VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Investopedia and The Motley Fool will find that Both Investopedia and The Motley Fool concentrate on News, Education, and Videos workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Investopedia leans into Paper Trading, and Stock Handbook, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. The Motley Fool stands out with Stock Ideas, Portfolio, and Watchlist that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
Investopedia vs The Motley Fool
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Investopedia adds Paper Trading, and Stock Handbook coverage that The Motley Fool skips.
- The Motley Fool includes Stock Ideas, Portfolio, Watchlist, and Blogs 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..
- The Motley Fool is known for: Stock Advisor membership includes two new stock recommendations per month, currently priced at $199/year, with a 30-day refund policy., Tiered memberships expand access: Epic ($499/year) adds research and scorecards; Epic Plus ($1,999/year) includes the real-money Moneyball Portfolio with daily guidance; Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year) provides access to Tom Gardner’s live portfolios; Fool One is an all-access bundle., and Mobile apps (iOS and Android) send instant notifications for new recommendations and service updates, plus tools to track “My Portfolios” and watchlists..
- The Motley Fool 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.
The Motley Fool
fool.com
A long-standing publisher and stock-picking service with both free content and premium memberships. The flagship Stock Advisor offers two new recommendations each month, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Higher tiers add more scorecards, tools, live model portfolios, and exclusive research. Mobile apps deliver real-time alerts for new picks and portfolio updates.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Stock Advisor membership includes two new stock recommendations per month, currently priced at $199/year, with a 30-day refund policy.
- Tiered memberships expand access: Epic ($499/year) adds research and scorecards; Epic Plus ($1,999/year) includes the real-money Moneyball Portfolio with daily guidance; Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year) provides access to Tom Gardner’s live portfolios; Fool One is an all-access bundle.
- Mobile apps (iOS and Android) send instant notifications for new recommendations and service updates, plus tools to track “My Portfolios” and watchlists.
- Personal portfolio and watchlist features let you add tickers and monitor performance inside the platform.
- Free market news, analysis articles, and daily podcasts such as Motley Fool Money.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
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.
The Motley Fool
Distinct strengths include:
- Stock Advisor membership includes two new stock recommendations per month, currently priced at $199/year, with a 30-day refund policy.
- Tiered memberships expand access: Epic ($499/year) adds research and scorecards; Epic Plus ($1,999/year) includes the real-money Moneyball Portfolio with daily guidance; Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year) provides access to Tom Gardner’s live portfolios; Fool One is an all-access bundle.
- Mobile apps (iOS and Android) send instant notifications for new recommendations and service updates, plus tools to track “My Portfolios” and watchlists.
- Personal portfolio and watchlist features let you add tickers and monitor performance inside the platform.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Investopedia | The Motley Fool |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: News, Education, Videos, Newsletters Unique: Paper Trading, Stock Handbook | Shared: News, Education, Videos, Newsletters Unique: Stock Ideas, Portfolio, Watchlist, Blogs |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Cryptos | 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, 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 | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Investopedia and The Motley Fool both support?
Both platforms cover News, Education, Videos, and Newsletters workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Investopedia and The Motley Fool require subscriptions?
Both Investopedia and The Motley Fool keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
The Motley Fool 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 The Motley Fool stands out for Stock Advisor membership includes two new stock recommendations per month, currently priced at $199/year, with a 30-day refund policy., Tiered memberships expand access: Epic ($499/year) adds research and scorecards; Epic Plus ($1,999/year) includes the real-money Moneyball Portfolio with daily guidance; Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year) provides access to Tom Gardner’s live portfolios; Fool One is an all-access bundle., and Mobile apps (iOS and Android) send instant notifications for new recommendations and service updates, plus tools to track “My Portfolios” and watchlists..
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.