Software · head to head
Personal Capital vs Vanguard
The short version
- Only Personal Capital has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Vanguard a 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
- They diverge on capability: Personal Capital covers Investment tracking, Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Personal Capital and Vanguard actually diverge.
| Attribute | Personal Capital | Vanguard |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | transaction |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2010 | 1975 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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
- Real estate
Only in Vanguard
- Low-cost index funds
- Commission-free trading
- Retirement accounts
- Financial advisors
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Investment accounts
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android 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 Vanguard
- Managed portfolio construction with tax loss harvesting for high balance investorsnot Vanguard
- Retirement planning projections across linked accountsnot Vanguard
Vanguard
- Holding low cost index mutual funds and ETFs for long term investingnot Personal Capital
- Running IRAs and taxable brokerage accountsnot Personal Capital
- Employer retirement plan participationnot 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
Vanguard
- A 25 USD annual account service fee applies unless the account uses e-delivery, is a Cash Plus Account, is enrolled in an advisory service, or holds 1 million USD or more in qualifying assets
- Broker assisted trades cost 25 USD each, waived only at 1 million USD in qualifying assets or with an advisory service
- Options trades carry a 1 USD per contract fee on top of zero commission
- Transaction fee mutual funds cost 20 USD per online trade below 1 million USD in qualifying assets, falling to 8 USD only at higher tiers
- Outgoing wire transfers cost 10 USD unless the account is a retirement account or holds 1 million USD or more
- Commission levels are tied to a Qualifying Assets balance, so the cheapest rates require 1 million USD or more
Pricing, plan by plan
Personal Capital
Free- FreeFree
- Account tracking
- Net worth monitoring
- Investment analysis
- Premium$undefined/month
- Financial advisor access
- Personalized advice
Vanguard
On request- Self-Directed Investor$undefined/month
- Low-cost index funds
- Commission-free trading
- Advisory Services$undefined/month
- All Self-Directed features
- Financial advisors
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.
Choose Vanguard if
- You need low-cost index funds.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want commission-free trading.
Questions people ask
- Is Personal Capital or Vanguard better?
- Neither clearly leads. Personal Capital starts at Free and Vanguard at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Personal Capital or Vanguard?
- Personal Capital has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Personal Capital and On request for Vanguard.
- Does Personal Capital or Vanguard run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Personal Capital for free?
- Yes. Personal Capital has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Vanguard starts at On request.
- 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 Vanguard is typically brought in for.
- What can Personal Capital do that Vanguard cannot?
- Personal Capital covers Investment tracking, Retirement calculator, Fee analyzer, Net worth tracking. Vanguard covers Low-cost index funds, Commission-free trading, Retirement accounts, Financial advisors. Both handle Bank accounts, Investment accounts, Web support, IOS support.