VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Saturday, September 27, 2025

Investors comparing OpenBB and YCharts will find that Both OpenBB and YCharts concentrate on APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Data APIs workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. OpenBB leans into Custom Dashboards, IPO, and Dividends, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. YCharts stands out with Screeners, Stock Comparison, and ETF Comparison 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

OpenBB vs YCharts

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

  • OpenBB adds Custom Dashboards, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Transcripts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, and AI Chat coverage that YCharts skips.
  • YCharts includes Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, Alerts, Scores, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Short Interest, Insider Data, Yield Curves, and Broker Connectors categories that OpenBB omits.
  • OpenBB highlights: REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows..
  • YCharts is known for: Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..
  • OpenBB has a free tier, while YCharts requires a paid plan.
OpenBB logo

OpenBB

openbb.co

Open-source data and analytics platform with a REST API, Python SDK, and an enterprise workspace for custom dashboards and apps. The free Community plan includes unlimited dashboards and 20 AI Copilot queries per day. Pro adds collaboration features, Excel integration, secure deployment (VPC/on-prem), and export options. Infrastructure is SOC 2 Type II certified, with SSO support and a public status page.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
  • Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
  • Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
  • Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
  • OpenBB Copilot AI chat that integrates dashboard widgets as context and supports attachments (PDF, CSV, XLSX).
YCharts logo

YCharts

ycharts.com

Hands-on review

Advisor-focused research, portfolio analytics, and proposal platform. Lower tiers are more view-only, while add-ons unlock the Excel add-in and broader fund/SMA datasets. Intraday quotes are available on a short delay (about 90–120 seconds).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.

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

OpenBB

Distinct strengths include:

  • REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
  • Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
  • Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
  • Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.

YCharts

Distinct strengths include:

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeOpenBBYCharts
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Data APIs, News, Interest Rates, GDP, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, Analyst Forecasts

Unique: Custom Dashboards, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Transcripts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, AI Chat

Shared: APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Data APIs, News, Interest Rates, GDP, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, Analyst Forecasts

Unique: Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, Alerts, Scores, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Short Interest, Insider Data, Yield Curves, Broker Connectors

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Cryptos

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web, API

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
  • Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
  • Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
  • Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
  • OpenBB Copilot AI chat that integrates dashboard widgets as context and supports attachments (PDF, CSV, XLSX).
  • Community plan includes 20 Copilot queries/day; Pro adds Excel Add-in, data export, team roles and sharing, and SSO (Azure/Google).

Unique

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.
  • Advisor ecosystem integrations including Addepar, Orion, Redtail, Schwab Advisor Center, iRebal, Pershing, LPL ClientWorks, Black Diamond, and VRGL.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Yes

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

Standard listing

Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do OpenBB and YCharts both support?

Both platforms cover APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Data APIs, News, Interest Rates, GDP, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Data Visualizations, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, and Analyst Forecasts workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

OpenBB offers a free entry point, while YCharts requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access OpenBB and YCharts?

Both OpenBB and YCharts prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

OpenBB differentiates itself with REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows., whereas YCharts stands out for Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

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.