Overview
Motley Fool Stock Advisor is the flagship newsletter from The Motley Fool, co-founded by brothers David and Tom Gardner and running continuously since February 2002. It's a stock-picking service, not an options service, twice a month, a new "buy" recommendation goes out, one sourced from the Fool's Hidden Gems research team and one from its Rule Breakers team, alongside a monthly refreshed Top 10 "best buys now" list drawn from the full recommendation archive.
This is a buy-and-hold, long-horizon product built for building a diversified stock portfolio over years, not a trade-alert service and not a fit for anyone looking specifically for options strategies, short-term trade timing, or daily market commentary. Worth being clear about that up front, since it gets lumped in with alert services in some comparison roundups when it's structurally a different kind of product.
What you get
- 2 new stock picks a month, delivered by email with the Gardners' investment thesis attached
- A monthly Top 10 "best buys now" list drawn from the full history of past recommendations
- Full recommendation archive going back to 2002, plus a "starter stocks" portfolio for new members
- Member community access and general retirement/portfolio-allocation guidance
On the "+951% since 2002" claim
The Fool advertises an average return across all Stock Advisor picks of roughly +951% since inception, against roughly +212% for the S&P 500 over the same stretch, driven in large part by early, outsized winners like Amazon and Netflix. That figure is a real, long-published number, not a fabricated one, but it's an average of every pick ever made, held from its original recommendation date, not the return of a real portfolio that bought each pick at equal weight and rebalanced over time. A subscriber joining today did not earn that return, and won't earn it going forward just by joining. Treat it as evidence the service has made some very good long-term calls, not as a forward-looking performance guarantee.
Pricing
New members typically get an introductory rate of $99 for the first year, renewing at the $199/yr list price after that, per the Fool's own current terms. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies to the initial term. Confirm the live promo price at checkout, introductory offers on the Fool's site change periodically.
Pros and cons
What stands out
- Longest continuous track record in this category, active since 2002
- Low cost relative to most alert or advisory services
- Full recommendation archive and Top 10 list add real ongoing value
- 30-day refund window on the initial term
Where it falls short
- No options coverage at all, stock picks only
- Headline return figure is an average of all-time picks, not a real portfolio return
- Only 2 new picks a month, thin if you want frequent ideas
- Built for multi-year holds, not useful for short-term or swing trading
Verdict
A legitimate, long-running stock-picking service at a reasonable price, and a reasonable complement to an options-focused portfolio if you also want long-term stock exposure. But it's a different category of product than an options-alert or options-training service: no options coverage, a two-picks-a-month pace, and a buy-and-hold horizon rather than active trade management. Read the "+951%" figure as a long-run track record, not as what a new member should expect to earn.
Frequently asked questions
Is Motley Fool Stock Advisor worth it?
For long-term stock investors who want two vetted picks a month plus a maintained Top 10 list, it's reasonably priced and has a genuine multi-year track record. It's not built for options traders or anyone looking for active trade alerts.
Does Motley Fool Stock Advisor cover options trading?
No. It's a stock-picking service only, there are no options recommendations or options-specific strategy content.
Is the "+951% since 2002" return real?
It's a real, published figure, but it's the average return of every pick ever made from its original recommendation date, not the return a subscriber joining today would realize. Treat it as historical evidence, not a forward guarantee.
Ready to try Stock Advisor?
$99 for the first year, then $199/yr after that. See current terms on Motley Fool's site.
Visit Stock Advisor →