★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: LIQN checked August 7, 2026
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs LIQN
Pick GuruFocus if
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about screeners, ETF screeners, and top analysts, things LIQN doesn't offer
Pick LIQN if
LIQN
Free · Web
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about factor exposure, risk metrics, and news sentiment, things GuruFocus 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
GuruFocus and LIQN cover a lot of the same ground (10 shared categories, including stock ideas, data visualizations, and quant), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 49 categories to LIQN's 14, including screeners, ETF screeners, and top analysts, plus a mobile app. LIQN counters by being completely free.
What readers say
GuruFocus
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
LIQN
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Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- LIQN
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus49 vs 14 categories
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- API access
- GuruFocus
- Broker sync
- GuruFocus
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 |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | 49 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 +47 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | No |
Broker sync | Yes | No |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data API, GuruFocus MCP Server +3 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +9 more | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +6 more |
Categories covered | 49 | 14 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +1 more |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 9 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +7 more | Factor exposure |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit LIQN |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and LIQN each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and LIQN each do best.What GuruFocus does best
- Research coverage for global stocks with long historical financials, valuation data, charts, comparisons, market valuation indicators, economic indicators, industry data, and company-level fundamentals.
- 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.
- ETF Screener and ETF GF Scores for filtering and comparing more than 5,000 U.S.
- Corporate and government bond screening by yield, maturity, ratings, coupon structure, outstanding amount, issuer, and industry, plus company-level bond tabs.
- Backtest screener strategies across many countries with configurable stock count, ranking metric, sort order, date range, and rebalance frequency; current membership terms give Premium the latest five years and Premium Plus/Professional history back to 2006.
What LIQN does best
- Monitoring thematic factors across 3,000+ U.S. equities in live list, grid, and heatmap views; the public site advertises 150+ factors and the authenticated product showed 224 during review.
- Reading Macro Pulse before individual factors, with regime classification, confidence, confirming and diverging factors, and a live top-stories panel.
- Five historical lenses for factor rotation, monthly-return seasonality, two-factor spread analysis, multi-factor comparison, and market-stress monitoring.
- Social IQ for daily X attention breakouts, post-volume surges relative to each ticker's baseline, co-mentions, and crowd sentiment context.
- Podcast AI for auto-summarized investment podcasts tagged by factor, ticker, entity, and sentiment, with expandable theses, quotes, and why-it-matters sections.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and LIQN, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and LIQN, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | StocksETFs |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Retail TradersPro RetailSwing TradersAnalystsQuants/DevelopersInstitutional InvestorsAsset ManagersHedge Funds |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | StreamingEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | MinuteEOD |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | Not specified |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Not specified |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Manual |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Not specified |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesCredit ratings+1 more | Factor exposure |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | Liquidation Nation |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 4/5Reliability 3/5UX 4/5 |
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“Current access” |
| Entry paid plan | $549/yr≈ $45.75/mo“Premium”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership · +2 more | — |
| Tier 2 | $1398/yr≈ $116.50/mo“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 · +12 more | — |
| Tier 4 | $2448/yr≈ $204/mo“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 · stock daily prices: $0.05/request · +16 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Custom API / Enterprise Package” | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between GuruFocus and LIQN?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while LIQN puts more weight on data visualizations, quant, and factor exposure. They overlap in 10 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and LIQN cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and LIQN have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use GuruFocus or LIQN on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. LIQN doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Does GuruFocus or LIQN have an API?
GuruFocus has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. LIQN doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose GuruFocus or LIQN?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if screeners and ETF screeners matter to you; go with LIQN if you'd rather have factor exposure and risk metrics. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and LIQN cover?
Both cover stocks and ETFs. GuruFocus also handles bonds, mutual funds, and options.
Does GuruFocus or LIQN have real-time data?
LIQN 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.
Which covers international markets: GuruFocus or LIQN?
GuruFocus has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, and more), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. LIQN is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and LIQN?
GuruFocus exports to CSV and Excel. LIQN is stingier about getting data out.
Can GuruFocus or LIQN connect to my broker?
GuruFocus syncs with brokers automatically. With LIQN, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or LIQN?
GuruFocus has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; LIQN doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or LIQN?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Feedback
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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.