Tool Comparison
MSN Money vs Zacks (Zacks.com)
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, Desktop
Best if
- You want financials, fund analysis, and retirement calculator.
- Paid from
- $20.75/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want screeners, ETF screeners, and portfolio.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Pick MSN Money if
MSN Money
Free · Web · Mobile · Desktop
- You want financials, fund analysis, and retirement calculator.
Pick Zacks (Zacks.com) if
Zacks (Zacks.com)
Free • From $249/yr · Web · Mobile
- You want screeners, ETF screeners, and portfolio.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Already use these? The faster win is ranked stock ideas or the free-tools shortlist.
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Our take
The bottom line
MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com) 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. Zacks (Zacks.com) simply does more: 12 categories to MSN Money's 8, including screeners, ETF screeners, and portfolio. MSN Money counters by being completely free.
What readers say
MSN Money
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Zacks (Zacks.com)
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Key differences at a glance
- Asset coverage
- MSN MoneyAdds commodities and currencies
- Free trial
- Zacks (Zacks.com)30 days
- Broader coverage
- Zacks (Zacks.com)12 vs 8 categories
- Desktop app
- MSN Money
- Free plan
- Both
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.
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 | Free | Free • From $249/yr |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | Yes | No |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 8 | 12 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | Latency: Real-time, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day and Granularity: EOD | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | — | Factors: Value, Momentum, and Growth |
| Try it | Visit MSN Money | Visit Zacks (Zacks.com) |
Standout features
The best features of MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com).ShowHide
Standout features
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.
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 MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com).ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsCommoditiesCurrencies | StocksETFsMutual Funds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | 27 exchangesIdentifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time15-min DelayedEnd of Day | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Manual | Manual |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Factors: Value, Momentum, and Growth |
Vendor & support | Microsoft CorporationCountry: United StatesSupport: Email | 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 | Free |
| Entry paid plan | — | $249/yr≈ $20.75/mo“Premium Annual” |
| Tier 2 | — | $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 | — | 30 days |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com)?
MSN Money leans toward news, calendar, and watchlist, while Zacks (Zacks.com) puts more weight on screeners, ETF screeners, and watchlist. They overlap in 5 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com) cost?
Good news: both MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: MSN Money or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
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 MSN Money or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick MSN Money if financials and fund analysis matter to you; go with Zacks (Zacks.com) if you'd rather have screeners and ETF screeners. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com) cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. MSN Money also handles commodities and currencies.
Do MSN Money and Zacks (Zacks.com) offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Which has a better stock screener: MSN Money or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Zacks (Zacks.com) has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; MSN Money doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with MSN Money or Zacks (Zacks.com)?
Zacks (Zacks.com) handles portfolio tracking. MSN Money is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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