Account Security Outweighs Convenience Among Retirement Plan Website and Mobile App Users, J.D. Power Finds

Audio By Carbonatix

TROY, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 10, 2025--

There was a time not long ago when multifactor authentication processes and other digital security measures were dismissed as an annoyance by website and mobile app users. Now, enhanced security is one of the most critical pieces of the retirement plan digital experience. According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Retirement Plan Digital Experience Study, SM released today, 62% of retirement plan website and app users say security is more important than convenience regarding their overall digital experience. Moreover, account security is now one of the biggest drivers of overall customer satisfaction with retirement account digital tools, alongside core usability and design features such as visual appeal, navigation and speed.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250910980860/en/

J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Retirement Plan Digital Experience Study

“When it comes to protecting their nest eggs, retirement plan account holders are willing to accept extra authentication steps and actively seek signs of strong data security,” said Kapil Vora, senior director of wealth intelligence at J.D. Power. “Importantly, when account security falls short, satisfaction plummets. Ease of navigation and a seamless experience still matter, but demand for strong data security is rising, even if it requires a longer log-in process.”

Following are some key findings of the 2025 study:

• Account security takes center stage: A majority (62%) of retirement account website and mobile app users say security matters more than convenience, making it one of the top drivers of overall satisfaction. Satisfaction scores rise 52 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when users rate account security measures as “very effective.”
• Wide gap between highest-performing and lowest-performing digital offerings: The digital experience of retirement plan website and mobile app users varies considerably between providers, with 103 points separating the highest-performing and lowest-performing websites and mobile apps evaluated in the study.
• Work needed on seamless and consistent user experience: Nearly half (45%) of retirement plan website and mobile app users say their digital experiences are not well integrated across channels, citing issues with information flow and consistent look and feel.
• Opportunity for improved proactive guidance and support: Fully 61% of retirement plan participants say digital solutions fall short in this area. Stronger proactive guidance can drive deeper engagement with plan providers, extending beyond routine website or app tasks.

Study Ranking

Bank of America (including Merrill) ranks highest in retirement plan digital satisfaction, with a score of 747. Vanguard (717) ranks second and Ascensus (712) ranks third.

The U.S. Retirement Plan Digital Experience Study was redesigned for 2025 thus overall satisfaction scores are not comparable with previous-year studies. The study measures customer satisfaction with retirement plan websites, mobile websites and mobile apps across four factors (in order of importance): design, system performance, tools/capabilities and information content. The 2025 study is based on responses of 7,151 retirement plan participants and was fielded from May through June 2025.

For more information about the U.S. Retirement Plan Digital Experience Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/retirement-plan-digital-experience-study.

To view the online press release, please visit http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2025103.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules:www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250910980860/en/

CONTACT: Media Relations Contacts

Joe LaMuraglia, J.D. Power; East Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]

John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

KEYWORD: MICHIGAN UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DATA ANALYTICS INTERNET ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY APPS/APPLICATIONS FINTECH SECURITY

SOURCE: J.D. Power

Copyright Business Wire 2025.

PUB: 09/10/2025 08:00 AM/DISC: 09/10/2025 08:01 AM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250910980860/en