Finances vs Empower Personal Dashboard

Updated 14 September 2026 · Empower Personal Dashboard prices as advertised in September 2026

Empower Personal Dashboard (formerly Personal Capital) is a free US tool centred on investments and net worth, funded by Empower advisory services. Finances is a Mac app focused on everyday spending, with your data kept on your computer.

Download Finances free 30-day trial. macOS. No sign-up.

Finances vs Empower Personal Dashboard at a glance

Feature	Finances	Empower Personal Dashboard
Platform	✓ Native macOS desktop app	✓ Web, iOS, Android
Where your data lives	✓ On your Mac, in an encrypted SQLite database	✗ Empower's cloud
Price	✓ One-time 1.x licence, or a monthly subscription	✓ Free (advisory upsell)
Free trial	✓ 30 days, no sign-up	✓ Free
Bank sync	✓ Australian banks via Redbark (CDR), Up Bank direct, US banks via Plaid, AMEX	✓ US
File import	✓ CSV, OFX/QFX and JSON with auto-detected columns	✗ No
Views and charts	✓ List, bar, pie, Sankey, calendar, map, subscriptions	~ Net worth, cash flow, portfolio
Subscription detection	✓ Automatic recurring-charge detection	✗ No
Auto-categorisation	✓ Bundled merchant database, optional cloud categorisation	✓ Automatic
Custom rules	✓ Match on text, amount, date or merchant	~ Basic
Encryption	✓ AES-256 at rest, Touch ID unlock, idle lock	~ Encrypted on their servers
Works offline	✓ Fully offline (sync and cloud categorisation are opt-in)	✗ Needs an internet connection
Multi-currency	✓ Original amount and currency preserved	✗ USD
Receipts and attachments	✓ Attach receipts and files to transactions	✗ No
Budgeting	✗ Not yet	~ Simple spending target
Investments and net worth	✗ No	✓ Detailed portfolio analysis
Mobile app	✗ No	✓ iOS and Android
Shared / household access	✗ Single user	✗ Single login
Data export	✓ CSV export; the database is a standard SQLite file	✓ CSV export
AI	✓ Open SQLite file your AI assistant can query	✗ No

✓ Yes ~ Partly or with caveats ✗ No

Where Empower wins

Free.
Excellent investment and retirement analysis.

Where Finances wins

Built for transactions: rules, merchants, Sankey, calendar, map and subscriptions.
Private, encrypted local storage with no sales calls.
Statement import and Australian bank sync.

Which should you choose?

Choose Empower Personal Dashboard if you mostly want to watch a US investment portfolio for free.

Choose Finances if you want to understand day-to-day spending privately.

How Finances works

Finances is a native macOS app. Import CSV, OFX or JSON statements from any bank, or sync Australian accounts through Redbark (Consumer Data Right) and Up Bank directly. Transactions are categorised by a bundled merchant database and your own rules, then explored as a list, bar and pie charts, a Sankey diagram, a calendar, a map, or a subscriptions view. Everything is stored in an encrypted SQLite database on your computer, unlocked with Touch ID.

Frequently asked questions

Does Finances track investments?

No. Finances is about transactions and spending. Empower is the better tool for portfolio analysis.

Try Finances free for 30 days

No account, no card. Your data stays on your Mac.

Download for macOS

Other comparisons

Empower Personal Dashboard is a trademark of its respective owner and is not affiliated with The Finances App. Competitor details are based on public information as of September 2026 and may change; check the vendor's site for current pricing. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.