Tool Comparison
Morningstar Investor vs Value Sense
- Paid from
- $20.75/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want portfolio, fund analysis, and ETF analysis.
- Paid from
- $15/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $15/mo instead of $20.75/mo
- You want backtesting, data visualizations, and custom dashboards.
Pick Morningstar Investor if
Morningstar Investor
From $249/yr · Web · Mobile
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want portfolio, fund analysis, and ETF analysis.
Pick Value Sense if
Value Sense
Free • From $15/mo · Web
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $15/mo instead of $20.75/mo
- You want backtesting, data visualizations, and custom dashboards.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Morningstar Investor and Value Sense cover a lot of the same ground (8 shared categories, including stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Value Sense simply does more: 17 categories to Morningstar Investor's 12, including backtesting, data visualizations, and custom dashboards. Morningstar Investor counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
Morningstar Investor
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Value Sense
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Value Sense
- Cheaper paid plan
- Value Sense$15/mo vs $20.75/mo
- Free trial
- Morningstar Investor7 days
- Broader coverage
- Value Sense17 vs 12 categories
- Mobile app
- Morningstar Investor
- Asset coverage
- Morningstar InvestorAdds ETFs and mutual funds
What Morningstar Investor does best
- Research coverage for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and closed-end funds with Morningstar ratings, analyst notes, reports, screeners, watchlists, and portfolio tools.
- Stock research built around Morningstar fair value estimates, Economic Moat Ratings, rating-change coverage, valuation context, commentary, and news.
- Evaluation tools for funds and ETFs with Morningstar star ratings, Morningstar Medalist Ratings, analyst notes, fund reports, performance context, fees, and holdings views.
- Tools for building stock, fund, and ETF screens using more than 200 data points, then save custom views for portfolios, watchlists, and screeners.
- Portfolio X-Ray to inspect asset allocation, sector exposure, fees, risk, stock style, and portfolio-level or fund-level composition.
What Value Sense does best
- The stock screener supports presets, saved filters, and historical testing on Pro and higher plans.
- Valuation pages include DCF, relative value, reverse DCF, Peter Lynch fair value, and earnings-power approaches.
- Fundamental charts compare companies and metrics across annual, quarterly, and trailing periods.
- Company pages include financial statements, ratios, KPIs, segments, estimates, dividends, and earnings surprises.
- Earnings tools include call summaries, sentiment scores, focus areas, transcripts, and investor presentations.
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 | From $249/yr | Free • From $15/mo |
Free tier | No | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | — | 16 limits: Starter: annual billing usd: 129, Starter: stock views per week: 25 +14 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | No | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more | Retail Traders, Value Investors +1 more |
Categories covered | 12 | 17 |
Regions | — | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Capabilities | Universe builder | Ranking backtests and AI summaries: Transcripts |
| Try it | Visit Morningstar Investor | Visit Value Sense |
Standout features
The best features of Morningstar Investor and Value Sense.ShowHide
Standout features
What Morningstar Investor does best
- Research coverage for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and closed-end funds with Morningstar ratings, analyst notes, reports, screeners, watchlists, and portfolio tools.
- Stock research built around Morningstar fair value estimates, Economic Moat Ratings, rating-change coverage, valuation context, commentary, and news.
- Evaluation tools for funds and ETFs with Morningstar star ratings, Morningstar Medalist Ratings, analyst notes, fund reports, performance context, fees, and holdings views.
- Tools for building stock, fund, and ETF screens using more than 200 data points, then save custom views for portfolios, watchlists, and screeners.
- Portfolio X-Ray to inspect asset allocation, sector exposure, fees, risk, stock style, and portfolio-level or fund-level composition.
What Value Sense does best
- The stock screener supports presets, saved filters, and historical testing on Pro and higher plans.
- Valuation pages include DCF, relative value, reverse DCF, Peter Lynch fair value, and earnings-power approaches.
- Fundamental charts compare companies and metrics across annual, quarterly, and trailing periods.
- Company pages include financial statements, ratios, KPIs, segments, estimates, dividends, and earnings surprises.
- Earnings tools include call summaries, sentiment scores, focus areas, transcripts, and investor presentations.
All details
Every attribute we track for Morningstar Investor and Value Sense.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsClosed-End FundsFunds | Stocks |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue Investors | Retail TradersValue InvestorsAnalysts |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Access & integrations | ||
Export formats | Not specified | ExcelImagePDF |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builder | Ranking backtestsAI summaries: Transcripts |
Vendor & support | Morningstar, Inc.Country: United StatesFounded 1984 | VALUESENSE INCCountry: USASupport: Email |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | Free |
| Entry paid plan | $249/yr≈ $20.75/mo“Investor yearly” | $15/mo“Starter”annual billing usd: 129 · stock views per week: 25 · +5 more |
| Top plan | $34.95/mo“Investor monthly” | $29/mo“Pro”annual billing usd: 189 · stock views: Unlimited · +6 more |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“ValueQuant Strategy”pricing model: Book demo / free trial |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Morningstar Investor and Value Sense?
Morningstar Investor leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison, while Value Sense puts more weight on stock ideas, screeners, and backtesting. They overlap in 8 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Morningstar Investor or Value Sense free to use?
Value Sense has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Morningstar Investor is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Value Sense and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use Morningstar Investor or Value Sense on my phone?
Morningstar Investor lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Value Sense doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Should I choose Morningstar Investor or Value Sense?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Morningstar Investor if portfolio and fund analysis matter to you; go with Value Sense if you'd rather have backtesting and data visualizations. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Morningstar Investor and Value Sense cover?
Both cover stocks. Morningstar Investor also handles ETFs, mutual funds, and closed-end funds.
Can I export data from Morningstar Investor and Value Sense?
Value Sense exports to Excel. Morningstar Investor is stingier about getting data out.
Are Morningstar Investor and Value Sense good for long-term investing?
Yes, both are aimed squarely at long-term investors. Compare their coverage, workflow, and price before assuming they solve the same long-term research job.
Which has a better stock screener: Morningstar Investor or Value Sense?
Both Morningstar Investor and Value Sense include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power; try both and see which one clicks for you.
Can I track my portfolio with Morningstar Investor or Value Sense?
Morningstar Investor handles portfolio tracking. Value Sense is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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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.