Full disclosure: We may receive financial compensation when you click on links and are approved for products from our advertising partners. Opinions and product recommendations on APYGUY are those of our writers and have not been influenced, reviewed or approved by any advertiser. Learn more about how we make money.

In the 13+ years following the 2008 financial crisis, the stock market has seen some of its biggest gains in history.

The S&P 500 has only had 3 years of negative returns during this period. The worst year, 2018, only dipped 6.24% according to macrotrends.net, while the best 3 years produced annual gains of over 25%. The other 10 years saw ~10%+ growth with most years in the teens.

Needless to say, investing in stocks has captured new audiences and capital from large swaths of retail investors.

That said, while investing in individual stocks can be exciting, it can also be tremendously challenging even in favorable markets. That is why a whole industry of stock advisors has grown over the years, with many posting eye-popping returns.

In this review, we’ll take a look at Stansberry Research to see if this service is legit and worth the cost of membership.

What is Stansberry Research?

Stansberry Research is a privately owned publishing company founded in 1999 by Frank Porter Stansberry with headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. Its parent company, The Agora, also owns Common Sense Publishing, FSP Financial Services, Port Phillip Publishing, and Fleet Street Publications. The company currently publishes hundreds of newsletters each year. Bill Bonner, owner of The Agora, is a leader in the field of persuasive copywriting. 

Stansberry Research Podcast: Free Stock Picking Advice

Before you pay for Stansberry’s research, listen to the Stansberry Investor Hour podcast to get a feel for the tone and depth of research you can expect from a paid subscription. Dan Ferris interviews guests with specialized knowledge of the current economic climate. He covers dynamic topics like inflation, how to find gains in resource stocks, and how to find long-term trends among inflated valuations. 

Stansberry Investor Hour is available on Apple Podcasts. 

Are Stansberry Research Stock Picks Any Good? 

Yes. Stansberry Research chooses worthwhile stocks targeted at certain investment styles. The company is also well known for providing market and industry commentary to help investors understand how the economic environment may influence individual stock performance. 

Stansberry Research’s stock picks may work for you if:

• You classify yourself as a passive investor with a long-term strategy; Stansberry Research doesn’t make recommendations designed for day traders. 
• Your personal financial situation allows you to invest in single stocks without fear that you’ll go broke, even if the stock doesn’t do well. 
• You have a portfolio of at least $20,000 to help justify the cost of a subscription to one of the Stansberry Research newsletters. 
• You have some experience investing and are comfortable with the fact that you may lose money in the stock market. 

Stansberry VS Motley Fool

The Motley Fool (our review here) is an investment advisory newsletter service and one of the most popular in the industry. Their history stretches 20 years and in that time they have picked some of the most successful stocks.

Here’s a look at their popular subscription offers and the annual returns those picks have provided investors since inception to give you an idea:

Motley Fool Service		Inception	Returns	S&P 500
Stock Advisor		1993	+508%	+134%
Rule Breakers		2004	+270%	+115%

March 2022 Promotion! Join Motley Fool Stock Advisor for just $79.99/year (normally $199.99/year).

Details About Stansberry Research Subscription Services

You can choose from three newsletter subscription tiers to get recommendations from the Specialized Investment Research team at Stansberry Research. 

The Total Portfolio

The Total Portfolio includes about 40 recommendations ranging from safe income stocks to riskier small cap investments. This newsletter is positioned as advice for those seeking “the ultimate commitment to their financial future.” 

Some Total Portfolio Results:

• 293% gain in consumer electronics
• 265% gain in digital business
• 189% gain in cryptocurrencies
• 103% gain in comfort foods

Overview:

• Number of positions: ~40
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Monthly
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $100,000
• Typical holding period: One to three years

Membership includes: An “all-access pass” to a model portfolio based on the best ideas from Stansberry Research. You’ll get lifetime access to all underlying research behind each of Stansberry Research’s 12 most popular services. This newsletter suggests the exact number of shares to purchase for every $100,000 invested. 

The subscription also includes The Capital Portfolio and The Income Portfolio. 

With a Total Portfolio subscription, you’ll get access to Stansberry publications including True Wealth, Retirement Millionaire, Commodity Supercycles, Stansberry’s Investment Advisory, Extreme Value, Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor, Income Intelligence, Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities, Stansberry’s Big Trade, True Wealth Opportunities: Chian, True Wealth Opportunities: Commodities, Retirement Trader, True Wealth Systems, and Cannabis Capitalist. 

Price for new subscribers: The Total Portfolio can not be purchased online. If you are interested in learning more, please call (888) 863-9356 to speak with a customer service representative. 

The Income Portfolio

The Income Portfolio includes advice designed to help you invest to generate extra monthly income. This newsletter provides retirees and those who want to retire soon with 20-30 stock recommendations including bond funds, income-generating stocks, and fixed income bonds. The goal of this newsletter is to help you keep your investments safe while providing reliable income from a low-risk investment portfolio. 

Some Income Portfolio Results:

• A 10.1% yield from a market-leading mortgage real estate investment trust (“REIT”).
• An 8.2% yield from a great income generator with lower volatility than the overall market.
• A 7% yield from a cyclical heavyweight in plastic processing.
• A 4.9% yield from a major fund that invests in fixed-income markets.

Overview:

• Number of positions: 20-30
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Monthly
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $100,000
• Typical holding period: One to three years

Membership includes: An “all-access pass” to a model portfolio based on the best ideas from Stansberry Research. You’ll get lifetime access to all underlying research behind each of Stansberry Research’s 12 most popular services. This newsletter suggests the exact number of shares to purchase for every $100,000 invested. 

The subscription also includes The Capital Portfolio and The Income Portfolio. 

With a Total Portfolio subscription, you’ll get access to recommendations pulled from Stansberry publications, including True Wealth, Retirement Millionaire, Commodity Supercycles, Stansberry’s Investment Advisory, Extreme Value, Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor, Income Intelligence, Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities, Stansberry’s Big Trade, True Wealth Opportunities: Chian, True Wealth Opportunities: Commodities, Retirement Trader, True Wealth Systems, and Cannabis Capitalist. 

Price for new subscribers: The Income Portfolio can not be purchased online. If you are interested in learning more, please call (888) 863-9356 to speak with a customer service representative. 

The Capital Portfolio

The Capital Portfolio contains 20 of the highest conviction ideas from Stansberry Research. These U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs are easy to buy and designed to beat the market while providing investors with maximum capital gains. 

Some Capital Portfolio Results: As of mid 2021, there were 6 picks that were up in the triple digits. These include:

• Nearly 500% gains on Sea Limited (SE) in just over a year.
• More than a 300% gain from DocuSign (DOCU) in less than two years.
• Approximately 200% gain on bitcoin (BTC) in less than a year.

Overview:

• Number of positions: 23-30
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Monthly
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $100,000
• Typical holding period: One to three years

Membership includes: Access to the 20+ investment position portfolio, monthly newsletter update, and Stansberry NewsWire. You’ll also get access to True Wealth, Retirement Millionaire, Stansberry’s Investment Advisory, Commodity Supercycles, Extreme Value, and Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor. 

Price for new subscribers: The Capital Portfolio can not be purchased online. If you are interested in learning more, please call (888) 863-9356 to speak with a customer service representative. 

Macro-Level Services

Stansberry’s Investment Advisory 

How to make money from the most promising emerging stocks including tech and energy investments. The newsletter also includes information about which stocks to avoid. You’ll get subscriber-only reports that include information about how to buy the most sought-after stocks. 

Stansberry’s Investment Advisory Newsletter Basics

• Number of positions: ~20-30
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Monthly on the first Friday
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: ~$1,000
• Typical holding period: Minimum of one year
• Price: $199 per year
• Trial Subscription: 30-days
• Price: $199 for one year

True Wealth

Edited by Steve Sjuggerud with recommendations by lead analyst Brett Eversole, True Wealth is a newsletter that helps investors choose valuable assets during times when they aren’t in demand. Dr. Sjuggerdund told subscribers they would be wise to buy gold in 2002 at the price of $320 per ounce. 

True Wealth Newsletter Basics

• Number of positions: ~25
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Third Friday of each month with occasional email updates
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $1,000 minimum
• Typical holding period: One year
• Price: $199 per year
• Trial Subscription: 30-days

Retirement Millionaire

Dr. David Eifrig Jr., MD, MBA, is the editor for Retirement Millionaire. This newsletter offers advice on how to live the lifestyle of a millionaire for less money than you’d think you need. This newsletter is ideal for beginning investors, those planning to retire soon, and retirees. 

Retirement Millionaire Newsletter Basics

• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Second Wednesday of each month with occasional email updates
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $1,000
• Typical holding period: Minimum of two years
• Price: $199 per year
• Trial Subscription: 30-days

Extreme Value

For a steady stream of stock recommendations that include the safest stocks at steep discounts, look no further than the Extreme Value newsletter. Dan Ferris’s strategy, covered extensively in Barron’s, is to buy only safe and cheap stocks at an excellent price. His track record is one of the best in the industry, and he shares his best advice here. Extreme Value launched in 2002, and Dan’s readers have made some impressive purchases with his direction:

Super-safe stocks recommended by Dan:

• Alexander & Baldwin
• International Royalty
• Encana
• Portfolio Recovery Associates
• Icahn Enterprises

Extreme Value Newsletter Basics

• Safety: Moderate
• Publishing frequency: Monthly newsletter and mid-monthly updates
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $5,000 minimum
• Typical holding period: Three to four years
• Price: $1,500 per year

Commodity Supercycles

John Engle, Commodity Supercycles newsletter’s editor, watches for solid companies in the tech industry. With a background in biotech as a bench scientist for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the United States, Engle has an eye for up-and-coming tech stocks with great potential. 

Commodity Supercycles Newsletter Basics

• Number of positions: ~20
• Safety: Moderate
• Publishing frequency: Third Friday of each month
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $1,000
• Typical holding period: Three to five years
• Price: $199 per year
• Trial Subscription: 30-days

Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor

Investors interested in learning how to successfully diversify their portfolio with gold and silver get access to some of the most important research conducted by Porter Stansberry and his team with the Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor newsletter. 

Bill Shaw serves as editor of both Commodity Supercycles and Gold & Silver Investor. He’s been helping Stansberry readers make wise investments since 2015 to prosper even during times of crisis. You’ll get regular updates on the currency and precious metals markets with Porter’s market analysis. 

Stansberry Gold & Silver Investor Newsletter Basics

• Number of positions: ~20
• Safety: Moderate
• Publishing frequency: Second Tuesday of each month with occasional email updates
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: 15 – 20% of your investment portfolio
• Typical holding period: A few months to years, depending on market conditions
• Price: One-time $2,500 portfolio fee + $49 per month; call (888)863-9356 to purchase

Stansberry Innovations Report

Investors who want to participate in the excitement of technology revolutions can use the information in Stansberry Innovations Reports to catapult their portfolios with John Engel’s advice about which stocks are poised for explosive growth. 

Stansberry Innovations Report Newsletter Basics

• Number of positions: 20
• Safety: Conservative
• Publishing frequency: Third Friday of each month
• Recommended amount of capital to get started: $1,000
• Typical holding period: Three to five years
• Price: $199 per year
• Trial Subscription: 30-days

Stansberry Specialized Investment Research

If you want to learn more about a specific investment niche, you may find the information you need in one of Stansberry Research’s Specialized Investment Research newsletters. Stansberry’s Big Trade, True Wealth Opportunities: China, Stansberry Venture Technology, Stansberry Venture Value, Advanced Options, Cannabis Capitalist, Ten Stock Trader, and Crypto Capital include speculative investments ideal for someone with a high tolerance for risk. 

Other, more conservatively oriented newsletters under the Specialized Investment Research heading include Stansberry’s Election 2020 Portfolio, Silver Stock Analyst, Gold Stock Analyst, DailyWealth Trader, Income Intelligence, Stansberry’s Credit Opportunities, and True Wealth Real Estate. 

Is Stansberry Research a Good Resource For New Investors?

Maybe. Before you subscribe to any of Stansberry’s research-packed newsletters, look around on the company’s website and listen to Stansberry Investor Hour. This will give you some idea of what to expect and whether Stansberry’s recommendations may work with your portfolio and investment style. 

New investors should check out the free guides available on the Stansberry Research website. Beginners may benefit from free educational resources like Managing Your Wealth, Investment Basics, and Getting Started. 

If you have a portfolio of at least $10,000, you may be able to justify the cost of a subscription to one of the company’s Macro Level service subscriptions. Otherwise, it may be wiser to learn everything you can from the free information available on the site before committing to a paid subscription. 

Does Stansberry Research Have an App?

Yes. Stansberry Research supports a free app allowing subscribers access to their subscription information on the go. The most recent update to the app, released June 17, 2021, fixed a few minor bugs. The app is only available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running OS 11.0 or later. 

The app gets an average of just 2.5 out of five star ratings from 60 users’ reviews.

Stansberry Research Customer Reviews

Of course, the Stansberry marketing team uses positive customer reviews to their advantage on the site. Before you decide to hand over your credit card numbers, check out reviews not under the company’s control. 

Stansberry Research Newsletter Reviews on Quora

Stansberry Research customers who’ve paid for subscriptions express their views about the company’s newsletters. 

“I decided some years ago to have a go at investing in shares, so I opened an execution-only share dealing account and set aside a small sum of money and started to do my research.

I ended up subscribing to two share tipping newsletters, Motley Fool and Porter Stansberry.

I invested some money, half with the Motley Fool tips and the other with the Porter Stansberry tips.

Both did very well, in fact one share with PS did very well and I made the mistake of thinking I was some sort of investment genius and canceled both subscriptions and went on to experiment with CFDs.

Now regarding PS in general, having been a subscriber I still to this day am bombarded with marketing materials and newsletters.

I my opinion no it is not a scam but unless you have your discrimination filter turned up to the max you could well end up with some very unsuitable products at eye wateringly high prices.”

-Stephen Morgan, CEO of A.S. Nieruchomości

Stansberry Research is well-known for effective and persistent marketing. Much of the free information on the website includes long-form videos and letters aimed at acquiring new subscribers. Investors who know what they are looking for and who aren’t prone to getting distracted by well-honed marketing techniques are likely to find the investment advice they need to help them level up. 

“Ultimately, services like Stansberry and Motley Fool are designed to provide stock picks or investment information. So, technically, as long as they deliver that information, they deliver on what they promise in the subscriptions.

That said, their aggressive marketing can attract the wrong types of investors. If you’re looking to get rich quickly, avoid these types of services.

These services are of more value to diligent investors who want to generate investment ideas. You need to have the ability to look past the hype. You also need to have the focus to avoid getting sucked into the next biggest thing.”

Josh Anderson, Day Trader

Stansberry Research Parent Company The Agora Settles FTC Lawsuit

After 15 months of litigation, Agora Financial agreed to pay more than $2 million to customers that the FTC says the company tricked into buying products that promised to cure Type 2 diabetes. 

Agora Financial also allegedly promised to help seniors successfully navigate a government-affiliated program. The defrauded seniors will receive refunds for publications purchased from The Agora and it’s affiliates. The FTC states that Agora Financial and its affiliates are barred from making additional false claims. 

While there were no fines imposed by the FTC, it’s important to be aware that The Agora and its subsidiaries are experts in the art of persuasion. When you sign up for a newsletter, you’ll receive additional marketing emails. 

Is Stansberry Research Worth it? 

If you decide to try a Macro Level Stansberry Research newsletter subscription priced at $199 per year, you have 30 days to find out whether it’s worth your money. Mark the deadline on your calendar so you can get a refund if you decide to cancel your membership. 

Remember that even if Stansberry Research highly recommends investing in certain stocks, they can’t legally promise a successful outcome. Investing in the stock market carries an inherent risk that you’ll lose money if you choose to sell stock for less than you paid for it. 

If you don’t already have a brokerage account, you may not be ready to pay for investing advice. Spend some time on the Stansberry Investor homepage learning about various stocks. Check out the free “Tip of the Week”, the daily Morning Market Update, and create a customized watch list to try your hand at choosing stocks worth your attention. 

Seasoned investors who want a hand choosing stocks without having to devote the time and energy necessary to make the best possible investments may enjoy the depth of research provided by a paid subscription to any of the available newsletters highlighted here. 

Stansberry Research’s advice consistently beats the market, so if you have a large enough portfolio to justify the cost of a membership, doing so could help you make better decisions while spending less time in the research phase of investing.

Zacks was the first investment research company to combine earnings forecasts from Wall Street firms and share the data. 

So, instead of choosing a few firms to follow and basing stock buys on those recommendations, subscribers can access information from every major Wall Street firm to see trends. Zacks has been providing aggregate stock earnings forecasts since the early 1980s.

What is Zacks Investment Research?

Zacks Investment Research, founded by MIT scholar Len Zacks in 1978, provides investment-related content and independent research. The company is best known for supporting professional investors with analysis and financial data so they can make the best possible investment decisions for their clients. The company was built on its ability to produce consensus earnings-per-share (EPS) estimates. Zacks Research also provides research reports, stock prices, recommendations about stocks, and a number of investment tools. 

Are Zack’s Investment Research Stock Picks Any Good? 

Zacks bases their stock ratings and recommendations on whether research analysts are increasing or revising earnings estimates upward. Historically, those stocks outperform the market. Stocks that are downgraded to Sell or Strong sell by analysts tend to underperform.

Zacks Investment Research continues to refine their methods, and have one of the most dependable stock picking services available today. 

Zacks Rank Profit Power

All of the Zacks portfolios are governed by Zacks Rank fundamentals. The mathematical system produces average returns of +25.6% per year. A stunning example on display on the Zacks website shows how the Zacks Rank fundamentals work:

$10,000 in the S&P 500 invested January 1, 1988, rebalanced monthly (not counting fees) = $350,000 + by June 28, 2021.

$10,000 in Zacks Rank system invested January 1, 1988, rebalanced monthly = $20.7 million by June 28, 2021 [source].

Recent short-term trading portfolio examples:

• +334.8% (7.5 months) Anavex – Healthcare Innovators
• +350.8% (3.5 months) SnapOn – Options Trader
• +73.1% (9 weeks) ACM Research, Inc. – Technology Innovators
• +252.0% (19 days) Blackberry Limited – Counterstrike
• +140.5% (6 months) NVIDIA – TAZR

Recent long-term trading portfolio examples:

• +178.6% (2.5 months) Fiverr International Ltd – Home Run Investor
• +251.1% (45 months) Microsoft – Income Investor
• +386.8% (12 months) Sea Limited ADR – Zacks Top 10 Stocks
• +475.8% (6 months) Digital Turbine – Stocks Under $10

Details About Zack’s Investment Research’s Subscription Services

The free tier of Zacks Investment Research’s subscription includes briefings from Zacks’ Profit from the Pros newsletter. You’ll get a daily email with 5 newly Upgraded Zacks’ Strong Buy Stocks, Bull Stock of the Day, and Key Market Developments. New subscribers get instant access to Zacks’ 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days, as well. 

With the free version, you’ll get access to Zacks Portfolio Tracker to help you see crucial metrics on each stock in your portfolio or watch list. You’ll also have access to Zacks Rank and Style Scores. 

Zacks Premium

As a Zacks Premium subscriber, you’ll get access to a number of benefits, including premium resources and tools. 

Here’s what you’ll get with Zacks Premium:

• Daily briefing on portfolio changes and key developments
• Member-only website access with live performance and open positions
• Market insights from Stock Strategists
• Real-time buy and sell signals from private long-term portfolios

Zacks #1 Rank List: Strong Buy stocks have more than doubled the S&P 500. Average gains are +25.6% per year January 1, 1988 through June 28, 2021. 

Industry Rank List: Sorts companies into 250 groups by industry and calculator average Zacks Rank for total stocks in that industry. Stocks in the top half of all ranked industries beat the bottom half by 2-to-1. 

Premium Screener: Zacks created 45 predefined screens to help subscribers choose Zacks Ranked stocks to match value, growth, momentum, on income trading styles. 

Focus List: 50 top long-term stocks chosen by Sheraz Mian, Director of Research. Equity Research Report offers the reasoning behind each pick. Stock Strategist Daniel Laboe shares insights on market activity every Monday. 

Equity Research Reports: Research from Zacks’ analysts with analysis on each company for more than 1,000 stocks, including growth prospects and fundamentals. 

Earnings ESP Filter: Identify stocks with the potential to provide surprising returns with the Earnings Expected Surprise Prediction (ESP) Filter. Based on the Zacks Earnings ESP metric, the filter has predicted earnings with 70% accuracy over a ten-year time period. 

Zacks #5 Rank List: 220 Zacks Rank #5 stocks with a historical performance of more than 3.5x worse than the market since 1988

Style Scores: Individual Style Scores (A, B, C, D, F for value, growth, and momentum) for each stock covered by Zacks make it easy to narrow the #1 rank list to stocks that match your style. Use the VGM (value, growth, momentum) score to identify the best overall scores. 

With Zacks Premium, subscribers get the same $1 trial deal as they would with Zacks Ultimate, including unrestricted access to everything offered to subscribers. The 100% satisfaction guarantee provides a full refund if you aren’t pleased with the service 90 days from the time you accept the full-price subscription. You’ll also get the 100% performance guarantee, which says that if your Zacks Investor Collection subscription doesn’t help you beat the market, you can get a refund provided you meet the performance guarantee criteria. 

If you decide to keep the Zacks Premium subscription past the first month’s trial period, you’ll pay $59 per month. 

Zacks Ultimate

New subscribers get 30-day access to the Zacks Ultimate buys & sells for $1. During this trial, you can see all short-term trading portfolios and long-term investing portfolios. You’ll also get Zacks Premium research and tools as well as the company’s private market insights. 

With Zacks Ultimate, you’ll have real-time access to buys and sells as well as the following market commentary from private services:

Black Box Trader

Stock-picking formulas that use automation to distill 10 weekly high-potential stocks from thousands. 

Blockchain Innovators 

Information to help investors harness the “Internet of Money” without the volatility associated with cryptocurrency investing. 

Commodity Innovators 

Long-term and short-term profits with reduced risk on investments in gold, grains, oil, livestock, currencies, and more. ETFs and stocks only. 

Counterstrike 

The best stocks rebounding from panic sell-offs. 

ETF Investor Blending 

Identifies emerging trends by blending Zacks Industry Rank + 2-to-1 performance advantage + Zacks ETF Rank without the added risk of buying individual stocks. 

Headline Trader

Focusing on companies that show rising earnings estimates and strong fundamentals, you’ll get the jump on the kind of news that causes big stock moves. 

Healthcare Innovators 

Breakthroughs in the healthcare sector; biotechnology, hospitals, pharmaceuticals, devices, and more. 

Home Run Investor 

Identifies little-known companies with a great deal of potential; +50%, +100%, +200%. 

Income Investor 

Provides guidance toward carefully selected high-dividend stocks as well as low-risk assets. 

Insider Trader 

Information about insiders buying their own company’s stock using their own funds combined with Zacks Rank evaluation. 

Large-Cap Trader 

Large-cap stocks with strong potential for growth that offer resistance to volatility. 

Marijuana Innovators 

The cannabis industry is now worth $61 billion – up from $9 billion in 2017. Sweeping legalization makes this an ideal industry for investors, and this newsletter provides much-needed information about which stocks to buy and which to stay away from. 

Options Trader 

Professional options strategies blended with the gain power of the Zacks Rank provides substantial returns with a fraction of the risk. 

Short Sell List 

Computer-driven list of stocks that could soon fall more than average, making them ideal for shorting in bear markets. 

Stocks Under $10 

Low-priced stocks with great earnings outlooks and growth potential. 

Surprise Trader 

Positive earnings surprises predicted with more than 80% accuracy using Zacks’ research breakthrough. 

TAZR 

Technical Analysis + Zacks Rank combines to create a small number of #1 and #2 stocks. 

Technology Innovators 

Tracks breakthroughs and trends in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. 

Value Investor 

Tracks undervalued companies using proven criteria with Zacks Rank timing to provide information about when investors should purchase specific stocks. 

Zacks Confidential 

Zacks VP Kevin Matras reveals key trades providing insight into Zacks’ Best of the Best. Released weekly. 

Zacks Premium 

Professional-grade tools for individuals with a daily update of the Zacks Rank, access to Zacks Equity Research, Premium Screens, and Focus List portfolio that includes 50 stocks for the long haul. 

Zacks Top 10 Stocks 

Top 10 stocks to buy and hold complete with in-depth research and quarterly updates. 

Zacks Ultimate subscribers receive a daily summary email to help them distill the most important information from each newsletter. 

Zacks money-back guarantee

If you decide to continue with a subscription to Zacks Ultimate, you can choose to cancel within 90 days after the end of the $1 trial to receive a full refund. 

The Zacks money-back Performance Guarantee states that if Zacks doesn’t help you beat the market, they’ll refund up to one years’ worth of your subscription. 

If you choose to participate in the Zacks Ultimate trail, you’ll receive a notification from Zacks seven days before the end of your trial. You can cancel the service or allow the continuation of Zacks Ultimate for $299 per month. 

How to Beat the Market with a Zacks Investment Research Subscription

The folks behind the newsletters and investment tools at Zacks are ready to refund up to a years’ worth of monthly subscription fees if their recommendations don’t beat the market. Here’s how to maximize your chances of successful investing and ensure a refund if the Zacks recommendations don’t perform as predicted. 

• Top 10 subscribers: Buy and sell all 10 recommendations
• Execute trades within 24 hours of newsletter emails

Is Zack’s Investment Research Worth it For New Investors?

While the Zacks investment team produces a huge volume of information about which stocks may be a good buy, a new investor may find the information overwhelming. The more important metric is whether a new investor has the disposable income to invest in the stock market by choosing individual stocks. 

Even the least expensive Zacks Investment Research subscription is $708 per year. It may be wise to start with the free version of Zacks Investment Research that allows access to a daily newsletter, basic research, a portfolio tracker, email alerts, and Zacks Rank for stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. If the service provides enough support for you to experience some success investing in stocks, it may be a good idea to upgrade and experience the free one-month trial of Zacks Premium tier of services. 

Zack’s Investment Research Customer Reviews

Before you take the plunge and sign up for a premium tier subscription to Zacks, take a look at what current and past customers have to say about their experience with the company. Fortunately, Zacks is a Chicago-based investment advice firm with a decades-long track record. While some users praise the platform for giving them the information and tools they need to succeed as investors, others are just annoyed that the platform keeps delivering email newsletters, even with the free tier. 

The Zack’s Investment Research on Trustpilot

Zacks Investment Research has just 25 reviews on Trustpilot, with only 11% in the “excellent” or “good” category. Customers who’ve left reviews of Zacks’ subscriptions and services on Trustpilot have a low opinion of the firm due to the volume of daily emails they receive. 

The free tier of Zacks features a number of email newsletters, as outlined in their subscription services summary. 

“I signed up for their one off report – got an email… was not impressed, so decided to unsubscribe. Having unsubscribed to every email I received for a week, I am still getting a torrent of emails.” -O sharabi

One subscriber found the service to be less-than-useful due to their location. 

“I don‘t know what went wrong in the first place but Zacks showed that they do care about their customers. The reason I still did not purchase their Research Wizard is that as a non-US resident, I received too many US small cap stock recommendations that I am not able to trade with my brokers. In addition, many stocks (even mid-cap) from my home country are not covered by Zacks.” -Thomas Malek

This customer enjoys the service but found it to be expensive. 

“I purchased their pricy “Ultimate” lifetime access. Aside from price point, I’ve been pleased with the research available. Following their Home Run and Stocks Under $10 portfolios has helped toward my continued trading success. Not every add plays out but that is just the nature of the beast. I can’t comment on their cheaper offerings but I’ve already paid for my investment 10x over since September 2020 in gains. Also, the sales representative I dealt with was very helpful. The first 90 days I was just paying monthly when I realized they offered a lifetime access package that equated to basically a year of service charges. I contacted them and Rick was kind enough to give me 100% credit of what I’d already paid monthly toward the lifetime purchase.” -Stacey G

The Zack’s Investment Research BBB Rating

Zacks Investment Research was accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in 2012. They have 43 customer reviews with an average rating of 3.3 stars out of five stars. Five-star reviews (typically written by paid subscribers) note that they’ve made a decent return on their investments by following cues from Zacks. 

Negative reviewers complain that their card was charged after the free trial and that they receive emails from Zacks. 

Positive reviews offer valuable information about what the customer likes most about Zacks Investment Research. 

“I have done really well using Zacks Ultimate. I particularly value the insights and picks from Jeremy Mullin, Kevin Cook, Tracey Ryniec and Brian Bolan. The service is good value for the money.” -Andy U. 

Is Zack’s Investment Research Worth it? 

Over the past 25 years, Zacks Investment Research’s stock picks rated as a #1 Strong Buy beat the market with an average annual return of 25.6%. Their #2 Buy list had a 19.1% return. The S&P 500 had an 11.2% return. Zacks #5 Strong Sell list underperformed the S&P 500 with an average yearly return of 3.2%. Not only do their stock picks land well, but their recommendations about which stocks to sell would have been valuable information for an active investor, as well. 

If you have money to spend on a stock investment research company, Zacks has a history of excellent performance. Their team of analysts is competent, and even though their top-tier subscription service will set you back several thousand dollars each year, an active investor with a healthy portfolio that wants to continue investing may find that Zacks Investment Research has the tools and advice they need to make money in the stock market.