VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Barron's and IBorrowDesk will find that Both Barron's and IBorrowDesk concentrate on Alerts, and Watchlist workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Barron's leans into News, Newsletters, and Videos, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. IBorrowDesk stands out with Short Interest 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
Barron's vs IBorrowDesk
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Barron's adds News, Newsletters, and Videos coverage that IBorrowDesk skips.
- IBorrowDesk includes Short Interest categories that Barron's omits.
- Barron's highlights: Subscription options: Digital (Barrons.com + apps) or Print + Digital (adds Saturday home delivery)., Weekly Barron's Magazine with each issue available online., and Email newsletters on a range of market and investing topics, with preferences managed through the Customer Center..
- IBorrowDesk is known for: Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets., Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays., and Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts..
- IBorrowDesk keeps a free entry point that Barron's lacks.
- Barron's ships a mobile app. IBorrowDesk is web/desktop only.
Barron's
barrons.com
Subscription news and analysis service for investors. Digital plans cover Barrons.com and the mobile/tablet apps, while Print + Digital adds weekly Saturday delivery of the magazine. Most premium content is paywalled. Subscriptions also include newsletters, market alerts, and watchlist functionality.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Subscription options: Digital (Barrons.com + apps) or Print + Digital (adds Saturday home delivery).
- Weekly Barron's Magazine with each issue available online.
- Email newsletters on a range of market and investing topics, with preferences managed through the Customer Center.
- Web and mobile notifications for breaking news and major stories.
- Dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android.
IBorrowDesk
iborrowdesk.com
Tracks stock-loan availability and borrow fee data as reported by Interactive Brokers (IBKR). Updates roughly every 15 minutes during North American trading hours and hourly elsewhere on weekdays. The data reflects IBKR only and not the wider market. The site is unaffiliated with IBKR; displayed quotes are provided by IEX. A paid Patron tier adds longer history, CSV exports, and more tracking capacity.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets.
- Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays.
- Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts.
- Patron plan ($10/month) unlocks 5+ years of history versus 1 year on free, enables CSV historical export, and expands watchlist capacity to ~50 securities.
- Scope limited to Interactive Brokers—availability and fees may differ across other brokers.
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
Barron's
Distinct strengths include:
- Subscription options: Digital (Barrons.com + apps) or Print + Digital (adds Saturday home delivery).
- Weekly Barron's Magazine with each issue available online.
- Email newsletters on a range of market and investing topics, with preferences managed through the Customer Center.
- Web and mobile notifications for breaking news and major stories.
IBorrowDesk
Distinct strengths include:
- Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets.
- Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays.
- Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts.
- Patron plan ($10/month) unlocks 5+ years of history versus 1 year on free, enables CSV historical export, and expands watchlist capacity to ~50 securities.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Barron's | IBorrowDesk |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Alerts, Watchlist Unique: News, Newsletters, Videos | Shared: Alerts, Watchlist Unique: Short Interest |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds | Stocks, ETFs |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Mobile | Web |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Subscription | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Barron's and IBorrowDesk both support?
Both platforms cover Alerts, and Watchlist workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
IBorrowDesk offers a free entry point, while Barron's requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.
Which tool has mobile access?
Barron's ships a dedicated mobile experience, while IBorrowDesk focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Barron's differentiates itself with Subscription options: Digital (Barrons.com + apps) or Print + Digital (adds Saturday home delivery)., Weekly Barron's Magazine with each issue available online., and Email newsletters on a range of market and investing topics, with preferences managed through the Customer Center., whereas IBorrowDesk stands out for Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets., Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays., and Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts..
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.