★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs USAspending
Start here
GuruFocus
Best for stock ideas and screeners
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API · 21% positive (14 votes)
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, things USAspending doesn't offer
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick USAspending instead if
USAspending
Best for other and official sources
Free · Web · API
- You care about other and official sources, 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.
The verdict
The bottom line
GuruFocus and USAspending cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, data visualizations, APIs & data feeds, and videos), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 48 categories to USAspending's 5, including stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, plus a mobile app. USAspending counters by being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus48 vs 5 categories
- Global coverage
- GuruFocus
- Asset coverage
- GuruFocusAdds stocks and ETFs
- Free plan
- Both
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $549/yr | Free |
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 | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | Yes | — |
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 | — |
Categories covered | 48 | 5 |
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 | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 8 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +6 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | Data residency: US |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit USAspending |
Standout features
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 USAspending does best
- Search federal awards, recipients, agencies, federal accounts, contracts, grants, loans, direct payments, insurance, and other assistance records.
- Use Advanced Search filters such as award type, date, place of performance, NAICS, PSC, Assistance Listing, agency, recipient, and disaster-emergency funding codes.
- Explore top-down spending through Spending Explorer, agency profiles, and federal-account profiles before drilling into awards and recipients.
- Use the public REST API V2 with JSON responses for award and account workflows; current endpoint docs say authorization is not required.
- Download data through award archives, custom award downloads, custom account downloads, Advanced Search exports, award profile downloads, and the full database download.
Data & access details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: US |
| 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: None |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Data residency: US |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesAI summaries: Transcripts | Not specified |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | U.S. Department of the Treasury – Bureau of the Fiscal ServiceCountry: USSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 5/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing breakdown
$549/yr
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- portfolio 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
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership
- +2 more
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 500/month included with Premium Plus membership
- +2 more
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 2,000/month included with Professional membership
- requests: 100/month
- billing: Billed annually
- monthly request limit: No limit
- +10 more
- billing: Billed annually
- monthly request limit: No limit
- +1 more
- initial top up: $100 credit
- company profile: $0.10/request
- +10 more
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
3Where the two tools cover the same ground.
GuruFocus strengths
45What you only get with GuruFocus.
USAspending strengths
2What you only get with USAspending.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between GuruFocus and USAspending?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while USAspending puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and videos. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and USAspending cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and USAspending have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use GuruFocus or USAspending on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. USAspending doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do GuruFocus and USAspending 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 USAspending?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and screeners matter to you; go with USAspending if you'd rather have other and official sources. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and USAspending cover?
Both cover other. GuruFocus also handles stocks, ETFs, and bonds.
Which covers international markets: GuruFocus or USAspending?
GuruFocus has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, and more), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. USAspending is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and USAspending?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or USAspending?
GuruFocus has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; USAspending doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or USAspending?
GuruFocus handles portfolio tracking. USAspending is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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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.