★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Stockcircle vs Value Investors Club (VIC)
Start here
Stockcircle
Free • From $99/yr · Web
- You care about institutional ownership, insider data, and US government trades, things Value Investors Club (VIC) doesn't offer
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick Value Investors Club (VIC) instead if
Value Investors Club (VIC)
Free · Web
- You care about forums, something Stockcircle doesn't offer
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Stockcircle simply does more: 11 categories to Value Investors Club (VIC)'s 2, including institutional ownership, insider data, and US government trades. Value Investors Club (VIC) counters by being completely free. On paper they're closely matched, so let pricing, platform fit, and the details below break the tie.
What readers say
Stockcircle
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Value Investors Club (VIC)
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Asset coverage
- StockcircleAdds ETFs and other
- Broader coverage
- Stockcircle11 vs 2 categories
- Beginner friendly
- Stockcircle
- Free plan
- Both
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $99/yr | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 3 limits: Free: screener: "Join Stockcircle Pro to see all stocks" on screener., Free: notifications: Pro page: "Without Pro, you only receive one monthly recap email." +1 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | — | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +1 more | — |
Categories covered | 11 | 2 |
Regions | — | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data partners | 3 partners: Financial Modeling Prep, FRED +1 more | — |
Capabilities | Universe builder and AI summaries: Transcripts | — |
| Try it | Visit Stockcircle | Visit Value Investors Club (VIC) |
Where each one shines
What Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC) each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC) each do best.What Stockcircle does best
- Tracking investment-guru holdings and transactions from SEC-reported Form 13F and insider Forms 3/4 data.
- Views for reviewing holdings lists, transaction history, and estimated purchase prices based on the average stock price during the reporting period.
- Monitoring email notifications for newly reported transactions, with Pro positioned around instant notifications and non-Pro users receiving monthly recap email.
- Monitoring U.S.
- Views for reviewing insider trades from executives and directors with price-at-trade data and change since trade.
What Value Investors Club (VIC) does best
- Reading access to long-form investment writeups from a selective community founded by Joel Greenblatt and John Petry.
- Support for applying for full member access by submitting a current investment idea for review.
- Browsing access to delayed ideas for free after email signup, with guest access held back by 45 days.
- Member discussion threads to evaluate writeups, ask questions, and follow debate around a thesis.
- Search tools across and filter ideas by long or short orientation, performance, ratings, geography, and related discovery fields.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC), side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC), side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsOther | StocksBonds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | IntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term Investors | Not specified |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Not specified |
| Data | ||
Data partners | Financial Modeling PrepFREDParqet | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builderAI summaries: Transcripts | Not specified |
Vendor & support | BIT Enterprises UG (haftungsbeschrankt)Country: GermanySupport: Email | Value Investors Club, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 1999Support: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 3/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freescreener: "Join Stockcircle Pro to see all stocks" on screener. · notifications: Pro page: "Without Pro, you only receive one monthly recap email." · +1 more | Free“Guest (Delayed Access)” |
| Entry paid plan | $99/yr≈ $8.25/mo“Pro (Annual)” | — |
| Top plan | $16.49/mo“Pro (Monthly)” | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC)?
Stockcircle leans toward institutional ownership, insider data, and US government trades, while Value Investors Club (VIC) puts more weight on stock ideas and forums. They overlap in 1 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC) cost?
Good news: both Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: Stockcircle or Value Investors Club (VIC)?
Stockcircle is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. Value Investors Club (VIC) assumes more experience, and rewards it with deeper analytics.
Should I choose Stockcircle or Value Investors Club (VIC)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Stockcircle if institutional ownership and insider data matter to you; go with Value Investors Club (VIC) if you'd rather have forums. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Stockcircle and Value Investors Club (VIC) cover?
Both cover stocks and bonds. Stockcircle also handles ETFs and other.
Which has a better stock screener: Stockcircle or Value Investors Club (VIC)?
Stockcircle has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Value Investors Club (VIC) doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
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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.