Tool Comparison
Morningstar Investor vs Zacks (Zacks.com)
- Paid from
- $20.75/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want stock ideas, stock comparison, and fund analysis.
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
- Paid from
- $20.75/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want ETF screeners, calendar, and analyst forecasts.
Pick Morningstar Investor if
Morningstar Investor
From $249/yr · Web · Mobile
- You want stock ideas, stock comparison, and fund analysis.
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick Zacks (Zacks.com) if
Zacks (Zacks.com)
Free • From $249/yr · Web · Mobile
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want ETF screeners, calendar, and analyst forecasts.
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 Zacks (Zacks.com) cover a lot of the same ground (7 shared categories, including screeners, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Morningstar Investor includes stock ideas and stock comparison, and Zacks (Zacks.com) includes ETF screeners and calendar.
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Zacks (Zacks.com)
- Real-time data
- Zacks (Zacks.com)
- Asset coverage
- Morningstar InvestorAdds closed-end funds and 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 Zacks (Zacks.com) does best
- Zacks Rank scores from #1 to #5 and Zacks Industry Rank on company pages for earnings-revision research.
- Comparison tools for Value, Growth, and Momentum Style Scores alongside the rank when screening or reviewing individual stocks.
- Screening for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds with hundreds of filters, with 45+ Premium Screens gated behind paid access.
- Direct access to ticker pages with analyst forecasts, earnings estimates, price targets, company research, and related market context.
- Review Price-Consensus-EPS Surprise charts that connect historical estimates, actual earnings, and surprise patterns.
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 $249/yr |
Free tier | No | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | 30 days |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | — | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more | — |
Categories covered | 12 | 12 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | Universe builder | Factors: Value, Momentum, and Growth |
| Try it | Visit Morningstar Investor | Visit Zacks (Zacks.com) |
Standout features
The best features of Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com).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 Zacks (Zacks.com) does best
- Zacks Rank scores from #1 to #5 and Zacks Industry Rank on company pages for earnings-revision research.
- Comparison tools for Value, Growth, and Momentum Style Scores alongside the rank when screening or reviewing individual stocks.
- Screening for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds with hundreds of filters, with 45+ Premium Screens gated behind paid access.
- Direct access to ticker pages with analyst forecasts, earnings estimates, price targets, company research, and related market context.
- Review Price-Consensus-EPS Surprise charts that connect historical estimates, actual earnings, and surprise patterns.
All details
Every attribute we track for Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com).ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsClosed-End FundsFunds | StocksETFsMutual Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue Investors | Not specified |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Not specified | Manual |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builder | Factors: Value, Momentum, and Growth |
Vendor & support | Morningstar, Inc.Country: United StatesFounded 1984 | Zacks Investment Research |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
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” | $249/yr≈ $20.75/mo“Premium Annual” |
| Tier 2 | $34.95/mo“Investor monthly” | $495/yr≈ $41.25/mo“Investor Collection Annual” |
| Tier 3 | — | $59/mo“Investor Collection Monthly” |
| Tier 4 | — | $2995/yr≈ $249.58/mo“Ultimate Annual” |
| Top plan | — | $299/mo“Ultimate Monthly” |
| Free trial | 7 days | 30 days |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Morningstar Investor leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and stock comparison, while Zacks (Zacks.com) puts more weight on screeners, ETF screeners, and watchlist. They overlap in 7 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Morningstar Investor or Zacks (Zacks.com) free to use?
Zacks (Zacks.com) has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Morningstar Investor is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Zacks (Zacks.com) and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Should I choose Morningstar Investor or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Morningstar Investor if stock ideas and stock comparison matter to you; go with Zacks (Zacks.com) if you'd rather have ETF screeners and calendar. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Morningstar Investor also handles closed-end funds and funds.
Does Morningstar Investor or Zacks (Zacks.com) have real-time data?
Zacks (Zacks.com) offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Morningstar Investor 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 has a better stock screener: Morningstar Investor or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Both Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) 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 Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
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