Empower (Personal Capital)
QuickBooks Online
| Feature | Empower (Personal Capital) | QuickBooks Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0.89/mo | From $30/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | investors, high-net-worth-individuals, retirement-planners, wealth-builders | small-businesses, accountants, self-employed, growing-companies |
| Founded | 2009 | 1983 |
| Net Worth Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Investment Checkup | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retirement Planner | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fee Analyzer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Budgeting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cash Flow | ✓ | ✗ |
| Wealth Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Invoicing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Expense Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bank Reconciliation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payroll | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tax Preparation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Empower (Personal Capital) Pros
- Excellent free investment tracking and net worth dashboard
- Retirement planning calculator (Retirement Planner)
- Fee analyzer identifies hidden investment fees
- Comprehensive portfolio analysis tools
✗ Empower (Personal Capital) Cons
- Wealth management requires $100K minimum
- Sales calls after signing up for free tools
- Advisory fees higher than robo-advisors
✓ QuickBooks Online Pros
- Market leader with huge ecosystem
- Excellent accountant access
- Strong mobile apps
- Tax integration
✗ QuickBooks Online Cons
- Getting increasingly expensive
- Can be complex for beginners
- Customer support declining
The Verdict
Empower (Personal Capital) is built for investors and high net worth individuals, with a focus on net-worth-tracking and investment-checkup. QuickBooks Online targets small businesses and accountants and leads with invoicing and expense-tracking.
On pricing, Empower (Personal Capital) is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.89/mo compared to $30/mo for QuickBooks Online. That $29.11/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Empower (Personal Capital) has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. QuickBooks Online requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Empower (Personal Capital) offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while QuickBooks Online takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.