★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: Lightyear checked June 25, 2026
Tool Comparison
Fiscal.ai vs Lightyear
Fiscal.ai
Best for screeners and stock comparison
Free • From $468/yr
Lightyear
Best for brokerage
Free
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The verdict
The bottom line
Fiscal.ai and Lightyear cover a lot of the same ground (7 shared categories, including stock ideas, data visualizations, and portfolio), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Fiscal.ai simply does more: 29 categories to Lightyear's 8, including screeners, stock comparison, and institutional ownership. Lightyear counters by being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- Lightyear
- Free trial
- Fiscal.ai14 days
- Broader coverage
- Fiscal.ai29 vs 8 categories
- API access
- Fiscal.ai
- Real-time data
- Fiscal.ai
- Free plan
- Both
Choose
Fiscal.ai if…
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about screeners, stock comparison, and institutional ownership, things Lightyear doesn't offer
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Choose
Lightyear if…
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about brokerage, something Fiscal.ai doesn't offer
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $468/yr | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 14 days | — |
Plan limits | 61 limits: Terminal - Free: financials history (annual): 10, Terminal - Free: financials history (quarterly): 6 +59 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | Yes | No |
Broker sync | No | No |
Integrations | MCP, Claude Connector +7 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +11 more | Retail Traders, Long-term Investors +1 more |
Categories covered | 29 | 8 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more | — |
Data partners | 5 partners: Fiscal.ai Data Feed, S&P Global Market Intelligence +3 more | 3 partners: Alpaca, BlackRock +1 more |
Capabilities | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Universe builder +4 more | Multi-currency |
Security | SOC2 and Status page | — |
| Try it | Visit Fiscal.ai | Visit Lightyear |
Standout features
What Fiscal.ai does best
- Research global stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and funds through dashboards, watchlists, portfolio views, visualizations, fundamentals, estimates, transcripts, filings, news, and event data.
- Use AI Copilot, AI summaries, and AI-generated reports to speed up earnings review, filing review, peer comparison, financial analysis, and company research.
- Analyze fundamentals, ratios, standardized financials, as-reported data, adjusted metrics, segment data, KPIs, analyst estimates, revisions, ratings, and price targets.
- Use packaged Fiscal Skills in MCP clients for financial pulls, three-statement models, segment and KPI work, comp sets, valuation, industry reports, ownership activity, filing discovery, quality scores, and earnings reactions.
- Trace research back to source filings, transcripts, slides, company news, investor-relations material, and source-to-filing images or PDFs where supported.
What Lightyear does best
- Invest in US, UK, and European stocks, with fractional availability where supported.
- Use ETF access with no Lightyear execution or custody fee, while still accounting for fund manager fees.
- Hold GBP, USD, and EUR in a multi-currency account to reduce repeated FX conversions.
- Use ready-made plans or build custom plans for recurring structured investing.
- Access Lightyear AI and in-app tools for lighter research support around investable assets.
Data & access details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsFunds | StocksETFsBondsFundsCryptos |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediate |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsGrowth Investors+5 more | Retail TradersLong-term InvestorsIndex/Passive Investors |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker, CUSIP, ISIN, and FIGI | Countries: US, GB, and EEExchanges: XNYS, XNAS, and XLONIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
Data partners | Fiscal.ai Data FeedS&P Global Market IntelligenceMorningstarYChartsPerplexity | AlpacaBlackRockJ.P. Morgan Asset Management |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | Not specified |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeyWebhooks50 req/minDocs | Not specified |
Import methods | Manual | Manual |
Integrations | MCPClaude ConnectorChatGPTCodex CLICursorVS Code CopilotGemini CLIPerplexity+1 more | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVImagePDF | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | SOC2Status page | Not specified |
Capability signals | Custom formulasUniverse builderPerformance attributionPortfolio attributionCitation pinningAI summaries: Filings, Transcripts, and News | Multi-currency |
Vendor & support | Stratosphere Technology Inc.Country: CanadaFounded 2021Support: Email | Lightyear Financial Ltd.Country: United KingdomSupport: Email and Chat |
Curation ratings | Methodology 5/5Reliability 4/5UX 5/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing breakdown
$468/yr
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- financials history (annual): 10
- financials history (quarterly): 6
- +8 more
- financials history (annual): 15
- financials history (quarterly): 20
- +10 more
- financials history (annual): 15
- financials history (quarterly): 20
- +10 more
- financials history (annual): 20+
- financials history (quarterly): 40+
- +10 more
- financials history (annual): 20+
- financials history (quarterly): 40+
- +10 more
- api calls per day: 250
- burst requests per minute: 50
- +1 more
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
7Where the two tools cover the same ground.
Fiscal.ai strengths
22Lightyear strengths
1What you only get with Lightyear.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Fiscal.ai and Lightyear?
Fiscal.ai leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison, while Lightyear puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 7 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Fiscal.ai and Lightyear cost?
Good news: both Fiscal.ai and Lightyear have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: Fiscal.ai or Lightyear?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Can I use Fiscal.ai or Lightyear on my phone?
Lightyear lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Fiscal.ai doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Does Fiscal.ai or Lightyear have an API?
Fiscal.ai has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Lightyear doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose Fiscal.ai or Lightyear?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Fiscal.ai if screeners and stock comparison matter to you; go with Lightyear if you'd rather have brokerage. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Fiscal.ai and Lightyear cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and funds. Fiscal.ai also handles mutual funds. Lightyear adds bonds and cryptos on top.
Does Fiscal.ai or Lightyear have real-time data?
Fiscal.ai offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Lightyear 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 Fiscal.ai and Lightyear?
Fiscal.ai exports to CSV. Lightyear is stingier about getting data out.
Are Fiscal.ai and Lightyear good for long-term investing?
Yes, both are aimed squarely at long-term investors. Compare their coverage, workflow, and price before assuming they solve the same long-term research job.
Which has a better stock screener: Fiscal.ai or Lightyear?
Fiscal.ai has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Lightyear doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Fiscal.ai or Lightyear?
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.