Portfolio Performance stands out as a completely free, open-source portfolio tracking solution that puts data privacy and advanced analytics at the forefront. While most portfolio trackers charge monthly fees or store your data in the cloud, Portfolio Performance takes a different approach: everything runs locally on your computer with complete data ownership.
However, this power comes with significant trade-offs. The software requires extensive manual setup, has a steep learning curve with its old-school Excel-like interface, and offers limited mobile functionality. For investors seeking modern, automated portfolio tracking, this manual approach can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
We tested Portfolio Performance extensively to see if this privacy-first approach delivers the portfolio tracking capabilities EU investors need, and whether the manual effort is worth the advanced features it provides.
What We Like About Portfolio Performance
Complete Data Control: Your portfolio data stays on your computer in XML format. No cloud dependencies, no monthly fees, no data sharing with third parties.
Advanced Performance Analytics: True-Time Weighted Rate of Return (TTWROR), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Sharpe ratios, volatility metrics, and drawdown analysis rival expensive institutional tools.
Multi-Currency Support: Built-in European Central Bank exchange rates make it ideal for EU investors with international holdings.
Unlimited Customization: Create custom taxonomies, asset allocations, rebalancing strategies, and reporting dashboards without restrictions.
Cross-Platform Availability: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with a companion mobile app for on-the-go portfolio monitoring.
What We Don't Like
Steep Learning Curve: The interface feels like a complex Excel spreadsheet and requires significant time investment to master. Beginners often find the extensive options overwhelming initially.
Manual Data Entry: No automatic broker integration means manually entering every transaction, dividend, and fee. This becomes extremely time-consuming for active traders or those with extensive transaction histories.
Outdated Interface: The design hasn't modernized with current UI trends, giving it a clunky, old-school appearance that feels dated compared to sleek web-based alternatives.
Limited Mobile Experience: While there's a mobile app, it feels like an afterthought rather than a core feature. Most functionality requires the desktop version, making it unsuitable for mobile-first users.
Time-Intensive Setup: Initial configuration can take hours or even days to properly set up complex portfolios, making it impractical for users wanting quick portfolio tracking solutions.
What Portfolio Performance Is Known For
Portfolio Performance has built a strong reputation among privacy-conscious investors and financial professionals who need institutional-grade analytics without the institutional price tag. The software originated in Germany and has a particularly strong following among European investors who appreciate its compliance with EU data protection standards.
The platform excels at complex portfolio analysis that many paid alternatives can't match. You can track performance across multiple time periods, compare against custom benchmarks, analyze risk-adjusted returns, and create detailed asset allocation models. Investment professionals often use it as a secondary tool to verify results from their primary portfolio management systems.
Features and Functionality
Performance Calculation Methods
Portfolio Performance supports multiple performance calculation methods to suit different analysis needs:
True-Time Weighted Rate of Return (TTWROR): Eliminates the impact of cash flows timing, making it ideal for comparing your performance against benchmarks or other portfolios.
Internal Rate of Return (IRR): Shows the actual return you experienced including the timing of your investments and withdrawals.
Money-Weighted Returns: Useful for understanding how your investment timing decisions affected overall performance.
Asset Class Support
The software handles virtually any investable asset class you might encounter as a European investor:
- European and international stocks
- ETFs and mutual funds
- Government and corporate bonds
- Cryptocurrencies (with CoinGecko price feeds)
- Commodities and precious metals
- Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Index funds and structured products
Price Data Sources
Portfolio Performance offers flexibility in how you obtain price data:
Built-in Price Provider: Covers German and US stocks with Portfolio Performance IDs for easy setup.
Yahoo Finance Integration: Automatic daily price updates for most global securities.
Custom Feeds: HTML, JSON, and CSV import options for specialized securities or alternative data sources.
Manual Entry: Full control when automatic feeds aren't available or preferred.
Multi-Currency Capabilities
For EU investors with international holdings, Portfolio Performance handles multi-currency portfolios elegantly:
- European Central Bank exchange rates updated automatically
- Performance calculations in your base currency
- Currency impact analysis to separate security performance from FX effects
- Support for currency-hedged reporting
Rebalancing and Asset Allocation
The software includes sophisticated rebalancing tools:
Target Allocation Definition: Set percentage targets for asset classes, regions, sectors, or custom taxonomies.
Rebalancing Analysis: See exactly how much to buy or sell to return to target allocations.
Historical Drift Tracking: Monitor how your portfolio drifted from targets over time.
Custom Taxonomies: Create your own classification systems beyond standard asset classes.
Mobile App Experience
The Portfolio Performance mobile app serves as a read-only companion to the desktop version. Here's how it works:
File Synchronization: Your portfolio file syncs through cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
Security: Files are encrypted with AES256 encryption when you set a password.
Premium Features: Basic viewing is free, but dashboard widgets and advanced mobile features require a €2.99 monthly subscription.
Functionality: View statements, performance charts, earnings reports, and asset allocation, but editing requires the desktop application.
We found the mobile app useful for quick portfolio checks but limited compared to standalone mobile portfolio trackers. The premium subscription is reasonable but adds a cost element to an otherwise free solution.
Privacy and Security Considerations
Portfolio Performance takes a unique approach to data privacy that appeals to security-conscious investors:
Local Data Storage: All portfolio information stays on your computer in open XML format.
No Cloud Dependency: The software works completely offline, though you can choose cloud sync for mobile access.
Open Source Transparency: The entire codebase is available on GitHub for security auditing.
GDPR Compliance: By design, since your data never leaves your control unless you choose cloud synchronization.
Data Portability: Export options to CSV, JSON, and other formats prevent vendor lock-in.
Who Should Use Portfolio Performance
Privacy-Conscious Investors: If data control is paramount and you're comfortable with manual data entry, Portfolio Performance offers unmatched privacy.
Advanced Analysts: Investors who need institutional-grade performance analytics without institutional costs will appreciate the depth of analysis available.
Multi-Currency Portfolios: EU investors with international holdings benefit from robust currency handling and ECB integration.
Long-Term Tracking: Investors willing to invest setup time for comprehensive long-term portfolio analysis.
Technical Users: Those comfortable with desktop software and willing to learn a complex but powerful tool.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
Automation Seekers: If you want automatic broker connections and minimal manual work, paid alternatives like Delta or getquin may suit better.
Beginners: New investors will likely find the overwhelming array of options and clunky interface intimidating. Modern web-based alternatives offer much gentler learning curves.
Mobile-First Users: Those primarily using mobile devices should definitely look elsewhere, as Portfolio Performance's mobile experience is quite limited compared to mobile-native apps.
Time-Constrained Investors: If you don't have hours to dedicate to initial setup and ongoing manual data entry, automated solutions will serve you better.
Modern Interface Preferences: Users expecting sleek, contemporary designs will find Portfolio Performance's dated appearance off-putting.
For Mobile-First Automation: We specifically recommend Delta Portfolio Tracker for investors wanting automatic broker synchronization with an excellent mobile experience. Delta provides the modern, streamlined approach that Portfolio Performance lacks.
Things to Be Aware Of
Time Investment Required: Initial setup and ongoing maintenance require significant time commitment compared to automated alternatives. Plan several hours for initial configuration and regular time for transaction entry.
Limited Support Options: As open-source software, support comes primarily from community forums and documentation rather than dedicated customer service.
Broker Integration Gaps: Unlike paid alternatives, there's no direct broker API integration, requiring manual transaction entry or CSV imports.
Learning Resources: While documentation exists, the learning curve is steep and may require patience to master advanced features.
Mobile Limitations: The mobile app, while functional, doesn't replace the full desktop experience and premium features add ongoing costs.
Performance and Reliability
We tested Portfolio Performance extensively across different portfolios and found it consistently reliable for performance calculations. The software handles large portfolios (1000+ securities) without significant performance issues, though startup times can be slower with extensive historical data.
Calculation Accuracy: We verified performance calculations against manual spreadsheet calculations and found them accurate for both TTWROR and IRR metrics.
Data Integrity: The XML file format proves robust, and we encountered no data corruption issues during our testing period.
Price Feed Reliability: Yahoo Finance integration worked consistently, though occasional temporary outages required manual intervention.
Backup Considerations: Since data is stored locally, regular backups are essential. The software doesn't include automatic backup features.
Advanced Features for Power Users
Portfolio Performance includes several advanced capabilities that differentiate it from simpler portfolio trackers:
Custom Dashboard Creation
Build personalized dashboards with widgets showing:
- Performance charts across custom time periods
- Asset allocation breakdowns by custom taxonomies
- Risk metrics and correlation analysis
- Dividend income tracking and projections
- Currency exposure analysis
Benchmark Comparison
Compare your portfolio performance against:
- Standard market indices
- Custom benchmark portfolios
- Peer group comparisons
- Risk-adjusted performance metrics
Attribution Analysis
Understand what drove your portfolio returns:
- Sector allocation effects
- Security selection impact
- Currency contribution analysis
- Time-weighted attribution reporting
Integration Capabilities
While Portfolio Performance doesn't offer direct broker integration, it provides several import and export options:
CSV Import: Many brokers provide CSV export files that can be imported with some data mapping.
Manual API Connections: Advanced users can create custom scripts to pull data from broker APIs and format for import.
Third-Party Tools: Community-developed tools exist for importing data from specific European brokers.
Export Options: Data can be exported to Excel, CSV, or JSON for analysis in other tools.
Costs and Value Proposition
Portfolio Performance's pricing model differs significantly from alternatives:
Desktop Software: Completely free with no limitations on portfolios, securities, or features.
Mobile App: Free for basic viewing, €2.99/month for premium dashboard features.
No Hidden Costs: No transaction limits, account restrictions, or feature paywalls common in freemium alternatives.
Value Comparison: Provides functionality comparable to software costing €300-1000+ annually for professional versions.
The free model makes Portfolio Performance accessible to all investors regardless of portfolio size, though the mobile premium subscription adds a small ongoing cost for full mobile functionality.
Final Verdict
Portfolio Performance delivers exceptional value for investors who prioritize data privacy, advanced analytics, and complete control over their portfolio tracking. The software provides institutional-grade performance analysis capabilities at no cost, making sophisticated portfolio analysis accessible to individual investors.
However, this power comes with trade-offs. The learning curve is steep, manual data entry is time-consuming, and the interface feels dated compared to modern web applications. Success with Portfolio Performance requires patience, technical comfort, and willingness to invest time in setup and maintenance.
We recommend Portfolio Performance for: Privacy-conscious investors, advanced analysts, multi-currency portfolio holders, and those who value complete data control over convenience and have time to invest in manual setup.
Consider alternatives if: You prioritize automation, need extensive tax reporting, prefer modern interfaces, want primarily mobile-based portfolio tracking, or find the manual setup too time-consuming.
For a mobile-first alternative: If you want automatic broker synchronization with a modern, user-friendly interface, we recommend checking out Delta Portfolio Tracker instead. Delta offers seamless mobile experiences with automatic syncing across many brokers, making it ideal for investors who prefer convenience over the advanced analytics that Portfolio Performance provides.
For EU investors willing to invest the learning time, Portfolio Performance offers unmatched analytical depth and privacy protection. The combination of sophisticated features, complete data ownership, and zero cost makes it a compelling choice for serious investors who understand its limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Portfolio Performance really completely free?
Yes, the desktop software is completely free with no limitations on features, portfolios, or securities. The mobile app offers basic viewing for free, with premium dashboard features available for €2.99 per month.
How secure is my data with Portfolio Performance?
Your data remains completely under your control, stored locally on your computer in XML format. When using mobile sync, files are encrypted with AES256 encryption. Since it's open-source, the code can be audited for security vulnerabilities.
Can I import data from my broker?
Portfolio Performance doesn't offer direct broker connections, but many users successfully import CSV files exported from broker platforms. Some community tools exist for specific European brokers, though manual entry remains the most reliable method.
Does Portfolio Performance work well for cryptocurrency tracking?
Yes, Portfolio Performance supports cryptocurrency tracking with price feeds from CoinGecko and other sources. You can track crypto holdings alongside traditional investments and analyze performance across your entire portfolio.
How does Portfolio Performance handle dividends and currency conversions?
Dividends are tracked as separate transactions and included in performance calculations. Currency conversions use European Central Bank rates updated automatically, and you can analyze currency impact separately from security performance.
Is there customer support available?
As open-source software, support comes primarily from community forums, documentation, and GitHub discussions. While no dedicated customer service exists, the user community is generally helpful for troubleshooting issues.
Can I use Portfolio Performance on multiple computers?
Yes, you can install Portfolio Performance on multiple computers and sync your portfolio file through cloud storage services. Just ensure only one instance accesses the file at a time to avoid conflicts.
Risk Disclaimer: All investments carry risk, including loss of capital. EU Investing Hub does not provide investment advice. Content is for educational purposes only. Always do your own research.
