Honest comparison · no marketing spin
HoldLens vs Dataroma
Two tools for tracking superinvestors. One pioneered the space. The other adds a forward-looking smart-money model and a modern UX. 14 wins · 2 wins · 4 ties.
Every row is a concrete feature, not a vague claim. If we don’t have something Dataroma has, we mark it honestly — so you can pick the right tool for your job.
14
HoldLens wins
4
Ties
2
Dataroma wins
Core
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
13F holdings feed The basic table: who owns what, what %, latest filings. | ✓ | ✓ |
All buys and sells in one chronological feed. | ✓ | ✓ |
Historical filings archiveDataroma wins Back-catalog of 13F quarters to walk portfolio history. | ~ | ✓ |
Number of tracked managersDataroma wins How many portfolios are in the database. | ~ | ✓ |
Forward-looking
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
Unified −100..+100 ConvictionScoreHoldLens wins One signed number per ticker combining recent activity, insider data, multi-quarter trend, and crowding penalty. | ✓ | · |
Position-weighted conviction leadersHoldLens wins Managers ranked by the weighted conviction of their top picks — whose portfolio the model agrees with right now. | ✓ | · |
Consensus picks (owners + conviction + flow)HoldLens wins Tickers with ≥5 owners, positive conviction, and net-buying flow in the same window. | ✓ | · |
Contrarian bets (buyers vs sellers cross-tab)HoldLens wins Tickers where ≥2 managers are buying while ≥2 others are selling. The disagreement signal. | ✓ | · |
Crowded trades with unwind warningHoldLens wins Most-owned tickers split by recent buyer vs seller flow. Flags when a crowd starts to exit. | ✓ | · |
Rankings
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
Managers ranked by measurable alpha vs S&P 500. | ✓ | ✓ |
Skill × activity composite rankingHoldLens wins Quiet alpha vs big names side by side, weighted by how actively the manager is currently trading. | ✓ | · |
Portfolio concentration rankingHoldLens wins Managers ranked by top-1/top-3/top-5 position weight — who's betting the farm vs diversifying. | ✓ | · |
Signals
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
Per-ticker 8-quarter breadth sparklineHoldLens wins True cumulative owner count over 8 quarters — is smart money quietly accumulating or quietly leaving? | ✓ | · |
Per-ticker 8-quarter buy/sell sparklineHoldLens wins 8-quarter bar chart of distinct buyers above zero, distinct sellers below zero. | ✓ | · |
Live quote + 52-week range on each signal pageHoldLens wins Current price and 52w range next to the conviction score, updated every 60 seconds. | ✓ | · |
UX
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
Modern mobile-responsive designHoldLens wins Works on phone without zooming or pinching. | ✓ | ~ |
Dark mode by defaultHoldLens wins Easier on the eyes for long research sessions. | ✓ | · |
Global keyboard searchHoldLens wins Jump to any ticker or manager without navigating. | ✓ | ~ |
Cost
| Feature | HoldLens | Dataroma |
|---|---|---|
Free tier All core data accessible without a login. | ✓ | ✓ |
Pro tier with extra featuresHoldLens wins Watchlists, alerts, backtests, API access. | ✓ | · |
HoldLens Pro · Founders pricing
Email alerts + conviction scores + alpha attribution
$14/mo · cancel anytime · lock in for life
See pricing →
Bottom line
Which should you use?
- Use Dataroma when you want a deep historical archive of every 13F filing across a large manager catalog, pure as-filed data, no editorial scoring.
- Use HoldLens when you want a forward-looking smart-money signal: a unified conviction score, consensus picks, contrarian bets, crowded-trade warnings, and a modern mobile UX.
- Use both for the complete picture — Dataroma for the archive, HoldLens for the active signal.
Last updated 2026-04-15. Comparison is fact-based; if you spot an error, email us at [email protected] and we’ll fix it within a business day. Not affiliated with Dataroma.