You already know you want a premium Motley Fool membership. You have the portfolio size, the time horizon, and the commitment. The question is how far up the ladder to climb: Motley Fool Epic Plus at $1,999/year, or Motley Fool One at $13,999/year.
That is a $12,000 annual difference. And unlike choosing between two different companies, this is the same company offering two tiers of the same ecosystem. So the real question is simple: what does the extra $12,000 buy, and is it worth it?
Why this decision is harder in February 2026: The S&P 500 at 6,832.76 is flat YTD, but the internal rotation is violent — an 81-point dispersion spread separates winners from losers, with energy leading at +21.6% and tech lagging at -3.1%. The Fed is holding at 3.50-3.75%, CPI sits at 2.4% (core 2.5%), gold has broken above $5,000/oz, and the CAPE ratio near ~40 means valuation discipline matters more than it has in years. Consumer confidence has dropped to a 12-year low while credit spreads sit at 2.92% — conditions where having access to multiple investment methodologies (growth, value, income, global, microcap) can mean the difference between capturing the rotation and being trapped on the wrong side of it. The question is whether that diversification of approach justifies the 7x price difference between these two tiers.
For most investors, Motley Fool Epic Plus is the better choice. It delivers the core premium experience — daily Moneyball recommendations, AI-powered scoring, 8+ monthly picks, options strategies, and 7 scorecards — at a price that makes sense for portfolios in the $100K to $500K range. Motley Fool One adds complete all-access and exclusive features, but the incremental value rarely justifies a 7x price increase unless you have $500K+ invested and genuinely need everything.
Motley Fool Epic Plus vs Motley Fool One: Side-by-Side
| Dimension | Motley Fool Epic Plus | Motley Fool One | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,999/year | $13,999/year | Epic Plus ($12K cheaper) |
| Monthly Picks | 8+ | 30+ | Fool One |
| Scorecards | 7 (SA, RB, Hidden Gems, Dividend, Trends, Value Hunters, Global) | 11+ (all Epic Plus + Firecrackers, Digital Explorers, Ultimate Income, Fool Worldwide) | Fool One |
| Portfolios | 6 (Moneyball + 5 Moneymakers) | 35+ (all Epic Plus + Everlasting, One Portfolio, and more) | Fool One |
| Databases | Moneyball (3,500+), AIball (3,400+) | All above + Cryptoball (800+), Microball (2,500+) | Fool One |
| Support | Standard member support | Dedicated Investor Solutions team | Fool One |
| Refund Risk | $1,500 loss (swap to Epic) | $10,000 loss (swap to Fool Portfolios) | Epic Plus |
| Target Portfolio | $100,000+ | $500,000+ | Depends on your assets |
| Overall Winner | — | — | Epic Plus (for most investors) |
Motley Fool Epic Plus: The Advanced Premium Tier
Motley Fool Epic Plus sits in the sweet spot of The Motley Fool’s product lineup. It is the service where the company’s most distinctive premium features become available without requiring an elite-level financial commitment.
What Defines Motley Fool Epic Plus
The core value proposition is the combination of daily Moneyball Portfolio recommendations and AI-powered stock scoring at a price point that does not require a half-million-dollar portfolio to justify.
Each month, Motley Fool Epic Plus delivers 8+ stock picks across seven distinct scorecards: Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers, Hidden Gems, Dividend Investor, Trends, Value Hunters, and Global Partners. The last three are exclusive to Epic Plus and above — you cannot access them at the Epic ($499) or Stock Advisor ($199) tiers.
Beyond monthly picks, the daily Moneyball Portfolio delivers up to 250 recommendations per year. CEO Tom Gardner applies valuation analyses, market conditions, and the proprietary Moneyball database to manage this real-money portfolio. At Epic Plus, the Moneyball database covers 3,500+ companies — a significant jump from Epic’s 340+.
Where Motley Fool Epic Plus Stands Out
AI Playbook Portfolio. This is Tom Gardner’s AI scoring system, assigning scores to stocks based on their technological infrastructure, AI-driven transformation potential, and current AI implementation quality. With memory/storage stocks averaging +82% gains while enterprise software has fallen -33%, the AI investment landscape has splintered — and this scoring framework helps separate infrastructure beneficiaries with real revenue from companies still burning cash on AI promises. At a VIX of ~21.77 and with the market pricing in genuine uncertainty, that kind of granular analysis adds screening value that broad-brush sector exposure cannot replicate.
Options strategies. The Leveraging Options Scorecard provides approaches for generating portfolio income and capital gains through options trading. No lower tier includes this.
5 Moneymakers Portfolios. Five real-money portfolios backed by Motley Fool’s own capital, built on Warren Buffett’s pricing power strategy. These are not paper recommendations — the company has skin in the game.
Limitations
Motley Fool Epic Plus does not include Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio — the only stocks Tom personally owns. It does not include the One Portfolio with quarterly rebalancing. And the Moneyball database, while extensive at 3,500+ companies, lacks the Microball (microcap) and Cryptoball (cryptocurrency) databases available at higher tiers.
The credit swap policy is also worth noting: if you cancel within 30 days, you get credit toward Epic ($499 value), not a cash refund. That is a $1,500 loss.
Best for: Experienced investors with $100,000+ portfolios who want AI-driven insights, daily recommendations, and options strategies without paying for complete all-access.
Motley Fool One: The Complete All-Access Membership
Motley Fool One is the apex of The Motley Fool’s product hierarchy. There is nothing above it. Every service, every portfolio, every database, every tool — all included. The question is whether that completeness justifies a $13,999 annual commitment.
What Defines Motley Fool One
The defining feature is complete access to everything The Motley Fool offers. That means 30+ monthly stock picks across every scorecard, 35+ real-money portfolios, all four Moneyball databases, and every research tool.
Motley Fool One includes everything in Epic Plus, everything in Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year), and adds its own exclusive features on top. You never have to wonder whether you are missing something at a higher tier, because there is no higher tier.
Where Motley Fool One Stands Out
The One Portfolio. This is exclusive to Motley Fool One — an actively managed portfolio with quarterly rebalancing by The Motley Fool’s veteran investing team. It provides institutional-grade portfolio management for members who want a managed approach alongside the stock picks.
Moneyball Microball Database. Covering 2,500+ microcap companies, this database is exclusive to Motley Fool One. Microcaps are where multi-baggers often originate, and this database applies the same AI-driven scoring used in the broader Moneyball system to companies most investors cannot efficiently research on their own.
Exclusive events and early access. Fool One members get invitations to member-only events with direct access to The Motley Fool’s investing team, plus first access to new tools before they reach other tiers.
Dedicated Investor Solutions team. This is white-glove support — not just customer service, but a team that helps you navigate all of The Motley Fool’s services, tools, and strategies. When you have access to 30+ services and 35+ portfolios, having someone help you prioritize is genuinely useful.
Two exclusive scorecards. Ultimate Income (income-focused picks) and Fool Worldwide (global opportunities) are available only at this tier.
Limitations
The price is the most obvious limitation. At $13,999/year, Motley Fool One costs 7x what Epic Plus charges. Even for a $500,000 portfolio, that is 2.8% of your assets going to subscription fees annually — a meaningful drag on returns.
The credit swap risk is severe: if you cancel within 30 days, you receive credit toward Fool Portfolios ($3,999 value). That means you lose $10,000. This makes the purchase decision particularly high-stakes.
And the volume of content can be overwhelming. Thirty-plus monthly picks, 35+ portfolios, multiple databases — without a clear strategy for how to use all of this, members risk information overload and decision paralysis.
Best for: High-net-worth investors with $500,000+ portfolios who want complete, uncompromised access to every Motley Fool resource and value the exclusive One Portfolio and dedicated support.
The Head-to-Head: What the $12,000 Difference Actually Buys
Pick Volume and Scorecard Coverage
Motley Fool Epic Plus delivers 8+ picks per month across 7 scorecards. Motley Fool One delivers 30+ picks per month across 11+ scorecards. That is roughly 4x more recommendations.
But more picks is not automatically better. The Motley Fool’s own investing philosophy emphasizes building a portfolio of 25-30 stocks held for 5+ years. At 8 picks per month, Motley Fool Epic Plus gives you 96+ fresh ideas annually — more than enough to build and maintain a diversified portfolio. Motley Fool One’s 360+ annual picks could create selection overload unless you have a systematic approach to filtering.
The additional scorecards in Motley Fool One — Firecrackers, Digital Explorers, Ultimate Income, and Fool Worldwide — add breadth. But the question is whether you need picks from 11+ different strategies or whether 7 well-curated scorecards cover your needs.
Database Access
This is where the gap gets interesting. Motley Fool Epic Plus gives you the Moneyball database (3,500+ companies) and AIball database (3,400+ companies). Motley Fool One adds the Cryptoball database (800+ cryptocurrencies) and the exclusive Microball database (2,500+ microcaps).
If you have no interest in cryptocurrencies and do not actively trade microcaps, two of the four databases Fool One adds hold limited value. If microcap research is important to your strategy, the Microball database is the single most compelling Fool One exclusive.
Portfolio Access
Motley Fool Epic Plus includes 6 portfolios: the Moneyball Portfolio plus 5 Moneymakers Portfolios. Motley Fool One includes 35+, adding Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio (his personal holdings), the exclusive One Portfolio (quarterly rebalanced), and dozens more.
The Everlasting Portfolio is genuinely unique — it represents the only stocks Tom Gardner personally owns and manages. However, it is also available at the Fool Portfolios tier ($3,999/year), making it a poor justification for the jump to $13,999.
The Real Dollar Math
Consider this from a cost-per-value perspective. At $1,999/year, Motley Fool Epic Plus costs roughly $1.66 per daily recommendation if you count the Moneyball Portfolio’s ~250 annual recommendations plus 96+ scorecard picks.
At $13,999/year, Motley Fool One costs roughly $3.89 per recommendation across its 30+ monthly picks and daily Moneyball guidance — over twice the cost per pick.
The only way the math works in Fool One’s favor is if the exclusive features (One Portfolio, Microball, events, dedicated support) generate enough additional returns to justify the $12,000 premium. On a $500,000 portfolio, that requires the exclusive features to generate at least 2.4% additional annual return over what Epic Plus provides.
How to Decide
Choose Motley Fool Epic Plus if:
- Your portfolio is between $100,000 and $500,000
- You want the core premium features (daily Moneyball, AI scoring, options) without paying for everything
- You prefer a curated selection of 7 scorecards rather than being overwhelmed by 11+
- You see $1,999/year as a reasonable investment in your portfolio strategy
- You do not actively trade microcaps or cryptocurrencies
Choose Motley Fool One if:
- Your portfolio exceeds $500,000 and $13,999/year represents less than 3% of assets
- You want the exclusive One Portfolio with institutional-grade quarterly rebalancing
- You need the Microball database for microcap research
- You value exclusive events and direct access to The Motley Fool’s investing team
- You want the Investor Solutions team to help you navigate all 30+ services
- You prefer zero friction — complete access to everything, no decisions about which tier to buy
Either works if:
- You will actually follow the recommendations rather than just collecting data
- You have a 5+ year time horizon and understand that even the best services have picks that lose money
- You treat these as inputs to your own research, not as your entire strategy
The Tiebreaker: If you are looking at your portfolio and thinking “is it big enough for Fool One?” — it probably is not. Investors who naturally belong at the Fool One tier rarely hesitate over the price. If $13,999 feels like a significant expense rather than a minor line item, Motley Fool Epic Plus is the right fit.
The Bottom Line
Motley Fool Epic Plus is the better choice for the vast majority of premium-seeking investors. It delivers the features that define The Motley Fool’s premium experience — daily Moneyball recommendations, AI-powered scoring, options strategies, and 7 scorecards delivering 8+ picks monthly — at $1,999/year.
Motley Fool One is a genuinely comprehensive product. The One Portfolio, Microball database, exclusive events, and dedicated Investor Solutions team are real differentiators. But they are incremental additions that appeal to a narrow audience: investors with $500,000+ portfolios who want complete, uncompromised access and see $13,999 as a small cost relative to their assets.
For everyone else, the $12,000 you save by choosing Motley Fool Epic Plus is better deployed in your actual portfolio — where it can compound through the very picks these services recommend.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Individual results may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Motley Fool Epic Plus vs Motley Fool One: which is better?
Motley Fool Epic Plus is the better choice for most investors. At $1,999/year vs $13,999/year, Epic Plus delivers the core premium Motley Fool experience — 8+ monthly picks, daily Moneyball recommendations, AI scoring, and options strategies — at one-seventh the price of Fool One. Motley Fool One adds complete all-access and exclusive features like the One Portfolio and Microball database, but the $12,000 premium is only justified for investors with $500,000+ portfolios who need everything.
Is Motley Fool Epic Plus worth it?
Yes, for investors with $100,000+ portfolios who want advanced Motley Fool features. Motley Fool Epic Plus provides 8+ monthly stock picks across 7 scorecards, daily Moneyball Portfolio recommendations (up to 250/year), the AI Playbook scoring system, options strategies, and 5 Moneymakers Portfolios backed by Motley Fool’s own capital. At $1,999/year, the cost represents roughly 2% of a $100,000 portfolio — reasonable if you actively use the daily recommendations and AI tools.
Is Motley Fool One worth it?
Only for high-net-worth investors with $500,000+ portfolios. Motley Fool One provides complete all-access to every Motley Fool service, 30+ monthly picks, 35+ portfolios, all databases (including the exclusive Microball covering 2,500+ microcaps), the One Portfolio with quarterly rebalancing, exclusive events, and dedicated Investor Solutions support. At $13,999/year, the cost is 2.8% of a $500,000 portfolio. The value proposition improves as portfolio size increases — for a $1M+ portfolio, it becomes a 1.4% cost for comprehensive coverage.
Can I use both Motley Fool Epic Plus and Motley Fool One?
No — Motley Fool One includes everything in Epic Plus. These are tiered memberships within the same company, not standalone services. If you subscribe to Motley Fool One, you automatically get all Epic Plus features plus additional exclusive access. You would upgrade from Epic Plus to Fool One, not stack them. The upgrade path goes: Stock Advisor ($199) to Epic ($499) to Epic Plus ($1,999) to Fool Portfolios ($3,999) to Fool One ($13,999).
What does Motley Fool One include that Epic Plus does not?
Motley Fool One adds several exclusive features beyond Epic Plus: the One Portfolio (actively managed with quarterly rebalancing), the Moneyball Microball Database (2,500+ microcap companies), the Cryptoball Database (800+ cryptocurrencies), 4 additional scorecards (Firecrackers, Digital Explorers, Ultimate Income, Fool Worldwide), Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio, 35+ total portfolios (vs 6), exclusive member events, early access to new tools, and a dedicated Investor Solutions support team.
What happens if I cancel Motley Fool Epic Plus or Motley Fool One?
Both services offer a 30-day credit swap guarantee — not a cash refund. If you cancel Motley Fool Epic Plus within 30 days, your membership credit transfers to Epic ($499 value), meaning you lose roughly $1,500. If you cancel Motley Fool One within 30 days, your credit transfers to Fool Portfolios ($3,999 value), meaning you lose roughly $10,000. This is a significant difference in financial risk between the two tiers and an important factor in your decision.