★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: Lightyear checked July 16, 2026
Tool Comparison
Koyfin vs Lightyear
Start here
Koyfin
Free • From $39/mo · Web · Mobile
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about screeners, ETF screeners, and custom dashboards, things Lightyear doesn't offer
Pick Lightyear instead if
Lightyear
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile
- You care about brokerage and stock ideas, things Koyfin doesn't offer
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
Koyfin and Lightyear cover a lot of the same ground (6 shared categories, including data visualizations, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Koyfin simply does more: 20 categories to Lightyear's 8, including screeners, ETF screeners, and custom dashboards. Lightyear counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
Koyfin
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Lightyear
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Koyfin
- Broader coverage
- Koyfin20 vs 8 categories
- Real-time data
- Koyfin
- Broker sync
- Koyfin
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $39/mo | Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 24 limits: Free: watchlists: 2, Free: screens: 2 +22 more | 5 limits: Currency conversion: fee percent: 0.35, Crypto order: fee percent: 0.45 +3 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | Yes | No |
Integrations | Schwab, Altruist +6 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +6 more | Retail Traders, Long-term Investors +1 more |
Categories covered | 20 | 8 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day and Adjustments: TotalReturn | — |
Data partners | 6 partners: S&P Global Market Intelligence, Morningstar +4 more | 3 partners: Alpaca, BlackRock +1 more |
Capabilities | 7 signals: Universe builder, Broker sync +5 more | Multi-currency |
Security | 4 signals: SOC2, Data residency: US +2 more | — |
| Try it | Visit Koyfin | Visit Lightyear |
Where each one shines
What Koyfin and Lightyear each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Koyfin and Lightyear each do best.What Koyfin does best
- Tools for building customizable dashboards, watchlists, charts, and market monitors across global equities, ETFs, funds, fixed income, FX, commodities, crypto, indices, and economics.
- Screening for more than 100,000 global securities with thousands of criteria, with stock and ETF screening on paid plans and mutual-fund screening in Advisor tiers.
- Advanced charts with technical indicators, fundamentals, valuation measures, analyst estimates, price targets, templates, sharing, and downloads where vendor licenses allow.
- Research coverage for companies with financial analysis pages, customizable financial templates, news, filings, transcripts, analyst data, short interest, and AI transcript summaries on paid plans.
- Tracking portfolios with grouping, notes, summary rows, alerts, custom data series, uploaded CSV price history, and mobile portfolio monitoring.
What Lightyear does best
- Investment access for in US, UK, and European stocks, with fractional availability where supported.
- ETF access with no Lightyear execution or custody fee, while still accounting for fund manager fees.
- Hold GBP, USD, and EUR in a multi-currency account to reduce repeated FX conversions.
- Ready-made plans or build custom plans for recurring structured investing.
- Access to Lightyear AI and in-app tools for lighter research support around investable assets.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Koyfin and Lightyear, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Koyfin and Lightyear, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsClosed-End FundsBondsCurrenciesCommoditiesFutures+1 more | StocksETFsBondsFundsCryptos |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediate |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsAsset ManagersFinancial AdvisorsRIAs / Wealth FirmsStudents/Researchers | Retail TradersLong-term InvestorsIndex/Passive Investors |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: US, GB, and EEExchanges: XNYS, XNAS, and XLONIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day | Not specified |
Data partners | S&P Global Market IntelligenceMorningstarFREDTrading EconomicsTrueFXPolygon.io | AlpacaBlackRockJ.P. Morgan Asset Management |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | ManualCSVCustodian | Manual |
Integrations | SchwabAltruistTradePMRInteractive BrokersBlack DiamondOrionFidelityAddepar | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVImagePDF | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | SOC2Data residency: USEncryption at restEncryption in transit | Not specified |
Capability signals | Universe builderBroker syncYield curvesAI summaries: TranscriptsHouseholdingModel portfoliosClient reporting | Multi-currency |
Vendor & support | Koyfin, Inc.Country: United StatesFounded 2016Support: Email | Lightyear Financial Ltd.Country: United KingdomSupport: Email and Chat |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freewatchlists: 2 · screens: 2 · +5 more | Free“Free account” |
| Entry paid plan | $39/mo“Plus”financials years: 10 · estimates years: 10 · +5 more | — |
| Tier 2 | $79/mo“Premium”alerts: 500 · custom securities: Unlimited | — |
| Tier 3 | $209/mo“Advisor Core”alerts: 500 · reports per month: 10 · +2 more | — |
| Top plan | $299/mo“Advisor Pro”alerts: 500 · reports per month: 200 · +2 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Teams” | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Koyfin and Lightyear?
Koyfin leans toward screeners, ETF screeners, and data visualizations, while Lightyear puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 6 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Koyfin or Lightyear free to use?
Koyfin has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Lightyear is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Koyfin and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Which is better for beginners: Koyfin or Lightyear?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Should I choose Koyfin or Lightyear?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Koyfin if screeners and ETF screeners matter to you; go with Lightyear if you'd rather have brokerage and stock ideas. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Koyfin and Lightyear cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, bonds, and cryptos. Koyfin also handles mutual funds, closed-end funds, and currencies. Lightyear adds funds on top.
Does Koyfin or Lightyear have real-time data?
Koyfin offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Lightyear runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Can I export data from Koyfin and Lightyear?
Koyfin exports to CSV. Lightyear is stingier about getting data out.
Can Koyfin or Lightyear connect to my broker?
Koyfin syncs with brokers automatically. With Lightyear, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: Koyfin or Lightyear?
Koyfin has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Lightyear doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Koyfin or Lightyear?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Keep researching
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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.