Portfolio Performance Save Formats
Properties
created
05.09.2026, 11:38
modified
05.09.2026, 12:38
published
Empty
topics
Portfolio Performance, Save Formats, File Formats
authors
GPT-5
ai-assisted
Yes
- Portfolio Performance supports three main save options through
File > Save as: XML, Binary, and Password protected (AES-256) ( Portfolio Performance Manual). - The same portfolio can be converted between formats by opening it and using
File > Save asagain ( Portfolio Performance Handbuch).
# Topics
- XML Format
- Placeholder for the human-readable portfolio file format; useful for inspection, backups, and external tooling
- Binary Format
- Placeholder for the compact and faster format; better default for larger portfolios
- Password Protected AES-256 Format
- Placeholder for the encrypted binary format; useful when local privacy matters
# Comparison
- XML
- Advantages
- Human-readable and inspectable in a text editor
- Easier to diff, diagnose, and recover manually
- Can be exported from another Portfolio Performance file through
File > Export > Portfolio Performance XML
- Tradeoffs
- Larger and slower to open/save than binary
- Not supported by the Portfolio Performance mobile app according to the manual
- Advantages
- Binary
- Advantages
- More compact
- Opens and saves faster, especially for large files
- Suitable as the practical default for active use
- Tradeoffs
- Not human-readable
- Harder to inspect or manually repair outside the app
- Advantages
- Password protected (AES-256)
- Advantages
- Encrypts the portfolio with a password
- Better for sensitive personal financial data
- Uses the binary family of formats, so it is relevant for mobile-app usage
- Tradeoffs
- Password management becomes critical
- Not human-readable and less convenient for automation
- Advantages
# Practical Choice
- Use Binary for the main working file.
- Use Password protected (AES-256) if the file is synced, shared across devices, or stored where local privacy matters.
- Use XML as an export/interchange/debug format rather than the daily working format.