The Motley Fool investment research platform provides numerous investment ideas and you may subscribe to their premium Stock Advisor service. However, there comes a time when you're looking for Motley Fool Stock Advisor alternatives that are more affordable or offer a different investment strategy.
I have been subscribing to various Fool services for several years, including Stock Advisor. While this entry-level is legit and produces successful ideas, other platforms can be a better fit.
Best Motley Fool Alternatives
These investment newsletters can provide at least one new stock pick per month and other stock market commentary. I use some of these services myself.
Oxford Communiqué
The Oxford Club Communiqué is the most similar Stock Advisor alternative regarding the number of available investment ideas. There are probably more stock and fund picks than you will regularly invest in.
For starters, there are five different model portfolios:
- Oxford Trading Portfolio: The flagship portfolio with monthly recommendations. Anticipate recommendations from various industries but primarily technology. These monthly stock picks use stop losses to minimize downside risk.
- Gone Fishin' Portfolio: Recommends all-weather index funds for stocks, bonds, and alternative assets. There are no trailing stops and only require annual rebalancing.
- Fortress Portfolio: Eight funds for conservative investors that can have less downside risk during a recession or inflation. These ideas can be profitable in bull markets too.
- Oxford All-Star Portfolio: Get exposure to funds managed by professional investors like Warren Buffett, Carl Icahn, and similar investment houses.
- Ten-Baggers of Tomorrow Portfolio: A highly-aggressive portfolio of biotechs and startups. This can be an excellent alternative to Motley Fool Rule Breakers which looks for up-and-coming stocks with more volatility and upside potential.
Each monthly issue provides an in-depth write-up about the monthly stock pick. You will also see a review of the other portfolios and read general stock market commentary about what to expect in the next month.
The annual subscription costs only $49 for the first year with this link and then $79 per renewal. The same subscription can cost $249 if you subscribe directly through the Oxford Club website.
Best Oxford Communiqué Features
- Several trading and evergreen model portfolios
- Low annual fee (only $49 for the first year)
- Recommends stocks and funds
Bonner Private Research
If you're a defensive investor, Bonner Private Research is one of my favorite investment services in this bear market. I'm a paid subscriber (but don't receive any referral commisions if you join) and will probably be a long-time subscriber.
This publication is currently in “Maximum Safety Mode” and wants to protect the reader's capital but also make brief tactical trades to make some money in a challenging investment climate.
Anticipate a monthly issue that may include an investment recommendation for a stock. However, they may not recommend anything during a tough month. They recognize that most subscribers have several subscriptions and will probably buy stocks that others cover.
They also have a “Trade of the Decade” investment idea that launched in 2021 to go “long” on on sector and pessimistic on another. Essentially, you can buy this recommnedation and ignore the ups and downs until 2030. Hopefully, it will be profitable.
Along with the monthly issue, there are two subscriber-only messages that publish on Wednesdays and Fridays after market close.
There is also a free daily publication that doesn't make investment recommendations but can help you understand what's going on in the international and domestic markets.
The annual membership cost is $395 or $39 month-to-month. If you don't want the premium research, you can start for free.
While this newsletter is more expensive than Stock Advisor, you receive more market analysis overall than other services easily charge $1,000 or more per year for. However, Motley Fool is better if you want stock picks to buy today and potentially hold for several years.
Best Bonner Private Research Features
- Two premium reports per week
- Conservative investment strategy
- Annual and monthly pricing
Oxford Income Letter
If you prefer dividend income to growth stocks, the Oxford Income Letter is an excellent and affordable resource.
Subscribing directly through the website costs up to $249/year.
There are four model portfolios with different strategies:
- Instant Income Portfolio
- Compound Income Portfolio
- High Yield Portfolio
- Fixed Income Portfolio
Needless to say, there are plenty of investment ideas for an asset class that many consider “boring” after the recent years of the go-go tech and crypto stocks.
Best Oxford Income Letter Features
- Four dividend-focused model portfolios
- Low annual price ($79 and less)
- Can earn recurring income
Zacks Premium
Zacks Premium is a full-service research tool that lets you analyze most publicly-traded stocks and funds. It can be an excellent service for long-term and short-term investments thanks to its Zacks Rank rating system and analyst reports.
While Motley Fool Stock Advisor has a deep portfolio with more stocks than you will ever invest in at once, you can't dive deeply into companies not on the recommendations list.
Long-term investors may also appreciate the Focus List which features 50 stocks that the service believes will outperform the stock market over the next year.
An annual Zacks Premium subscription costs $249 after a 30-day free trial.
If you don't need access to the full research reports or investment idea lists, the basic Zacks service is free. You can still view the current Zacks Rank and articles that list bullish and bearish companies that you may explore further or avoid.
Best Zacks Premium Features
- In-depth research tools
- Fundamental and technical stock screener
- Equity research reports
- 30-day free trial
Curzio Research Advisory
Beginner and intermediate investors can also find bargain-priced stock picks through Curzio Research Advisory (CRA).
This flagship product provides one monthly recommendation for highly liquid stocks that can hail from this investment sectors:
- Commodities
- Financial
- Leisure
- Metaverse
- Precious metals (royalty stocks…not high-risk junior miners)
- Real estate
- Technology
Most of the model portfolio assets have an anticipated minimum one-year holding period. Some picks are relatively aggressive while others might be somewhat risk-averse, similar to the Team Everlasting and Team Rule Breakers.
CRA only costs $99 per year. Unlike Motley Fool Stock Advisor, you don't have to worry about introductory pricing that doubles when you try to renew.
A paid subscription also includes a weekly subscriber-only Friday podcast. There is also a free podcast every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Curzio Research Advisory is highly affordable as the founder's goal is to build investors' trust. Eventually, they may subscribe to the costlier services like Moneyflow Trader ($5,000 per year) which caters to aggressive trading and investors with more free cash.
Best Curzio Research Features
- Stock picks from many industries
- Low annual price
- Weekly subscriber-only podcast
Learn More: Curzio Research review
Early Warning Report
The Early Warning Report is an excellent read if you want a high-level geopolitical analysis with an Austrian economics perspective.
If you're familiar with the book Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? and the “Uncle Eric” series, you will most likely enjoy this newsletter.
You will also receive stock and alternative asset investment ideas that usually have a minimum three-year target holding period, similar to the Motley Fool investment philosophy.
What makes EWR different is that its author, Richard J. Maybury, avoids trendy stocks that are popular with investing services but might be more hype to sell subscriptions. For example, you don't have to put up with teasers for an “Amazon killer” or a “$3 Fountain of Youth” stock that usually won't live up to the expectations.
Several stock picks overlap the Stock Advisor portfolio in the technology, medical, and financial sectors, for example.
Early Warning Report costs $209.98 per year or $52.49 quarterly. As a heads up, you only receive 10 monthly issues instead of 12.
This expense is slightly more than Stock Advisor, but you receive more macroeconomic insights.
Best Early Warning Report Features
- Geopolitical insights
- Receive print and digital edition
- Invests from a natural law perspective
Learn More: Richard Maybury Early Warning Report Review
Kiplinger's Personal Finance
If you have a busy schedule, you may not have time to read the various weekly or bi-weekly messages that pricier investment services publish. Additionally, you can get several investment ideas each month from Kiplinger's.
This service publishes a monthly print and digital magazine that can recommend stocks, bonds, and funds. Most investment ideas have a long-term investment philosophy.
There are also non-investing money management articles geared for millennials and retirees as well.
Kiplinger's only costs $34.95 per year, so you don't feel the pressure to act on every investment recommendation to justify the subscription cost. Additionally, you have more cash to invest and you're not struggling to pay the renewal fee.
This relatively low price is why I have been subscribing to this service for over a decade.
Best Kiplinger's Features
- Multiple investment ideas each month
- Low annual price
- Include money management tips
Learn More: Kiplinger's Magazine review
Sure Dividend
Dividend stocks can help you earn investment income during any part of the market cycle. Getting exposure to high-quality companies can be easier through Sure Dividend.
This newsletter differs from Stock Advisor as these stocks might have less stability but potentially less long-term price appreciation. If you're trying to move away from the aggressive growth stock story that most newsletters look for, Sure Dividend can be a breath of fresh air.
There are several different subscription options and the annual pricing ranges from $79 to $199. The various services specialize in these sectors:
- REITs
- Dividend stocks with 25+ years of rising dividends
- High-quality buy and hold forever stocks
- 4% or more yielding securities
If you want several services, you might be able to save and purchase The Sure Analysis Research Database for $999 per year for full platform access.
Best Sure Dividend Features
- Several subscription options
- Can earn recurring passive income
- Annual pricing as low as $79
Is Motley Fool Stock Advisor a Scam?
To be clear, I'm a fan of Motley Fool Stock Advisor and maintain a subscription. It's also the best overall Fool product as it applies to the widest audience. There are many things to like about it including:
- Two monthly recommendations
- 10 “evergreen” Foundational Stocks (updated quarterly)
- 10 Timely Stocks that have the best entry points this week (updated weekly)
However, you may appreciate more variety as Stock Advisor is less likely to recommend dividend stocks, or you may appreciate the personality of other analysts.
Additionally, the $199 renewal fee can also be more somewhat expensive as you can receive similar information at a lower cost.
Reviewing your recurring subscriptions is a smart money move. Don't be afraid to mix things up if your goals or habits change.
Summary
These entry-level newsletters will satisfy the needs of many investors. It's possible to supplement your existing subscription with additional insights. You may also decide to replace your Fool membership with a service that's a better fit for your investing goals or budget.
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