VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ A CURATED DIRECTORY OF FINANCIAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES ★

PRICE: 0 CENTS

Friday, December 26, 2025

Tool Comparison

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates vs Total Real Returns comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates adds Correlation, and Valuation Models coverage that Total Real Returns skips.

Total Real Returns includes Risk Metrics categories that Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates omits.

In depth comparison

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates logo

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates

interactive.researchaffiliates.com

Editor’s pick Hands-on review

A free interactive platform that publishes Research Affiliates’ capital market expectations each month. You can explore expected returns, correlations, and efficient frontiers across a wide set of asset classes and geographies. Excel downloads are available (though without full time-series) and charts can be exported. All results are model-based, hypothetical, and provided for informational purposes only.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them.
  • Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios.
  • Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access.
  • Country dashboards provide data for 41 equity markets (22 developed, 19 emerging), including GDP trends, CAPE ratios, and inflation views.
  • Correlation view displays a full heat-map matrix of expected cross-asset relationships.

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Total Real Returns logo

Total Real Returns

totalrealreturns.com

Web tool for CPI-U inflation-adjusted ("real") and nominal total return charts with dividends reinvested, plus returns tables and drawdowns (EOD; daily updates ~8pm ET).

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view).
  • Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages.
  • Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers.
  • Controls for custom date ranges and normalization modes (Start=1, End=1, IPO=1, Off).
  • Per-symbol performance breakdown includes overall return, exponential trendline/annualized rates (with R^2), growth of $10,000, annual returns, and drawdowns.

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Where they differ

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates

Distinct strengths include:

  • Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them.
  • Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios.
  • Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access.
  • Country dashboards provide data for 41 equity markets (22 developed, 19 emerging), including GDP trends, CAPE ratios, and inflation views.

Total Real Returns

Distinct strengths include:

  • CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view).
  • Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages.
  • Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers.
  • Controls for custom date ranges and normalization modes (Start=1, End=1, IPO=1, Off).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeAsset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research AffiliatesTotal Real Returns
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Data Visualizations

Unique: Correlation, Valuation Models

Shared: Data Visualizations

Unique: Risk Metrics

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, Bonds, Commodities, Real Estate

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Currencies

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web

Web

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free

Free

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them.
  • Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios.
  • Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access.
  • Country dashboards provide data for 41 equity markets (22 developed, 19 emerging), including GDP trends, CAPE ratios, and inflation views.
  • Correlation view displays a full heat-map matrix of expected cross-asset relationships.
  • Efficient frontier visualization shows optimal portfolio mixes on a scatter plot.

Unique

  • CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view).
  • Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages.
  • Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers.
  • Controls for custom date ranges and normalization modes (Start=1, End=1, IPO=1, Off).
  • Per-symbol performance breakdown includes overall return, exponential trendline/annualized rates (with R^2), growth of $10,000, annual returns, and drawdowns.
  • Instrument pages include common stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and a USDOLLAR cash/currency series.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Yes

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Highlighted

Standard listing

Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates and Total Real Returns both support?

Both platforms cover Data Visualizations workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates and Total Real Returns require subscriptions?

Both Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates and Total Real Returns keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates and Total Real Returns?

Both Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates and Total Real Returns 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?

Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) - Research Affiliates differentiates itself with Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them., Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios., and Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access., whereas Total Real Returns stands out for CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view)., Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages., and Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers..

Keep exploring

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.