Equitymaster Review: Is It Good for Long-Term Investors?

Claiming to be the first finance website in India, Equitymaster was launched in 1996 when the nation had only 10,000 internet connections. Today, Equitymaster has a whopping 17,64,790 users in over 72 countries in the world.

If you are the 17,64,791st user and don’t know what Equitymaster does, then this article would be a goldmine for you.

Like other stock analysis platforms, Equitymaster has a dedicated screener and helps users analyse companies and mutual funds. However, a few things make it unique from its competitors.

We will find the answer to whether these factors are helpful for you or not. So, let’s begin reviewing this stock analysing website without further ado.

About Equitymaster: What Does it Do

In professional terms, Equitymaster is a financial advisory service in India that offers research recommendations, portfolio tracking tools, and educational resources for investors.

Equitymaster, in its early days, was a platform dedicated to empowering individuals to become successful long-term investors. Its expertise in value investing, a speciality that still holds true today, has been a cornerstone of its success.

It adapted to the evolving needs of investors by expanding its offerings to include a wide range of investment options, such as small-cap or mid-cap mutual funds. It enriched its content with informative articles, among others.

Features and Services

Here are the features you can find while using Equitymaster:

a. Stock Research:

Equitymaster provides research reports on small, large, and value stocks. Since it focuses on long-term investing with a value investing approach, its premium service targeting the stocks is also designed similarly.

Equitymaster provides multiple lists of stocks like “Forever Stocks” or “Lazy Millionaire” in its premium service. These recommendations come at different price bands and are bundled up for various investing preferences.

b. Portfolio Tracker:

Their portfolio tracker is a premium feature, allowing users to import and monitor their holdings, both stocks & mutual funds. This tracker comes with reports and charts to assist users in managing their portfolios based on their investing strategies.

c. IPOs

Another feature that many aren't aware of is Equitymaster's IPO page. This section provides details about the upcoming, recent & ongoing IPOs in the nation. It also contains a detailed analysis of the IPO to help investors make refined decisions.

d. Educational Resources:

Equitymaster offers articles, webinars, and other resources to help investors learn about the stock market. This feature is present in the form of news articles that contain the analysts' or expert opinions from Equitymaster on stock market-related happenings.

Many articles and reports regarding current happenings or trends are also available on premium subscriptions.

Pros of Equitymaster

Now it’s time to see how Equitymaster could be a gem to users by reviewing its strengths:

a. Unbiased Recommendations:

Many reviewers praise Equitymaster for its focus on unbiased and independent research analysis. Equitymaster emphasises a buy-and-hold strategy, which can be beneficial for investors seeking long-term wealth creation.

Simply put, this preference makes it an asset for retail investors who have retirement or children's education as their goals.

b. Unique Premium Layout:

Equitymaster’s premium subscription model is unlike other stock analysing platforms. There is no monthly or yearly subscription price but the stocks recommendations are given in different price ranges.

Users can buy the singular recommendation sets and pay for them annually based on their investing strategy.

Cons of Equitymaster

Every story has multiple narratives, along with a bundle of strengths and weaknesses. Let's explore what might make Equitymaster a less desirable option for you.

a. Cost & Subscription Model:

I know I praised Equitymaster's subscription model as a pro above, but this supposed good strategy also has its flaws. For experimental investors whose risk appetite, aka risk handline metre, hikes much above safe, investors may find this model expensive.

Since singular recommendations are available at different prices (ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1.5 lakh) people who wish to invest in more than one kind of stock will have to pay way more than what other platforms provide.

Plus, long-term investing might fail to meet future goals like saving for vacation and similar short-term ones.

b. Past Performance & Ads:

Past performance does not necessarily indicate future results and positive testimonials don't guarantee success. There is also the possibility of biasness when it comes to stock reports or IPO views on Equitymaster's website.

Another con that has been a big bummer on Equitymaster's website is the popping up of random ads. This happens for users with subscriptions who often come across advertisements for another recommendation while on-site. The number of times these ads appear is slightly higher than what many could be comfortable with.

c. Limited Free Resources:

While Equitymaster offers some educational resources, a significant portion of its content is behind a paywall. This makes the platform difficult for free users to navigate and gives them little value.
So, what could free users or investors with a different investing approach do?

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The Bottom Line

Equitymaster appears to be a reputable financial advisory service with a strong focus on long-term value investing. They cater to investors who want in-depth research and are comfortable with paying multiple subscription fees.

However, it's essential to consider the cost and do your own research before subscribing.