VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Thursday, October 30, 2025

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Tool Comparison

Magic Formula Investing vs OpenInsider comparison

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

Quick takeaways

Magic Formula Investing adds Stock Ideas coverage that OpenInsider skips.

OpenInsider includes Insider Data, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, and Data Visualizations categories that Magic Formula Investing omits.

In depth comparison

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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OpenInsider

openinsider.com

Editor’s pick Hands-on review

Free web-based screener for U.S. SEC Form 4 filings, tracking insider buys and sells in real time. Data is sourced directly from SEC.gov and refreshed between 6:00 and 22:00 ET on U.S. business days.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

Real-time screener of SEC Form 4 insider trading disclosures for U.S. stocks.
Prebuilt screeners for quick discovery: Latest Purchases/Sales, $25k+ CEO or CFO buys, Cluster Buys, and weekly/monthly Top Purchases and Sales.
Aggregate Buy–Sell charts to visualize overall insider sentiment.
Detailed filing tables with trade/filing dates, transaction codes, prices, quantities, and values, with an integrated code legend.
Ability to drill down by sector, industry, ticker, or individual insider profile.

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Where they differ

Magic Formula Investing

Distinct strengths include:

Stock Ideas

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.

OpenInsider

Distinct strengths include:

Insider Data Regulatory Filings Monitoring Data Visualizations

Real-time screener of SEC Form 4 insider trading disclosures for U.S. stocks.
Prebuilt screeners for quick discovery: Latest Purchases/Sales, $25k+ CEO or CFO buys, Cluster Buys, and weekly/monthly Top Purchases and Sales.
Aggregate Buy–Sell charts to visualize overall insider sentiment.
Detailed filing tables with trade/filing dates, transaction codes, prices, quantities, and values, with an integrated code legend.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

Attribute	Magic Formula Investing	OpenInsider
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets	Shared: Screeners Unique: Stock Ideas	Shared: Screeners Unique: Insider Data, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Data Visualizations
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes	Stocks	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 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.	Unique Real-time screener of SEC Form 4 insider trading disclosures for U.S. stocks. Prebuilt screeners for quick discovery: Latest Purchases/Sales, $25k+ CEO or CFO buys, Cluster Buys, and weekly/monthly Top Purchases and Sales. Aggregate Buy–Sell charts to visualize overall insider sentiment. Detailed filing tables with trade/filing dates, transaction codes, prices, quantities, and values, with an integrated code legend. Ability to drill down by sector, industry, ticker, or individual insider profile. CSV export links on lists and insider profile pages for offline use.
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat	Not yet	Yes
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists	Standard listing	Highlighted

Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Magic Formula Investing and OpenInsider both support?

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

Do Magic Formula Investing and OpenInsider require subscriptions?

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

How can you access Magic Formula Investing and OpenInsider?

Both Magic Formula Investing and OpenInsider 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?

Magic Formula Investing differentiates itself with 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., whereas OpenInsider stands out for Real-time screener of SEC Form 4 insider trading disclosures for U.S. stocks., Prebuilt screeners for quick discovery: Latest Purchases/Sales, $25k+ CEO or CFO buys, Cluster Buys, and weekly/monthly Top Purchases and Sales., and Aggregate Buy–Sell charts to visualize overall insider sentiment..

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