Seeking Alpha vs Yahoo Finance Review 2024: Which is better?

Jeremy Biberdorf
By: Jeremy Biberdorf
 

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There are many popular stock research websites that retail investors use—such as Seeking Alpha or Yahoo Finance services—to guide their investment decision. The exact services offered on these websites vary from fundamental analysis tools to specific stock recommendations.

The asset types covered vary as well. Whereas some sites may provide price alerts on stock prices, others may only focus on potential mutual fund investments. As such, the service that’s right for one trader may not be suitable for another investor.

For more detailed analysis of Seeking Alpha check out our full Seeking Alpha review.
Seeking Alpha is Better for:Yahoo Finance is Better for:
Technical analysis (paid)Technical analysis (free)
Stock screeningCommunity insights
Expert analysisNewer investors

Within the investment community, Seeking Alpha is well-known as the largest investing community. “Yahoo” is an everyday brand name, but Yahoo Finance is a service that hasn’t received as much attention.

In this article, we’ll be comparing the two services—the tried-and-true vs. the alternative option—to see which offers traders a superior experience. From recommending high-growth stocks and offering price alerts to helping inventors build a model portfolio, let’s see which service is the better option!

Seeking Alpha Yahoo Finance
Free Features Limited access (stock quotes, charts, news, analysis pieces, and information w/ Wall Street Ratings), email alerts/updates, investing newsletters Stock quotes, interactive charts, watchlists, brokerage linking capabilities.
Paid Features Premium content, email alerts, news updates, stock pricing/charts, Wall Street stock ratings, Seeking Alpha Author Ratings, Seeking Alpha Author Performance, Stock Quant Ratings, Stock Dividend Grades, Seeking Alpha PRO content, Seeking Alpha PRO newsletters, Short ideas portal, Idea screener & filter, VIP Service Daily recommendations, fundamental analysis & technical analysis tools, community insights, stock price analysis, company financials, enhanced charting, the Market Digest newsletter, company insights, reports and research (from Argus and Morningstar)
Annual Subscription Fees $214-$2400 $249.96-$349.92
Securities Analyzed Stocks, ETFs, other equities Stocks, crypto, ETFs, other equities
Investing Approach Advanced Technical
Best Use Advanced investors Active investors
Current Promotion More Info

Get $90 OFF Seeking Alpha Premium Membership with a Limited Time Black Friday Offer!

None
Modest Money Overall Rating
4.6 rating based on 5 ratings
4.0 rating based on 5 ratings
Seeking Alpha
Free Features Limited access (stock quotes, charts, news, analysis pieces, and information w/ Wall Street Ratings), email alerts/updates, investing newsletters
Paid Features Premium content, email alerts, news updates, stock pricing/charts, Wall Street stock ratings, Seeking Alpha Author Ratings, Seeking Alpha Author Performance, Stock Quant Ratings, Stock Dividend Grades, Seeking Alpha PRO content, Seeking Alpha PRO newsletters, Short ideas portal, Idea screener & filter, VIP Service
Annual Subscription Fees $214-$2400
Securities Analyzed Stocks, ETFs, other equities
Investing Approach Advanced
Best Use Advanced investors
Current Promotion More Info

Get $90 OFF Seeking Alpha Premium Membership with a Limited Time Black Friday Offer!

Modest Money Overall Rating
4.6 rating based on 5 ratings
Yahoo Finance
Free Features Stock quotes, interactive charts, watchlists, brokerage linking capabilities.
Paid Features Daily recommendations, fundamental analysis & technical analysis tools, community insights, stock price analysis, company financials, enhanced charting, the Market Digest newsletter, company insights, reports and research (from Argus and Morningstar)
Annual Subscription Fees $249.96-$349.92
Securities Analyzed Stocks, crypto, ETFs, other equities
Investing Approach Technical
Best Use Active investors
Current Promotion None
Modest Money Overall Rating
4.0 rating based on 5 ratings

Seeking Alpha vs Yahoo Finance Videos

Factor 1: Free Features

Many individual investors are willing to pay extra for access to exclusive investing opportunities. However, like most types of businesses, the services promised don’t always match expectations. If you’re paying a lot of money for stock picking services then it’s fair to expect more than an average return.

One way to get an idea of what a company can offer is by comparing their free services. Both companies claim to help you identify high-growth stocks, but do they have any value to offer outside of paid services? Let’s find out!

  • Yahoo Finance: Offers quotes, charts, watchlists, and brokerage linking for free.
  • Seeking Alpha: Limited free content; valuable insights behind a paywall.

Seeking Alpha

seekingalpha.com website

A free Seeking Alpha membership doesn’t offer active traders much in terms of technical analysis, trading strategies, or specific stock picking services. However, you will have limited access to their articles, which could potentially help you identify high-growth stocks.

Free content offers some general information on the stock market and different types of investing (such as mutual fund investing). You’ll be able to see limited information on assets—such as the average return—while setting up email alerts, reading stock ratings, and reading charts. However, the most useful information is hidden behind the paywall.

Yahoo Finance

yahoo finance website

As far as free mutual fund and stock picking services go, the free version of Yahoo Finance is actually one of the better options out there. You’ll have instant access to a plethora of stock market information including stock quotes, interactive charts, and the ability to create an unlimited number of watchlists to follow high-growth stocks.

The free version even links with supported brokers, enabling you track your trading strategies live from the platform!

While it may not offer all the information you’ll need for in-depth technical analysis, we think the free version of Yahoo Finance is a valuable resource for active traders who don’t want to spend any extra money on subscriptions.

Factor 2: Premium Features

Now that we’ve compared the free features that anyone can access, let’s take a closer look at the specific benefits that each service offers to individual investors who pay for a premium membership.

  • Seeking Alpha: Provides expert articles, stock picks, and advanced tools with Premium and Pro plans.
  • Yahoo Finance: Offers daily stock recommendations and financial insights, but less comprehensive than Seeking Alpha.

Seeking Alpha

This platform has two versions of their stock subscription service: Premium and Pro. Premium membership gives access to a wide variety of features, including:

  • Stock picking services
  • Fundamental analysis & technical analysis tools
  • SMS alerts
  • Standalone alerts,
  • And more

You’ll also have access to premium articles on a variety of topics including long-term portfolio growth, potentially profitable investing ideas, promising portfolio holdings, and how to improve your investing skills.

A Pro membership builds upon the analytics software, portfolio management apps, exclusive content, and standalone alerts offered with a Premium membership by adding “Pro” services into the mix. These Pro services—like the Pro investing newsletters—are designed to provide subscribers with high-growth stocks that are instantly actionable.

Yahoo Finance

Like Seeking Alpha, the Yahoo Finance stock subscription service offers two paid memberships: “Lite” and “Essential.” Both include all of the features offered in the free plan (stock tracking and portfolio holdings monitoring).

The “Lite” version offers daily recommendations for high-growth stocks, advanced tools for fundamental analysis & technical analysis, community insights, stock price analysis, and more.

The “Essential” version of Yahoo’s stock picking services adds access to company financials (such as average return rates or annual reports), enhanced charting, the Market Digest newsletter, and company insights to the list of usable services.

You’ll also be able to read reports and research from both Argus and Morningstar with an “Essential” membership.

Factor 3: Subscription Costs

When comparing stock picking services or analytic platforms, it’s important to consider the ongoing costs when making a selection. You’re likely already paying fees for your brokerage accounts, so you certainly don’t want to pay for a premium plan that puts you over budget!

  • Yahoo Finance: Essential plan costs $349.92/year.
  • Seeking Alpha: Premium is $239/year; Pro is $2400/year.

Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha Premium is the cheaper option. The premium service also appears to be the most common choice among subscribers. The premium plan will cost you $214 per year

Seeking Alpha Pro—which gives you unlimited access to all of the platform’s features—is the more expensive premium plan. A “Pro” membership will set you back $2400 per year. We’ve included a link for a 7-day free trial of the “Pro” plan at the end of this article!

Save $90 on Seeking Alpha Today

Yahoo Finance

As mentioned above, Yahoo Finance offers two versions of its premium service: “Lite” and “Essential.” The Lite premium plan will set you back $20.83 per month. However, since it’s billed annually, you’ll need to pay $249.96 upfront.

The “Essential” version of the premium service costs $29.16 per month. Like the Lite plan, it’s billed annually, which means you’ll pay $349.92 upfront for a year of unlimited access.

Factor 4: External Customer Reviews & Ratings

External Seeking Alpha Reviews & Ratings

SiteRating
Apple App Store4.8 from 110,2000 reviews
GetApp4.5 from 40 votes
WallStreetZen4.5
Capterra4.5 from 40 reviews
Best Wallet Hacks4.2
Trustpilot4 from 273 reviews

External Yahoo Finance Reviews & Ratings

SiteRating
Google Play4.6 from 212,459 reviews
Trustpilot2.8 from 3 reviews

Seeking Alpha vs Yahoo Finance: Our Recommendation

While both services will provide subscribers with plenty of investing opportunities and stock recommendations, we think you should select your premium service based on your budget.

Seeking Alpha has an impressive track record of success, dating back to its inception in 2004. Yahoo Finance, on the other hand, has a consumer rating of 1.9 to 4 out of 5, depending on which site you look at. Common complaints include information delays and billing issues.

Based on the costs, features, and feedback for each platform, we’d recommend Yahoo Finance for individual investors who don’t want to pay for stock recommendations. We’d recommend Seeking Alpha for investors who are willing to pay for access to premium information and expertly-crafted trading strategies.

If you’re interested in signing up for Seeking Alpha, take advantage of this 7-day free trial by clicking here!

Get $90 OFF Seeking Alpha Premium Membership with a Limited Time Black Friday Offer!