# Empower ® vs Principal®

Empower ® and Principal® both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 32% of Principal®'s written reviews are positive against 18% of Empower ®'s. Empower ®'s advantage is chart position (#39 vs #129). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Empower ® against 4.8 for Principal®. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 422K and 239K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 18% of Empower ®'s written reviews are positive against 32% of Principal®'s.

Empower ® ships an update fortnightly, Principal® every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Empower ® | Principal® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (422K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower/id1001257338/reviews) | **[4.8 (239K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/principal/id1433961188/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **422K** | 239K |
| Positive reviews | 17.7% of reviews | **32.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#39** | #129 |
| Size | 480 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Empower Retirement, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1001257337) | [Principal Financial Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/442790612) |

## What reviewers say

### Empower ®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empower/id1001257338)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Free · Finance (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive financial overview, consolidating all your accounts in one place. It offers tools to plan for retirement, manage budgets, track net worth, and simulate financial scenarios, making financial management clearer and simpler.

**Highlights:** Consolidated account view, Retirement planning, Budget tracking, Net worth tracking, Investment advice access, Financial scenario simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good product overall
- 🚀 Sleek design and robust performance
- 🔒 Excellent customer service and support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🤔 Missing key features and functionality
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
- 💻 Forced to use app instead of website

**Reported bugs**

- Face ID/Touch ID not working consistently
- Beneficiary information not displaying correctly
- Crashes when trying to view balance over time
- Unable to enter correct birth dates for beneficiaries

**Requested features**

- Ability to view investment performance history
- Option to enter dollar amounts instead of just percentages
- Faster and more reliable login process
- Restore access to self-directed brokerage accounts
- Provide a way to submit feedback and suggestions within the app


### Principal®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/principal/id1433961188)

**Currently charting:** #129 Top Free · Finance (US App Store)

Manage your retirement savings and financial goals from your mobile device. Track account balances, adjust contributions, and access educational resources to improve your financial confidence. Tools are available to help you assess your progress towards retirement.

**Highlights:** View account balances, Roll over funds, Change contributions, Adjust investments, Financial education resources, Retirement Wellness Score

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient mobile access
- 💡 Helpful investment tools
- 🔒 Secure login process

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
- 📊 Lacking key account information
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to change contribution rates
- Inconsistent login and logout functionality
- Rollover check deposit not working as advertised
- Certain account details not displaying properly

**Requested features**

- Improved transaction history and reporting
- Ability to deposit checks via the app
- More customization options for the dashboard
- Seamless integration with other financial accounts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Empower ® free?

Empower ® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Principal® free?

Principal® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Empower ® or Principal®?

Principal® is rated higher. Empower ® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 422K ratings, while Principal® averages 4.8 from 239K ratings.

### Do Empower ® or Principal® have ads?

Neither Empower ® nor Principal® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Empower ® or Principal®?

Empower ® ships an update fortnightly, and Principal® every 2 weeks. Most recently, Empower ® was updated on October 28, 2026 and Principal® on October 28, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Empower ® or Principal®?

Empower ® currently peaks at #39 in the App Store charts, and Principal® at #129. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*