Zacks

Name: Zacks
Brand: Zacks
Rating: 2.7 (168 reviews)

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Independent stock, ETF, and mutual fund research for individual investors.

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2.7(168 across the web)

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Reviews onG2Trustpilot

168 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Proven, quantitative approach that has consistently outperformed benchmarks.

Biggest con

Requires a paid subscription for full access to premium features and recommendations.

TL;DR - Zacks

Uses earnings estimate revisions as the primary driver for stock ratings, with the Zacks Rank system.
Proven track record: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks have beaten the market in 29 of the last 38 years.
Offers a comprehensive suite of research tools, including stock screening, backtesting, and portfolio recommendations.

Pricing: Free forever

Best for: Individuals & startups

2.7/5 across review platforms

What is Zacks?

Editorial review

Zacks Investment Research is a leading provider of independent stock, ETF, and mutual fund research, serving individual investors for nearly five decades. The company's core innovation is the Zacks Rank, a quantitative stock-rating system that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions—a proven market-beating factor. Zacks offers a suite of tools and services, including Zacks Premium, Zacks Ultimate, and Research Wizard, which provide access to stock ratings, earnings surprises, industry rankings, and backtesting capabilities. The platform is trusted by over 500,000 investors and has been consistently ranked among the top research firms by independent evaluators.

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated Aug 18, 2026 · how we evaluateSourcezacks.com ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

Proven, quantitative approach that has consistently outperformed benchmarks.
Comprehensive research tools covering stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds.
Independent and unbiased, with no influence from Wall Street or corporate agendas.

Cons

Requires a paid subscription for full access to premium features and recommendations.
The depth of data and number of tools may be overwhelming for novice investors.

Ratings Across the Web

2.7(168 reviews)

Zacks holds an aggregate rating of 2.7 out of 5 from 168 reviews across G2 and Trustpilot, last checked August 18, 2026.

G28 reviews

4.7/5

Trustpilot160 reviews

1.8/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Zacks Rank: Quantitative stock rating system based on earnings estimate revisions (Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, Surprise).Most Accurate Estimate: Provides a refined earnings consensus that often precedes official reports.Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction): Determines the likelihood of a positive earnings surprise before it is announced.Zacks Industry Rank: Ranks industries based on aggregate earnings estimate revisions; top 50% outperform bottom 50% by 2-to-1.Research Wizard: Stock-picking and backtesting software with access to 8,800 stocks and 30+ Zacks strategies.Zacks Premium: Unlocks the #1 Rank List, Earnings ESP Filter, and Industry Rank.Zacks Ultimate: Provides real-time access to all longer-term investor, short-term trading, and Innovators portfolio recommendations.Zacks ETF and Mutual Fund Ranks: Proprietary models for evaluating exchange-traded funds and mutual funds.

Pricing

Free

Zacks is completely free to use with no hidden costs.

View pricing

Is Zacks worth the price?

70/100

Zacks' pricing is generous because it offers a completely free tier for independent stock, ETF, and mutual fund research, which is rare for quality financial data.

However, the lack of any paid tiers or billing cycles suggests limited depth or premium features compared to market alternatives. This is best for casual individual investors who want basic research without any cost.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

No premium tiers for advanced data

No free trial for potential upgrades

Limited to basic research features

May require account registration

No API access for automation

How Zacks Compares to Competitors

Zacks' free tier is more accessible than Morningstar's premium subscription model, which charges for detailed analyst reports. It offers less depth than Seeking Alpha's paid tiers but provides a solid entry point for cost-free research. Overall, Zacks is a fair value for free users but lacks the comprehensive tools found in paid competitors.

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2.7/5

Across 168 verified user reviews on Trustpilot, G2

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Zacks FAQ

How does the Zacks Rank determine which stocks are Strong Buys?

The Zacks Rank uses four factors related to earnings estimate revisions: Agreement (how many analysts are revising), Magnitude (the size of revisions), Upside (the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the consensus), and Surprise (the history of earnings surprises). Stocks are then classified into five groups from Strong Buy (#1) to Strong Sell (#5).

What is the difference between the Zacks Rank and the Zacks Industry Rank?

The Zacks Rank rates individual stocks, while the Zacks Industry Rank aggregates the earnings estimate revisions of all stocks within an industry. A top Industry Rank means more stocks in that group are receiving upward revisions, and the top 50% of industries have historically outperformed the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Can I backtest my own stock-picking strategies with Zacks?

Yes, the Research Wizard tool allows you to backtest custom stock-picking strategies using a database of 8,800 stocks and over 30 pre-built Zacks strategies. You can test historical performance and refine your approach before committing real capital.

What is the Earnings ESP and how does it predict earnings surprises?

Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the consensus estimate. A positive ESP indicates a higher likelihood that the company will report a positive earnings surprise, and it has been shown to be a reliable leading indicator before earnings announcements.

How does the Most Accurate Estimate differ from the consensus estimate?

The Most Accurate Estimate is a refined version of the consensus that incorporates the most recent revisions from analysts, often reflecting the latest information. It is calculated by Zacks and can be a more timely indicator of earnings expectations than the standard consensus.

What subscription levels does Zacks offer and what do they include?

Zacks offers several tiers: Zacks Premium provides access to the #1 Rank List, Earnings ESP Filter, and Industry Rank. Zacks Investor Collection gives real-time access to longer-term investor portfolio recommendations. Zacks Ultimate includes all investor, short-term trading, and Innovators portfolio recommendations. Research Wizard is a separate software product for stock screening and backtesting.

Are Zacks' research recommendations available for ETFs and mutual funds as well?

Yes, Zacks has proprietary ranking systems for both ETFs and mutual funds. The Zacks ETF Rank uses a quantitative model with a qualitative overlay, and the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank evaluates funds based on likely future success rather than just past performance.

Source: zacks.com

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