10 Best Investment Newsletters for Stock Recommendations

10 Best Investment Newsletters for Stock Recommendations
There is an ever-increasing amount of investment advice out there. From familial texts to so-called investment gurus on social media, it appears there's no shortage of advice on stock recommendations or the best investment strategies. But filtering these investment ideas is a tough cookie to crack since you have to separate facts from fiction. Investment research can be a daunting task for the uninitiated whether it's the stock market or individual stocks.
And that's where investment newsletters come in. But not all investment newsletters are created equal. Some provide stock research and new stock recommendations to help you diversify your investment portfolio, while others are meant to catch you up on the latest financial news. But with markets reaching dizzying highs or falling to terrifying lows in a matter of weeks, these newsletters are more valuable than ever.

What is an investment newsletter?

Simply put, investment newsletters provide investment advice, which comes in stock tips, news and market analysis. These financial newsletters take away some of the tedious legwork associated with investing to make investment decisions easy for beginners and experienced investors alike. Should I invest in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs)? Or perhaps index funds are worth my time? Regardless of the question you've found yourself asking recently, a stock newsletter is a powerful weapon to have in your personal finance arsenal.
Good things don't come free, and that's especially true for these newsletters, which employ a subscription-based model where you make monthly or yearly payments to receive the newsletter. Most of these newsletters are geared toward people with long investment horizons, i.e., those who can buy a stock and hold it for at least five years. But there are a few who cater to day traders as well. As retail investing continues to gain traction, these newsletters have proven to be a must-have for the modern, time-constrained retail investor.

How do investment newsletters work?

You'll have to subscribe to these newsletters using your credit or debit card. Some newsletters offer a money-back guarantee, while others don't offer this option. Once you've landed on a newsletter you like, just navigate to its website and subscribe. If you're a new member, you may be eligible for a discounted rate the first year, but you'll be charged the full amount at renewal.
Each newsletter has its own selling point. Some have a consistent track record of beating the S&P 500, while others may recommend companies with high-growth potential. There's one that employs artificial intelligence to make picks. Regardless, they're all dedicated to maximizing your return on investment.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

How to choose the best investment newsletter

There are a few questions you can ask yourself to find the newsletter that works best for you. The first is your investment goal. This lets you look at the end game, and, depending on your answer, dictates if the newsletter's approach to investing works for you or not. Another factor to consider is the newsletter's investment strategy because you wouldn't want your goal and the newsletter's strategy going in opposite directions.
Lastly, you have to be mindful of the budget. These newsletters can cost as little as $100 to as much as $4,000 per year. However, the best newsletters shouldn't put a futile dent in your wallet, and at the same time, they should pay for themselves.

Overview of the best investment newsletters

Investment newsletter
Best for
Motley Fool Stock Advisor
Large-cap stock recommendation
Morningstar
Market analysis and editorials
Zacks
Investment advice and news
Seeking Alpha
Investment advice and market commentary
Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Personal finance tips
Stansberry Research
Monthly newsletters
TheStreet
Ample stock advice
Trade Ideas
Artificial intelligence-led stock picks
Everlasting Stocks
Portfolio diversification

Best investment newsletters

Motley Fool Stock Advisor

Motley Fool is a household name in the retail investing space thanks to affordable options like the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, a subscription service that recommends large-cap stocks to provide the highest return in the long term. Stock Advisor was launched in February 2002 and has become the go-to source for most mom and pop investors. It boasts more than a million members.

Features

  • Stock Advisor releases stock picks each Thursday.
  • A subscription also gives you access to 10 stocks ideal for new investors.
  • Buy and sell email alerts so you never miss a chance to make money or dump stocks not expected to do good.
  • You will receive invitations for videos and podcasts that dive deep into investment strategies and a host of other topics.
  • You can also connect with other like-minded investors via the Motley Fool's message boards.

Performance

10 Best Investment Newsletters for Stock Recommendations
Stock Advisor's picks have outperformed the S&P 500 3-to-1 over the past 20 years. The service's recommendations have returned an average of 374%, versus the S&P 500's 125%.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Cost

You can subscribe to Stock Advisor for $99 per year if you're a new member and $199 when you renew. The best part? It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Morningstar

Morningstar is arguably the most recognized name in stock market research. It generally provides market analysis on long-term investing strategies like mutual funds and ETFs, but did you know Morningstar also has investor newsletters? And not just one.

Features

  • Morningstar StockInvestor focuses on companies trading at discounts to their intrinsic values. This newsletter highlights its "tortoise" picks, high-quality companies with strong balance sheets. Its "hare" picks identify fast-growing companies. Each issue includes commentary on current events, such as ESG investing, an in-depth editorial on companies, a roundup of significant news events, as well as a watchlist of stocks.
  • Morningstar FundInvestor aims to help investors pick mutual funds. It also provides monthly performance data on funds that should be on every investor's radar.
  • Morningstar DividendInvestor focuses on dividend investing strategies.
  • Morningstar ETFInvestor provides market insights on individual exchange-traded funds.

Performance

Morningstar doesn't publicly disclose how well or bad its recommendations perform.

Cost

The StockInvestor newsletter will set you back $145 annually for a digital subscription. Morningstar FundInvestor is priced at $145 for a digital subscription, while Morningstar DividendInvestor and Morningstar ETFInvestor each cost $199 per year.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Zacks

Zacks launched in 1978 and its name is tantamount to stock research. Founded by Len Zacks, the company also provides stock recommendations and market analysis. Its services are aimed at both rookie and experienced investors. Its Zacks Ranks service makes it easy to find a good stock, and its premium services work for both short- and long-term investors.

Features

  • Zacks offers multi-tiered paid plans as well as a free option that has limited functionality.
  • Zacks Ranks assigns ratings to stocks based on its earnings potential.
  • You can use the stock screener tool that comes with predefined screens. There's also a free version, albeit with limited options.
  • Zacks has a Fund Newsletter highlighting the best ETFs and mutual funds to invest in. Its Profit From the Pros newsletter briefs the reader on key market developments and identifies the bull stock of the day. Best of all? They're free.
  • Zacks comes out with a consistent stream of stock recommendations.

Performance

Stocks rated strong buy have outpaced the S&P 500, and Zacks has the data to prove it.
10 Best Investment Newsletters for Stock Recommendations
In addition, Zacks says stocks recently rated strong buy shot up more than 178% over three months.

Cost

Zacks has different pricing tiers to suit your budget and investing style. Its most basic plan, called Zacks Premium, costs $249 per year and is meant for rookie investors. Priced at $495 for one year, the next plan is called Zacks Investor Collection and is best suited for long-term investors. Costing $2,995 per year, Zacks Ultimate is the priciest of the three and is geared toward stock market professionals.

Seeking Alpha

From investment advice to market commentary, Seeking Alpha has something for everyone. But while other such services have a team of analysts dedicated to making recommendations, Seeking Alpha is completely crowdsourced. That means everything you see on its website is written by one of its 16,000 authors. To ensure everything on the website is correct, Seeking Alpha has a team of in-house editors that reviews content before publishing it.

Features

  • There is a seemingly never-ending array of newsletters to choose from, all of which are free.
  • Must-Reads include articles on stocks and economic events; Wall Street Breakfast highlights a one-page summary of the day's top financial and business stories; Morning Briefing includes articles trending on the Seeking Alpha website, and Energy Investing covers the latest trends and their impact on public companies.
  • On the investment advice side, there are Stock Ideas that are meant to help you find the best stock; Dividend Ideas provide dividend ideas and analysis and cover dividend stocks, bonds, and REITs; ETF Ideas focus on ETF funds, mutual funds, and closed-end funds; and Energy Investing covers latest trends and their impact on public companies.
  • In terms of stock recommendations, again, options are plentiful. You can pay to access top stocks, top growth stocks, top dividend stocks, top value stocks, and top short squeeze stocks (GameStop, anyone?).
  • A subscription will also give you access to stock, ETF screeners, and earnings calls transcript.
  • You can sync a stockbroker portfolio with your Seeking Alpha account, which makes portfolio management easy.

Performance

10 Best Investment Newsletters for Stock Recommendations
As you can see, stock rated Strong Buys have returned 1,754% versus the S&P 500's 385%.

Cost

Seeking Alpha's newsletters may be free, but its stock recommendations are certainly not. You can choose from two paid tiers - Premium for $180 per year and Pro for $2,400 annually.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Kiplinger's Personal Finance is a magazine providing advice on investing, retirement, taxes, saving, real estate, and insurance and is one of the biggest names in print and e-letter newsletters.

Features

On the e-newsletter side, select one or all of its free offerings:
  • Kiplinger Today carries advice on investing, taxes, retirement, and personal finance.
  • Building Wealth ropes in financial pros sharing best practices and tactics to preserve and grow wealth.
  • Closing Bell sends tomorrow's news after the bell, so you're ready when the markets reopen.
  • Investing Weekly is a roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies, and industries you should consider and ones you should avoid.
For paid subscriptions that go further in-depth, choose:
  • Kiplinger's Investing for Income is a monthly newsletter illustrating how to generate a 4% to 7% cash yield each year.
  • The Kiplinger Letter, a weekly forecast of business and economic trends, is also both print and digital access.
In addition, you can also get stock recommendations across a wide range of industries. For example, there's a list of best marijuana stocks, the best buy-now-pay-later stocks, and stocks you should and shouldn't own amid rising prices.

Performance

Kiplinger's Personal Finance doesn't disclose the performance of its recommended stocks.

Cost

One-year print and digital delivery of Kiplinger's Investing for Income are available for $79. The Kiplinger Letter costs $99 for a one-year subscription.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Stansberry Research

Stansberry Research publishes over two dozen newsletters each month, including a handful of free options. Started in 1999, the company targets investing pros with a long-term investment horizon and those who have vast swathes of investing capital at their disposal. Stansberry Research seeks to identify stocks that are “unloved, ignored, or unknown.” A few of its services are best suited to investors with deep pockets because they require a lot of investment capital and the service is costly.

Features

  • Complete Portfolio Solutions: A set of three portfolios targeting investors with varying experience levels and commitment. When you buy one that suits your need, you get lifetime access to it.
  • Bundled memberships are also on offer; however, they're invitation only.
There are also a ton of newsletters to choose from:
  • True Wealth recommends safe investments.
  • Stansberry’s Investment Advisory teaches you how to capitalize on emerging trends.
  • Retirement Millionaire shows you how to upgrade your lifestyle without breaking the bank.
  • Retirement Trader seeks to maximize the return of your retirement accounts.
  • DailyWealth Trader offers short- and medium-term trading ideas.
  • Silver Stock Analyst focuses on silver stocks.
  • Extreme Value makes bets on safe stocks trading at a discount.

Performance

Stansberry Research hasn't publicly announced its portfolio's performance.

Cost

Stansberry Research's subscription structure is very convoluted. You can't subscribe to Complete Portfolio Solutions through its website. Instead, you'll have to call an agent and get a quote. The Stansberry Alliance and the Stansberry Alliance, which make up its bundled memberships, don't list prices either.
But Stansberry Research is very forthcoming about its newsletters. True Wealth, Stansberry’s Investment Advisory, and Retirement Millionaire each cost $199 per year. Retirement Trader will set you back $4,000 per year, DailyWealth Trader is $99 per month, and the Extreme Value newsletter costs $1,200 annually. No price is listed online for Silver Stock Analyst.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

TheStreet

Anyone with even a basic knowledge of the markets has heard of TheStreet. Its claim to fame is financial news. And while on the surface, it may come off as just a news site, once you dig deeper, you'll soon find out it's a suite of investment advisory services. It offers eight newsletters and content related to retirement and personal finance.

Features

TheStreet offers a wide array of stock recommendations to choose from:
  • Action Alerts Plus includes advice from the pros.
  • Real Money will give you a list of top stocks you can buy.
  • Real Money Pro is geared toward buy-and-hold investors.
  • Stocks Under $10 recommends cheap stocks.
  • TheStreet Quant Ratings is meant to identify winners and losers.
  • Top Stocks recommends names beating the wider market.
  • Retirement Daily will help you plan for retirement.
  • Crypto investor unveils strategies employed by Wall Street in the crypto space.
If you'd like a bundled subscription, you can choose one of these two:
  • Real Money Pro Portfolio: This includes Action Alerts Plus, Real Money, Real Money Pro, Stocks Under $10, as well as Quant Ratings.
  • Chairman’s Club: This service comes with Top Stocks, as well as everything included in Real Money Pro Portfolio.

Performance

TheStreet doesn't disclose the performance of its portfolio.

Cost

Stock Under $10 and Crypto Investor each cost $200 for an annual subscription. Action Alerts Plus is $300 for a year, Real Money costs $250 annually, Real Money Pro costs $800 per year, TheStreet Quant Ratings will be billed at a rate of $50 annually, Top Stocks is $500 a year, and Retirement Daily costs $100 when you subscribe for a year.
Turning to bundled subscriptions, Real Money Pro Portfolio and Chairman’s Club will set you back $1,300 and $2,800 per year, respectively.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Trade Ideas

Trade Ideas is underpinned by artificial intelligence. Holly AI, as its known, analyzes the previous trading session and makes recommendations for the next day. Trade Ideas was launched in 2003 by financial technology entrepreneurs. As for its name, the company says that each investment starts as an idea, which culminates into a trade; hence they decided to call their company Trade Ideas.

Features

In addition to its AI-centric approach to investment advice, a subscription to Trade Ideas includes:
  • The Brokerage Plus features help you create scans and zero in on trading opportunities.
  • Holly AI also provides suggested entry and exit signals ideal for day traders.
  • Real-time stock racing, which visualizes a chart of stocks as a car race.
  • Training sessions to help you brush up your knowledge

Performance

Like many other services in this article, Trade Ideas hasn't publicly disclosed how well or badly its recommendations have performed.

Cost

The Standard plan costs $999 per year and includes real-time simulated trading, a live trading room, real-time streaming trade ideas, 10 simultaneous charts, a chart-based visual trade assistant, price alerts, and a channel bar of curated workspaces.
The next tier, priced at $1,999 annually, includes everything in the Standard plan as well as suggested entry and exit signals, 20 simultaneous charts, Holly AI, a chart-based AI trade assistance, and risk assessment, among others.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 50% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 50% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.

Should you buy monthly recommendations from these newsletters?

Whether you're a short-term investor or are in it for the long run, investment newsletters are a good place to turn to for actionable investment recommendations or just to catch up on happenings in the financial world. They're democratizing financial advice, especially for novice investors. Only professional investors have time to become experts on every stock, and investment newsletters are a good source of information without a significant time commitment.

Should you invest in individual stocks?

I'll start with a bet Warren Buffett placed. The Oracle of Omaha has been an outspoken critic of hedge funds, taking issue with the exorbitant fees they charge for their services. In 2008, he challenged the industry that an index fund would outperform a portfolio selected by hedge funds over 10 years. A hedge fund, Protege Partners LLC, accepted, and a $1 million wager was placed. Ted Seides, who founded the hedge fund, conceded defeat in an op-ed for Bloomberg.
Individual stocks are great if you like controlling where the money is invested and don't have to worry about management fees. On the flip, you will experience higher volatility, and stock research will consume much of your time. By comparison, mutual funds, index funds, and exchange-traded funds not only diversify your portfolio, but there's also a very low likelihood that you'll lose any money.

Summary of the best investment newsletters

Investment newsletter
Cost
Offers
Motley Fool Stock Advisor
$199 annually
Stocks
Morningstar
$145 - $199 for digital subscription
Stocks, Funds, Bonds
Zacks
$249 - $2,995
Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, REITs
Seeking Alpha
Many free with additional Marketplace selections at various price points
Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, REITs
Kiplinger's
Free - $99, depending on one of six options
Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, REITs, Crypto
Stansberry Research
Free - $4,000 per year
Stocks, Silver, Lifestyle improvement, Value bets
TheStreet
$200 - $2,800 per year
Stocks, ETFs, Funds, Bonds, Crypto, Retirement planning
Trade Ideas
$999 - $1,999 per year
Stocks, Bonds
Everlasting Stocks
$99 to $299 per year
Stocks, ETFs, Bonds

FAQs

What should I look for in an investment newsletter?
It should have a proven track record of outperforming the markets, its recommendations should be replicable by you and it should be worth the cost.
Which newsletter has consistently beaten the S&P 500?
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor has outperformed the S&P 500 four-to-one for the past 19 years.
What are my option if I'm looking for news and investment advice?
Robinhood Snacks offers easy-to-digest financial news. Zacks and Seeking Alpha both offer news and stock recommendations.

The bottom line

Not all financial newsletters are created equal. Some services that make stock recommendations have a track record of consistently beating the markets, while others only provide you the tools to make your investment journey easy. Some even just serve to keep you abreast of the latest market-moving news. But these newsletters have now become a must-have for investors who cannot commit hours to investment research.
Reliable recommendations and feature-rich analysis tools help you develop strategies that suit your investment style. Before deciding on which newsletter to opt for, however, it's best to do your due diligence to see if what you're going for is indeed worth it or not. Define your investment goals and take stock of your budget. The right newsletter shouldn't be heavy on the pockets and should pay for itself.

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