Tool Comparison
Firefly III vs PortfoliosLab
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You want webhooks and other.
- Paid from
- $100/yr, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You want watchlist, backtesting, and correlation.
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick Firefly III instead if
Firefly III
Free · Web · API
- You want webhooks and other.
Start here
PortfoliosLab
Free • From $100/yr, billed annually · Web · API
- You want watchlist, backtesting, and correlation.
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Firefly III and PortfoliosLab 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. PortfoliosLab simply does more: 17 categories to Firefly III's 4, including watchlist, backtesting, and correlation. Firefly III counters by being completely free.
What readers say
Firefly III
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PortfoliosLab
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Key differences at a glance
- Broader coverage
- PortfoliosLab17 vs 4 categories
- Free plan
- Both
What Firefly III does best
- Self-host a personal finance ledger under the AGPLv3 open-source license rather than using a hosted budgeting app.
- Track accounts and transactions with double-entry bookkeeping, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and reports.
- Use the JSON REST API with OAuth2 or personal access tokens for dashboards, automations, and personal analytics.
- Optional event webhooks for transaction create, update, and delete events when enabled through environment configuration.
- Import transaction data through the separate Data Importer using CSV, CAMT.052, CAMT.053, GoCardless, SimpleFIN, Lunch Flow, or Enable Banking.
What PortfoliosLab does best
- Backtest portfolios and single instruments with configurable rebalancing, benchmark comparisons, and longer historical windows on paid plans.
- Analysis of performance, drawdowns, volatility, VaR, CVaR, Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, Martin, Treynor, and related risk-adjusted ratios.
- Comparison tools for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, funds, crypto, and currency instruments across performance, risk, drawdown, and diversification views.
- Correlation, alpha and beta, factor, diversification, and optimization tools, including mean-variance, risk parity, HRP, and HERC.
- Screening for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds with daily-recalculated filters, then export results where the selected plan allows it.
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 | Free • From $100/yr, billed annually |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | 25 limits: Free: watchlists: 1, Free: watchlist symbols: 100 +23 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | No | No |
Integrations | GoCardless, SimpleFIN +5 more | MCP, ChatGPT +1 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +6 more |
Categories covered | 4 | 17 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 3 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | — | 6 signals: Factor exposure, VaR/ES +4 more |
| Try it | Visit Firefly III | Visit PortfoliosLab |
Standout features
The best features of Firefly III and PortfoliosLab.ShowHide
Standout features
What Firefly III does best
- Self-host a personal finance ledger under the AGPLv3 open-source license rather than using a hosted budgeting app.
- Track accounts and transactions with double-entry bookkeeping, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and reports.
- Use the JSON REST API with OAuth2 or personal access tokens for dashboards, automations, and personal analytics.
- Optional event webhooks for transaction create, update, and delete events when enabled through environment configuration.
- Import transaction data through the separate Data Importer using CSV, CAMT.052, CAMT.053, GoCardless, SimpleFIN, Lunch Flow, or Enable Banking.
What PortfoliosLab does best
- Backtest portfolios and single instruments with configurable rebalancing, benchmark comparisons, and longer historical windows on paid plans.
- Analysis of performance, drawdowns, volatility, VaR, CVaR, Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, Martin, Treynor, and related risk-adjusted ratios.
- Comparison tools for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, funds, crypto, and currency instruments across performance, risk, drawdown, and diversification views.
- Correlation, alpha and beta, factor, diversification, and optimization tools, including mean-variance, risk parity, HRP, and HERC.
- Screening for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds with daily-recalculated filters, then export results where the selected plan allows it.
All details
Every attribute we track for Firefly III and PortfoliosLab.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Other | StocksETFsMutual FundsFundsCryptosCurrencies |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsLong-term InvestorsIndex/Passive InvestorsQuants/DevelopersAnalystsFinancial Advisors |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Not specified | Countries: US and GBIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | End of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: OAuth2 and APIKeyWebhooks | Auth: NoneDocs |
Import methods | CSVManual | ManualCSV |
Integrations | GoCardlessSimpleFINLunch FlowEnable BankingSlackDiscordMattermost | MCPChatGPTClaude |
Export formats | CSV | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Factor exposureVaR/ESPerformance attributionRebalancingPortfolio factor exposureCorrelation |
Vendor & support | Firefly III (open-source project)Support: Email | PortfoliosLab Analytics FZCOCountry: United Arab EmiratesSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 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 | Freewatchlists: 1 · watchlist symbols: 100 · +4 more |
| Entry paid plan | — | $100/yrBilled annually≈ $8.33/mo“Plus”watchlists: 5 · private portfolios: 5 · +4 more |
| Tier 2 | — | $250/yrBilled annually≈ $20.83/mo“Pro”watchlists: 10 · private portfolios: Unlimited · +4 more |
| Top plan | — | $900/yrBilled annually≈ $75/mo“Max”watchlists: 10 · watchlist symbols: 2,000 · +5 more |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Firefly III and PortfoliosLab?
Firefly III leans toward portfolio, APIs & data feeds, and webhooks, while PortfoliosLab puts more weight on portfolio, watchlist, and backtesting. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Firefly III and PortfoliosLab cost?
Good news: both Firefly III and PortfoliosLab have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Do Firefly III and PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Firefly III if webhooks and other matter to you; go with PortfoliosLab if you'd rather have watchlist and backtesting. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Firefly III and PortfoliosLab cover?
Firefly III covers other. PortfoliosLab covers stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds.
Can I export data from Firefly III and PortfoliosLab?
Firefly III exports to CSV. PortfoliosLab is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: Firefly III or PortfoliosLab?
PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab?
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.