Investopedia adds Education, Videos, and Stock Handbook coverage that MarketWatch skips.
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Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Investopedia vs MarketWatch comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
MarketWatch includes Alerts, Calendar, Screeners, Data Visualizations, Watchlist, Financials, Options, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, Analyst Price Targets, Insider Data, Short Interest, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, and IPO categories that Investopedia omits.
Investopedia highlights: Extensive financial dictionary (14,000+ definitions) and more than 36,000 articles, attracting over 40 million monthly readers., Free paper-trading Simulator with $100k in virtual cash, supporting market, limit, and stop orders on delayed data (~20 minutes)., and Assets supported in the Simulator include stocks, options, ETFs, and select cryptocurrencies, limited to NYSE and Nasdaq listings..
MarketWatch is known for: Market data hub with stock and market screeners, mutual fund research, fund comparison, and multi-quote lookup tools., Personal watchlists available free with an account; syncs across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts., and Comprehensive event calendars, including U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPO schedules, and options-expiration dates..
MarketWatch offers mobile access, which Investopedia skips.
Investopedia
investopedia.com
Free financial education site best known for its dictionary, guides, and market explainers. Includes a paper-trading Simulator with $100k virtual cash that supports stocks, ETFs, options, and select crypto on NYSE/Nasdaq (quotes delayed ~20–30 minutes). Investopedia Academy courses were discontinued in June 2024, with past purchasers given access instructions via email.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Extensive financial dictionary (14,000+ definitions) and more than 36,000 articles, attracting over 40 million monthly readers.
- Free paper-trading Simulator with $100k in virtual cash, supporting market, limit, and stop orders on delayed data (~20 minutes).
- Assets supported in the Simulator include stocks, options, ETFs, and select cryptocurrencies, limited to NYSE and Nasdaq listings.
- Option to create public or private games with configurable rules such as margin use, short selling, or options trading, plus leaderboards.
- Built-in research tools, price charts, company information, and a stock screener integrated with the Simulator.
Community votes (overall)
MarketWatch
marketwatch.com
A global financial-news portal from Dow Jones that combines market data, news, analysis, and investor tools. Real-time Nasdaq last-sale quotes are included, while most other intraday prices run on a standard 15-minute delay. Premium newsletters and in-depth articles are gated behind a subscription. Mobile apps extend the experience with push alerts and watchlist syncing.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Market data hub with stock and market screeners, mutual fund research, fund comparison, and multi-quote lookup tools.
- Personal watchlists available free with an account; syncs across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts.
- Comprehensive event calendars, including U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPO schedules, and options-expiration dates.
- BigCharts advanced charting platform with multiple timeframes (intraday to monthly) and technical overlays; intraday data typically delayed 15 minutes.
- Options coverage with full chains per symbol and an expiration calendar.
Community votes (overall)
Shared focus areas
3 overlapsMutual strengths include News, Paper Trading, and Newsletters.
Where they differ
Investopedia
Distinct strengths include:
- Extensive financial dictionary (14,000+ definitions) and more than 36,000 articles, attracting over 40 million monthly readers.
- Free paper-trading Simulator with $100k in virtual cash, supporting market, limit, and stop orders on delayed data (~20 minutes).
- Assets supported in the Simulator include stocks, options, ETFs, and select cryptocurrencies, limited to NYSE and Nasdaq listings.
- Option to create public or private games with configurable rules such as margin use, short selling, or options trading, plus leaderboards.
MarketWatch
Distinct strengths include:
- Market data hub with stock and market screeners, mutual fund research, fund comparison, and multi-quote lookup tools.
- Personal watchlists available free with an account; syncs across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts.
- Comprehensive event calendars, including U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPO schedules, and options-expiration dates.
- BigCharts advanced charting platform with multiple timeframes (intraday to monthly) and technical overlays; intraday data typically delayed 15 minutes.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Attribute | Investopedia | MarketWatch |
---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: News, Paper Trading, Newsletters Unique: Education, Videos, Stock Handbook | Shared: News, Paper Trading, Newsletters Unique: Alerts, Calendar, Screeners, Data Visualizations, Watchlist, Financials, Options, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, Analyst Price Targets, Insider Data, Short Interest, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, IPO |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Cryptos | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Options, Futures, Commodities, Currencies, Cryptos, Bonds |
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 | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Yes | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Investopedia and MarketWatch both support?
Both platforms cover News, Paper Trading, and Newsletters workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Investopedia and MarketWatch require subscriptions?
Both Investopedia and MarketWatch keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
MarketWatch ships a dedicated mobile experience, while Investopedia focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Investopedia differentiates itself with Extensive financial dictionary (14,000+ definitions) and more than 36,000 articles, attracting over 40 million monthly readers., Free paper-trading Simulator with $100k in virtual cash, supporting market, limit, and stop orders on delayed data (~20 minutes)., and Assets supported in the Simulator include stocks, options, ETFs, and select cryptocurrencies, limited to NYSE and Nasdaq listings., whereas MarketWatch stands out for Market data hub with stock and market screeners, mutual fund research, fund comparison, and multi-quote lookup tools., Personal watchlists available free with an account; syncs across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts., and Comprehensive event calendars, including U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPO schedules, and options-expiration dates..
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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.