VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Alpha Vantage and MarketXLS will find that Both Alpha Vantage and MarketXLS concentrate on Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, and GDP workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Alpha Vantage leans into Data APIs, News, and News Sentiment, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. MarketXLS stands out with Broker Connectors, Screeners, and Options that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
Alpha Vantage vs MarketXLS
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Alpha Vantage adds Data APIs, News, News Sentiment, Calendar, Dividends, Splits, IPO, Delisted, Transcripts, Insider Data, and APIs & SDKs coverage that MarketXLS skips.
- MarketXLS includes Broker Connectors, Screeners, Options, Options P&L, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Fundamentals, Which ETF includes this Stock?, and Blogs categories that Alpha Vantage omits.
- Alpha Vantage highlights: Equity time series for global stocks (intraday down to 1-minute, plus daily/weekly/monthly) with 20+ years of history, including pre- and post-market support and adjustment toggles for splits and dividends., US options coverage with real-time and historical data spanning over 15 years, including optional greeks and implied volatility outputs in JSON or CSV., and Fundamentals and corporate actions such as company overviews, financials, dividends, splits, plus ETF profiles and holdings..
- MarketXLS is known for: Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users., Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year., and Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter..
- Alpha Vantage has a free tier, while MarketXLS requires a paid plan.
Alpha Vantage
alphavantage.co
REST APIs delivering global market data in JSON and CSV. The free tier allows 25 requests per day, while premium plans remove limits and unlock real-time and 15-minute delayed US equities plus real-time US options. Entitlements and account management are handled through the Alpha X Terminal.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Equity time series for global stocks (intraday down to 1-minute, plus daily/weekly/monthly) with 20+ years of history, including pre- and post-market support and adjustment toggles for splits and dividends.
- US options coverage with real-time and historical data spanning over 15 years, including optional greeks and implied volatility outputs in JSON or CSV.
- Fundamentals and corporate actions such as company overviews, financials, dividends, splits, plus ETF profiles and holdings.
- Corporate calendars: earnings announcements, IPO schedules, listings, and delisting status.
- Alpha Intelligence datasets with market news and sentiment, earnings call transcripts, insider transactions, and daily gainers/losers.
MarketXLS
marketxls.com
Excel‑first market data & analytics add‑in with 1,000+ functions. Default data is 15‑min delayed (QuoteMedia); real‑time streams and intraday history available with data add‑ons. Web screener, ETF database/overlap tools, options chains & Greeks, and portfolio templates (incl. Efficient Frontier). Direct order‑ticket functions for Thinkorswim, Tradier, Orion, plus IBKR integration via TWS API. No public data API for redistribution; personal use license.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users.
- Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year.
- Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter.
- Portfolio & research templates: Efficient Frontier, correlation/volatility/drawdowns, fundamentals and historical statements via hf_* functions.
- Web screener with hundreds of metrics; stock ranks (Value/Quality/Technical); spreadsheet builder to generate ready‑made workbooks.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
Alpha Vantage
Distinct strengths include:
- Equity time series for global stocks (intraday down to 1-minute, plus daily/weekly/monthly) with 20+ years of history, including pre- and post-market support and adjustment toggles for splits and dividends.
- US options coverage with real-time and historical data spanning over 15 years, including optional greeks and implied volatility outputs in JSON or CSV.
- Fundamentals and corporate actions such as company overviews, financials, dividends, splits, plus ETF profiles and holdings.
- Corporate calendars: earnings announcements, IPO schedules, listings, and delisting status.
MarketXLS
Distinct strengths include:
- Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users.
- Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year.
- Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter.
- Portfolio & research templates: Efficient Frontier, correlation/volatility/drawdowns, fundamentals and historical statements via hf_* functions.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Alpha Vantage | MarketXLS |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Options & Derivatives, ETF Holdings, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: Data APIs, News, News Sentiment, Calendar, Dividends, Splits, IPO, Delisted, Transcripts, Insider Data, APIs & SDKs | Shared: Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Options & Derivatives, ETF Holdings, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: Broker Connectors, Screeners, Options, Options P&L, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Fundamentals, Which ETF includes this Stock?, Blogs |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Currencies, Cryptos, Commodities, Mutual Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Currencies, Futures, Cryptos |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Desktop, Web |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Yes | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Alpha Vantage and MarketXLS both support?
Both platforms cover Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Options & Derivatives, ETF Holdings, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
Alpha Vantage offers a free entry point, while MarketXLS requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.
How can you access Alpha Vantage and MarketXLS?
Both Alpha Vantage and MarketXLS prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Alpha Vantage differentiates itself with Equity time series for global stocks (intraday down to 1-minute, plus daily/weekly/monthly) with 20+ years of history, including pre- and post-market support and adjustment toggles for splits and dividends., US options coverage with real-time and historical data spanning over 15 years, including optional greeks and implied volatility outputs in JSON or CSV., and Fundamentals and corporate actions such as company overviews, financials, dividends, splits, plus ETF profiles and holdings., whereas MarketXLS stands out for Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users., Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year., and Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter..
Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.