IBorrowDesk adds Short Interest coverage that InsideArbitrage skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Tool Comparison
IBorrowDesk vs InsideArbitrage comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
InsideArbitrage includes News, Calendar, Acquisitions, Spin-offs, Buybacks & Authorizations, Dividends, Splits, Insider Data, Institutional Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Screeners, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Blogs, Newsletters, Videos, Playbooks & Case Studies, and PDF Annotation categories that IBorrowDesk omits.
In depth comparison
IBorrowDesk
iborrowdesk.com
Tracks stock-loan availability and borrow fee data as reported by Interactive Brokers (IBKR). Updates roughly every 15 minutes during North American trading hours and hourly elsewhere on weekdays. The data reflects IBKR only and not the wider market. The site is unaffiliated with IBKR; displayed quotes are provided by IEX. A paid Patron tier adds longer history, CSV exports, and more tracking capacity.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets.
- Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays.
- Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts.
- Patron plan ($10/month) unlocks 5+ years of history versus 1 year on free, enables CSV historical export, and expands watchlist capacity to ~50 securities.
- Scope limited to Interactive Brokers—availability and fees may differ across other brokers.
Community votes (overall)
InsideArbitrage
insidearbitrage.com
Event‑driven research platform by Asif Suria focused on merger arbitrage, insider transactions, spinoffs, buybacks, activists, and related special situations. Premium includes tools like the Merger Arbitrage Tool, CVR database, buyback & spinoff trackers, premium screens (IA Score, cluster buys, ‘double dipper’), ‘Deals‑in‑the‑Works’ and deal calendars. IA Professional adds pro‑only features (e.g., CVR outcomes, activist tracker, reverse‑splits tracker, Insider Performance Score) and multi‑seat licensing.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems.
- Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map.
- Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks).
- Spinoff suite: upcoming/completed spinoffs and ‘Spinsider’ screen; CVR deals database with outcomes.
- Gurus/Institutional holdings pages aggregating 13F/13D/13G and Form 4 into manager dashboards.
Community votes (overall)
Where they differ
IBorrowDesk
Distinct strengths include:
- Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets.
- Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays.
- Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts.
- Patron plan ($10/month) unlocks 5+ years of history versus 1 year on free, enables CSV historical export, and expands watchlist capacity to ~50 securities.
InsideArbitrage
Distinct strengths include:
- Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems.
- Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map.
- Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks).
- Spinoff suite: upcoming/completed spinoffs and ‘Spinsider’ screen; CVR deals database with outcomes.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | IBorrowDesk | InsideArbitrage |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Watchlist, Alerts Unique: Short Interest | Shared: Watchlist, Alerts Unique: News, Calendar, Acquisitions, Spin-offs, Buybacks & Authorizations, Dividends, Splits, Insider Data, Institutional Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Screeners, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Blogs, Newsletters, Videos, Playbooks & Case Studies, PDF Annotation |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs | Stocks, ETFs |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | Web |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do IBorrowDesk and InsideArbitrage both support?
Both platforms cover Watchlist, and Alerts workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do IBorrowDesk and InsideArbitrage require subscriptions?
Both IBorrowDesk and InsideArbitrage keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access IBorrowDesk and InsideArbitrage?
Both IBorrowDesk and InsideArbitrage prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
IBorrowDesk differentiates itself with Borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability, sourced directly from Interactive Brokers public datasets., Intraday refresh cadence: ~15 minutes during North American trading hours; hourly outside of them on weekdays., and Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts., whereas InsideArbitrage stands out for Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems., Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map., and Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks)..
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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.