# Principal® vs Accelerate by AWM

The clearest difference is monetization model: Accelerate by AWM at free against Principal®'s free with in-app purchases. Principal®'s advantage is ratings volume (239K vs 13) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Accelerate by AWM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Principal® has 239K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Principal® ships an update every 2 weeks, Accelerate by AWM every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Principal® | Accelerate by AWM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (239K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/principal/id1433961188/reviews) | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/accelerate-by-awm/id1632289341/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **239K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 32.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#105** | — |
| Size | 105 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Principal Financial Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/442790612) | [The Accel Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621588761) |

## What reviewers say

### Principal®

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

**Currently charting:** #105 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


### Accelerate by AWM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/accelerate-by-awm/id1632289341)

This app guides users to create and maintain a personalized financial plan. It helps identify financial gaps, set goals, and map out a path to achieve them, all within a few minutes each week. Link accounts for a more tailored experience.

**Highlights:** Personalized financial plan creation, Goal setting and tracking, Financial wellness assessment, Account linking for personalization, Weekly financial guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Principal® free?

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

### Is Accelerate by AWM free?

Accelerate by AWM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Principal® or Accelerate by AWM?

Accelerate by AWM is rated higher. Principal® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 239K ratings, while Accelerate by AWM averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do Principal® or Accelerate by AWM have ads?

Neither Principal® nor Accelerate by AWM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Principal® or Accelerate by AWM?

Principal® ships an update every 2 weeks, and Accelerate by AWM every 6 weeks. Most recently, Principal® was updated on October 28, 2026 and Accelerate by AWM on October 24, 2026.

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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.*