Tool Comparison
MarketWatch vs MSN Money
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want alerts, screeners, and data visualizations.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, Desktop
Best if
- You want scores, fund analysis, and retirement calculator.
Pick MarketWatch if
MarketWatch
Free • Paid plans available · Web · Mobile
- You want alerts, screeners, and data visualizations.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Pick MSN Money if
MSN Money
Free · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- You want scores, fund analysis, and retirement calculator.
Already use these? The faster win is ranked stock ideas or the free-tools shortlist.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOther tools you might like
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Not set on either one? See the top 50 tools, ranked by user votes, or the deals page for big discounts on popular tools.
Our take
The bottom line
MarketWatch and MSN Money cover a lot of the same ground (5 shared categories, including news, calendar, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. MarketWatch simply does more: 17 categories to MSN Money's 8, including alerts, screeners, and data visualizations. MSN Money counters by being completely free.
What readers say
MarketWatch
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
MSN Money
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Key differences at a glance
- Asset coverage
- MarketWatchAdds options and futures
- Broader coverage
- MarketWatch17 vs 8 categories
- Desktop app
- MSN Money
- Free plan
- Both
What MarketWatch does best
- Read market news and analysis covering equities, funds, options, futures, commodities, currencies, crypto, and rates.
- Quote pages, multi-quote lookup, stock and market screeners, mutual-fund research, ETF pages, fund comparisons, and basic company financial views.
- Tools for building free account-based watchlists that sync across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts.
- Tracking events with calendars for U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPOs, and options-expiration dates.
- BigCharts supports multiple timeframes and technical overlays.
What MSN Money does best
- Free finance and business news in an ad-supported Microsoft product.
- Custom watchlists for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, with Microsoft account sync.
- Stock quote pages for charts, fundamentals, related news, and stock Grades sourced from third-party providers.
- An earnings calendar and estimates for event monitoring.
- Fundamentals, charts, and fund data from LSEG, with data for some features from OTC Markets and S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • Paid plans available | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | MarketWatch Digital: standard rate: $5/week after intro period and Student: eligibility: Student verification required; current price not publicly confirmed | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 17 | 8 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +3 more | Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Capabilities | Yield curves | — |
| Try it | Visit MarketWatch | Visit MSN Money |
Standout features
The best features of MarketWatch and MSN Money.ShowHide
Standout features
What MarketWatch does best
- Read market news and analysis covering equities, funds, options, futures, commodities, currencies, crypto, and rates.
- Quote pages, multi-quote lookup, stock and market screeners, mutual-fund research, ETF pages, fund comparisons, and basic company financial views.
- Tools for building free account-based watchlists that sync across web and mobile apps with customizable price and news alerts.
- Tracking events with calendars for U.S. economic releases, corporate earnings, IPOs, and options-expiration dates.
- BigCharts supports multiple timeframes and technical overlays.
What MSN Money does best
- Free finance and business news in an ad-supported Microsoft product.
- Custom watchlists for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, with Microsoft account sync.
- Stock quote pages for charts, fundamentals, related news, and stock Grades sourced from third-party providers.
- An earnings calendar and estimates for event monitoring.
- Fundamentals, charts, and fund data from LSEG, with data for some features from OTC Markets and S&P Global Market Intelligence.
All details
Every attribute we track for MarketWatch and MSN Money.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsOptionsFuturesCommoditiesCurrenciesCryptos+1 more | StocksETFsMutual FundsCommoditiesCurrencies |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediate |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | 27 exchangesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day |
Data granularity | MinuteEOD | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Not specified | Manual |
Export formats | CSV | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Yield curves | Not specified |
Vendor & support | MarketWatch, Inc. (Dow Jones)Country: United StatesFounded 1997Support: Email | Microsoft CorporationCountry: United StatesSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | Free |
| Entry paid plan | Subscription“MarketWatch Digital”standard rate: $5/week after intro period | — |
| Top plan | Subscription“Student”eligibility: Student verification required; current price not publicly confirmed | — |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between MarketWatch and MSN Money?
MarketWatch leans toward news, alerts, and calendar, while MSN Money puts more weight on news, calendar, and watchlist. They overlap in 5 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do MarketWatch and MSN Money cost?
Good news: both MarketWatch and MSN Money have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: MarketWatch or MSN Money?
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 MarketWatch or MSN Money?
It depends on what you're after. Pick MarketWatch if alerts and screeners matter to you; go with MSN Money if you'd rather have scores and fund analysis. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do MarketWatch and MSN Money cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and commodities. MarketWatch also handles options, futures, and cryptos.
Do MarketWatch and MSN Money offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Can I export data from MarketWatch and MSN Money?
MarketWatch exports to CSV. MSN Money is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: MarketWatch or MSN Money?
MarketWatch has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; MSN Money doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Keep researching
More comparisons to check
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.