VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Google Finance and Main Street Data will find that Both Google Finance and Main Street Data concentrate on Watchlist, Stock Comparison, and Data Visualizations workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Google Finance leans into Portfolio, News, and ETF Overview, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Main Street Data stands out with Screeners, Calendar, and Transcripts 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
Google Finance vs Main Street Data
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Google Finance adds Portfolio, News, ETF Overview, and ETF Holdings coverage that Main Street Data skips.
- Main Street Data includes Screeners, Calendar, Transcripts, Analyst Forecasts, and Interest Rates categories that Google Finance omits.
- Google Finance highlights: Custom watchlists to follow securities and markets, with tailored news feeds for tracked symbols., Simple portfolio tools: add holdings with quantity, cost basis, and date; convert watchlists to portfolios; experiment with simulated “playground” portfolios; switch portfolio currency., and Performance tracking with one-day and total returns, plus portfolio value charts. Comparisons are based on time-weighted rate of return (TWR)..
- Main Street Data is known for: Visual dashboards and customizable curated charts for listed companies., Stock screener with simplified charting for fundamentals and performance., and KPI library with 1,100+ company-specific operating metrics, over 10 years of history, and updates within hours of earnings releases (with retroactive adjustments for reporting changes)..
Google Finance
google.com
Free web portal for quotes, charts, news, watchlists, and simple portfolio tracking. Portfolios can include stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and crypto, with returns shown using time-weighted calculations. Data freshness varies by source: some exchanges stream in real time, while others are delayed (e.g., 15 minutes for many equities, 10 minutes for CME futures, end-of-day for mutual funds). Currency and crypto quotes update every few minutes. Google Sheets supports the GOOGLEFINANCE() function for live data pulls, though no public REST API is offered.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Custom watchlists to follow securities and markets, with tailored news feeds for tracked symbols.
- Simple portfolio tools: add holdings with quantity, cost basis, and date; convert watchlists to portfolios; experiment with simulated “playground” portfolios; switch portfolio currency.
- Performance tracking with one-day and total returns, plus portfolio value charts. Comparisons are based on time-weighted rate of return (TWR).
- Interactive charts, quotes, and aggregated financial news across global markets.
- Coverage across multiple asset classes with varied latency: U.S. equities often real-time, international equities typically 15-minute delay, futures about 10 minutes, crypto and currencies ~3 minutes, and mutual funds end-of-day.
Main Street Data
mainstreetdata.com
Visual-first stock research platform with two tiers: Starter (free) includes curated charts, 10 years of financials, basic charting, and an earnings calendar. The Plus plan ($468/year) adds a KPI library, 30+ years of financial data, advanced charting, company comparisons, call transcripts, analyst estimates, calendar sync, curated groups, and multiple watchlists.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Visual dashboards and customizable curated charts for listed companies.
- Stock screener with simplified charting for fundamentals and performance.
- KPI library with 1,100+ company-specific operating metrics, over 10 years of history, and updates within hours of earnings releases (with retroactive adjustments for reporting changes).
- Standardized financials sourced from Finnhub (with Financial Modeling Prep referenced in pricing materials). KPI data comes directly from SEC filings and company reports.
- Earnings calendar included in the free plan; calendar sync available in Plus.
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
Google Finance
Distinct strengths include:
- Custom watchlists to follow securities and markets, with tailored news feeds for tracked symbols.
- Simple portfolio tools: add holdings with quantity, cost basis, and date; convert watchlists to portfolios; experiment with simulated “playground” portfolios; switch portfolio currency.
- Performance tracking with one-day and total returns, plus portfolio value charts. Comparisons are based on time-weighted rate of return (TWR).
- Interactive charts, quotes, and aggregated financial news across global markets.
Main Street Data
Distinct strengths include:
- Visual dashboards and customizable curated charts for listed companies.
- Stock screener with simplified charting for fundamentals and performance.
- KPI library with 1,100+ company-specific operating metrics, over 10 years of history, and updates within hours of earnings releases (with retroactive adjustments for reporting changes).
- Standardized financials sourced from Finnhub (with Financial Modeling Prep referenced in pricing materials). KPI data comes directly from SEC filings and company reports.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Google Finance | Main Street Data |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Watchlist, Stock Comparison, Data Visualizations, Financials Unique: Portfolio, News, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings | Shared: Watchlist, Stock Comparison, Data Visualizations, Financials Unique: Screeners, Calendar, Transcripts, Analyst Forecasts, Interest Rates |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Currencies, Cryptos, Futures, Bonds | Stocks |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | Web |
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 | Yes | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Highlighted | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Google Finance and Main Street Data both support?
Both platforms cover Watchlist, Stock Comparison, Data Visualizations, and Financials workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Google Finance and Main Street Data require subscriptions?
Both Google Finance and Main Street Data keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access Google Finance and Main Street Data?
Both Google Finance and Main Street Data 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?
Google Finance differentiates itself with Custom watchlists to follow securities and markets, with tailored news feeds for tracked symbols., Simple portfolio tools: add holdings with quantity, cost basis, and date; convert watchlists to portfolios; experiment with simulated “playground” portfolios; switch portfolio currency., and Performance tracking with one-day and total returns, plus portfolio value charts. Comparisons are based on time-weighted rate of return (TWR)., whereas Main Street Data stands out for Visual dashboards and customizable curated charts for listed companies., Stock screener with simplified charting for fundamentals and performance., and KPI library with 1,100+ company-specific operating metrics, over 10 years of history, and updates within hours of earnings releases (with retroactive adjustments for reporting changes)..
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.