[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/stock-investing\/motley-fool-stock-advisor-review\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/stock-investing\/motley-fool-stock-advisor-review\/","headline":"Motley Fool Stock Advisor Review: Is This Subscription Service a Solid Investment… or Foolish?","name":"Motley Fool Stock Advisor Review: Is This Subscription Service a Solid Investment… or Foolish?","description":"The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Basics: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor is a subscription...","datePublished":"2020-01-02","dateModified":"2025-03-13","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/logan-allec\/#Person","name":"Logan Allec, CPA","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/logan-allec\/","identifier":4,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e74dd0453a5871d1dcfde6d40d9494765ca8bfdb01927cefee4564d4bee9075?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e74dd0453a5871d1dcfde6d40d9494765ca8bfdb01927cefee4564d4bee9075?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Money Done Right","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","width":488,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Motley-Fool-Stock-Advisor-Review.png","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Motley-Fool-Stock-Advisor-Review.png","height":430,"width":825},"url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/stock-investing\/motley-fool-stock-advisor-review\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ","name":"Motley Fool Stock Advisor Review: Is Motley Fool Worth It?","description":"In this Motley Fool Stock Advisor Review, I go over my thoughts on The Motley Fool, whether The Motley Fool is worth it in my opinion, the performance of The Motley Fool Stock Advisor picks over the period of a few months, and The Motley Fool pros and cons.  Have you ever used The Motley Fool?  Let me know in the comments!\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f My Motley Fool Stock Advisor Link: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/motleyfoolstockadvisor\/\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f When I Invested $11,000 Into Motley Fool Stocks: https:\/\/youtu.be\/Peeg4UV6uzU\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f Do you need to file old tax returns?  Email me at taxrelief@loganallec.com.\n\nCool Stuff:\n\ud83d\udcb5 Chime $75 Bonus: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/chime\n\ud83d\ude97 Free Auto Insurance Quotes: http:\/\/go.moneydoneright.com\/gabi\n\ud83c\udfe1 Free Mortgage Refi Rates: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/credit-karma-home-mortgage\/\n\u26b0\ufe0f Free Life Insurance Quotes: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/quotacy-life\/\n\ud83d\udcb5 Free Personal Loan Quotes: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/upstart-invest\/\n\ud83d\udcbb Get Cash Back on Online Shopping: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/ebates\/\n\ud83d\uded2 Get Cash Back on Groceries: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/ibotta\n\nVideos:\n\u26fd Easy Way to Save Money on Gas: https:\/\/youtu.be\/Uw9Wb-tIl1A\n\ud83d\udcc8 11 Places to Get Free Stocks: https:\/\/youtu.be\/g2PNE74eyks\n\ud83d\udcb3 Best Credit Cards For 2021: https:\/\/youtu.be\/3EYNsjjVOTw\n\ud83d\udce6 7 Ways to Get Free Stuff: https:\/\/youtu.be\/o7CaiOPMhhA\n\ud83d\ude80 Review of My Favorite Stock Broker: https:\/\/youtu.be\/XNMhp9xeNq8\n\ud83d\udcb0 Free Millionaire Math Webinar: https:\/\/loganallec.com\/\n\ud83d\udc6a Our Family Vlog: https:\/\/youtube.com\/TheAllecFamily\n\nPrograms (Use Coupon Code YOUTUBE for 50% Off!):\n\ud83c\udf93 Prosper: https:\/\/www.loganeducation.com\/prosper\n\nFree Downloads:\n\ud83d\udcb8 75 Ways to Save an Extra $100 This Month: https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/75-Ideas-to-Put-an-Extra-100-in-Your-Pocket-Every-Month.pdf\n\ud83e\udd11 15 Referral Programs That Make Me Over $20,000 a Month: https:\/\/www.loganeducation.com\/15-referral-programs\n\nTable of Contents:\n0:00 The Motley Fool Review 2021\n1:10 What Is The Motley Fool?\n2:13 How The Motley Fool Works\n3:10 The Motley Fool Stock Advisor\n5:35 The Motley Fool Stock Picks\n9:48 The Motley Fool Pros and Cons\n\n#themotleyfool #investing #stocks","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-ACh3jlcWrQ\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-ACh3jlcWrQ\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-ACh3jlcWrQ\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-ACh3jlcWrQ\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/-ACh3jlcWrQ\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2021-06-30T23:09:06+00:00","duration":"PT12M26S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-ACh3jlcWrQ","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCQ9WUXlSuLlbi5BLkgtEUEA#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCQ9WUXlSuLlbi5BLkgtEUEA","name":"Logan Allec","description":"Logan Allec is a CPA and the founder of Choice Tax Relief, which specializes in helping people with their IRS and state tax debt.","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/43_VKqrbO06RGMcxfdQbDXosrkVRq1yf5QgSQEiR4ILUGWV9fJtTh0o2ftYMYqVo6PwnEOPRdg=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":117045}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-ACh3jlcWrQ#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":4940}]},"about":["Stocks"],"wordCount":2888,"keywords":["schema"],"articleBody":"\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Motley Fool Stock Advisor\t\t\t\tBasics: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor is a subscription service that offers subscribers stock picks, insight, and other tools related to what the Motley Fool experts think you should invest in. Pros: This service is based on sound investing principles, which offers useful tools and insights for new investors, and gives you access to a community of investors to learn from.Cons: The analysis information from this service is lacking, in addition to tech-heavy picks, upselling, and the possibility of slim returns.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWelcome Offer:$99\/year (new members only) Fees:$199\/year Minimum Investment:$0Perks:Cancel within 30 days and receive a full refund (annual memberships only)\t\t\t\tOur Review Methodology        We may receive a commission if you sign up or purchase through links on this page.  Here's more information.    Today, I\u2019m reviewing the Motley Fool Stock Advisor stock picks, a subscription service that offers insight to what the Motley Fool experts think you should invest in.In this review, I\u2019m going to give you a little background on the Motley Fool, show you how the Motley Fool stock picks have performed recently, and share the real pros and cons of using the Motley Fool\u2019s stock pick subscription service to help choose your investments.I actually purchased a subscription to the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, the Motley Fool\u2019s flagship program, so I can review it for you and share my honest opinion.If you’d rather watch a video of me reviewing the Motley Fool rather than reading this article, check out the YouTube video below!Table of ContentsToggleWhat Is The Motley Fool?OverviewFeaturesFeesMotley Fool Stock Picks: How Did They Perform?Pros and ConsFAQsWho It’s Good ForWho It’s Not So Good ForIs Motley Fool Stock Advisor Safe and Legit?Final ThoughtsWhat Is The Motley Fool?The Motley Fool is an investing guidance company that was founded in 1993 by brothers David and Tom Gardner. The name Motley Fool stems from Shakespearean dramas which included a \u201cfool\u201d or court jester who took on a joking persona \u2013 but was often the wisest character in the play due to their position as primary truth-tellers.In a similar vein, the Motley Fool also claims to educate, amuse, and enrich individuals in search of truth. The name might come across as a little bit gimmicky (after all, who wants to be the \u201cfool\u201d when they\u2019re spending money?), but the Motley Fool is actually a well-known multimedia financial-services company. It has been providing financial guidance for investors through a variety of stock, investing, and personal finance services since 1993.As such, chances are that if you make a cursory Google search for something like \u201cstock market guidance,\u201d you\u2019ll come across a publication known as the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, which is the pay-for-play investing subscription service that the Motley Fool offers.OverviewAs noted, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor is the Motley Fool\u2019s flagship program. When you purchase a subscription to the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, you get access to the expert stock picks offered by the \u201cfools\u201d behind the recommendation program \u2014 which are the stock picks that their experts think are worth investing in.When guiding people toward smarter financial investments, they encourage an approach that focuses on the long-term strategic balancing of a variety of financial instruments and securities.The Motley Fool tries to gain subscribers to this premium service by sharing stock picks on the blog. If you visit Fool.com, you\u2019ll see tons of recent blog posts, articles, and other content, all of which are touting stock picks.You\u2019ll find that most of the Motley Fool\u2019s free investment content offers a basic analysis followed by a freebie in an attempt to procure your email address. If you give them your email address, they\u2019ll put you into an email sales funnel for the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, the flagship stock-picking program.Features.simple_table-42246 table tr th{\ttext-align: center;\t\t}.simple_table-42246 table tr td{\ttext-align: center;\t\t}Investment PlatformsStock PicksOngoingStarterInvestment ToolsStock pick insightsInstant alertsRisk profilesResearch and reportsOther featuresAccess to the Motley Fool community of usersCostStarts at $99 per year for new members, then $199 per year afterwards.Ongoing Stock PicksIf you sign up for the premium service, you are sent a list of their \u201cStocks to Buy Today,\u201d which is a list of about 10 stocks that the Motley Fool thinks you should buy. I can\u2019t show these stocks here without sharing the Motley Fool\u2019s proprietary information, but I can tell you how they performed, which I\u2019ll do below.Starter StocksYou also get access to foundational stock recommendations, which are intended for new and experienced investors.Stock Pick InsightsMotley Fool Stock Advisor also offers stock pick insights, which are included with every proposed buying opportunity. These insights are called the \u201cBuy Case,\u201d which breaks down each of the reasons why Team Tom or Team David believes you should add the stock to your portfolio.Instant AlertsYou can also set alerts for your favorite stocks. You\u2019ll receive an alert if there are price changes, good buying opportunities, or opportunities to sell.Risk ProfilesStock Advisor attaches analyses known as \u201crisk profiles\u201d to everything they recommend, using plain English to explain the potential benefits or pitfalls of making an investment.Library of Reports and ResearchShould you want to elevate your knowledge when it comes to the world of investing and personal finance, Motley Fool Stock Advisor offers a knowledge base filled with a library of proprietary reports and research collected over fifteen years that is available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.Access to the Motley Fool CommunityAs a Stock Advisor member, you\u2019ll also get to join their exclusive message boards, where members have discussions about everything related to the stock market, personal finance, and anything else under the sun.FeesThe Motley Fool Stock Advisor service is a premium service and it comes with a premium fee to use it. There are occasional deals on the service, but in general, the service costs $199 per year, with a welcome offer of $99 for new members. You can use my link to get this special welcome offer.Motley Fool Stock Picks: How Did They Perform?On the Motley Fool\u2019s website, they claim that their stock picks have beaten the S&P 500 by leaps and bounds. In fact, according to them, their Stock Advisor service is up over 500% while the S&P is only up 100%.However, it\u2019s almost impossible to verify this, and the only proof on their website is the single graph you see here. As such, I decided to purchase a subscription so I could test the Motley Fool Stock Advisor and analyze this claim.First, an Honest ReviewBefore I dive into the numbers on how this service performs, though, I want to briefly discuss an aspect of Motley Fool that I have real beef with: the mentality. In my opinion, the Motley Fool \u2014 along with almost every other stock picker \u2014 promotes a mentality of stock market addiction.What do I mean by this? I\u2019m not using the word \u201caddiction\u201d in a clinical sense, as I\u2019m not a medical professional. Rather, when I say that somebody is addicted to the stock market, I mean that they check the market more often than they should, while spending significant amounts of time searching for the next stock pick that\u2019s going to make them rich.They also tend to rely on the performance of their stocks to determine their happiness. That\u2019s a miserable way to live.Don\u2019t get me wrong. The Motley Fool never says that\u2019s what you should be doing. In fact, they say the opposite.However, when the Motley Fool constantly sends me emails regarding tons of different new stocks to invest in so that I can take advantage of X migration trend or a discount on Y stock, or tells me that I need to buy Z stock before the market opens, their actions speak differently than their words \u2014 at least in my opinion.How Motley Fool Stock Picks PerformNow, onto how this service performs. In this analysis, I\u2019m comparing the performance of the Motley Fool picks with the performance of the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF (VTI), one of my favorite index fund ETFs.Please note that this data only spans three months\u2019 worth of performance, but according to the Motley Fool \u2014 and my \u2014 investing philosophy, you should be investing for a long period of time.Thus, one might reasonably criticize my data, as it might not be fair to compare three months\u2019 worth of performance to an index fund when the Motley Fool makes stock picks for the next few years.However, I would counter this by saying that although this is not long-term data, this is still data from which we may be able to draw a conclusion, and because I\u2019ve only been a subscriber for three months, this is the best data I have.If I had invested $1,000 dollars in Motley Fool picksYou can see the data from the stock pick test above. Note that the columns with the stock names, the share prices, and other metrics are all hidden because I can\u2019t share the Motley Fool\u2019s proprietary information.To obtain this data, I calculated the value of my investment for each stock, including dividends, on June 11, based on buying $1000 worth of each Motley Fool pick the day I was informed of that pick. I based my prices on the closing price of the stock for the day I would have purchased it.For example, I would have invested $1000 in Stock 1 on March 18. On June 11, the value of the investment would have been $1,116.I ran these numbers for all of the stock picks that Motley Fool sent me weekly through the Stock Advisor, and for their list of \u201cStarter Stocks\u201d that they sent one week.There were 34 total stocks. If I had invested $1000 into each, my original investment total would have been $34,000. The value of these stocks on June 11 would have been $34,305.47, which is an increase of $305.47.If I had invested $1,000 dollars in VTI insteadI also calculated the value of my investment as though I had invested the same amount of money into VTI on the same days. In total, I would have invested the same $34,000.On June 11, I would have had $35,702.63, which is an increase of $1,702.63. That\u2019s almost $1,400 more from investing in an index fund than I would have made investing in the Motley Fool picks.Pros and ConsThe Motley Fool Stock Advisor isn’t all good, nor is it all bad.\u00a0 Here are the pros and cons.Motley Fool Stock Advisor ProsSound investing principles: I believe that the Motley Fool\u2019s stated investing principles \u2014 investing for the long-term, not panicking when the market goes down, staying the course, etc. \u2014 are sound, even though the marketing doesn\u2019t always reflect these principles.Tools and advice for beginners: The Motley Fool also does a decent job of simplifying basic investing concepts so they\u2019re easy to understand for even the layman. That being said, in my opinion, the Motley Fool sometimes simplifies these concepts too much.A community of investors to learn from: This service also gives you access to a community of investors you can learn from. That can be useful for new investors or for those who don\u2019t speak the investing \u201clanguage\u201d just yet.Motley Fool Stock Advisor ConsLackluster analysis: I found the \u201canalysis\u201d of Motley Fool\u2019s stock picks to be somewhat lacking. While I can\u2019t give specific examples without showing you the Motley Fool\u2019s proprietary information, in my experience, the analysis is usually limited to a short description of the business, its position in the marketplace, a few numbers from the company\u2019s latest financials, and basic chart and stock quote information you could find anywhere.Lack of diversity in stock picks: I can\u2019t divulge what the stock picks are, but I can tell you that the Stock Advisor picks are extremely tech-heavy. Why is this a con? When investing in tech companies, you get big winners, but you also get big losers whose valuations were unjustifiably high and who end up tanking. Thus, if you do end up basing some of your portfolio on the Motley Fool\u2019s Stock Advisor picks, you should be prepared to deal with volatility.Upselling: Motley Fool constantly upsells their products, sending me emails almost every day in an attempt to persuade me to purchase some additional service or subscription so I can get even more stock picks. I know it\u2019s their business, but this rubs me the wrong way \u2014 I don\u2019t want to spend all my time constantly chasing the next great stock pick.Slim returns: While my data collection has been somewhat limited, in my experience, the Motley Fool\u2019s stock picks haven\u2019t beaten the market.If you\u2019re interested in checking out the Motley Fool even after hearing my criticisms, I\u2019d appreciate it if you did so through my affiliate link. If you use this link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.FAQs.accordion-list .accordion-title:hover{color: #4db848;}Is Motley Fool Stock Advisor worth it?Yes, it can be \u2014 but only for the right type of investor. New investors or investors who aren\u2019t clear on their strategy may benefit from the tools or community this service offers, but other more seasoned investors may find the stock picks too tech-heavy or grow tired of the upselling that comes with the service.How much does the Motley Fool Stock Advisor cost?This service costs users about $199 per year on average. There are occasional deals offered on the service, though.Does the Motley Fool Stock Advisor service beat the S&P 500?Yes, according to the Motley Fool website. The Motley Fool claims that their stock picks have beaten the S&P 500 by leaps and bounds. In fact, according to them, their Stock Advisor service is up over 500% while the S&P is only up 100%, but this is difficult to verify.Who It’s Good ForNew investors who want guidanceIf you aren\u2019t comfortable choosing your own stocks to invest in, this service can be useful. It offers stock picks to choose from, including starter stocks and ongoing picks, and a number of useful tools and insights to help you learn about what you\u2019re investing in.Plus, new investors may find it useful to learn from other investors in the Motley Fool community. Having access to the insight offered by other users can be invaluable for the right type of investor.Investors who can avoid stock addictionAs I noted, this type of \u201cinvest now!\u201d mentality can lead to investors checking their stocks obsessively. If you can set and forget your stock investments, this service may help you earn some gains along the way. It promises strong returns on the investment picks but expects you to leave your investments alone over the long haul, so if you can stick it out, you may have some luck with these picks.Who It’s Not So Good ForThose who know what stocks they want to invest inIf you\u2019re a seasoned investor who knows what they like to invest in, this service may not be of much use to you. You probably won\u2019t put much stock \u2014 pun intended \u2014 into the advice you\u2019ll get from the community feature, and the heavy tech stock focus may be off-putting if you prefer to diversify your investment strategy.Investors who constantly check their investmentsIf you\u2019re the type of investor who needs to check stocks repeatedly, or if you\u2019re constantly looking for the next big win, this may not be the right service. Constantly hearing that another stock pick may be the win you\u2019re looking for could be too tempting, leading to some unhealthy habits in regard to your investment strategy.Is Motley Fool Stock Advisor Safe and Legit?Yes, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor service is legitimate and safe to use. Having used the service myself, I can say that although it may not make you the next Jeff Bezos, it’s definitely “safe” and “legitimate” in the sense that it delivers what it says it will: stock picks. Whether or not its stock picks deliver, however, is a different question.Final ThoughtsAm I saying that the Motley Fool\u2019s picks are always bad picks? Not necessarily. Again, this is only three months\u2019 worth of data. However, with the limited data I have, I\u2019m not convinced that I should use the Motley Fool to inform my investing.As I\u2019ve said before, I do play with individual stocks, cryptos, etc., with about 5-10% of my portfolio. That said, the majority of my money is in index funds \u2014 and it will stay there for now.\t\t\tDespite my honest review, if you think Motley Fool can help you on your wealth journey, use my link to save $100.3.5\/5 Rating\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t.st3-42251.btn.btn-default:hover{border-color: #4db848;color: #4db848;background: #fff !important;}\t\t\t\t\tSign Up\t\t\tIf you\u2019re new to the investing game, check out my beginner\u2019s guide to investing. When you\u2019re ready to invest like a pro, here are my picks for the best stock trading apps of 2025."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Passive Income","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Stock Investing","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/\/stock-investing\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Motley Fool Stock Advisor Review: Is This Subscription Service a Solid Investment… or Foolish?","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/stock-investing\/motley-fool-stock-advisor-review\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]