★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
Pick GuruFocus if
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You care about stock ideas, ETF screeners, and top analysts, things Interactive Brokers (IBKR) doesn't offer
Pick Interactive Brokers (IBKR) if
Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
Free • Paid plans available · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing, things GuruFocus doesn't offer
- You trade often and need tooling built for speed
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
GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) cover a lot of the same ground (6 shared categories, including screeners, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 48 categories to Interactive Brokers (IBKR)'s 14, including stock ideas, ETF screeners, and top analysts. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) counters by being completely free.
What readers say
GuruFocus
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
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Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus48 vs 14 categories
- Desktop app
- Interactive Brokers (IBKR)
- 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 • From $549/yr | Free • Paid plans available |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | 41 limits: Free: portfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members, Free: data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package +39 more | 8 limits: UK / Europe Stocks and ETFs: commission: £3/€3 per Western European stock or ETF trade at typical trade sizes;..., US Stocks and ETFs - IBKR Pro: tiered commission: USD 0.0005 to USD 0.0035 per share +6 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | Yes | — |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data API, GuruFocus MCP Server +3 more | TradingView, Quicken +2 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +9 more | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +7 more |
Categories covered | 48 | 14 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming and Real-time, Granularity: Tick +1 more |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 8 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +6 more | 7 signals: Multi-leg options, Greeks +5 more |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | Status page and Encryption in transit |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit Interactive Brokers (IBKR) |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) each do best.What GuruFocus does best
- Research global stocks with long historical financials, valuation data, charts, comparisons, market valuation indicators, economic indicators, industry data, and company-level fundamentals.
- Use the All-in-One Screener with hundreds of filters across fundamentals, valuation, profitability, growth, dividends, guru holdings, insider trades, predefined value screens, custom filters, saved screens, and downloads.
- Backtest screener strategies across many countries with configurable stock count, ranking metric, sort order, date range, and rebalance frequency.
- Use GF Score to compare stocks through a 0-100 framework built around financial strength, profitability, growth, valuation, and momentum.
- Use GF Value to frame fair value from historical multiples, past returns, and analyst estimates, then classify stocks by valuation range.
What Interactive Brokers (IBKR) does best
- Trade stocks, ETFs, options, futures, futures options, spot FX, bonds, mutual funds, commodities, structured products, CFDs, crypto-related products, and spot crypto where jurisdiction allows.
- Use Client Portal, Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader, paper trading, and API access depending on the workflow.
- Use IB SmartRouting, advanced order types, conditional orders, bracket workflows, options combos, and algorithmic order tools across supported products.
- Use TWS API, Web API, REST, WebSocket market-data streaming, FIX-style workflows, Flex Web Service, and programmatic reports for automation and reporting.
- Practice with paper trading after opening an approved live account, using separate credentials and simulated buying power.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR), side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR), side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | StocksETFsOptionsFuturesCurrenciesBondsMutual FundsCommodities+2 more |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsDay TradersSwing TradersAlgo TradersLong-term InvestorsFinancial Advisors+1 more |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | StreamingReal-time |
Data granularity | EOD | Tick |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | RESTWebSocket |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Auth: OAuth2SDKs: Python3,000 req/minDocs |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | TradingViewQuickenTradelogCapTools |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | PDFCSVXML |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Status pageEncryption in transit |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesAI summaries: Transcripts | Multi-leg optionsGreeksVaR/ESPerformance attributionPortfolio attributionRebalancingMulti-currency |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | Interactive Brokers (U.K.) LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Chat and Phone |
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 | Freeportfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members · data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package · +1 more | Free“Brokerage Account” |
| Entry paid plan | $549/yr≈ $45.75/mo“Premium”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership · +2 more | Subscription“Market Data Subscriptions”note: Real-time, Level II, and exchange market data subscriptions vary by m... |
| Tier 2 | $1398/yr≈ $116.50/mo“Plus / Premium Plus”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 500/month included with Premium Plus membership · +2 more | — |
| Tier 3 | $200/mo“Data API Builder”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +10 more | — |
| Tier 4 | $2448/yr≈ $204/mo“Pro / Professional”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 2,000/month included with Professional membership | — |
| Tier 5 | $2000/mo“Data API Commercial”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +1 more | — |
| Top plan | $100 per unit“Data API Pay As You Go”initial top up: $100 credit · company profile: $0.10/request · +10 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Custom API / Enterprise Package” | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while Interactive Brokers (IBKR) puts more weight on brokerage, advanced order types, and smart/direct routing. They overlap in 6 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Do GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose GuruFocus or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and ETF screeners matter to you; go with Interactive Brokers (IBKR) if you'd rather have brokerage and advanced order types. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, bonds, and mutual funds. GuruFocus also handles funds. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) adds futures, currencies, and commodities on top.
Does GuruFocus or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) have real-time data?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. GuruFocus 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 GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Is GuruFocus or Interactive Brokers (IBKR) better for day trading?
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is the one positioned more for active traders. GuruFocus is the better fit if you care less about fast trading workflows and more about a calmer research process.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Both GuruFocus and Interactive Brokers (IBKR) include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power; try both and see which one clicks for you.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or Interactive Brokers (IBKR)?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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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.