VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Firefly III and Visualping will find that Both Firefly III and Visualping concentrate on APIs & SDKs, and Webhooks workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Firefly III leans into Portfolio, and Other, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Visualping stands out with Alerts, News, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
Firefly III vs Visualping
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Firefly III adds Portfolio, and Other coverage that Visualping skips.
- Visualping includes Alerts, News, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Zapier / Make, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and AI categories that Firefly III omits.
- Firefly III highlights: Self-hosted open-source personal finance manager (AGPLv3 license)., Supports double-entry bookkeeping with budgets, categories, tags, and detailed reporting., and Comprehensive REST API (JSON) with OAuth2 and Personal Access Tokens, plus a full OpenAPI specification..
- Visualping is known for: Compare modes: visual (screenshot diffs), text changes, and element/HTML (‘web’) targeting; select a specific area or element to track., Action tools to monitor behind logins and interact with pages: type, click, dropdown select, scroll, wait, cookie pass, JavaScript ‘script’ actions; supports iFrames., and Monitor PDFs directly or indirectly (watch a listing page for changing PDF versions)..
Firefly III
firefly-iii.org
An open-source, self-hosted personal finance manager licensed under AGPLv3. Offers full double-entry bookkeeping, REST APIs, and optional event webhooks. Exchange-rate conversion is available from v6.2 onward as an opt-in feature. Bank connections are handled separately through the Firefly Data Importer app.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Self-hosted open-source personal finance manager (AGPLv3 license).
- Supports double-entry bookkeeping with budgets, categories, tags, and detailed reporting.
- Comprehensive REST API (JSON) with OAuth2 and Personal Access Tokens, plus a full OpenAPI specification.
- Event webhooks for transaction create/update/delete, enabled through environment configuration.
- Separate Data Importer tool supports CSV and CAMT.053, with optional bank integrations via Salt Edge, GoCardless, and SimpleFIN.
Visualping
visualping.io
Website change‑detection and alerting. Supports visual, text and element/HTML (‘web’) compare modes, actions to log in/fill forms/scroll/wait/execute scripts, PDF monitoring, high‑frequency checks (as fast as 2 minutes on paid tiers), and multi‑channel notifications (email, SMS, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, Discord, RSS, webhooks). Business plans add bulk job import/management, reporting (scheduled), and API/webhooks for integration. AI features (‘Important Alerts’) classify/ summarize changes so teams only see what matters.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Compare modes: visual (screenshot diffs), text changes, and element/HTML (‘web’) targeting; select a specific area or element to track.
- Action tools to monitor behind logins and interact with pages: type, click, dropdown select, scroll, wait, cookie pass, JavaScript ‘script’ actions; supports iFrames.
- Monitor PDFs directly or indirectly (watch a listing page for changing PDF versions).
- AI ‘Important Alerts’ to flag/summarize only relevant changes; premium Visual Analyzer for image‑change intelligence (Solutions tier).
- Notifications via Email/SMS/Slack/MS Teams/Google Chat/Discord/RSS, plus webhooks; Google Sheets integration via webhook; Slack private‑channel support.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
Firefly III
Distinct strengths include:
- Self-hosted open-source personal finance manager (AGPLv3 license).
- Supports double-entry bookkeeping with budgets, categories, tags, and detailed reporting.
- Comprehensive REST API (JSON) with OAuth2 and Personal Access Tokens, plus a full OpenAPI specification.
- Event webhooks for transaction create/update/delete, enabled through environment configuration.
Visualping
Distinct strengths include:
- Compare modes: visual (screenshot diffs), text changes, and element/HTML (‘web’) targeting; select a specific area or element to track.
- Action tools to monitor behind logins and interact with pages: type, click, dropdown select, scroll, wait, cookie pass, JavaScript ‘script’ actions; supports iFrames.
- Monitor PDFs directly or indirectly (watch a listing page for changing PDF versions).
- AI ‘Important Alerts’ to flag/summarize only relevant changes; premium Visual Analyzer for image‑change intelligence (Solutions tier).
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Firefly III | Visualping |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: APIs & SDKs, Webhooks Unique: Portfolio, Other | Shared: APIs & SDKs, Webhooks Unique: Alerts, News, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Zapier / Make, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, AI |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Other | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Bonds, Options, Futures, Commodities, Currencies, Cryptos, Real Estate, Funds |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Firefly III and Visualping both support?
Both platforms cover APIs & SDKs, and Webhooks workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Firefly III and Visualping require subscriptions?
Both Firefly III and Visualping keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access Firefly III and Visualping?
Both Firefly III and Visualping prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Firefly III differentiates itself with Self-hosted open-source personal finance manager (AGPLv3 license)., Supports double-entry bookkeeping with budgets, categories, tags, and detailed reporting., and Comprehensive REST API (JSON) with OAuth2 and Personal Access Tokens, plus a full OpenAPI specification., whereas Visualping stands out for Compare modes: visual (screenshot diffs), text changes, and element/HTML (‘web’) targeting; select a specific area or element to track., Action tools to monitor behind logins and interact with pages: type, click, dropdown select, scroll, wait, cookie pass, JavaScript ‘script’ actions; supports iFrames., and Monitor PDFs directly or indirectly (watch a listing page for changing PDF versions)..
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.