Comparison

Last verified: October 13, 2026

Income Lab vs. RetireUp

Income Lab is comprehensive financial planning software for financial advisors. Each plan answers "How much can I spend?" with a specific monthly number and risk-based guardrails, with Tax Lab, Roth conversions, and a Social Security Optimizer that evaluates 9,000+ claiming combinations for couples in the same plan. RetireUp is InvestCloud's retirement income planning software, accessed within the InvestCloud platform.

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#1 by market share in T3's retirement distribution category, three years running

8.60/10, top-rated Social Security All-Star (T3 2026)

8.7/10 advisor satisfaction (Kitces Report 2025)

A specific answer, and the planning behind it

Income Lab gives each client a dollar spending amount with guardrails set from the plan's overspending and underspending risk. Plans you track update every month, and any that need a spending change are flagged with what to change and why. Tax planning, Social Security, annuities, and planning for clients still saving sit in the same plan. InvestCloud publishes few details about RetireUp's features, so ask both vendors to show you these on one real client.

RetireUp's Approach

Retirement income planning inside InvestCloud

"Model income, test strategies."

Delivered within InvestCloud's platform
Pricing, trial terms, and feature details are not published

Income Lab's Approach

A spending number, with comprehensive planning behind it

"Your client can spend $7,200/month. Here's what changes if markets drop."

A specific monthly spending number with risk-based guardrails for each client
Tracked plans updated every month, with spending changes flagged for your review
Tax Lab, Roth conversions, Social Security, and annuities in the same plan
Published pricing and a free 14-day trial

Feature comparison

Capability	Income Lab	RetireUp
Specific spending amount "How much can I spend?" answered with a dollar amount	✓	Not documented publicly
Guardrails and monthly monitoring Guardrails set from the plan's overspending and underspending risk; tracked plans update each month, and a plan that crosses a guardrail is flagged with the recommended spending change	✓	Not documented publicly
Tax planning inside the plan Tax Lab compares Roth conversion and withdrawal strategies side by side, with IRMAA bracket strategies and federal, state, and local tax for all 50 states and DC	✓	Not documented publicly
Social Security claiming analysis The Social Security Optimizer evaluates 9,000+ claiming combinations for couples, weighting each by joint survival, with spousal and survivor benefits	✓	Not documented publicly
Financial planning across the client lifecycle Savings and accumulation planning, college funding (Pro), cash value life insurance, long-term care, and stress testing alongside retirement income	✓	Retirement income planning
Plan building from documents (Pro) AI Plan Builder drafts the household plan from other software's plans, transcripts, notetaker summaries, questionnaires, or notes, with uncertain fields highlighted for your review	✓	Not documented publicly
In-meeting answers (Penny) Roth conversion, IRMAA, Medicare, and estate planning questions answered during the meeting	Penny (Pro), from the client's Income Lab data	Not documented publicly
Vault Store and retrieve client records within Income Lab	Included in Income Lab Pro	No document storage advertised
Annuity modeling Model annuity contracts, income streams, and purchase scenarios inside the plan	✓	✓ (details not published)
Client-facing reports Custom PDF reports and one-page plans with your firm's disclosures	✓	Personalized retirement plans
Starts at	$199/month	Not published
Trial offer	Free 14-day trial	No trial advertised

InvestCloud publishes few details about RetireUp's features. "Not documented publicly" means we could not confirm a capability at a public vendor source, not that RetireUp lacks it. Run both during the transition; there is nothing to cancel on day one.

What advisors gain with Income Lab

"How much can I spend?"

Clients ask some version of this question. Many planning tools give clients a probability score. Income Lab gives them a specific monthly number, for example, "You can spend $7,200/month." Ask any tool you evaluate to show you that number for a real client. See how Retirement GPS works.

A spending change you can act on

Income Lab's guardrails are portfolio values tied to the client's spending. Tracked plans are updated each month, and when one crosses a guardrail you see what to change and why. You decide when to make the change. No manual plan rebuild for tracked plans. Learn about our methodology.

Where every dollar comes from

Roth conversions, Social Security timing, withdrawal sequencing, bracket management. Income Lab shows where each client's retirement income comes from, and Tax Lab compares strategies side by side and stars the one with the highest projected net income, so you can explain each choice. Explore Tax Lab.

Already using RetireUp?

Start without disrupting your practice. Run both during the transition, and move households over at your own pace.

Bring in account data

Connect supported custodians and platforms to pull account balances and cost basis, or start from an existing plan report with AI Plan Builder (Pro). Review each household before you rely on it.

Run both during the transition

Keep RetireUp active while your plans move over. You can start with a handful of households and expand from there.

Bring a client scenario

Bring one of your client scenarios to a walkthrough and compare the answer with what you get today.

Free 14-day trial. Full Pro access.

A credit card is required; cancel before day 14 and you are not charged. Monthly or annual billing after the trial.

Common Questions

Do I need to cancel RetireUp to start with Income Lab?

No. Run both during the transition; there is nothing to cancel on day one. RetireUp is delivered within the InvestCloud platform, so start Income Lab with a few households and move households over at your own pace.

What should I ask when comparing RetireUp and Income Lab?

Ask each vendor to run one of your client cases and show you four things: the dollar amount the client can spend, what tells you when that amount should change, how Roth conversions and withdrawal order are handled, and what the software costs. Income Lab publishes its pricing and offers a free 14-day trial. RetireUp does not publish pricing or advertise a trial.

How much does Income Lab cost?

Income Lab Core is $199/month ($1,990/year, 2 months free) and Pro is $299/month ($2,990/year). Start with a free 14-day trial with full Pro access. Monthly billing available.

Is there a trial offer?

Yes. Start with a free 14-day trial with full Pro access. A credit card is required; cancel before day 14 and you are not charged.

What integrations does Income Lab support?

Integrations include Schwab, Altruist, TradePMR, Orion, Black Diamond, Nitrogen, and Redtail, plus Fidelity, Pershing, and NFS through BridgeFT. Most custodial connections bring in account balances and cost basis; what each one imports varies.

When does RetireUp fit?

RetireUp is InvestCloud's retirement income planning software, delivered within the InvestCloud platform, so it can suit firms that already work in InvestCloud.

Why choose Income Lab over RetireUp?

Income Lab gives each client a specific monthly spending number with risk-based guardrails, updates the plans you track every month, and flags the ones that need a spending change. Tax Lab, Roth conversion modeling, and a Social Security Optimizer that evaluates 9,000+ claiming combinations for couples work inside the same plan, alongside planning for clients still saving, college funding (Pro), and cash value life insurance. Income Lab is the #1 retirement distribution planning tool by market share, three years running (T3, 2024 to 2026), and it publishes its pricing with a free 14-day trial. Book a walkthrough and bring a real client scenario.

See the difference on your own client scenario

Bring a client scenario and see what Income Lab would tell that client.

Free 14-day trial with full Pro access. Credit card required; cancel before day 14 and you are not charged.

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Comprehensive financial planning software. #1 by market share in retirement distribution planning, three years running (T3). Compare side by side. Book a Walkthrough See Pricing