Comparison

Lively Benefits vs Guideline

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lively Benefits

Manage your health benefits effortlessly with an intuitive interface designed for everyone. Track balances, initiate claims, verify purchases, and access eligible expense lists on the go. Secure login features ensure your account remains protected.

Highlights
  • View important benefit information
  • Manage account balance and transactions
  • Initiate and verify claims
  • Access eligible expense lists
  • Secure login with 2FA and biometrics
Features
Read full description

The Lively Benefits app brings the simplicity and signature user experience of the Lively platform to the palm of your hands. Easily manage your Lively benefits from anywhere through an unrivaled easy-to-use interface, even for the least tech savvy among us. Use the Lively app to: • View a single view of what’s important: Designed to tell you exactly what you need to know to make the most out of your Lively benefits and take timely action. • Manage your account on the move: Track account balance, access transactions history, manage your Lively debit cards*, and more. • Initiate claims and verify purchases: A paperless, easy claims verification process that guides you with clear instructions at every step. • Check what qualifies as eligible: Access the list of qualified expenses directly through your app. Our comprehensive list
is always up-to-date and easy to access on the go. • Keep your data safe: Login security measures such as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and biometric credentials keep your account safe from unauthorized users. Lively is the benefit solutions provider that finally gets it right. We are committed to helping your Lively accounts reach their maximum potential through intuitive design, accessible customer support, and ongoing education. We hope you’ll give the app a try. Visit us at livelyme.com to learn more or contact Lively Support at support@livelyme.com. *HSA card issued by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa or Mastercard.

About

Guideline

Easily set up and manage your 401(k) retirement account directly from your phone. Track progress, adjust contributions, and consolidate savings from other accounts. Invest with confidence through guided portfolio selection and automatic rebalancing.

Highlights
  • Set up 401(k) in minutes
  • Access and manage contributions
  • Invest in recommended portfolios
  • Automatic portfolio rebalancing
  • Consolidate savings from other accounts
  • Mobile-first security features
  • Award-winning customer support
Read full description

Guideline has joined Gusto. Gain peace of mind on your road to retirement. Our award-winning app¹ makes it refreshingly easy to set up your 401(k) account and track your progress anytime, anywhere. SET UP IN MINUTES Set up your 401(k) in minutes right from your phone, no computer required. ACCESS ANYTIME Update your contribution amounts or make changes to your investment portfolios with just a few taps. INVEST WITH CONFIDENCE Take our questionnaire to see which of our portfolios is right for you. Plus, we’ll automatically rebalance your portfolio to help you stay on track. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS See your portfolio, performance, and total retirement savings to date. CONSOLIDATE SAVINGS You can roll over other accounts right from the app so all of your savings can be in one place. Plus, you’ll be able to take advantage of our portfolio management and low fees, which could help you make the most of every dollar saved.² ENABLE MOBILE-FIRST SECURITY Protect your account with security features like two-factor authentication (2FA) and biometric recognition. AWARD-WINNING CUSTOMER SUPPORT³ Access live support in English or Spanish, plus numerous resources, how-to guides, and FAQs via our Help Center. Disclosures: The images above are illustrative and for educational purposes only. They are not representative of any client account. This information is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for specific tax, legal, and/or financial advice. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. You are advised to consult a qualified financial adviser or tax professional before relying on the information provided herein. See our https://my.guideline.com/agreements/fees for additional information regarding our fees and services. 1. 2024 Fast Company Innovation by Design Award Winner for Guideline's mobile application in the Mid-Size business category in June 2024. Fee paid for application. See https://www.fastcompany.com/91126780/methodology-innovation-by-design-2024 for more information. 2. This information is for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as investment or tax advice or as an assurance or guarantee of future performance. Investing involves risk, and investments may lose value. Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) product (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) are offered by Gusto Investment Services, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. For more information regarding these fees, see the ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS.These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s). View full fund lineup. 3. 2025 The American Business Awards® Bronze Stevie Winner in the Customer Service Team of the Year - Financial Services & Insurance category. Fee paid for application. See http://www.stevieawards.com/aba for more information. To learn more, go to guideline.com

Screenshots

Lively Benefits4 screens
Guideline4 screens

Verdict

The call

Lively Benefits and Guideline both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 55% of Lively Benefits's written reviews are positive against 42% of Guideline's. Lively Benefits also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (9.3K vs 1.9K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Lively Benefits against 4.9 for Guideline. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.3K and 1.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Lively Benefits's written reviews are positive against 42% of Guideline's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lively Benefits ships an update every 3 weeks, Guideline fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Lively Benefits versus Guideline: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLively BenefitsGuideline
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (9.3K ratings)4.9 (1.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.1% of reviews — better42.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9.3K — better1.9K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB46 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperLively, Inc.Gusto, inc.

Customer experience

Lively Benefits

All ratings9,310 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews107 reviews
Positive55.1%
Neutral6.5%
Negative38.3%

Guideline

All ratings1,864 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive42.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative58.0%

User reviews

Lively Benefits

From 9.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple Wallet
  • 👍 Elegant and intuitive app design
  • 🚀 Convenient mobile access

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Login issues
  • 🐛 Crashes and glitches
  • 🔒 Security concerns
  • 🐛 Unreliable app performance
  • 🔒 Invasive data collection

Guideline

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use UI
  • 💡 Streamlined app experience
  • 🚀 Excellent app performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Login and authentication issues
  • 🔋 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • 💰 Increasing account fees
  • 🚫 Lack of dark mode support

Bugs and requests

Lively Benefits

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Login failures
  • Contribution tracking issues
  • Debit card malfunctions
  • Inability to make contributions
  • Blank app screens
Show 2 more
  • Verification errors
  • Delayed message syncing

Requested features

7 requests
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Improved login process
  • Streamlined expense management
  • Faster fund transfer speeds
  • Enhanced investment options
Show 2 more
  • Easier 1099 tax form access
  • Expanded device compatibility

Guideline

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login screen refreshes preventing 2FA
  • Inability to paste codes from password managers
  • App freezes when navigating away for 2FA

Requested features

3 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Support for IRA accounts
  • Improved biometric authentication

In-app purchases

None

Lively Benefits

No in-app purchases

None

Guideline

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lively Benefits free?
Lively Benefits is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Guideline free?
Guideline is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lively Benefits or Guideline?
Guideline is rated higher. Lively Benefits averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9.3K ratings, while Guideline averages 4.9 from 1.9K ratings.
Do Lively Benefits or Guideline have ads?
Neither Lively Benefits nor Guideline shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lively Benefits or Guideline?
Lively Benefits ships an update every 3 weeks, and Guideline fortnightly. Most recently, Lively Benefits was updated on September 22, 2026 and Guideline on September 22, 2026.

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