★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs PortfoliosLab
Pick GuruFocus if
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about stock ideas, top analysts, and institutional ownership, things PortfoliosLab doesn't offer
Pick PortfoliosLab if
PortfoliosLab
Free • From $8.33/mo · Web · API
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $8.33/mo instead of $45.75/mo
- You care about risk metrics, factor exposure, and performance attribution, 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 PortfoliosLab cover a lot of the same ground (14 shared categories, including screeners, ETF screeners, and stock comparison), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 49 categories to PortfoliosLab's 17, including stock ideas, top analysts, and institutional ownership, plus a mobile app. PortfoliosLab counters by starting cheaper at $8.33/mo.
What readers say
GuruFocus
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
PortfoliosLab
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- PortfoliosLab$8.33/mo vs $45.75/mo
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus49 vs 17 categories
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Broker sync
- GuruFocus
- 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 • From $8.33/mo |
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 | 23 limits: Free: watchlists: 1, Free: watchlist symbols: 100 +21 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | Yes | No |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data API, GuruFocus MCP Server +3 more | MCP, ChatGPT +1 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 | 17 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | 3 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 9 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +7 more | 6 signals: Factor exposure, VaR/ES +4 more |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit PortfoliosLab |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab does best
- Backtest portfolios and single instruments with configurable rebalancing, benchmark comparisons, and longer historical windows on paid plans.
- Analysis of performance, drawdowns, volatility, VaR, CVaR, Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, Martin, Treynor, and related risk-adjusted ratios.
- Comparison tools for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, funds, crypto, and currency instruments across performance, risk, drawdown, and diversification views.
- Correlation, alpha/beta, factor, diversification, and optimization tools including mean-variance, risk parity, HRP, and HERC models.
- Screening for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds with daily-recalculated filters, then export results where the selected plan allows it.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | StocksETFsMutual FundsFundsCryptosCurrencies |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsLong-term InvestorsIndex/Passive InvestorsQuants/DevelopersAnalystsFinancial Advisors |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: US and GBIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | End of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Auth: NoneDocs |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | ManualCSV |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | MCPChatGPTClaude |
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 exposureVaR/ESPerformance attributionRebalancingPortfolio factor exposureCorrelation |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | PortfoliosLabSupport: 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 | Freewatchlists: 1 · watchlist symbols: 100 · +4 more |
| Entry paid plan | $549/yr≈ $45.75/mo“Premium”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership · +2 more | $8.33/mo“Plus”watchlists: 5 · private portfolios: 5 · +3 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 | $20.83/mo“Pro”watchlists: 10 · private portfolios: Unlimited · +3 more |
| Tier 3 | $200/mo“Data API Builder”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +12 more | $75/mo“Max”watchlists: 10 · watchlist symbols: 2,000 · +5 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 PortfoliosLab?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while PortfoliosLab puts more weight on portfolio, watchlist, and backtesting. They overlap in 14 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use GuruFocus or PortfoliosLab on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. PortfoliosLab doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and top analysts matter to you; go with PortfoliosLab if you'd rather have risk metrics and factor exposure. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and funds. GuruFocus also handles bonds, options, and other. PortfoliosLab adds cryptos and currencies on top.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab?
GuruFocus exports to CSV and Excel. PortfoliosLab is stingier about getting data out.
Can GuruFocus or PortfoliosLab connect to my broker?
GuruFocus syncs with brokers automatically. With PortfoliosLab, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Are GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab good for long-term investing?
Yes, both are aimed squarely at long-term investors. Compare their coverage, workflow, and price before assuming they solve the same long-term research job.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or PortfoliosLab?
Both GuruFocus and PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Keep researching
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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.