★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool details checked August 23, 2026
Tool Comparison
FactorsToday vs Portfolio123
Pick FactorsToday if
FactorsToday
Free · Web · API
- You care about stock comparison, performance attribution, and risk metrics, things Portfolio123 doesn't offer
Pick Portfolio123 if
Portfolio123
Free • From $25/mo · Web · API · Desktop
- You care about stock ideas, scores, and valuation models, things FactorsToday doesn't offer
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
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
FactorsToday and Portfolio123 cover a lot of the same ground (9 shared categories, including screeners, quant, and data visualizations), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio123 simply does more: 19 categories to FactorsToday's 13, including stock ideas, scores, and valuation models. FactorsToday counters by being completely free.
What readers say
FactorsToday
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Portfolio123
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Key differences at a glance
- Asset coverage
- FactorsTodayAdds mutual funds
- Broader coverage
- Portfolio12319 vs 13 categories
- Desktop app
- Portfolio123
- Broker sync
- Portfolio123
- Beginner friendly
- Portfolio123
- Free plan
- Both
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 | Free | Free • From $25/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | Free Screener & Backtesting Access: duration days: 30 |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | No | Yes |
Integrations | — | Interactive Brokers and Tradier |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Analysts and Quants/Developers | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +5 more |
Categories covered | 13 | 19 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD and Minute +1 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 | 7 signals: Universe builder, Factors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and Size +5 more | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +4 more |
| Try it | Visit FactorsToday | Visit Portfolio123 |
Where each one shines
What FactorsToday and Portfolio123 each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What FactorsToday and Portfolio123 each do best.What FactorsToday does best
- Factor dashboards report intraday and multi-period returns, z-scores, pair relationships, correlations, seasonality, and valuations.
- Stock pages use ElasticNet regression with cross-validation to estimate exposures across four nested models.
- Portfolio analysis accepts holdings, compares exposures with a benchmark, and applies user-defined factor-return scenarios.
- Performance attribution applies rolling ordinary-least-squares regressions to uploaded or pasted returns and exports results to Excel.
- The factor builder searches for stocks matching target exposures and displays simulated historical results.
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.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FactorsToday and Portfolio123, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FactorsToday and Portfolio123, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsClosed-End Funds | StocksETFsClosed-End Funds |
Experience | IntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | AnalystsQuants/Developers | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: US and CAIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-timeEnd of Day | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EODMinute | EOD |
Data partners | Not specified | FactSetS&P Global Market IntelligenceICE Data ServicesFRED |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: None600 req/minDocs | Auth: APIKeyDocs |
Import methods | CSVManual | BrokerOAuthCSV |
Integrations | Not specified | Interactive BrokersTradier |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, Growth, LowVol, and SizeFactor exposurePerformance attributionPortfolio attributionPortfolio factor exposureCorrelation | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderBroker syncRebalancingCorrelation |
Vendor & support | FactorsToday (operated by Lukasz R. Tomicki)Country: USSupport: Email | Portfolio123Support: Forum |
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“Manage (Free)” |
| Entry paid plan | — | $25/mo“Retail Research Plans” |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Professional / API & Data Licenses” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between FactorsToday and Portfolio123?
FactorsToday leans toward screeners, quant, and data visualizations, while Portfolio123 puts more weight on screeners, data visualizations, and quant. They overlap in 9 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do FactorsToday and Portfolio123 cost?
Good news: both FactorsToday and Portfolio123 have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: FactorsToday or Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. Both work fine once you're past the basics.
Do FactorsToday and Portfolio123 have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose FactorsToday or Portfolio123?
It depends on what you're after. Pick FactorsToday if stock comparison and performance attribution matter to you; go with Portfolio123 if you'd rather have stock ideas and scores. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do FactorsToday and Portfolio123 cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and closed-end funds. FactorsToday also handles mutual funds.
Do FactorsToday and Portfolio123 offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Can I export data from FactorsToday and Portfolio123?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Can FactorsToday or Portfolio123 connect to my broker?
Portfolio123 syncs with brokers automatically. With FactorsToday, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: FactorsToday or Portfolio123?
Both FactorsToday 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 FactorsToday or Portfolio123?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Keep researching
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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.