★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Firefly III vs Portfolio123
Pick Firefly III instead if
Firefly III
Free · Web · API
- You care about webhooks and other, things Portfolio123 doesn't offer
Start here
Portfolio123
Free • From $25/mo · Web · API · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about screeners, data visualizations, and quant, things Firefly III doesn't offer
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
Firefly III and Portfolio123 cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, portfolio and APIs & data feeds), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio123 simply does more: 19 categories to Firefly III's 4, including screeners, data visualizations, and quant. Firefly III counters by being completely free.
What readers say
Firefly III
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Portfolio123
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Portfolio123
- Broader coverage
- Portfolio12319 vs 4 categories
- Desktop app
- Portfolio123
- Broker sync
- 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 | Salt Edge, GoCardless +2 more | Interactive Brokers and Tradier |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +5 more |
Categories covered | 4 | 19 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 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 | — | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +4 more |
| Try it | Visit Firefly III | Visit Portfolio123 |
Where each one shines
What Firefly III and Portfolio123 each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Firefly III and Portfolio123 each do best.What Firefly III does best
- Self-host a personal finance ledger under the AGPLv3 open-source license rather than using a hosted budgeting app.
- Tracking accounts and transactions with double-entry bookkeeping, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and reporting.
- The JSON REST API with OAuth2, personal access tokens, and a full OpenAPI specification for dashboards, automations, and personal analytics.
- Optional event webhooks for transaction create, update, and delete events when enabled through environment configuration.
- Import support for transaction data through the separate Firefly III Data Importer, CSV and CAMT.053 files, and optional providers such as Salt Edge, GoCardless, and SimpleFIN.
What Portfolio123 does best
- Tools for building multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and complete rules-based strategies through a web research environment.
- Tools for running simulations and backtests with long historical equity data, custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, and realistic assumptions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Tools for creating 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 Firefly III and Portfolio123, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Firefly III and Portfolio123, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Other | StocksETFsClosed-End Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Not specified | Countries: US and CAIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
Data partners | Not specified | FactSetS&P Global Market IntelligenceICE Data ServicesFRED |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: OAuth2 and APIKeyWebhooks | Auth: APIKeySDKs: PythonDocs |
Import methods | CSVManual | BrokerOAuthCSV |
Integrations | Salt EdgeGoCardlessSimpleFINSlack | Interactive BrokersTradier |
Export formats | CSV | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderBroker syncRebalancingCorrelation |
Vendor & support | Firefly III (open-source project)Support: Email | Portfolio123Support: Forum |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
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 | 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 Firefly III and Portfolio123?
Firefly III leans toward portfolio, APIs & data feeds, and webhooks, while Portfolio123 puts more weight on screeners, data visualizations, and quant. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Firefly III and Portfolio123 cost?
Good news: both Firefly III and Portfolio123 have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Do Firefly III 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 Firefly III or Portfolio123?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Firefly III if webhooks and other matter to you; go with Portfolio123 if you'd rather have screeners and data visualizations. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Firefly III and Portfolio123 cover?
Firefly III covers other. Portfolio123 covers stocks, ETFs, and closed-end funds.
Does Firefly III or Portfolio123 have real-time data?
Portfolio123 offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Firefly III 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 Firefly III and Portfolio123?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Can Firefly III or Portfolio123 connect to my broker?
Portfolio123 syncs with brokers automatically. With Firefly III, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: Firefly III or Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Firefly III doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Firefly III 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.