★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Friday, June 12, 2026
Tool Comparison · Friday, June 12, 2026
CB Insights vs Portfolio Visualizer
Trying to decide between CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer? Here's how they compare on pricing, features, and platforms — and which one fits the way you invest.
CB Insights
Best for data APIs and sheets / excel add-ins
An enterprise-grade market intelligence platform covering private and public companies, investors, deals, M&A, business relationships, and public-company earnings. CB Insights combines company profiles, proprietary predictive scores, AI-generated insights, Browser Analyst workflows, and visual analytics. Data feeds, API-style delivery, Snowflake, Salesforce, Microsoft Copilot, Excel, Zapier, and MCP-style integrations are available through paid enterprise/data-solution plans; pricing is request-based.
Portfolio Visualizer
Best for backtesting and monte carlo
Web-based portfolio analysis and reporting toolset covering backtesting, Monte Carlo simulation, tactical asset allocation, and optimization. The current homepage positions the product around portfolio analysis plus AI-explained insights, but core public tools remain backtesting, optimization, simulation, factor analysis, correlations, and fund analytics. Plan gating: Free tier is limited (e.g., portfolios up to 15 assets, limited history, and no current-year/YTD results). Basic and Pro are billed annually, support up to 150 assets with YTD results, and add save/import + export features; Pro is described for personal + commercial use.
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
The verdict
The bottom line: CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer cover a lot of the same ground — 3 shared categories, screeners, data visualizations, and AI — so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio Visualizer simply does more — 11 categories to CB Insights's 7, including backtesting, monte carlo, and correlation. CB Insights counters by keeping things simpler.
Key differences at a glance
Free plan
Portfolio Visualizer
Portfolio Visualizer only
Broader coverage
Portfolio Visualizer
11 vs 7 categories
Mobile app
CB Insights
CB Insights only
API access
CB Insights
CB Insights only
Choose
CB Insights if…
- You care about data APIs, sheets / excel add-ins, and acquisitions — things Portfolio Visualizer doesn't offer
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
Choose
Portfolio Visualizer if…
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You care about backtesting, monte carlo, and correlation — things CB Insights doesn't offer
- You want more under one roof — 11 categories to CB Insights's 7
Consider alternatives if…
- You'd rather have one tool that does it all.
- Neither price feels right for what you'd get.
Comparison snapshot
Standout features
What CB Insights does best
- Global company intelligence platform covering private and public companies, investors, deals, M&A, public-company earnings, and business relationships.
- Feeds and data solutions provide structured access to company profiles, financial transactions, business relationships, scouting reports, and proprietary data-science measures.
- Microsoft Excel add-in to pull in CB Insights company data, Mosaic Scores, and taxonomies directly into spreadsheets.
- Salesforce integration to embed company and investor insights into CRM workflows.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Graph Connector to surface CB Insights data directly inside Copilot experiences.
What Portfolio Visualizer does best
- Homepage advertises 5.1M annual visits, 100+ countries, 30 global markets, and 187,650 securities.
- Current homepage includes a live Market Dashboard and a “Market Monitor - Top 10 Lazy Portfolios” table with YTD, 1Y, and 3Y results.
- Portfolio backtesting for portfolios built from mutual funds, ETFs, and stocks.
- Backtest Asset Class Allocation and Backtest Portfolio tools are listed separately in the Portfolio Analysis tool group.
- Manager Performance Analysis and Financial Goals tools are listed alongside core backtesting and simulation workflows.
Data & access details
| Attribute | CB Insights | Portfolio Visualizer |
|---|---|---|
Asset types | StocksOther | StocksETFsMutual FundsFunds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | Not specified |
Data freshness | Not specified | Not specified |
API access | Not specified | Not specified |
Export formats | Not specified | ExcelCSVPDF |
Seen enough? The fastest way to decide is to open both and poke around for five minutes.
Pricing breakdown
Tool
CB Insights
—
Starting price
Plans & pricing
Tool
Portfolio Visualizer
$30/mo
Starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
What you only get with CB Insights.
What you only get with Portfolio Visualizer.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Still deciding? Get hands-on with both — most plans offer a free tier or trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer?
CB Insights leans toward data APIs, sheets / excel add-ins, and screeners, while Portfolio Visualizer puts more weight on backtesting, monte carlo, and correlation. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is CB Insights or Portfolio Visualizer free to use?
Portfolio Visualizer has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. CB Insights is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Portfolio Visualizer and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use CB Insights or Portfolio Visualizer on my phone?
CB Insights has a proper mobile app, so it travels better. Portfolio Visualizer is web-only — it'll load in a phone browser, but it's not the same experience.
Does CB Insights or Portfolio Visualizer have an API?
CB Insights has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Portfolio Visualizer doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose CB Insights or Portfolio Visualizer?
It depends on what you're after. Pick CB Insights if data APIs and sheets / excel add-ins matter to you; go with Portfolio Visualizer if you'd rather have backtesting and monte carlo. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer cover?
Both cover stocks. CB Insights also handles other. Portfolio Visualizer adds ETFs, mutual funds, and funds on top.
Can I export data from CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer?
Portfolio Visualizer exports to Excel, CSV, and PDF. CB Insights is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener—CB Insights or Portfolio Visualizer?
Both CB Insights and Portfolio Visualizer include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power — try both and see which one clicks for you.
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.