Tool Comparison
ETF Action vs Morningstar Investor
- Paid from
- $29/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want ETF factors, ETF overlap, and ETF screeners.
- Paid from
- $20.75/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $20.75/mo instead of $29/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison.
Pick ETF Action if
ETF Action
Free • From $29/mo · Web
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want ETF factors, ETF overlap, and ETF screeners.
Pick Morningstar Investor if
Morningstar Investor
From $249/yr · Web · Mobile
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $20.75/mo instead of $29/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
ETF Action and Morningstar Investor cover a lot of the same ground (4 shared categories, including ETF analysis, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. ETF Action includes ETF factors and ETF overlap, and Morningstar Investor includes stock ideas and screeners.
What readers say
ETF Action
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Morningstar Investor
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- ETF Action
- Cheaper paid plan
- Morningstar Investor$20.75/mo vs $29/mo
- Free trial
- Morningstar Investor7 days
- Mobile app
- Morningstar Investor
- Asset coverage
- Morningstar InvestorAdds mutual funds and closed-end funds
What ETF Action does best
- Research ETFs by size and style, region, country, sector, industry, theme, fixed income, non-traditional assets, commodities, and crypto.
- Look-through holdings analytics to inspect factor, style, sector, industry, country, and concentration exposure inside funds and models.
- Comparison tools for ETF overlap across individual funds or full model portfolios to understand hidden duplication and concentration risk.
- Monitor ETF flows, trading volume, average daily volume, and daily data updates from platform dashboards.
- Screeners, watchlists, fund dashboards, and Excel exports are available subject to plan limits.
What Morningstar Investor does best
- Research coverage for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and closed-end funds with Morningstar ratings, analyst notes, reports, screeners, watchlists, and portfolio tools.
- Stock research built around Morningstar fair value estimates, Economic Moat Ratings, rating-change coverage, valuation context, commentary, and news.
- Evaluation tools for funds and ETFs with Morningstar star ratings, Morningstar Medalist Ratings, analyst notes, fund reports, performance context, fees, and holdings views.
- Tools for building stock, fund, and ETF screens using more than 200 data points, then save custom views for portfolios, watchlists, and screeners.
- Portfolio X-Ray to inspect asset allocation, sector exposure, fees, risk, stock style, and portfolio-level or fund-level composition.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $29/mo | From $249/yr |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | — | 7 days |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more |
Categories covered | 12 | 12 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 4 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +2 more | — |
Capabilities | 5 signals: Universe builder, Factors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and Size +3 more | Universe builder |
| Try it | Visit ETF Action | Visit Morningstar Investor |
Standout features
The best features of ETF Action and Morningstar Investor.ShowHide
Standout features
What ETF Action does best
- Research ETFs by size and style, region, country, sector, industry, theme, fixed income, non-traditional assets, commodities, and crypto.
- Look-through holdings analytics to inspect factor, style, sector, industry, country, and concentration exposure inside funds and models.
- Comparison tools for ETF overlap across individual funds or full model portfolios to understand hidden duplication and concentration risk.
- Monitor ETF flows, trading volume, average daily volume, and daily data updates from platform dashboards.
- Screeners, watchlists, fund dashboards, and Excel exports are available subject to plan limits.
What Morningstar Investor does best
- Research coverage for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and closed-end funds with Morningstar ratings, analyst notes, reports, screeners, watchlists, and portfolio tools.
- Stock research built around Morningstar fair value estimates, Economic Moat Ratings, rating-change coverage, valuation context, commentary, and news.
- Evaluation tools for funds and ETFs with Morningstar star ratings, Morningstar Medalist Ratings, analyst notes, fund reports, performance context, fees, and holdings views.
- Tools for building stock, fund, and ETF screens using more than 200 data points, then save custom views for portfolios, watchlists, and screeners.
- Portfolio X-Ray to inspect asset allocation, sector exposure, fees, risk, stock style, and portfolio-level or fund-level composition.
All details
Every attribute we track for ETF Action and Morningstar Investor.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | ETFsStocks | StocksETFsMutual FundsClosed-End FundsFunds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue Investors |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | Not specified |
Coverage details | Exchanges: ARCX, XNAS, and BATSIdentifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
Export formats | ExcelPDF | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and SizeFactor exposureRebalancingPortfolio factor exposure | Universe builder |
Vendor & support | ETF Action, Inc.Country: USFounded 2018Support: Email | Morningstar, Inc.Country: United StatesFounded 1984 |
Curation ratings | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | — |
| Entry paid plan | $29/mo“DIY” | $249/yr≈ $20.75/mo“Investor yearly” |
| Tier 2 | $99/mo“Advisor Pro” | $34.95/mo“Investor monthly” |
| Top plan | $199/mo“Model Builder” | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Enterprise” | — |
| Free trial | — | 7 days |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between ETF Action and Morningstar Investor?
ETF Action leans toward ETF analysis, ETF factors, and ETF overlap, while Morningstar Investor puts more weight on stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison. They overlap in 4 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is ETF Action or Morningstar Investor free to use?
ETF Action has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Morningstar Investor is paid-only. If budget matters, start with ETF Action and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use ETF Action or Morningstar Investor on my phone?
Morningstar Investor lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. ETF Action doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Should I choose ETF Action or Morningstar Investor?
It depends on what you're after. Pick ETF Action if ETF factors and ETF overlap matter to you; go with Morningstar Investor 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 ETF Action and Morningstar Investor cover?
Both cover ETFs and stocks. Morningstar Investor adds mutual funds, closed-end funds, and funds on top.
Can I export data from ETF Action and Morningstar Investor?
ETF Action exports to Excel. Morningstar Investor is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: ETF Action or Morningstar Investor?
Both ETF Action and Morningstar Investor include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power; try both and see which one clicks for you.
Can I track my portfolio with ETF Action or Morningstar Investor?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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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.