VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

PortfoliosLab vs YCharts comparison

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

Quick takeaways

PortfoliosLab adds ETF Screeners, Backtesting, Factor Exposure, and Quant coverage that YCharts skips.

YCharts includes Data Visualizations, Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Data APIs, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Broker Connectors categories that PortfoliosLab omits.

PortfoliosLab highlights: Portfolio analytics and backtesting with benchmarking, monthly returns, and risk-adjusted ratios such as Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin., Optimization models include Mean–Variance (MVO), Risk Parity, and Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP), with the ability to backtest from a chosen optimization date., and Risk analytics cover drawdowns, Value at Risk (VaR), Expected Shortfall (CVaR), and multiple volatility estimators..

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..

PortfoliosLab has a free tier, while YCharts requires a paid plan.

PortfoliosLab logo

PortfoliosLab

portfolioslab.com

Portfolio analytics platform with screeners, optimizers, and backtesting. The free tier includes 10 years of data and basic calculations. Plus extends coverage to 40+ years and 200 calculations per month, while Pro unlocks unlimited calculations, 500 holdings per portfolio, CSV import/export, and screener exports. Enterprise offers an API, data-feed integration, and white-labeling. Broker sync is not supported; CSV imports are recommended.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Portfolio analytics and backtesting with benchmarking, monthly returns, and risk-adjusted ratios such as Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin.
  • Optimization models include Mean–Variance (MVO), Risk Parity, and Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP), with the ability to backtest from a chosen optimization date.
  • Risk analytics cover drawdowns, Value at Risk (VaR), Expected Shortfall (CVaR), and multiple volatility estimators.
  • Comprehensive stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with sortable columns, filters, and risk-versus-return scatterplots. Screener results export is available on Pro.
  • Factor analysis tools for Alpha and Beta measurement.

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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.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

9 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Screeners, Portfolio, and Watchlist plus 6 more areas.

Where they differ

PortfoliosLab

Distinct strengths include:

  • Portfolio analytics and backtesting with benchmarking, monthly returns, and risk-adjusted ratios such as Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin.
  • Optimization models include Mean–Variance (MVO), Risk Parity, and Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP), with the ability to backtest from a chosen optimization date.
  • Risk analytics cover drawdowns, Value at Risk (VaR), Expected Shortfall (CVaR), and multiple volatility estimators.
  • Comprehensive stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with sortable columns, filters, and risk-versus-return scatterplots. Screener results export is available on Pro.

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

AttributePortfoliosLabYCharts
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Financials, APIs & SDKs

Unique: ETF Screeners, Backtesting, Factor Exposure, Quant

Shared: Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Financials, APIs & SDKs

Unique: Data Visualizations, Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Data APIs, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, 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

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Portfolio analytics and backtesting with benchmarking, monthly returns, and risk-adjusted ratios such as Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin.
  • Optimization models include Mean–Variance (MVO), Risk Parity, and Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP), with the ability to backtest from a chosen optimization date.
  • Risk analytics cover drawdowns, Value at Risk (VaR), Expected Shortfall (CVaR), and multiple volatility estimators.
  • Comprehensive stock, ETF, and mutual fund screeners with sortable columns, filters, and risk-versus-return scatterplots. Screener results export is available on Pro.
  • Factor analysis tools for Alpha and Beta measurement.
  • Support for both static and transactional portfolios with calendar- or threshold-based rebalancing options.

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 PortfoliosLab and YCharts both support?

Both platforms cover Screeners, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Financials, and APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

PortfoliosLab 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 PortfoliosLab and YCharts?

Both PortfoliosLab 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?

PortfoliosLab differentiates itself with Portfolio analytics and backtesting with benchmarking, monthly returns, and risk-adjusted ratios such as Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin., Optimization models include Mean–Variance (MVO), Risk Parity, and Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP), with the ability to backtest from a chosen optimization date., and Risk analytics cover drawdowns, Value at Risk (VaR), Expected Shortfall (CVaR), and multiple volatility estimators., 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.