★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Source check: MetricSide checked August 20, 2026
Tool Comparison
MetricSide vs Portfolio123
Pick MetricSide instead if
MetricSide
Free · Web
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Start here
Portfolio123
Free • From $25/mo · Web · API · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about screeners, quant, and stock ideas, things MetricSide doesn't offer
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
MetricSide and Portfolio123 cover a lot of the same ground (5 shared categories, including financials, valuation models, and scores), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio123 simply does more: 19 categories to MetricSide's 5, including screeners, quant, and stock ideas. MetricSide counters by being completely free.
What readers say
MetricSide
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Portfolio123
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Portfolio123
- Broader coverage
- Portfolio12319 vs 5 categories
- Desktop app
- Portfolio123
- API access
- Portfolio123
- Global coverage
- Portfolio123
- Asset coverage
- Portfolio123Adds ETFs and closed-end funds
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 $25/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | Free Screener & Backtesting Access: duration days: 30 |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | — | Yes |
Integrations | — | Interactive Brokers and Tradier |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Long-term Investors +4 more | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +5 more |
Categories covered | 5 | 19 |
Regions | North America | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 5 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more |
Data partners | 5 partners: SEC filings, SimFin +3 more | 4 partners: FactSet, S&P Global Market Intelligence +2 more |
Capabilities | — | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +4 more |
| Try it | Visit MetricSide | Visit Portfolio123 |
Where each one shines
What MetricSide and Portfolio123 each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What MetricSide and Portfolio123 each do best.What MetricSide does best
- Search by ticker or company name and browse stocks by sector.
- Review quarterly and trailing financial charts for revenue, EBITDA, operating income, net income, EPS, shares outstanding, assets, cash, debt, book value, and free cash flow.
- Check margins, return ratios, leverage, interest coverage, asset turnover, revenue per share, and common valuation multiples.
- Compare current P/E, P/S, and P/B multiples with each stock's own trailing five-year range and 20-quarter median.
- Use a 100-point health score split across profitability, growth, balance sheet and red flags, and cash and earnings quality.
What Portfolio123 does best
- Tools for building multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and complete rules-based strategies through a web research environment.
- Tools for running simulations and backtests with long historical equity data, custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, and realistic assumptions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Tools for creating ranking systems from fundamental, technical, sentiment, and macro factors, including public factor documentation and FRED-linked economic series.
- AI Factor to train machine-learning predictors for expected returns and feed those predictions into rankings, simulations, and asset-level analysis.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for MetricSide and Portfolio123, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for MetricSide and Portfolio123, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Stocks | StocksETFsClosed-End Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsGrowth InvestorsQuality InvestorsStudents/Researchers | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers |
Regions | North America | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Countries: USExchanges: XNAS and XNYSIdentifiers: Ticker | Countries: US and CAIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
Data partners | SEC filingsSimFinYahoo FinanceAlpha VantageHugging Face datasets | FactSetS&P Global Market IntelligenceICE Data ServicesFRED |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: APIKeySDKs: PythonDocs |
Import methods | Not specified | BrokerOAuthCSV |
Integrations | Not specified | Interactive BrokersTradier |
Export formats | Not specified | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderBroker syncRebalancingCorrelation |
Vendor & support | MetricSideSupport: Email | Portfolio123Support: Forum |
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“Manage (Free)” |
| Entry paid plan | — | $25/mo“Retail Research Plans” |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Professional / API & Data Licenses” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between MetricSide and Portfolio123?
MetricSide leans toward financials, valuation models, and scores, while Portfolio123 puts more weight on screeners, data visualizations, and quant. They overlap in 5 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do MetricSide and Portfolio123 cost?
Good news: both MetricSide and Portfolio123 have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: MetricSide or Portfolio123?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Does MetricSide or Portfolio123 have an API?
Portfolio123 has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. MetricSide doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose MetricSide or Portfolio123?
It depends on what you're after. Pick MetricSide if you prefer its overall approach; go with Portfolio123 if you'd rather have screeners and quant. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do MetricSide and Portfolio123 cover?
Both cover stocks. Portfolio123 adds ETFs and closed-end funds on top.
Does MetricSide or Portfolio123 have real-time data?
Portfolio123 offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. MetricSide runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Which covers international markets: MetricSide or Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 has documented international coverage (North America and Europe), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. MetricSide is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from MetricSide and Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 exports to CSV. MetricSide is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: MetricSide or Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; MetricSide doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with MetricSide or Portfolio123?
Portfolio123 handles portfolio tracking. MetricSide is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
Keep researching
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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.