VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

Magic Formula Investing vs Smartkarma comparison

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

Quick takeaways

Smartkarma includes Watchlist, News, Alerts, Calendar, AI, Videos, Newsletters, and Blogs categories that Magic Formula Investing omits.

Magic Formula Investing 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., and Ranks companies on two factors: high earnings yield (low P/E) and high return on capital, with minor accounting adjustments..

Smartkarma is known for: AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts., SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap., and Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics..

Smartkarma offers mobile access, which Magic Formula Investing skips.

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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Smartkarma logo

Smartkarma

smartkarma.com

An AI-augmented investment intelligence platform that combines independent research, data tools, and real-time alerts. Access is plan-gated: the flagship Pro Platform costs USD 10,950/year per user and is available to accredited or professional investors; Premium and Data subscriptions are available on request, while separate offerings exist for Corporate Digital IR and Plus platforms. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android.

Platforms

Web
Mobile

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts.
  • SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap.
  • Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics.
  • Personalised watchlists and real-time notifications, with opt-in email alerts when relevant insights are published.
  • Research is distributed simultaneously on the platform, via alerts/email, and syndicated to Bloomberg Terminal.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

2 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Screeners, and Stock Ideas.

Where they differ

Smartkarma

Distinct strengths include:

  • AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts.
  • SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap.
  • Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics.
  • Personalised watchlists and real-time notifications, with opt-in email alerts when relevant insights are published.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeMagic Formula InvestingSmartkarma
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Screeners, Stock Ideas

Shared: Screeners, Stock Ideas

Unique: Watchlist, News, Alerts, Calendar, AI, Videos, Newsletters, Blogs

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks

Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Currencies, Cryptos

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

  • 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

  • AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts.
  • SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap.
  • Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics.
  • Personalised watchlists and real-time notifications, with opt-in email alerts when relevant insights are published.
  • Research is distributed simultaneously on the platform, via alerts/email, and syndicated to Bloomberg Terminal.
  • Additional investment tools include FX, rates and macroeconomic calendars, and crypto dashboards.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

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Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do Magic Formula Investing and Smartkarma both support?

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

Do Magic Formula Investing and Smartkarma require subscriptions?

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

Which tool has mobile access?

Smartkarma ships a dedicated mobile experience, while Magic Formula Investing focuses on web or desktop access.

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 Smartkarma stands out for AI-augmented research hub delivering real-time, actionable insights with direct access to top-ranked analysts., SmartScore Screener covers five factors—Value, Dividend, Growth, Resilience, and Momentum—with filters by country, sector, and market cap., and Relative Value tool highlights HoldCo and share-class pair opportunities, with proprietary Actionability/Investability scores and z-score diagnostics..

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.