Tool Comparison
ETF Action vs Portfolio123
- Paid from
- $29/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You want ETF analysis, ETF factors, and ETF overlap.
- Paid from
- $25/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API, Desktop
Best if
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $25/mo instead of $29/mo
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
Pick ETF Action if
ETF Action
Free • From $29/mo · Web
- You want ETF analysis, ETF factors, and ETF overlap.
Pick Portfolio123 if
Portfolio123
Free • From $300/yr · Web · API · Desktop
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $25/mo instead of $29/mo
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOther tools you might like
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Not set on either one? See the top 50 tools, ranked by user votes, or the deals page for big discounts on popular tools.
Our take
The bottom line
ETF Action and Portfolio123 cover a lot of the same ground (6 shared categories, including data visualizations, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio123 simply does more: 19 categories to ETF Action's 12, including screeners, quant, and stock ideas. ETF Action counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
ETF Action
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Portfolio123
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- Portfolio123$25/mo vs $29/mo
- Broader coverage
- Portfolio12319 vs 12 categories
- Desktop app
- Portfolio123
- API access
- Portfolio123
- Real-time data
- Portfolio123
- Broker sync
- Portfolio123
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 Portfolio123 does best
- Build multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and rules-based strategies.
- Run simulations with custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, slippage, and commissions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Create ranking systems from fundamental, technical, sentiment, and macro factors, including public factor documentation and FRED-linked economic series.
- AI Factor to train machine-learning predictors for expected returns and feed those predictions into rankings, simulations, and asset-level analysis.
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 | Free • From $300/yr |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | 25 limits: Free Screener & Backtesting Access: duration days: 30, Screener (Annual): backtest history years: 5 +23 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | No | Yes |
Integrations | — | Interactive Brokers and Tradier |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +5 more |
Categories covered | 12 | 19 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 4 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +2 more | 5 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more |
Data partners | — | 4 partners: FactSet, S&P Global Market Intelligence +2 more |
Capabilities | 5 signals: Universe builder, Factors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and Size +3 more | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +4 more |
| Try it | Visit ETF Action | Visit Portfolio123 |
Standout features
The best features of ETF Action and Portfolio123.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 Portfolio123 does best
- Build multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and rules-based strategies.
- Run simulations with custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, slippage, and commissions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Create ranking systems from fundamental, technical, sentiment, and macro factors, including public factor documentation and FRED-linked economic series.
- AI Factor to train machine-learning predictors for expected returns and feed those predictions into rankings, simulations, and asset-level analysis.
All details
Every attribute we track for ETF Action and Portfolio123.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | ETFsStocks | StocksETFsClosed-End Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Exchanges: ARCX, XNAS, and BATSIdentifiers: Ticker | Countries: US and CAIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
Data partners | Not specified | FactSetS&P Global Market IntelligenceICE Data ServicesFRED |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: APIKeyDocs |
Import methods | Not specified | BrokerOAuthCSV |
Integrations | Not specified | Interactive BrokersTradier |
Export formats | ExcelPDF | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and SizeFactor exposureRebalancingPortfolio factor exposure | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderBroker syncRebalancingCorrelation |
Vendor & support | ETF Action, Inc.Country: USFounded 2018Support: Email | Portfolio123Support: Forum |
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 | Free“Manage (Free)” |
| Entry paid plan | $29/mo“DIY” | $300/yr≈ $25/mo“Screener (Annual)”backtest history years: 5 · resource units: 400 · +1 more |
| Tier 2 | $99/mo“Advisor Pro” | $35/mo“Screener (Monthly)”backtest history years: 5 · resource units: 400 · +1 more |
| Tier 3 | $199/mo“Model Builder” | $1000/yr≈ $83.33/mo“Backtest (Annual)”backtest history years: 10 · resource units: 1,000 · +1 more |
| Tier 4 | — | $116/mo“Backtest (Monthly)”backtest history years: 10 · resource units: 1,000 · +1 more |
| Tier 5 | — | $1500/yr≈ $125/mo“Portfolio (Annual)”backtest history years: 15 · resource units: 5,000 · +1 more |
| Tier 6 | — | $174/mo“Portfolio (Monthly)”backtest history years: 15 · resource units: 5,000 · +1 more |
| Tier 7 | — | $2400/yr≈ $200/mo“Ultimate (Annual)”backtest history years: 20 · resource units: 10,000 · +1 more |
| Top plan | — | $278/mo“Ultimate (Monthly)”backtest history years: 20 · resource units: 10,000 · +1 more |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Enterprise” | Contact sales“Professional / API & Data Licenses” |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between ETF Action and Portfolio123?
ETF Action leans toward ETF analysis, ETF factors, and ETF overlap, while Portfolio123 puts more weight on screeners, data visualizations, and quant. They overlap in 6 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do ETF Action and Portfolio123 cost?
Good news: both ETF Action and Portfolio123 have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Does ETF Action or Portfolio123 have an API?
Portfolio123 has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. ETF Action doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose ETF Action or Portfolio123?
It depends on what you're after. Pick ETF Action if ETF analysis and ETF factors matter to you; go with Portfolio123 if you'd rather have screeners and quant. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do ETF Action and Portfolio123 cover?
Both cover ETFs and stocks. Portfolio123 adds closed-end funds on top.
Does ETF Action or Portfolio123 have real-time data?
Portfolio123 offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. ETF Action 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 ETF Action and Portfolio123?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (ETF Action: Excel; Portfolio123: CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Can ETF Action or Portfolio123 connect to my broker?
Portfolio123 syncs with brokers automatically. With ETF Action, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: ETF Action or Portfolio123?
Both ETF Action and Portfolio123 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 Portfolio123?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Keep researching
More comparisons to check
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.