For Australian self-directed investors who need tax-aware modelling across investments, superannuation, property and retirement, Alphaiq is the recommended pick. It is built specifically for Australians aged 35–65, covers CGT timing, franking credits, debt recycling and super projections in one place, and aligns with ATO reporting requirements. If you want a broader shortlist, two other viable categories exist: multi-currency portfolio trackers (for those who prioritise AUD-native dashboards and ASX connectivity) and self-hosted modelling tools (for technically confident investors who want full data control). Neither category matches Alphaiq's depth on superannuation and retirement scenario simulation.
ASIC MoneySmart offers free calculators as a starting point, and the ATO's own guidance underpins what any serious platform must handle correctly. But for modelling your actual financial position with real scenario simulation, you need a dedicated platform.
Key takeaways
Alphaiq is the strongest Australian option for investors who need tax-aware modelling across superannuation, property and retirement in one place, with ATO-aligned CGT and franking credit support built in.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Start with ATO alignment | Confirm any platform uses current Australian CGT, franking and super tax rules before committing. |
| Test CGT lot handling first | Import real holdings and run a test sale to verify per-parcel tracking and the 50% discount. |
| Super and retirement simulation matter | Platforms without TTR and drawdown modelling cannot support pre-retirement planning decisions. |
| Self-hosted tools suit specific needs | Worthly offers strong CGT tracking with full data control, but lacks super and retirement scenario simulation. |
| Alphaiq covers the full picture | Alphaiq models investments, super, property and retirement income with scenario simulation and ATO-aligned tax rules. |
Table of Contents
- What are the best Australian alternatives for tax-aware modelling?
- How do you choose the right platform for your situation?
- What does each option actually cover in practice?
- What most investors miss when evaluating these platforms
- Alphaiq gives you the modelling depth these alternatives lack
- Primary sources and further reading
What are the best Australian alternatives for tax-aware modelling?
Three approaches cover most situations for self-directed Australian investors.
| Dimension | Alphaiq | Multi-currency trackers | Self-hosted tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Investors and pre-retirees wanting full tax-aware modelling | Investors with offshore holdings needing AUD-native views | Technically confident investors wanting full data control |
| Coverage | Investments, super, property, retirement | Investments, some super | Investments, limited super/property |
| Tax-aware modelling | CGT, franking credits, debt recycling, super tax | Franking credits and AUD conversion; limited CGT | Per-lot CGT, 50% discount, franking |
| Scenario simulation | Retirement income, TTR, drawdown, what-if | Minimal | Minimal |
| Data import | Structured import; ATO-aligned | Manual entry; live price feeds | Manual; scheduled price syncs |
| Ease of use | Guided interface for non-technical users | Low complexity | High technical setup required |
| Price / trial | Paid subscription; trial available | Varies by tool | Free (self-hosted); setup cost is time |
| Support | Documentation and customer support | Community or limited support | Community forums; no dedicated support |
Who to try first: Start with Alphaiq if you hold a mix of Australian shares, super and property and want to model retirement income or CGT timing without hiring a financial adviser. Multi-currency trackers suit investors whose primary need is a clean AUD dashboard across global holdings. Self-hosted tools are worth considering only if you are comfortable running your own server and want zero third-party data sharing.
Pro Tip: Most platforms offer a free trial or demo. Before you commit, import at least three holdings and run one CGT test sale to confirm the tool handles your actual portfolio structure.
How do you choose the right platform for your situation?
A structured evaluation saves you from committing to a tool that looks capable but falls short on the tax items that matter most in Australia.
Evaluation checklist
- ATO alignment — Does the platform use current Australian tax rules for CGT, franking credits and super contributions? Ask specifically whether the 50% CGT discount applies automatically after 12 months.
- CGT lot handling — Can it track individual parcels, apply the correct cost base, and model the tax impact of selling specific lots before or after the 12-month threshold?
- Franking credit support — Does it calculate grossed-up dividend income and the franking credit offset correctly for your marginal rate?
- Super projection engine — Can it model concessional and non-concessional contributions, transition-to-retirement (TTR) strategies, and drawdown phases?
- Property and debt recycling — Does it handle negative gearing, land tax estimates and debt recycling scenarios?
- Data import and refresh cadence — Is import manual or connected? Self-hosted tools run scheduled background syncs; ask any vendor how frequently prices update and whether you get staleness warnings.
- Exportable reports — Can you export a CGT report or dividend summary in a format your accountant or the ATO can use?
- Hosting and security — Is data hosted in Australia or under a recognised security standard? Manual tracking without bank-credential sharing is one way to reduce exposure.
Vendor questions to ask on a demo
- What tax-year assumptions does the platform use, and how quickly are they updated when the ATO changes rules?
- Can I export a parcel-level CGT report for my accountant?
- Where is my data hosted, and what encryption standard applies?
Red flags
- No mention of ATO alignment or Australian tax rules anywhere in the documentation.
- Pricing is opaque or changes without notice.
- No export function for tax reporting.
- Offshore hosting with no stated security standard or data residency policy.
All-in-one administration platforms that combine investment tracking with SMSF or trust administration can reduce complexity for investors with more structured arrangements, but they add cost and features most self-directed investors do not need.
What does each option actually cover in practice?
Alphaiq
Alphaiq models your full financial position: ASX and international share holdings with CGT lot tracking, franking credit calculations, superannuation projections across accumulation and drawdown phases, property with negative gearing and debt recycling levers, and retirement income scenarios, including TTR strategies. The interface is designed for self-directed investors who are not financial professionals, so scenario simulation is guided rather than spreadsheet-style. ATO-aligned tax rules are built into the modelling engine, covering CGT timing, the 50% discount, super tax rates and franking offsets.
Multi-currency portfolio trackers
Australian-focused trackers like FlashFi prioritise AUD-native dashboards, ASX ticker support and live FX conversion across 30+ currencies, separating asset performance from currency movement. They handle franking credits and US withholding tax at the holding level. What they typically do not cover is superannuation projection modelling, retirement income simulation or property-specific tax levers. They suit investors whose primary complexity is offshore holdings rather than retirement planning.
Self-hosted modelling tools
The worthly GitHub project is a self-hosted net worth and portfolio dashboard with per-parcel CGT calculations, the 50% long-term discount applied automatically, and franking credit tracking. Data stays on your own server, which eliminates third-party data-sharing risk. The trade-off is setup time and ongoing maintenance. Scenario simulation for retirement or super drawdown is not a feature of this category. Retirement action plan tools that rank levers like TTR, concessional super and CGT timing by dollar impact represent a separate, complementary category worth exploring alongside a tracker.
For investors who also need SMSF or trust administration, platforms with on-demand professional support can handle BAS generation, document templates and partner networks for legal or tax advice while keeping day-to-day control with the investor.
What most investors miss when evaluating these platforms
The most common mistake is testing a platform on a simple portfolio and calling it done. You load in five ASX holdings, the numbers look right, and you move on. The problem surfaces six months later when you try to model a TTR strategy or calculate the CGT impact of selling a parcel you bought in two tranches at different prices.
The platforms that genuinely serve Australian investors aged 35–65 are built around the complexity of your actual situation: a super balance growing toward preservation age, a negatively geared property, a mix of franked and unfranked dividends, and a retirement income target you are working backwards from. Generic portfolio trackers handle the easy part. The hard part is modelling what happens when you pull multiple levers at once.
Bring a real, messy holding to any demo. A multi-lot position with a mix of short and long-term parcels, or a dividend statement with partial franking, will tell you more about a platform's capability in ten minutes than any feature list.
Alphaiq gives you the modelling depth these alternatives lack
Most portfolio trackers show you where you stand. Alphaiq shows you what to do next. For self-directed Australian investors who want to model CGT timing, run a TTR scenario, or project retirement income across super and property, Alphaiq provides the tax-aware modelling engine that generic trackers and free calculators cannot match.
The platform covers investments, superannuation, property and retirement in one place, with ATO-aligned rules for CGT, franking credits and super tax built into every scenario. You can model the impact of selling a specific parcel in different periods, compare concessional contribution strategies, or run a retirement income projection from your current super balance.
Try the AlphaIQ superannuation calculator to see how your super balance projects to retirement, or explore the full platform at alphaiq.pro and start a trial to validate it against your actual portfolio.
Primary sources and further reading
- Retirement Action Plan Australia 2025–26 — Lifecycle-stage tool ranking tax levers including TTR, concessional super and CGT timing by dollar impact.
- Alphaiq — AI Wealth Intelligence Platform — The recommended platform for tax-aware modelling and scenario simulation across investments, super, property and retirement.
- Alphaiq Blog — Wealth Intelligence for Australian Investors — How-to guides and deeper explainers on tax-aware modelling, CGT, franking credits and retirement planning.
- Retirement calculators: Why they matter for Australian investors — What to look for when modelling retirement income in Australia.
- Top 3 Sharesight.com alternatives in 2026 — Deeper comparison of portfolio tracker features for Australian investors.