VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

Firefly III vs YCharts comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

Firefly III adds Webhooks, and Other coverage that YCharts skips.

YCharts includes Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Data APIs, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Broker Connectors 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..

YCharts is known for: Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

Firefly III has a free tier, while YCharts requires a paid plan.

Firefly III logo

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.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

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.

Community votes (overall)

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YCharts logo

YCharts

ycharts.com

Hands-on review

Advisor-focused research, portfolio analytics, and proposal platform. Lower tiers are more view-only, while add-ons unlock the Excel add-in and broader fund/SMA datasets. Intraday quotes are available on a short delay (about 90–120 seconds).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.

Community votes (overall)

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

2 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Portfolio, and APIs & SDKs.

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.

YCharts

Distinct strengths include:

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeFirefly IIIYCharts
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Portfolio, APIs & SDKs

Unique: Webhooks, Other

Shared: Portfolio, APIs & SDKs

Unique: Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Data APIs, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Other

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End 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

Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • 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.
  • CSV export available for accounts, budgets, categories, tags, recurring transactions, subscriptions, piggy banks, rules, and more.

Unique

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.
  • Advisor ecosystem integrations including Addepar, Orion, Redtail, Schwab Advisor Center, iRebal, Pershing, LPL ClientWorks, Black Diamond, and VRGL.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Yes

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Firefly III and YCharts both support?

Both platforms cover Portfolio, and APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

Firefly III offers a free entry point, while YCharts requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access Firefly III and YCharts?

Both Firefly III and YCharts 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 YCharts stands out for Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

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.