Stansberry Research Review – Value Investing Advice
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The investment research company writes more than 30 monthly newsletters that are only available to subscribers, and another five are available for free.
9/10
Cost
8/10
Features
9/10
Ease of Use
7/10
Add ons
8/10
If you’re looking for investment ideas and are ready to do a lot of reading, the Stansberry Research newsletters may be for you.
The investment research company writes more than 30 monthly newsletters that are only available to subscribers, and another five are available for free. The newsletters can be read on the company’s website and not delivered to your home.
The paid newsletters can cost as much as $4,000 per year, so hopefully, your reading will pay off in stock market profits. If not, then you’ll be doing a lot of reading for nothing.
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What is Stansberry Research?
Newsletters can seem like an old-fashioned way to get stock recommendations. Still, the company has a strong fanbase, with over 1 million subscribers worldwide and over 90,000-lifetime subscribers since Frank Porter Stansberry started the investment advice service in 1999. The company is based in Baltimore.
More than 30 editors and analysts work on newsletters covering many investment styles. The company’s website also offers research services to subscribers, such as portfolio management, a watchlist, customized alerts, and real-time, proprietary screeners.
Its research is aimed at experienced investors with a lot of money to invest who are passive investors in stocks with a long-term commitment of several years. Stocks with strong fundamentals, called value stocks, are often recommended.
The company says it doesn ’t promote a unified view of the markets but publishes a range of opinions, recommendations, and strategies. Its overall focus, however, is on a contrarian approach to identifying investment opportunities that are “unloved, ignored, or unknown,” it says.
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The site tries to make it clear that it’s run by financial journalists, not advisors or brokers. The information it provides shouldn’t be interpreted as personal investment advice, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations prohibit it from giving such advice. It recommends speaking with a financial advisor before acting on any investment recommendation.
Those statements may be related to a scam the company was accused of in 2003 in an SEC lawsuit. Stansberry Research claimed that a specific stock would double in a single day based on insider information.
The insider information proved to be baseless. Stansberry Research was accused of selling the name of the stock for $1,000 per disclosure, and it made more than $1 million selling that information. Porter Stansberry and other defendants were ruled against in court in 2007.
We’ll review the costs of Stansberry Research newsletters soon, but investors should know that if they want to read several newsletters, they could pay thousands of dollars per year as subscribers.
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- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
How does Stansberry Research work?
Subscribing is the main way to access Stansberry Research’s data and services. Five newsletters are offered for free, requiring an email to sign up for.
For everything else, you’ll have to subscribe, which starts by clicking the “Sign Up” or “Log In” buttons in the upper right of the homepage.
Either will take you to the Signup page if you don’t already have a login as a subscriber. Signing up requires giving your name and email address.
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A verification email should then be sent so you can set up a password and become a member. You can call its customer service line for help if you didn't get the email.
That phone number, as we’ll explain later, is the main way to contact the company, including for pricing information and to unsubscribe. Payments from subscribers are accepted online, but cancellations require a phone call.
Signing in as a member, which is free, gets you to the site’s homepage, where you can view daily market news and see real-time stock market changes.
Once you’re a member, you can start paying for newsletter subscriptions if you want to. Besides the five free newsletters, you’ll need to pay with a credit card to read the other Stansberry Research newsletters.
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- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
How much does Stansberry Research cost?
Stansberry Research doesn’t make it easy to find the prices of its financial newsletters. There isn’t one area where prices are listed, and you have to click through a few times to find the price of a monthly newsletter you’re interested in, and even then, you may not find the price.
Instead, the company often recommends calling its customer service line for a price quote.
We found prices ranging from $199 a year for a premium version of a free newsletter to mentions on a signup page for that premium subscription of paying $5,500 annually for one newsletter.
We’ll review the prices of some of the main newsletters below when we look at some of the most popular features of Stansberry Research.
The good news is that all newsletters offer a full refund within 30 days of starting a subscription if you aren’t satisfied. However, we found two confusing caveats that don’t add up to a refund.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
According to the website, there are no refunds after upgrading the free DailyWealth newsletter to a premium for $25 per month. Your credit card is charged $25 and another $25 every 30 days when signing up. Subscribers can cancel at any time, and the payments will stop immediately. That isn’t a refund, but it stops future credit card charges.
It offers “trial subscriptions” to some newsletters, though they aren’t free. You must first pay with a credit card, such as $199, for one year of the Investment Advisory financial newsletter. You can ask for a full refund within 30 days if you don’t like it.
That may be a refund of your payment, such as a chargeback to your credit card, but one much more expensive newsletter doesn’t give a refund. Instead, it gives what it calls Stansberry Credit.
Customers who don’t like the Extreme Value newsletter by analyst Dan Ferris, which costs $2,000 per year.
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
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- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Complete Portfolio Solutions
Stansberry Research also sells access to three model portfolios that it calls Complete Portfolio Solutions. Each is aimed at a different level of experience and commitment. None of the portfolios can be bought online. A customer service representative must be called to get a quote.
Stansberry Research doesn’t say how much each portfolio costs on its website, though it gives an idea of the dollar value it puts on each. A subscription includes lifetime access to everything included in each portfolio. Here’s a quick breakdown of the three and the dollar value Stansberry puts on each:
1. The Total Portfolio
Targeted to earn income and growth, The Total Portfolio, as it’s called, has around 40 positions in a conservative portfolio.
Access to around 20 Stansberry Research publications is provided, which the company says would cost more than $37,000 individually. The company says the lifetime value of the publications included in the portfolio is more than $45,000. Access is also given to its two other portfolios as part of this subscription.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
2. The Income Portfolio
The Income Portfolio combines 20-30 dividend stocks, high-yielding corporate bonds, and hybrid securities.
Access to 13 newsletters is provided, which would cost more than $11,000 for a single year. The fees for this portfolio, however, are “nothing close to that,” the site says.
Access to two income-focused publications is included, along with the Capital Portfolio, providing lifetime access valued at more than $18,000 by Stansberry.
3. The Capital Portfolio
The Capital Portfolio is its entry-level model portfolio. It has 20 blue-chip companies and ETF recommendations. Ten publications with a lifetime value of $12,000 are included.
Bundled memberships
Along with newsletters and model portfolios, Stansberry also sells bundled memberships that it says are available by invitation only. A price isn’t given for either of the two:
The Standsberry Alliance
Become a “partner” in Stansberry with lifetime access to every book, report, and advisory it publishes during your lifetime.
Stansberry Choice
Bundle any five publications at a time, with the option to swap out any publications as many times as you like for a payment of $99 per publication changed. So instead of paying $2,000 or $4,000 per year for a newsletter, you can pay $99 to swap it for one you already receive. This is a lifetime membership.
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Stansberry Research features
Here are some of the features of Stansberry Research, most of which are monthly newsletters for everyone from beginners to experienced investors full of investment advice.
True Wealth
The True Wealth newsletter shows readers safe, alternative investments that Wall Street overlooks. These include rare coins, Hong Kong stocks, Texas oil and gas royalties, and gold coins.
Stocks and exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are mostly bought, and a typical holding period is one year. About $1,000 in capital is needed to start these investments for beginners, retirees, and anyone planning for retirement.
Cost: $199 per year.
Stansberry’s Investment Advisory
Stansberry’s Investment Advisory is the company’s flagship research advisory, started by Frank Porter Stansberry when he started the company in 1999. It shows how to profit from the most promising emerging trends and economic forces affecting the market.
About $1,000 is recommended to invest in stocks in mostly long trades of one year or more, though some short trades are recommended. This investment advisory newsletter is recommended for beginners and people planning for retirement.
Cost: $199 per year.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
Retirement Millionaire
The Retirement Millionaire newsletter shows how to live a millionaire lifestyle with less money than possible.
Having about $1,000 is recommended to start. The newsletter recommends buying 20-25 stocks and holding them for two years or longer.
Cost: $199 per year.
Retirement Trader
The Retirement Trader newsletter shows a safe way to double or triple the gains in their retirement accounts, with much less risk, according to the website.
It recommends having $50,000 in capital to buy stocks with options and hold them for two to three months. The newsletter comes out twice a month.
Cost: $4,000 per year
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
DailyWealth Trader
The DailyWealth Trader is among Stansberry’s specialized investment research newsletters. Short- and medium-term trading ideas are offered, with one to three average weekly trades of moderate risk. Trading will be in stocks, ETFs, and options.
From $10,000 to $20,000 is needed to start trading, withholding periods from two weeks to 12 months. Short trades are done occasionally but not often, the site says.
Cost: $99 per month.
Silver Stock Analyst
Silver Stock Analyst is a monthly advisory on silver and silver stocks in a database-driven analysis of 30 silver stocks for the silver investor. The safety level is moderate, and no short trades are recommended.
Cost: Not listed for online purchase. Potential subscribers must call the company to learn more.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
Extreme Value
The Extreme Value newsletter focuses on the safest stocks that are trading at steep discounts. The editor is Dan Ferris, who joined Stansberry Research in 2000 and became editor of Extreme Value in 2002.
The recommended portfolio holds 20 to 25 stocks and has a moderate safety level. About $5,000 is recommended to start. Short trades are recommended. The typical holding period is three to four years, which indicates long-term holding and less volatility.
Cost: $2,000 per year
Complete Portfolio Solutions
As listed earlier, Stansberry Research sells access to three model portfolios called Complete Portfolio Solutions. Lifetime access is purchased by calling for a price quote. None of the portfolios can be bought online.
Having $100,000 in capital is recommended for each portfolio.
In descending order by what they offer and, we assume, price, the three portfolios it sells are:
- The Total Portfolio: Access to 10 newsletters, seven elite research services, two income-focused publications, its newswire, and the other two portfolios.
- The Income Portfolio: Nine newsletters, two income-focused publications, a newswire, the Capital Portfolio, and other extras.
- The Capital Portfolio: Nine newsletters, newswire, and other extras.
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Who is Stansberry Research best for?
Big investors
Stansberry Research has enough newsletters, stock picks, and other forms of investment advice to read that can benefit beginners, but its main audience seems to be people with a lot of money to invest.
Some of its newsletters recommend investing at least $1,000 in the portfolio it follows, which shouldn’t be difficult for beginners or investors planning for retirement. But others recommend having $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000 in capital to make the proposed trades.
Stansberry’s three portfolios, which cost a lifetime commitment, each recommend having at least $100,000 in capital to invest in the portfolio.
Don’t mind paying a lot for research
Some newsletter subscriptions are relatively inexpensive at $199 per year, while others cost $1,500 or up to $4,000 annually. The investment ideas may be worthwhile if you can afford those prices.
Almost all of its newsletters have an annual cost, requiring subscribers to pay upfront for a year. Few allow monthly subscriptions, which can cost more over a year, but it can be easier for new subscribers to try a newsletter for a month and then unsubscribe without paying the annual fee. To unsubscribe, it’s unclear from the website whether full refunds or credit toward future purchases is given.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
Conservative investors
Much of the site’s macro-level services are geared toward conservative investors saving for retirement. More risky investments are recommended in some newsletters, most in specialized areas such as investing in China, venture technology, corporate bond market, options trading, cryptocurrency, and cannabis companies. But overall, the company’s main audience seems to be people planning for retirement or retirees.
Who shouldn’t use Stansberry Research?
Seeking short-term gains
The main investment style of Stansberry Research is about holding value stocks for the long term. That can be one year or longer. Some have shorter timelines of a few months, but investors looking for short-term gains may not find too many recommendations here.
Not a big reader
Stansberry Research provides most of the information through its newsletters, which are long and can take a while to read. You shouldn’t expect in-depth analysis or historical information at a glance since the newsletters are meant to be read. You may be better off doing your own research elsewhere.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
Don’t have $100,000 to invest
The complete portfolios that Stansberry sells access to for an unknown price for lifetime membership unless you call for a quote require at least $100,000 to invest, the site recommends. That’s a lot of money, as is the lifetime membership (we assume), because the price isn’t listed online, and buyers must call to get the price. As the saying goes, if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.
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- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
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- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
Pros and cons
Pros
- A conservative, passive, buy-and-hold for a few years investment style, if that’s what you’re looking for.
- Larger investors may benefit the most.
- Monthly newsletters.
Cons
- Expensive newsletters, and not easy to find prices.
- Must call customer service to cancel a subscription.
- Confusing policy on refunds.
- No price listed on bundled subscriptions.
Stansberry vs. Motley Fool vs. Zacks
How does Stansberry Research stock up to investment research companies The Motley Fool Stock Advisor and Zacks Investment Research?
Research site | Cost | Best feature |
Stansberry Research | $199-$4,000/year | Monthly newsletters |
Motley Fool | $199/year | 2 new stock picks monthly |
Zacks | $249, $495, $2,995/year | Starred investment ratings |
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor has a track record of outperforming the market. It focuses on helping beginners and mid-level traders with easy-to-understand information that can be considered fun to read. One of the best things we like about it is its founders' two monthly stock recommendations.
The Motley Fool is offering its top stock-picking service at 55% off for new members.*
*$89 is an introductory price for new members only. 55% discount based on current list price of Stock Advisor of $199/year. Membership will renew annually at the then-current list price.
Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Investment Research does a great job aggregating stock earnings forecasts from major Wall Street firms. Its five-star ratings are widely known and make it easy to spot an undervalued stock quickly. Zacks provides tons of unbiased data based on lots of data.
FAQs
Is value investing the only strategy Stansberry offers?
No. Stock picks of undervalued stocks are what the site recommends the most, which can be a good way for many investors to make a profit. But it also offers information on investment strategies such as earning dividends, fixed income, precious metals, and alternative assets such as investing in China or high tech.
Why are prices hard to find?
Finding some prices on Stansberry’s website takes a little bit of work, such as clicking through a research publication once or twice. Other require reading between the lines, such as its bundled memberships that require a lifetime commitment and are only allowed through an invitation. Prices of its portfolios are also vague, and only give the total subscription cost for all of the newsletters included in a plan. Many services require calling a customer support team, which is only available weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. We don’t know why Stansberry makes it so hard to find prices, but our guess is because they’re so high that most people would stop reading about the services.
How do I get a refund?
Not online. You’ll have to call customer service. It will stop your subscription and future charges to your credit card, but may only refund you with credit toward future Stansberry subscriptions for the next year.
Use Motley Fool's Stock Advisor To Invest
- Over 100 Stock Picks with 100%+ Returns
- Averaged Stock Pick Return over 680% (vs. 150% for the S&P)
- 2 New Stock Picks Every Month
- Investment Community With 700,000+ Loyal Members
- 30-Day Membership-Fee-Back Guarantee
- Joy Wallet Reader Deal: The Motley Fool is offering 55% off its top stock-picking service for new members (Limited Time)
The bottom line
Stansberry Research has been around for a while, since 1999. It provides newsletters, model portfolios, and other financial information to help customers find stocks and other investments worth buying. The high cost of its services can be offset by investing large amounts of money and making a profit. Annual subscriptions and lifetime memberships are common, meaning you’ll pay upfront for a year or a lifetime of financial advice that will hopefully bring you wealth. If you can’t afford such long-term commitments, you may be better off doing research elsewhere.
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Writer
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing and editing. He has worked at newspapers, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, and has written for numerous online publications. These include AOL, US News & World Report, WiseBread, Bankrate, AARP, and many websites focusing on housing, credit and insurance. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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