VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON
Tool details checked August 23, 2026
Tool Comparison
CB Insights vs Google Trends
Start here
CB Insights
Contact for pricing · Web · Mobile · API
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You want APIs & data feeds, sheets / excel add-ins, and screeners.
Pick Google Trends instead if
Google Trends
Free · Web
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
CB Insights and Google Trends cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, data visualizations and newsletters), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. CB Insights simply does more: 7 categories to Google Trends's 3, including APIs & data feeds, sheets / excel add-ins, and screeners, plus a mobile app. Google Trends counters by being completely free.
What readers say
CB Insights
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Google Trends
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Google Trends
- Broader coverage
- CB Insights7 vs 3 categories
- Mobile app
- CB Insights
- API access
- CB Insights
- Real-time data
- Google Trends
- Asset coverage
- CB InsightsAdds stocks
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Contact for pricing | Free |
Free tier | No | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 3 limits: Browser Analyst: pricing: Request pricing, Enterprise Platform: pricing: Request pricing +1 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | No |
Integrations | Salesforce, Microsoft Excel +6 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 7 | 3 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | Latency: Real-time and End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
| Try it | Visit CB Insights | Visit Google Trends |
Where each one shines
What CB Insights and Google Trends each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What CB Insights and Google Trends each do best.What CB Insights does best
- Research coverage for private and public companies, investors, funding rounds, M&A, business relationships, earnings, markets, and competitive markets.
- Company profiles, market analytics, visual dashboards, deal analysis, and sector tracking to map markets and competitors.
- Mosaic Score and other proprietary measures to evaluate private-company health and growth signals.
- Strategy Terminal, Browser Analyst, ChatCBI, and team-of-agents workflows for AI-assisted scouting, briefs, trend discovery, and market analysis.
- Access to CB Insights data into workflows through Excel, Salesforce, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Snowflake, Zapier, Affinity, A2A, MCP-style, and data-solution integrations where licensed.
What Google Trends does best
- Comparison tools for search interest over time across regions, categories, timeframes, and Google properties such as Web, News, Images, Shopping, and YouTube.
- Comparison tools for up to five groups of terms, with multiple terms per group, to analyze brands, products, tickers, topics, or consumer themes.
- Related topics and rising queries to spot changes in consumer attention, category language, or emerging narratives.
- Trending now for near-real-time news-linked spikes across 100+ countries, with short refresh cycles and multiple time windows.
- Export support for charts to CSV, share links, or embed selected charts in external pages.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for CB Insights and Google Trends, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for CB Insights and Google Trends, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksOther | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Integrations | SalesforceMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft 365 CopilotSnowflakeAffinityZapierA2AMCP | Not specified |
Export formats | Not specified | CSV |
| Plans & trust | ||
Vendor & support | CB Information Services, Inc.Country: United StatesSupport: Email and Phone | Google LLCCountry: United StatesSupport: Forum |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 5/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | Free |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Browser Analyst”pricing: Request pricing | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between CB Insights and Google Trends?
CB Insights leans toward APIs & data feeds, sheets / excel add-ins, and screeners, while Google Trends puts more weight on data visualizations, news, and newsletters. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is CB Insights or Google Trends free to use?
Google Trends has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. CB Insights is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Google Trends and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use CB Insights or Google Trends on my phone?
CB Insights lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Google Trends doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Does CB Insights or Google Trends have an API?
CB Insights has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Google Trends doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose CB Insights or Google Trends?
It depends on what you're after. Pick CB Insights if APIs & data feeds and sheets / excel add-ins matter to you; go with Google Trends if you'd rather have news. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do CB Insights and Google Trends cover?
Both cover other. CB Insights also handles stocks.
Does CB Insights or Google Trends have real-time data?
Google Trends offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. CB Insights runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Can I export data from CB Insights and Google Trends?
Google Trends exports to CSV. CB Insights is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: CB Insights or Google Trends?
CB Insights has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Google Trends doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
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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.