Personalized advice

GnuCash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Double-entry bookkeeping
    • Multi-currency support
    • Reports and graphs

Which should you pick?

Choose Personal Capital if

  • You need investment tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want retirement calculator.
Personal Capital review

Choose GnuCash if

  • You need double-entry bookkeeping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want multi-currency support.
GnuCash review

Questions people ask

Is Personal Capital or GnuCash better?
Neither clearly leads. Personal Capital starts at Free and GnuCash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Personal Capital or GnuCash?
Personal Capital starts at Free and GnuCash at Free.
Does Personal Capital or GnuCash run on more platforms?
Personal Capital runs on Web, IOS, Android. GnuCash runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
Can I use Personal Capital for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Personal Capital best used for?
Personal Capital is most often used for tracking net worth and investment accounts in one dashboard, managed portfolio construction with tax loss harvesting for high balance investors, retirement planning projections across linked accounts. Of those, tracking net worth and investment accounts in one dashboard and managed portfolio construction with tax loss harvesting for high balance investors are not what GnuCash is typically brought in for.
What can Personal Capital do that GnuCash cannot?
Personal Capital covers Investment tracking, Retirement calculator, Fee analyzer, Net worth tracking. GnuCash covers Double-entry bookkeeping, Multi-currency support, Reports and graphs, Budget tracking.
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