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Beagle (Meet Beagle) is a popular paid service for finding and managing old 401(k)s. Subscriptions often start around $4.99/month (confirm on their site), with higher tiers and add-ons for more help. If you’d rather try free or lower-commitment Beagle alternatives first, this list is for you.
We make Asset Recovery: Lost 401k, a free mobile guide to official search tools, so it appears first. Fair contrast.
Quick comparison
Asset Recovery: Lost 401k - Free app → DOL / Abandoned Plan / PBGC; no SSN in-app.
Empower - Free dashboard + IRA products; not a full Beagle-style finder.
Capitalize - Free partner-IRA rollovers; paid Plus for some destinations.
National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits - Free web search.
Direct employer / plan administrator - Free calls using old W-2s and HR contacts.
1. Asset Recovery: Lost 401k
Looking for Beagle alternatives that don’t start with a subscription? Asset Recovery: Lost 401k walks you to the same category of problem, orphaned workplace retirement money, through official U.S. databases.
You log former employers, open government search pages, and follow claim guidance in plain language. Optional partner resources stay optional. We don’t take a cut of your balance. Free on iOS and Android.
Best if you want mobile structure without paying to search.
2. Empower
Empower’s free app won’t hunt for every forgotten plan the way a paid finder markets itself, but once accounts are linked, you get planning tools, retirement views, and IRA options in one place.
Use Empower as the “after I found it” alternative, not as a pure Beagle clone.
3. Capitalize
Capitalize is the closest free rollover alternative when you already know the plan. Many users pay $0 to roll into partner IRAs; non-partner moves may need Capitalize Plus (check current fees).
Beagle leans into discovery + ongoing product. Capitalize focuses on moving a known 401(k) into an IRA with less paperwork stress.
4. National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits
The National Registry is a free website where unclaimed retirement benefits may appear. It’s incomplete by design (sponsors must list accounts), so treat empty results carefully.
Still a solid $0 stop before any subscription trial.
5. Call the former employer or plan administrator
Unfashionable, free, and often effective: HR or the recordkeeper on an old pay stub. Have employment dates and legal name ready. If the company merged or closed, pair this with DOL Abandoned Plan Search and PBGC tools (linked from Lost 401k).
This isn’t an “app,” but it’s the alternative many people skip while comparing SaaS pricing.
How to choose
Try free Beagle alternatives in order: official databases (via Lost 401k or the web) → employer/administrator → Empower or Capitalize for rollover or ongoing clarity. Revisit a paid finder only if those paths fail and the subscription terms still make sense to you.
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