Google Finance adds Watchlist, Portfolio, and Stock Comparison coverage that OpenBB skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Google Finance vs OpenBB comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
OpenBB includes APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Custom Dashboards, Data APIs, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Interest Rates, GDP, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Transcripts, ETF Performance, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, and AI Chat 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)..
OpenBB is known for: REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows..
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.
Community votes (overall)
OpenBB
openbb.co
Open-source data and analytics platform with a REST API, Python SDK, and an enterprise workspace for custom dashboards and apps. The free Community plan includes unlimited dashboards and 20 AI Copilot queries per day. Pro adds collaboration features, Excel integration, secure deployment (VPC/on-prem), and export options. Infrastructure is SOC 2 Type II certified, with SSO support and a public status page.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
- Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
- Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
- Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
- OpenBB Copilot AI chat that integrates dashboard widgets as context and supports attachments (PDF, CSV, XLSX).
Community votes (overall)
Shared focus areas
5 overlapsMutual strengths include News, Data Visualizations, and Financials plus 2 more areas.
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.
OpenBB
Distinct strengths include:
- REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
- Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
- Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
- Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Attribute | Google Finance | OpenBB |
---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: News, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings Unique: Watchlist, Portfolio, Stock Comparison | Shared: News, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings Unique: APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Custom Dashboards, Data APIs, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Interest Rates, GDP, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Transcripts, ETF Performance, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, AI Chat |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Currencies, Cryptos, Futures, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Cryptos |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | 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 | Yes | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Highlighted | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Google Finance and OpenBB both support?
Both platforms cover News, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, and ETF Holdings workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Google Finance and OpenBB require subscriptions?
Both Google Finance and OpenBB keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access Google Finance and OpenBB?
Both Google Finance and OpenBB 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 OpenBB stands out for REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows..
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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.