IBorrowDesk adds Short Interest coverage that Smartkarma skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Monday, October 6, 2025
Head-to-head
IBorrowDesk vs Smartkarma comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Smartkarma includes Stock Ideas, Screeners, News, Calendar, AI, Videos, Newsletters, and Blogs categories that IBorrowDesk omits.
IBorrowDesk 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., and Per-ticker pages show recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, plus options to add tickers to a watchlist or set alerts..
Smartkarma is known for: AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts., SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap., and Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics..
Smartkarma offers mobile access, which IBorrowDesk skips.
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)
Smartkarma
smartkarma.com
An AI-augmented investment intelligence platform that combines independent research, data tools, and real-time alerts. Access is plan-gated: the flagship Pro Platform costs USD 10,950/year per user and is available to accredited or professional investors; Premium and Data subscriptions are available on request, while separate offerings exist for Corporate Digital IR and Plus platforms. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts.
- SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap.
- Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics.
- Personalised watchlists and real-time notifications, with opt-in email alerts when relevant insights are published.
- Research is distributed simultaneously on the platform, via alerts/email, and syndicated to Bloomberg Terminal.
Community votes (overall)
Shared focus areas
2 overlapsMutual strengths include Watchlist, and Alerts.
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.
Smartkarma
Distinct strengths include:
- AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts.
- SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap.
- Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics.
- Personalised watchlists and real-time notifications, with opt-in email alerts when relevant insights are published.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Attribute | IBorrowDesk | Smartkarma |
---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Watchlist, Alerts Unique: Short Interest | Shared: Watchlist, Alerts Unique: Stock Ideas, Screeners, News, Calendar, AI, Videos, Newsletters, Blogs |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Currencies, Cryptos |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | Web, Mobile |
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 Smartkarma 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 Smartkarma require subscriptions?
Both IBorrowDesk and Smartkarma keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
Smartkarma ships a dedicated mobile experience, while IBorrowDesk focuses on web or desktop access.
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 Smartkarma stands out for AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts., SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap., and Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics..
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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.