★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: Lightyear checked June 25, 2026
Tool Comparison
Koyfin vs Lightyear
Koyfin
Best for screeners and ETF screeners
Free • From $39/mo
Lightyear
Best for brokerage and stock ideas
Free
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The verdict
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 being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Koyfin
- Broader coverage
- Koyfin20 vs 8 categories
- Broker sync
- Koyfin
- Free plan
- Both
Choose
Koyfin if…
- 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
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Choose
Lightyear if…
- 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
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $39/mo | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 24 limits: Free: watchlists: 2, Free: screens: 2 +22 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 |
Standout features
What Koyfin does best
- Build customizable dashboards, watchlists, charts, and market monitors across global equities, ETFs, funds, fixed income, FX, commodities, crypto, indices, and economics.
- Screen 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.
- Use advanced charts with technical indicators, fundamentals, valuation measures, analyst estimates, price targets, templates, sharing, and downloads where vendor licenses allow.
- Research companies with financial analysis pages, customizable financial templates, news, filings, transcripts, analyst data, short interest, and AI transcript summaries on paid plans.
- Track portfolios with grouping, notes, summary rows, alerts, custom data series, uploaded CSV price history, and mobile portfolio monitoring.
What Lightyear does best
- Invest in US, UK, and European stocks, with fractional availability where supported.
- Use 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.
- Use ready-made plans or build custom plans for recurring structured investing.
- Access Lightyear AI and in-app tools for lighter research support around investable assets.
Data & access details
| 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.
Pricing breakdown
$39/mo
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- watchlists: 2
- screens: 2
- +5 more
- financials years: 10
- estimates years: 10
- +5 more
- alerts: 500
- custom securities: Unlimited
- alerts: 500
- reports per month: 10
- +2 more
- alerts: 500
- reports per month: 200
- +2 more
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
6Where the two tools cover the same ground.
Koyfin strengths
14Lightyear strengths
2What you only get with Lightyear.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
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.
How much do Koyfin and Lightyear cost?
Good news: both Koyfin and Lightyear have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
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.
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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.