★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs MSN Money
Start here
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, things MSN Money doesn't offer
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Pick MSN Money instead if
MSN Money
Free · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about retirement calculator, something GuruFocus doesn't offer
Already use these? The faster win is ranked stock ideas or the free-tools shortlist.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
GuruFocus and MSN Money cover a lot of the same ground (7 shared categories, including watchlist, news, and calendar), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 49 categories to MSN Money's 8, including stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners. MSN Money counters by being completely free.
What readers say
GuruFocus
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
MSN Money
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- MSN Money
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus49 vs 8 categories
- Desktop app
- MSN Money
- 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 |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
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 |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +9 more | — |
Categories covered | 49 | 8 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 9 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +7 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit MSN Money |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and MSN Money each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and MSN Money 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 MSN Money does best
- Reading access to free finance and business news aggregated from a broad publisher network in an ad-supported Microsoft-owned experience.
- Tracking stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds in customizable watchlists, with syncing across MSN web and mobile when signed into a Microsoft account.
- Stock quote pages for charts, fundamentals, related news, and stock Grades sourced from third-party providers.
- Views for reviewing earnings calendar and estimates data powered by Zacks Investment Research.
- Fundamentals, charts, and fund data supplied by Refinitiv, OTC coverage from OTC Markets, and Grades from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and MSN Money, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and MSN Money, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | StocksETFsMutual FundsCommoditiesCurrencies |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediate |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | 27 exchangesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
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 | Not specified |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | Microsoft CorporationCountry: United StatesSupport: Email |
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 |
| 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 MSN Money?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while MSN Money puts more weight on news, calendar, and watchlist. They overlap in 7 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and MSN Money cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and MSN Money have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: GuruFocus or MSN Money?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Does GuruFocus or MSN Money have an API?
GuruFocus has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. MSN Money doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose GuruFocus or MSN Money?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and screeners matter to you; go with MSN Money if you'd rather have retirement calculator. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and MSN Money cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. GuruFocus also handles bonds, options, and funds. MSN Money adds commodities and currencies on top.
Does GuruFocus or MSN Money have real-time data?
MSN Money 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 MSN Money?
GuruFocus exports to CSV and Excel. MSN Money is stingier about getting data out.
Can GuruFocus or MSN Money connect to my broker?
GuruFocus syncs with brokers automatically. With MSN Money, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or MSN Money?
GuruFocus has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; MSN Money doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or MSN Money?
GuruFocus handles portfolio tracking. MSN Money is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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