PlanOptica vs BrightScope
BrightScope (ISS MarketPro) sells to recordkeepers and asset managers at $10-50k/yr through a quote process. PlanOptica is published at $39/mo, self-serve, retirement plus welfare on one login.
BrightScope built the deepest 5500 dataset on the market: 1.5M plans, ten years of history, Beacon predictive scores, and the NEXUS consortium attribution data. It is the enterprise tool. Pricing runs through a quote process, lead times stretch to weeks, and the buyer is usually managing a procurement budget. PlanOptica is built for the advisor who needs the data the same afternoon.
BrightScope vs PlanOptica
| Feature | BrightScope | PlanOptica |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Retirement (welfare via separate add-ons) | Retirement + welfare on one login |
| Prospect flags | Predictive scores (Beacon) | 29 (17 retirement + 12 welfare) |
| Pricing model | Quote-only, $10-50k/yr+ | Free / $39 Solo / $100 Team |
| Self-serve signup | ||
| Modern UX | ||
| Ten-year history per plan | ||
| Sponsor depth (six layers) | Partial | |
| Custom analytics service | Enterprise consulting | Yes, monthly retainers |
Where PlanOptica differs from BrightScope
$0 free. $39 Solo. $100 Team. The same price on the marketing site, in checkout, and on the renewal receipt. No procurement step to find out what it costs.
Sign up with an email, run the search, decide whether the data clears the bar. The product is browsable end to end without a sales handoff.
Actuarial (Schedule SB/MB), fiduciary transactions (Schedule G), executive compensation (Top Hat statements), carrier market share, broker market share, and ten-year filing history. All on one sponsor page.
Common questions
When does BrightScope still make sense?
If you're a recordkeeper or asset manager whose business model needs the NEXUS consortium's attribution data, BrightScope is the right tool. PlanOptica targets the advisor-level workflow, not the enterprise procurement workflow.
Can I migrate my saved searches?
No automatic import. Email hello@planoptica.com with the views that matter and we'll help recreate them. Most of the filter axes line up directly because the underlying DOL data is the same.