VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Tool Comparison

Letters and Reviews vs Magic Formula Investing comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

Letters and Reviews adds 13F, and Blogs coverage that Magic Formula Investing skips.

Magic Formula Investing includes Screeners categories that Letters and Reviews omits.

In depth comparison

Letters and Reviews logo

Letters and Reviews

lettersandreviews.blogspot.com

Free, personal curation site that aggregates **fund manager letters**, tickers mentioned in those letters, and **quarterly 13F** filer lists the author follows. Each quarter page links to original letters and maps tickers to quick‑reference pages; some 13F pages embed holdings tables and activity (new/increased/decreased/sold) for many managers. Also includes a small **Podcasts** list. No accounts, alerts, exports, or API—think link‑hub for primary sources rather than a data platform.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Quarterly **Fund Manager Letters** pages with the fund name, date, and a ‘Stocks Mentioned’ column (tickers link out for quick lookup).
  • Quarterly **13‑F pages** the author reads, with many entries including holdings tables and position‑change flags (e.g., NEW / Sold Out / % of portfolio).
  • Lightweight **About** page clarifies the goal: stock‑idea discovery from letters; author shares links and invites tips via @_iinvested.
  • A small **Podcasts** page curating investing/finance episodes the author plans to re‑listen to.

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Magic Formula Investing logo

Magic Formula Investing

magicformulainvesting.com

Free stock screener based on Joel Greenblatt’s Magic Formula strategy. Covers only U.S.-listed equities, excluding financials and utilities. Users choose a minimum market cap and get either 30 or 50 ranked results. Prices are updated daily on trading mornings, and fundamentals refresh quarterly. Free registration is required.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Straightforward screener with only two inputs: minimum market cap (USD, millions) and number of results (30 or 50).
  • Universe restricted to U.S.-listed equities, excluding financial and utility companies.
  • Ranks companies on two factors: high earnings yield (low P/E) and high return on capital, with minor accounting adjustments.
  • Update cadence: price data refreshed daily around 8:00 AM ET on trading days; financial data updated quarterly.
  • Underlying data source is S&P Compustat. Official guidance suggests focusing on larger caps for less volatility and holding at least 20 stocks.

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Where they differ

Letters and Reviews

Distinct strengths include:

  • Quarterly **Fund Manager Letters** pages with the fund name, date, and a ‘Stocks Mentioned’ column (tickers link out for quick lookup).
  • Quarterly **13‑F pages** the author reads, with many entries including holdings tables and position‑change flags (e.g., NEW / Sold Out / % of portfolio).
  • Lightweight **About** page clarifies the goal: stock‑idea discovery from letters; author shares links and invites tips via @_iinvested.
  • A small **Podcasts** page curating investing/finance episodes the author plans to re‑listen to.

Magic Formula Investing

Distinct strengths include:

  • Straightforward screener with only two inputs: minimum market cap (USD, millions) and number of results (30 or 50).
  • Universe restricted to U.S.-listed equities, excluding financial and utility companies.
  • Ranks companies on two factors: high earnings yield (low P/E) and high return on capital, with minor accounting adjustments.
  • Update cadence: price data refreshed daily around 8:00 AM ET on trading days; financial data updated quarterly.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeLetters and ReviewsMagic Formula Investing
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Stock Ideas

Unique: 13F, Blogs

Shared: Stock Ideas

Unique: Screeners

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs

Stocks

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web

Web

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free

Free

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Quarterly **Fund Manager Letters** pages with the fund name, date, and a ‘Stocks Mentioned’ column (tickers link out for quick lookup).
  • Quarterly **13‑F pages** the author reads, with many entries including holdings tables and position‑change flags (e.g., NEW / Sold Out / % of portfolio).
  • Lightweight **About** page clarifies the goal: stock‑idea discovery from letters; author shares links and invites tips via @_iinvested.
  • A small **Podcasts** page curating investing/finance episodes the author plans to re‑listen to.

Unique

  • Straightforward screener with only two inputs: minimum market cap (USD, millions) and number of results (30 or 50).
  • Universe restricted to U.S.-listed equities, excluding financial and utility companies.
  • Ranks companies on two factors: high earnings yield (low P/E) and high return on capital, with minor accounting adjustments.
  • Update cadence: price data refreshed daily around 8:00 AM ET on trading days; financial data updated quarterly.
  • Underlying data source is S&P Compustat. Official guidance suggests focusing on larger caps for less volatility and holding at least 20 stocks.
  • Suggested rules: equal-dollar weighting, annual holding period (sell losses just before 1 year, gains just after 1 year) to optimize after-tax results.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Letters and Reviews and Magic Formula Investing both support?

Both platforms cover Stock Ideas workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do Letters and Reviews and Magic Formula Investing require subscriptions?

Both Letters and Reviews and Magic Formula Investing keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access Letters and Reviews and Magic Formula Investing?

Both Letters and Reviews and Magic Formula Investing prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

Letters and Reviews differentiates itself with Quarterly **Fund Manager Letters** pages with the fund name, date, and a ‘Stocks Mentioned’ column (tickers link out for quick lookup)., Quarterly **13‑F pages** the author reads, with many entries including holdings tables and position‑change flags (e.g., NEW / Sold Out / % of portfolio)., and Lightweight **About** page clarifies the goal: stock‑idea discovery from letters; author shares links and invites tips via @_iinvested., whereas Magic Formula Investing stands out for Straightforward screener with only two inputs: minimum market cap (USD, millions) and number of results (30 or 50)., Universe restricted to U.S.-listed equities, excluding financial and utility companies., and Ranks companies on two factors: high earnings yield (low P/E) and high return on capital, with minor accounting adjustments..

Keep exploring

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.