VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) will find that Both Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) concentrate on Screeners, Portfolio, and Watchlist workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. Morningstar Investor leans into Financials, Fund Overview, and Fund Performance, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Zacks (Zacks.com) stands out with ETF Screeners, Calendar, and Analyst Forecasts that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
Morningstar Investor vs Zacks (Zacks.com)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- Morningstar Investor adds Financials, Fund Overview, Fund Performance, Fund Holdings, Fund Rating, and Bulls Say Bear Say coverage that Zacks (Zacks.com) skips.
- Zacks (Zacks.com) includes ETF Screeners, Calendar, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, ETF Performance, and Transcripts categories that Morningstar Investor omits.
- Morningstar Investor highlights: Powerful screeners for stocks, funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds with over 200 searchable data points and curated pre-filtered lists., Portfolio X-Ray tool showing allocations by asset class, sector, and region across combined holdings., and Analyst reports with Fair Value estimates, Moat ratings, and “Bulls Say / Bears Say” perspectives (subscriber feature)..
- Zacks (Zacks.com) is known for: Zacks Rank system (#1–#5) and Zacks Industry Rank shown on company pages., Style Scores across Value, Growth, and Momentum factors., and Stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with hundreds of filters..
Morningstar Investor
morningstar.com
Morningstar’s flagship research and portfolio platform for individual investors. Free users get access to screeners and quotes, while subscribers unlock analyst reports, expanded data, and premium ratings. A 7-day trial is available. Canceling a subscription also removes access to saved portfolios, watchlists, and screens.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Powerful screeners for stocks, funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds with over 200 searchable data points and curated pre-filtered lists.
- Portfolio X-Ray tool showing allocations by asset class, sector, and region across combined holdings.
- Analyst reports with Fair Value estimates, Moat ratings, and “Bulls Say / Bears Say” perspectives (subscriber feature).
- Quote pages enriched with Morningstar Star Ratings and detailed analysis for subscribers.
- Portfolio and watchlist alerts delivered via email to keep you informed on holdings you track.
Zacks (Zacks.com)
zacks.com
Equity and fund research platform best known for the Zacks Rank system, Style Scores, and detailed earnings analysis. Free users get access to basic screeners and research pages, while Premium unlocks the full #1 Rank list, Equity Research Reports, and 45+ premium screens. The Earnings ESP filter is exclusive to Premium, and Zacks Ultimate bundles all of the firm’s private portfolios. The mobile app includes subscriber alerts and real-time ECN quotes.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Zacks Rank system (#1–#5) and Zacks Industry Rank shown on company pages.
- Style Scores across Value, Growth, and Momentum factors.
- Stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with hundreds of filters.
- Per-ticker pages with analyst forecasts, price targets, and earnings estimates.
- Unique Price-Consensus-EPS Surprise charts that map historical estimate accuracy and surprises.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
Morningstar Investor
Distinct strengths include:
- Powerful screeners for stocks, funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds with over 200 searchable data points and curated pre-filtered lists.
- Portfolio X-Ray tool showing allocations by asset class, sector, and region across combined holdings.
- Analyst reports with Fair Value estimates, Moat ratings, and “Bulls Say / Bears Say” perspectives (subscriber feature).
- Quote pages enriched with Morningstar Star Ratings and detailed analysis for subscribers.
Zacks (Zacks.com)
Distinct strengths include:
- Zacks Rank system (#1–#5) and Zacks Industry Rank shown on company pages.
- Style Scores across Value, Growth, and Momentum factors.
- Stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with hundreds of filters.
- Per-ticker pages with analyst forecasts, price targets, and earnings estimates.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Morningstar Investor | Zacks (Zacks.com) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, News, Alerts, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, Scores Unique: Financials, Fund Overview, Fund Performance, Fund Holdings, Fund Rating, Bulls Say Bear Say | Shared: Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, News, Alerts, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, Scores Unique: ETF Screeners, Calendar, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, ETF Performance, Transcripts |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Mobile | Web, Mobile |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Yes | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) both support?
Both platforms cover Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, News, Alerts, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, and Scores workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) require subscriptions?
Both Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Both Morningstar Investor and Zacks (Zacks.com) support web and mobile access, making it easy to keep tabs on research away from the desk.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Morningstar Investor differentiates itself with Powerful screeners for stocks, funds, ETFs, and closed-end funds with over 200 searchable data points and curated pre-filtered lists., Portfolio X-Ray tool showing allocations by asset class, sector, and region across combined holdings., and Analyst reports with Fair Value estimates, Moat ratings, and “Bulls Say / Bears Say” perspectives (subscriber feature)., whereas Zacks (Zacks.com) stands out for Zacks Rank system (#1–#5) and Zacks Industry Rank shown on company pages., Style Scores across Value, Growth, and Momentum factors., and Stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with hundreds of filters..
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.