Tool Comparison
Portfolio123 vs The Motley Fool
- Paid from
- $25/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API, Desktop
Best if
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You want screeners, data visualizations, and quant.
- Paid from
- $16.58/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile
Best if
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $16.58/mo instead of $25/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want news and newsletters.
Start here
Portfolio123
Free • From $300/yr · Web · API · Desktop
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You want screeners, data visualizations, and quant.
Pick The Motley Fool instead if
The Motley Fool
Free • From $199/yr · Web · Mobile
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $16.58/mo instead of $25/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOther tools you might like
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Not set on either one? See the top 50 tools, ranked by user votes, or the deals page for big discounts on popular tools.
Our take
The bottom line
Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool cover a lot of the same ground (6 shared categories, including stock ideas, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Portfolio123 simply does more: 19 categories to The Motley Fool's 8, including screeners, data visualizations, and quant. The Motley Fool counters by starting cheaper at $16.58/mo.
What readers say
Portfolio123
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
The Motley Fool
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- The Motley Fool$16.58/mo vs $25/mo
- Broader coverage
- Portfolio12319 vs 8 categories
- Mobile app
- The Motley Fool
- Desktop app
- Portfolio123
- API access
- Portfolio123
- Real-time data
- Portfolio123
What Portfolio123 does best
- Build multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and rules-based strategies.
- Run simulations with custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, slippage, and commissions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Create ranking systems from fundamental, technical, sentiment, and macro factors, including public factor documentation and FRED-linked economic series.
- AI Factor to train machine-learning predictors for expected returns and feed those predictions into rankings, simulations, and asset-level analysis.
What The Motley Fool does best
- Reading access to free investing articles, market news, educational content, podcasts, and market snapshots on Fool.com.
- Stock Advisor for two new stock recommendations per month at $199/year for the annual plan.
- Upgrade to Epic for broader access including Rule Breakers, Dividend Investor, Hidden Gems, FoolIQ/GamePlan, AI-powered tools, and 7 monthly recommendations.
- Epic Plus for more recommendation volume, including 8+ monthly stock recommendations and daily Moneyball recommendations.
- Fool Portfolios and Fool One for real-money portfolio access, specialized research and events.
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 • From $300/yr | Free • From $199/yr |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 25 limits: Free Screener & Backtesting Access: duration days: 30, Screener (Annual): backtest history years: 5 +23 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | Yes | No |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | Yes | No |
Broker sync | Yes | No |
Integrations | Interactive Brokers and Tradier | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +5 more | — |
Categories covered | 19 | 8 |
Regions | North America, Europe | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | — |
Data partners | 4 partners: FactSet, S&P Global Market Intelligence +2 more | — |
Capabilities | 6 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +4 more | — |
| Try it | Visit Portfolio123 | Visit The Motley Fool |
Standout features
The best features of Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool.ShowHide
Standout features
What Portfolio123 does best
- Build multifactor ranking systems, stock screens, ETF screens, and rules-based strategies.
- Run simulations with custom universes, buy and sell rules, position sizing, hedging, rebalancing, slippage, and commissions.
- Point-in-time data designed to avoid survivorship and look-ahead bias, with fundamentals, estimates, corporate actions, sector and industry classifications, and historical issues.
- Create ranking systems from fundamental, technical, sentiment, and macro factors, including public factor documentation and FRED-linked economic series.
- AI Factor to train machine-learning predictors for expected returns and feed those predictions into rankings, simulations, and asset-level analysis.
What The Motley Fool does best
- Reading access to free investing articles, market news, educational content, podcasts, and market snapshots on Fool.com.
- Stock Advisor for two new stock recommendations per month at $199/year for the annual plan.
- Upgrade to Epic for broader access including Rule Breakers, Dividend Investor, Hidden Gems, FoolIQ/GamePlan, AI-powered tools, and 7 monthly recommendations.
- Epic Plus for more recommendation volume, including 8+ monthly stock recommendations and daily Moneyball recommendations.
- Fool Portfolios and Fool One for real-money portfolio access, specialized research and events.
All details
Every attribute we track for Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsClosed-End Funds | StocksETFs |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEurope | Not specified |
Coverage details | Countries: US and CAIdentifiers: Ticker | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-timeEnd of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
Data partners | FactSetS&P Global Market IntelligenceICE Data ServicesFRED | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | Not specified |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeyDocs | Not specified |
Import methods | BrokerOAuthCSV | Manual |
Integrations | Interactive BrokersTradier | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVJSON | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderBroker syncRebalancingCorrelation | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Portfolio123Support: Forum | The Motley Fool, LLCCountry: USFounded 1993Support: Phone |
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“Manage (Free)” | Free |
| Entry paid plan | $300/yr≈ $25/mo“Screener (Annual)”backtest history years: 5 · resource units: 400 · +1 more | $199/yr≈ $16.58/mo“Stock Advisor annual” |
| Tier 2 | $35/mo“Screener (Monthly)”backtest history years: 5 · resource units: 400 · +1 more | $499/yr≈ $41.58/mo“Epic annual” |
| Tier 3 | $1000/yr≈ $83.33/mo“Backtest (Annual)”backtest history years: 10 · resource units: 1,000 · +1 more | $1999/yr≈ $166.58/mo“Epic Plus annual” |
| Tier 4 | $116/mo“Backtest (Monthly)”backtest history years: 10 · resource units: 1,000 · +1 more | $3999/yr≈ $333.25/mo“Fool Portfolios annual” |
| Tier 5 | $1500/yr≈ $125/mo“Portfolio (Annual)”backtest history years: 15 · resource units: 5,000 · +1 more | $13999/yr≈ $1166.58/mo“Fool One” |
| Tier 6 | $174/mo“Portfolio (Monthly)”backtest history years: 15 · resource units: 5,000 · +1 more | — |
| Tier 7 | $2400/yr≈ $200/mo“Ultimate (Annual)”backtest history years: 20 · resource units: 10,000 · +1 more | — |
| Top plan | $278/mo“Ultimate (Monthly)”backtest history years: 20 · resource units: 10,000 · +1 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Professional / API & Data Licenses” | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool?
Portfolio123 leans toward screeners, data visualizations, and quant, while The Motley Fool puts more weight on stock ideas, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 6 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool cost?
Good news: both Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool on my phone?
The Motley Fool lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Portfolio123 doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web, API, and desktop.
Does Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool have an API?
Portfolio123 has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. The Motley Fool doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Portfolio123 if screeners and data visualizations matter to you; go with The Motley Fool if you'd rather have news and newsletters. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool cover?
Both cover stocks and ETFs. Portfolio123 also handles closed-end funds.
Does Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool have real-time data?
Portfolio123 offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. The Motley Fool 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.
Can I export data from Portfolio123 and The Motley Fool?
Portfolio123 exports to CSV. The Motley Fool is stingier about getting data out.
Can Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool connect to my broker?
Portfolio123 syncs with brokers automatically. With The Motley Fool, you're entering holdings by hand or importing files.
Which has a better stock screener: Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool?
Portfolio123 has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; The Motley Fool doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Portfolio123 or The Motley Fool?
Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.
Keep researching
More comparisons to check
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.