★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) vs Portfolio Performance
Start here
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times)
Free • Paid plans available · Web · Mobile
- You care about alerts, compounding calculator, and screeners, things Portfolio Performance doesn't offer
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
Pick Portfolio Performance instead if
Portfolio Performance
Free • Paid plans available · Desktop · Mobile
- You care about performance attribution and risk metrics, things FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) 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
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, portfolio, watchlist, and data visualizations), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) simply does more: 10 categories to Portfolio Performance's 5, including alerts, compounding calculator, and screeners. Portfolio Performance counters by being completely free.
What readers say
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times)
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Portfolio Performance
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Key differences at a glance
- Broader coverage
- FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times)10 vs 5 categories
- Desktop app
- Portfolio Performance
- Beginner friendly
- FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times)
- 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 • Paid plans available | Free • Paid plans available |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | Mobile App (Core): editing: Not supported (read-only as stated on app site) |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | No |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | No |
Integrations | — | Interactive Brokers (Activity Flex Query import), Google Drive (file sync via OS) +2 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders |
Categories covered | 10 | 5 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 4 signals: Latency: 15-min Delayed and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +2 more | 3 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | Universe builder | 4 signals: Portfolio attribution, Rebalancing +2 more |
Security | — | Encryption at rest |
| Try it | Visit FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) | Visit Portfolio Performance |
Where each one shines
What FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance each do best.What FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) does best
- Track global equities, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, commodities, and currencies through FT market pages.
- Use watchlists, portfolio tracking, alerts, equity screeners, fund screeners, and a compound growth calculator from the markets tools hub.
- Build watchlists and manual portfolios with a free FT account, then connect instrument pages to related FT news.
- Set price or news alerts and manage delivery through the site or myFT email preferences.
- Use World Markets and sector pages for interactive charts, overlays, and performance comparisons.
What Portfolio Performance does best
- Track portfolios across accounts and securities accounts with purchases, sales, fees, taxes, dividends, transfers, and full transaction history.
- Measure performance with True-Time Weighted Rate of Return, Internal Rate of Return, drawdown, volatility, semivariance, charts, heat maps, and other risk/performance views.
- Use taxonomies and allocation charts to classify holdings by asset class, region, sector, strategy, or any custom structure.
- Use the rebalancing view to compare target and actual allocations and calculate portfolio deltas.
- Update historical prices through built-in providers, Yahoo Finance, JSON, CSV, and other quote sources, with ECB FX rates for foreign-currency accounts.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsBondsCommoditiesCurrencies | StocksETFsMutual FundsBondsCryptosCommoditiesOther |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | IntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail Traders |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | Not specified |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker and ISIN |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | 15-min DelayedEnd of Day | End of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Manual | CSVManual |
Integrations | Not specified | Interactive Brokers (Activity Flex Query import)Google Drive (file sync via OS)OneDrive (file sync via OS)iCloud (file sync via OS) |
Export formats | PDF | CSVJSONXML |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Encryption at rest |
Capability signals | Universe builder | Portfolio attributionRebalancingMulti-currencyCost basis: FIFO |
Vendor & support | The Financial Times Ltd.Country: United KingdomSupport: Email | Andreas BuchenCountry: GermanyFounded 2012Support: Email and 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 (Registered)” | Free“Desktop (Open Source)” |
| Entry paid plan | Subscription“FT Digital (Subscriber)” | Subscription“Premium (Mobile)” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance?
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) leans toward portfolio, watchlist, and alerts, while Portfolio Performance puts more weight on portfolio, watchlist, and data visualizations. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance cost?
Good news: both FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) or Portfolio Performance?
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. Both work fine once you're past the basics.
Should I choose FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) or Portfolio Performance?
It depends on what you're after. Pick FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) if alerts and compounding calculator matter to you; go with Portfolio Performance if you'd rather have performance attribution and risk metrics. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) also handles currencies. Portfolio Performance adds cryptos and other on top.
Can I export data from FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) and Portfolio Performance?
Portfolio Performance exports to CSV. FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) or Portfolio Performance?
FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Portfolio Performance doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with FT Markets (Markets data - Financial Times) or Portfolio Performance?
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.