★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: Value Sense checked August 4, 2026
Tool Comparison
Magic Formula Investing vs Value Sense
Pick Magic Formula Investing instead if
Magic Formula Investing
Free · Web
- Go this way if it's completely free.
Start here
Value Sense
Free • From $15/mo · Web
- You care about backtesting, stock comparison, and data visualizations, things Magic Formula Investing 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
Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, screeners and stock ideas), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Value Sense simply does more: 17 categories to Magic Formula Investing's 2, including backtesting, stock comparison, and data visualizations. Magic Formula Investing counters by being completely free.
What readers say
Magic Formula Investing
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Value Sense
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Broader coverage
- Value Sense17 vs 2 categories
- Free plan
- Both
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 | Free • From $15/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | 16 limits: Explorer: annual billing usd: 129, Explorer: stock views per week: 25 +14 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Retail Traders, Value Investors +1 more |
Categories covered | 2 | 17 |
Regions | North America | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more | — |
Capabilities | — | Ranking backtests and AI summaries: Transcripts |
| Try it | Visit Magic Formula Investing | Visit Value Sense |
Where each one shines
What Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense each do best.What Magic Formula Investing does best
- Tools for running the official Magic Formula screener with only two inputs: minimum market cap and either 30 or 50 ranked results.
- Screening for companies ranked on high earnings yield and high return on capital, with the accounting adjustments described by the official methodology.
- Magic Formula Investing serves as a simple value-quality idea list before checking financial statements, business quality, debt, cyclicality, and current valuation context.
- Focus on U.S.-listed equities because the official universe excludes foreign companies and ADRs.
- Sector exclusions: financial and utility companies are removed from the official screen.
What Value Sense does best
- Screening for stock ideas with presets, saved screeners, and stated backtesting support where included by plan.
- Valuation tools such as Intrinsic Value, Reverse DCF, Peter Lynch fair value, Earnings Power Value, and related fair-value workflows.
- Comparison tools for companies through fundamental charting, multi-company metric overlays, annual, quarterly, and trailing views, plus PNG exports.
- Views for reviewing KPI and segment data sourced from filings and company reports with annual, quarterly, trailing, and unit-toggle views.
- AI earnings overviews for call summaries, sentiment scoring, guidance extraction, and transcript visualizations.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Stocks | Stocks |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Retail TradersValue InvestorsAnalysts |
Regions | North America | Not specified |
Coverage details | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
Export formats | Not specified | ExcelImagePDF |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Ranking backtestsAI summaries: Transcripts |
Vendor & support | Not specified | VALUESENSE INCCountry: USASupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 3/5 | Not specified |
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 | Free | Free |
| Entry paid plan | — | $15/mo“Explorer”annual billing usd: 129 · stock views per week: 25 · +5 more |
| Top plan | — | $29/mo“Pro”annual billing usd: 189 · stock views: Unlimited · +6 more |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“ValueQuant Strategy”pricing model: Book demo / free trial |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense?
Magic Formula Investing leans toward screeners and stock ideas, while Value Sense puts more weight on stock ideas, screeners, and backtesting. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense cost?
Good news: both Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Should I choose Magic Formula Investing or Value Sense?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Magic Formula Investing if you prefer its overall approach; go with Value Sense if you'd rather have backtesting and stock comparison. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
Can I export data from Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense?
Value Sense exports to Excel. Magic Formula Investing is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: Magic Formula Investing or Value Sense?
Both Magic Formula Investing and Value Sense include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power; try both and see which one clicks for you.
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Feedback
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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.