Honest Comparison · 2026
EnoughMoney vs cFIREsim
cFIREsim is an open-source, free FIRE simulator that combines historical-returns backtesting with Monte Carlo, created by the r/financialindependence community.
Bottom Line
cFIREsim is the open-source gold standard for FIRE simulation mechanics. EnoughMoney is the planning platform that takes those results and layers tax and geography on top.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | EnoughMoney | cFIREsim |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement Math | ||
| Safe Withdrawal Rate Calculator | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Monte Carlo simulation | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Historical returns backtest | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Dynamic / variable withdrawal (Guyton-Klinger, VPW) | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Sequence-of-returns risk modeling | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Tax Planning | ||
| US federal tax engine | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| US state tax (all 50 states) | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| International tax (86 countries) | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Roth conversion modeling | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Tax-optimized withdrawal sequencing | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Geographic Intelligence | ||
| City cost-of-living comparison | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Cities covered | 307 | None |
| Geo-arbitrage FIRE modeling | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Lifestyle-tier simulator | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Planning & Experience | ||
| Multi-account portfolio tracking | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| What-if scenarios | ✓Yes | URL-param based |
| AI-powered coaching | ✓Yes | ✗No |
| Public calculators (no login) | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Mobile access | Web-responsive | Web-responsive |
Based on publicly available feature documentation as of 2026-04-17. Corrections and updates welcome.
Pricing: cFIREsim vs EnoughMoney
cFIREsim
Free: Entirely free, open source, no account required
EnoughMoney
Free: All public calculators (FIRE, SWR, Roth, tax, city comparison) — no signup.
- Navigator: $19/mo or $15/mo annual ($179/yr)the money dimension — personal CFO: FIRE planning, tax, withdrawal, lifestyle simulator
- Architect: $29/mo or $23/mo annual ($279/yr)all 10 dimensions of a wealthy life — adds Studio, Thread, life-events planning, emotional resilience
What cFIREsim Does Well
- ✓Free and open-source — entire codebase is on GitHub
- ✓Highly customizable: custom spending patterns, additional income streams, asset allocation changes over time
- ✓Both historical-data (1871-present) and Monte Carlo modes
- ✓Scenario saving via URL parameters (poor-man's share/export)
- ✓No marketing, no subscription, no data collection — community-maintained
Where EnoughMoney Goes Further
- →UI is dated (2013-era) and onboarding requires some effort
- →US-only historical data and tax assumptions
- →No explicit tax modeling — you pre-adjust your spending
- →No geographic or city-specific data
- →Limited documentation; best-suited to FIRE-community natives who know what they're doing
Which Should You Pick?
Pick cFIREsim if…
Use cFIREsim if you're FIRE-community-fluent, want open-source transparency, need highly customizable withdrawal patterns, or want a second-opinion Monte Carlo. It's a legitimate alternative to FIRECalc with more flexibility.
Visit cFIREsim →Pick EnoughMoney if…
Use EnoughMoney for the tax and geographic intelligence cFIREsim lacks. Our tools handle international retirement, 86-country tax systems, and 307-city cost-of-living comparison — none of which cFIREsim attempts to do.
Try our FIRE Calculator →FAQs
Is cFIREsim better than FIRECalc?
Different. cFIREsim has more customization and Monte Carlo; FIRECalc is simpler and strictly historical-data. Many FIRE planners use both for triangulation.
Is cFIREsim actively maintained?
Yes, as of 2026, though at a slow community-contribution pace. The core engine is stable; updates focus on edge cases and bug fixes.
Can I use cFIREsim for retiring abroad?
Not well — it has no international tax or cost-of-living models. Use EnoughMoney or a combination of tools.
Try EnoughMoney — free, no credit card
Run our FIRE calculator, compare cities, model your tax drag across 86 countries, or explore the lifestyle simulator. All core planning is free; Navigator ($19/mo) unlocks AI coaching and the full personal plan.
Other EnoughMoney Comparisons
See all comparisons at /vs or visit our 2026 FIRE Planning Tools roundup.
This comparison is an independent editorial analysis. EnoughMoney has no affiliate or financial relationship with cFIREsim. Feature descriptions reflect publicly-available documentation as of April 2026 — things change; verify current features before subscribing.