★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Capitol Trades vs Simply Wall St
Capitol Trades
Best for US government trades
Free
Simply Wall St
Best for stock ideas and screeners
Free • Paid plans available
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
The verdict
The bottom line
Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, news, blogs, and newsletters), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Simply Wall St simply does more: 19 categories to Capitol Trades's 4, including stock ideas, screeners, and data visualizations, plus a mobile app. Capitol Trades counters by being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- Simply Wall St
- Broader coverage
- Simply Wall St19 vs 4 categories
- Global coverage
- Simply Wall St
- Free plan
- Both
Choose
Capitol Trades if…
- You care about US government trades, something Simply Wall St doesn't offer
Choose
Simply Wall St if…
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about stock ideas, screeners, and data visualizations, things Capitol Trades doesn't offer
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Free • Paid plans available |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: history: Website data restricted to the past 3 years | 13 limits: Free: company reports per month: 5, Free: portfolios: 1 +11 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | — | Yes |
Integrations | — | Plaid, SnapTrade +6 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more | Retail Traders, Long-term Investors +3 more |
Categories covered | 4 | 19 |
Regions | North America | North America, Europe, APAC, Africa |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more |
Data partners | — | S&P Global Market Intelligence |
Capabilities | Universe builder | 6 signals: Universe builder, Broker sync +4 more |
Security | — | Encryption in transit |
| Try it | Visit Capitol Trades | Visit Simply Wall St |
Standout features
What Capitol Trades does best
- Tracks U.S. politicians’ disclosed trades (Senate/Congress) and presents them via Trades, Politicians, and Issuers explorers.
- Claims “new trades and analytics are published as close to real-time as possible”; also offers a Twitter feed for newly published trades.
- Trade explorer supports multi-dimensional filtering (e.g., chamber, party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, trade size, sector, issuer country).
- Trade detail pages show traded date, published date, filed date and “Reporting Gap”, owner (e.g., self/spouse/joint), asset type, and trade size ranges; includes “View Original Filing” links back to disclosures.
- Covers multiple disclosed asset types including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, stock options, crypto, bonds, and private equity funds (as labeled on trade pages).
What Simply Wall St does best
- Global coverage of over 120,000 listed stocks across ~90 markets, with fundamentals and estimates powered by S&P Global Market Intelligence and analyzed using a documented quantitative model.
- Company “Snowflake” reports visualize five key dimensions - valuation, future growth, past performance, financial health, and dividends - into a single infographic, with detailed drill‑down sections and methodology explained in the help center and GitHub docs.
- Investing Ideas hub with curated themes such as undervalued companies, dividend powerhouses, recent insider buying and sector/thematic lists (AI, nuclear energy, cybersecurity, etc.).
- Stock Screener & Alerts lets users filter the global universe by market, industry and dozens of fundamentals (value, growth, income and risk metrics) and set saved screeners with alerts; Free has “Limited” screener access, Premium supports 3 saved screeners, and Unlimited supports 10.
- Built‑in news and “Global Market Insights” articles, plus important updates (earnings, price moves, new risks) and weekly market insights emails for holdings and watchlists.
Data & access details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsOptionsCryptosBondsPrivate FundsOther | StocksETFsFunds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailAnalystsStudents/Researchers | Retail TradersLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsGrowth InvestorsDividend Investors |
Regions | North America | North AmericaEuropeAPACAfrica |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | End of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
Pricing sources | Not specified | Vendor |
Data partners | Not specified | S&P Global Market Intelligence |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Not specified | BrokerOAuthCSVManual |
Integrations | Not specified | PlaidSnapTradeRobinhoodFidelityInteractive BrokersCharles SchwabE*TRADEVanguard |
Export formats | Not specified | ExcelPDF |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Encryption in transit |
Capability signals | Universe builder | Universe builderBroker syncPortfolio attributionTax lotsMulti-currencyCost basis: FIFO |
Vendor & support | 2iQ Research GmbHCountry: GermanySupport: Email and Phone | Simply Wall Street Pty LtdCountry: AustraliaFounded 2014Support: Email |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing breakdown
Free
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- history: Website data restricted to the past 3 years
Free
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- company reports per month: 5
- portfolios: 1
- +3 more
- company reports per month: 30
- portfolios: 3
- +2 more
- company reports per month: Unlimited
- portfolios: 5
- +2 more
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
3Where the two tools cover the same ground.
Capitol Trades strengths
1What you only get with Capitol Trades.
Simply Wall St strengths
16Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St?
Capitol Trades leans toward US government trades, news, and blogs, while Simply Wall St puts more weight on stock ideas, screeners, and data visualizations. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St cost?
Good news: both Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Can I use Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St on my phone?
Simply Wall St lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Capitol Trades doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Should I choose Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Capitol Trades if US government trades matter to you; go with Simply Wall St if you'd rather have stock ideas and screeners. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St cover?
Both cover stocks and ETFs. Capitol Trades also handles mutual funds, options, and cryptos. Simply Wall St adds funds on top.
Which covers international markets: Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St?
Simply Wall St has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, and Africa), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Capitol Trades is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from Capitol Trades and Simply Wall St?
Simply Wall St exports to Excel. Capitol Trades is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St?
Simply Wall St has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Capitol Trades doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Capitol Trades or Simply Wall St?
Simply Wall St handles portfolio tracking. Capitol Trades is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
Other tools you might like
These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.
Keep Exploring
Global rankings of the highest-rated tools across all categories.
Ranked list of companies with durable competitive advantages.
Proven models entering their growth phase with solid economics.
Track votes, sentiment, and engagement across the community.
Learn moat types, red flags, and real-company examples.
Browse other head-to-head tool comparisons and alternatives.
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.