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Should I use Portfolio Charts?

Find a portfolio to love - portfoliocharts.com

Worth it. A free, well-loved research tool for DIY index investors comparing allocations and safe withdrawal rates. Skip it if you want account tracking, live trading data, or personalized licensed advice.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so team and pricing details are partly inferred.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Site access

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • DIY index investors
  • FIRE and early-retirement planners
  • Withdrawal-rate research
  • Buy-and-hold allocation comparison

Not for

  • Day traders needing live prices
  • Anyone wanting broker-linked account tracking
  • People seeking personalized licensed financial advice
  • Corporate PMO teams (different 'portfolio' entirely)

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Read the methodology before trusting backtest assumptions

medium

One-person project means no SLA or formal support channel

low

Monetization runs through a separate shop site; paid offerings unclear

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Interactive charts model decades of historical portfolio returns
  • Library of popular model portfolios like the Golden Butterfly
  • Strong privacy stance; does not track individual users
  • Cited in the Texas State Securities Board investor guide
  • Widely recommended across Bogleheads and FIRE forums since 2015

Cons

  • Run by one person; no support organization
  • Terms disclaim all responsibility for investment outcomes
  • Research tool, not personalized financial advice
  • Historical backtests bake in core assumptions; not guarantees

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 16 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x9review x4security x1news x2

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 16

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free charts, calculators, portfolio library
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Fans get obsessed; some concepts confuse newcomers
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Deep historical withdrawal-rate and allocation modeling
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 4/5. No tracking, security page, no known issues
  • Free Cost No paywall found; extras sold via shop
  • Aug 2015 Earliest forum mention Bogleheads 'coolest portfolio tool' thread
  • Solo creator Team size Run by one engineer per About page
  • None User tracking Official instructions: does not track individuals

Pricing

Site access

Free

  • Interactive charts and calculators
  • Model portfolio library
  • Insights blog

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

A longtime favorite of Bogleheads and FIRE communities, praised as an almost addictive research tool.

“Hi folks, I admit that I've been a little obsessed”
Reddit, r/portfolios
“The Coolest Portfolio Tool on ...”
Bogleheads forum, 2015
“MY FAVORITE NICHE WEBSITE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED”
X (Twitter)

Companies that use it

  • Texas State Securities Board10
Full analysis

Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so team and pricing details are partly inferred.

Free, solo-run research site for index portfolios and withdrawal rates. Great for DIY FIRE investors; not an advisor or tracker.

Methodology

Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so team and pricing details are partly inferred.

Sources

  1. Portfolio Charts – Find a portfolio to loveportfoliocharts.com
    official
  2. Portfolio Charts – Chartsportfoliocharts.com
    official
  3. Portfoliosportfoliocharts.com
    official
  4. About the Authorportfoliocharts.com
    official
  5. Chart Instructionsportfoliocharts.com
    official
  6. Methodologyportfoliocharts.com
    official
  7. Terms of Useportfoliocharts.com
    official
  8. Privacy Policyportfoliocharts.com
    official
  9. Product security pageportfoliocharts.com
    security
  10. Texas Investor Guide (sources PortfolioCharts.com)ssb.texas.gov
    news
  11. Bogleheads: The Coolest Portfolio Toolbogleheads.org
    review
  12. Reddit r/portfolios: Best Portfoliocharts setupreddit.com
    review
  13. Reddit r/Bogleheads: Portfolio Visualizer Updatereddit.com
    review
  14. How I Invest with Tyler of Portfolio Chartspictureperfectportfolios.com
    review
  15. X post: site acquiredx.com
    news
  16. Shop Terms of Serviceshop.portfoliocharts.com
    official

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