Anyone who has traveled overseas has inevitably experienced one of the core differences in modern infrastructure — the simple power plug. Your favorite electronic device may be impeccably designed and thoroughly tested, but without an adapter that allows it to plug into local outlets it won’t do you much good. Translating the electrical and mechanical needs of the plug to the wall is a critical step in integrating your own devices into an international life.

Portfolio design works much the same way. The vast majority of portfolio ideas are written from the perspective of US-based investors, but for investors outside of the US it can quickly become obvious that the plug included in the box doesn’t fit the local outlet.

For example, “Domestic” and “International” mean very different things to an American investor and a Japanese investor. Many types of financial products from target date funds to world ex-US funds that portfolio authors take for granted in the US don’t exist at all in other markets. Even basic index definitions can be confusing to compare, with completely different index providers in Europe than in the US.

Layer on the effects of local exchange and inflation rates, and even the core data justifying an investing choice loses its original meaning. Describing portfolio ideas on the world stage is complicated.

I have spent a lot of time over the years thinking about this issue. From charts that translate portfolio data to the purchasing power of many different countries to an asset collection including localized ETF options, you’ll find more data for investors outside of the US on Portfolio Charts than on most similar online tools. Today I’m excited to announce a nice upgrade to the portfolios section to expand this approach.

Maybe you live outside of the US and want actionable info on the best portfolio ideas that US-based authors have to offer. Or maybe you’re an investor in the US who wants to harden their portfolios by testing the design intent out of sample in completely different markets. Either way, I’ve got you covered.

Put down the confusing bag of power adapters and pull up a chair. Let’s talk about how to interpret portfolio design intent in any country.

No major writeup this time. Just a quick announcement that has been a long time coming.

The charts now work on mobile devices!

As you browse the site today, you may notice a number of cosmetic changes and a moderately significant reorganization. There are two things going on, and both are part of my normal process of continuous improvement. The first is just a straightforward effort to clearly communicate the features that are free for everyone (nearly everything) and what is reserved for Portfolio Charts members. And the second is a major upgrade to the member perks that I think you’ll like a lot.

The big news is that the custom data functionality that powered the old Toolkit spreadsheet downloads has been rolled into a new online feature called the Members Toolkit. It’s way easier to use, allowing you to mix your own asset data and portfolio settings directly into the online charts instead of fussing with complicated downloads and overwhelming data collection efforts. And even better, it is a standard perk for every member with no extra purchases required.

Interested? Then grab a cup of coffee and prepare to learn how to easily expand your charting potential with any new data you can get your hands on.

On a hot July Thursday 10 years ago, I finally summoned the willpower to do something crazy. After spending more time than I’d like to admit tinkering with my personal spreadsheets, I realized I was sitting on something pretty interesting. So I threw together a quick WordPress page, wrestled the natural butterflies into submission, and finally pulled the trigger — I hit the Publish button for the first time.

And just like that, Portfolio Charts was born.

It’s actually pretty wild to think that it has been a full decade since that first Hello World message. The journey from the meager start with a handful of portfolios and a couple of charts to the breadth and depth of tools and data we see today is impossible to succinctly explain. It’s truly a labor of love, and it’s rewarding to see the small seed you planted and nurtured grow into a mature tree.

To celebrate the occasion, I thought it would be fun for long-time readers and educational for newcomers to enjoy a quick trip down memory lane. So let’s talk about my favorite insights over the years and the evolution of my thinking over time.

One of the most common user requests I have received over the years sounds pretty simple but has always been more complicated to implement than it seems — adding the ability to compare two different portfolios in the same chart.

The problem is not really in the calculations but in the interface. How do you enter multiple portfolios without an insane number of inputs? And when you have data-dense visuals like the Heat Map or Withdrawal Rates charts, how do you overlay the graphics while telling everything apart? As good as I am with spreadsheets, there is only so much you can do in Excel. And even then, it requires a bit of inspiration to make sense of the many competing requirements.

Well, I finally had that moment of inspiration. And after rolling up my coding sleeves, I’m excited to announce a great new feature to the site.

Have you ever wanted to seamlessly compare two portfolios in a certain chart to find one that best meets your needs? I know I have! Read on to learn about an awesome new way to explore portfolio options.

I’m the type of person who is always tinkering with new ideas. Whether its a new portfolio to test, a tool to create, or a tweak to make the site more intuitive and useful, creative new concepts never cease to capture my imagination.

But not every idea is a hit, and even when something is popular for a time that doesn’t mean that you can never let it go in favor of something better. Innovation requires change. And like cleaning out the old furniture, sometimes you have to make room for the new stuff.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Portfolios page lately. Not only about new content I can add but also about how to keep people focused on what matters and fold everything into my larger goals. So I’ve re-tooled a few things, including scrapping a few redundant charts, improving a really good one, and adding a big new perk to support the people who make Portfolio Charts possible.

Here’s a quick rundown of the changes.

Back when I decided to update the landscaping in my yard, I joked with my wife that my main design philosophy was to make everything easier to maintain. From aiming built-in sprinklers to cover the entire yard at the turn of a faucet to curving the edging around the flower beds to make it easy to track with a lawnmower, each choice was made with an eye towards reducing future effort. The end result was a great experience not only when enjoying a lemonade in a lawn chair but also when regularly breaking a sweat.

Following that same design philosophy, I just released a handful of site updates that majorly reduced my maintenance effort while adding some new functionality that I think you’ll enjoy. Here’s the rundown.

In my house the holiday season is always a whirlwind of activity. If the family gatherings, parties, and general festive pandemonium aren’t enough, it’s even more busy in the finance space. After all, the closing of one year and opening of the next means one big thing is on the horizon.

It’s time for new portfolio data!

Because revising every tool on the site is a significant effort, I decided this year to take advantage of the regularly scheduled update to roll out not just one new year of data, but three notable site changes.

So before you settle back into old routines, check back under the tree for a few last-minute Portfolio Charts gifts — new data, new Toolkit options, and a cool new member perk.