You’ve already moved past Stock Advisor and Epic. You want more from The Motley Fool — more picks, more AI-powered insights, more advanced strategies. The question now is how far up the ladder you climb.
Motley Fool Epic Plus costs $1,999/year. Motley Fool Portfolios costs $3,999/year. That is a $2,000 annual gap for two services built on the same investment philosophy, by the same company, using many of the same tools.
Why this matters in February 2026: The S&P 500 at 6,832.76 is flat YTD, but the internal story is anything but flat. An 81-point dispersion spread separates the top 20 stocks (averaging +50.2%) from the bottom 20 (-31.2%). Sector rotation has been aggressive and sustained: energy +21.6%, materials +17.6%, consumer staples +15.2%, while tech lags at -3.1% — with memory/storage stocks up +82% and enterprise software down -33% creating a massive intra-sector gap. The Fed at 3.50-3.75%, CPI at 2.4% (core 2.5%), the VIX at ~21.77, PMI at 52.6 (manufacturing expansion confirmed), and consumer confidence at a 12-year low all signal a market that punishes passive exposure and rewards active, diversified stock selection. When the spread between getting it right and getting it wrong is this wide, the question is whether 35 model portfolios capture the rotation better than 6 AI-driven portfolios at half the price.
Here is the direct answer: Motley Fool Epic Plus is the better choice for most investors. It delivers 8+ monthly stock picks, daily Moneyball recommendations, AI-powered scoring across 3,500+ companies, and options trading strategies — all for half the price of Motley Fool Portfolios. The additional $2,000 per year for Motley Fool Portfolios buys access to Tom Gardner’s personal Everlasting Portfolio, 35 real-money portfolios, cryptocurrency coverage, and white-glove support. Those are valuable additions — but they only justify the premium if you have $250,000+ invested and specifically want Tom Gardner’s complete playbook.
Let me show you exactly what each tier includes, where the real differences lie, and how to decide.
Motley Fool Epic Plus vs Motley Fool Portfolios: Side-by-Side
| Dimension | Motley Fool Epic Plus | Motley Fool Portfolios | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,999/year | $3,999/year | Epic Plus (half the cost) |
| Monthly Picks | 8+ across 7 scorecards | 10+ across 9 scorecards | Portfolios (marginal) |
| Daily Recommendations | Moneyball Portfolio (up to 250/year) | Moneyball Portfolio (up to 250/year) | Tie |
| Real-Money Portfolios | 6 (Moneyball + 5 Moneymakers) | 35 (including Everlasting Portfolio) | Portfolios |
| Tom Gardner’s Personal Holdings | Not included | Everlasting Portfolio — the only stocks Tom personally owns | Portfolios |
| AI Tools | AI Playbook + full Moneyball Database (3,500+) + AIball (3,400+) | Same AI tools + Cryptoball Database (800+ cryptos) | Portfolios |
| Options Strategies | Leveraging Options Scorecard | Same options access | Tie |
| Suggested Portfolio | $100,000+ | $250,000+ | Depends on you |
| Support | Standard member support | White-glove Investor Solutions | Portfolios |
| Refund Policy | Credit swap to Epic ($499 value) | Credit swap to Epic Plus ($1,999 value) | Epic Plus (less at risk) |
| Exclusive Scorecards | Trends, Value Hunters, Global Partners | Same 3 + Firecrackers, Digital Explorers | Portfolios |
| Overall Winner | — | — | Motley Fool Epic Plus (for most) |
The key takeaway: Both services share the same core — Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers, Hidden Gems, Dividend Investor, daily Moneyball recommendations, AI Playbook, and the full Moneyball database. The differences are at the margins. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Motley Fool Epic Plus: AI-Powered Stock Picking at the Sweet Spot
Motley Fool Epic Plus is The Motley Fool’s advanced premium tier, positioned between Epic ($499/year) and Motley Fool Portfolios ($3,999/year). It represents the company’s biggest bet on artificial intelligence — and for most investors, it hits the price-to-value sweet spot.
What makes it distinct:
Motley Fool Epic Plus delivers 8+ monthly stock picks across seven scorecards, each targeting a different investing approach. You get the four foundation scorecards (Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers, Hidden Gems, Dividend Investor) plus three Epic Plus exclusives: Trends (sector themes poised for growth), Value Hunters (quality businesses trading below fair value), and Global Partners (opportunities outside the U.S.).
The real differentiator is the AI infrastructure. Tom Gardner’s AI Playbook Portfolio assigns AI scores to every stock, evaluating technological infrastructure, AI-driven transformation potential, and implementation quality. The Moneyball database covers 3,500+ companies with proprietary scoring, and the AIball database adds specialized AI analysis across 3,400+ companies.
Then there are the daily Moneyball Portfolio recommendations — up to 250 per year when markets are open. Tom Gardner applies valuation analysis, market conditions, and the Moneyball database to guide real-money portfolio decisions daily.
Options strategies add another dimension. The Leveraging Options Scorecard provides strategic approaches for generating portfolio income and potential capital gains through options — something not available at the Epic tier or below.
Where it falls short:
Motley Fool Epic Plus does not include Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio — the only stocks Tom personally owns. It caps at 6 real-money portfolios (vs 35 at the Portfolios tier). There is no cryptocurrency coverage (no Cryptoball Database). And you get standard member support, not white-glove service.
The refund policy is also a significant consideration: if you cancel within 30 days, you receive a credit swap to Epic ($499 value), not a cash refund. That means you absorb a $1,500 loss if the service is not for you.
Best for: Investors with $100,000+ portfolios who want AI-driven stock picking, options strategies, and daily Moneyball recommendations — without paying $3,999 for access to Tom Gardner’s personal holdings and crypto research.
Motley Fool Portfolios: Tom Gardner’s Complete Playbook
Motley Fool Portfolios is The Motley Fool’s premium tier for dedicated investors who want complete access to Tom Gardner’s investing world. At $3,999/year, it is the most expensive Motley Fool service before the $13,999 Fool One all-access membership.
What makes it distinct:
The crown jewel is Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio — the only stocks Tom personally owns. This is not a model portfolio or a recommendation list. It is full transparency into the co-founder’s actual investment decisions, backed by millions of dollars of his own capital. No other Motley Fool tier below Portfolios offers this.
Motley Fool Portfolios includes 10+ monthly stock picks across nine scorecards. Beyond the seven in Motley Fool Epic Plus, you get two additional exclusive scorecards: Firecrackers (specialized high-growth opportunities) and Digital Explorers (digital transformation plays). That is 2 more picks per month than Epic Plus.
The real-money portfolio access expands dramatically — from 6 in Epic Plus to 35 total portfolios. These include Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio, the Moneyball Portfolio, the 5 Moneymakers Portfolios, and many more spanning different strategies and themes.
Cryptocurrency coverage arrives at this tier through the Moneyball Cryptoball Database, covering 800+ cryptocurrencies with the same proprietary scoring methodology used for equities. This is the first Motley Fool tier offering crypto research.
And the service level changes: white-glove support with Investor Solutions provides dedicated assistance for portfolio guidance and membership questions — a significant step up from standard member support.
Where it falls short:
At $3,999/year, Motley Fool Portfolios demands a serious commitment. The suggested portfolio size of $250,000+ means the annual fee represents about 1.6% of assets — and that is before you have earned any returns. The credit swap refund policy is even more punishing: if you downgrade within 30 days, you get a credit to Epic Plus ($1,999 value), meaning you lose $2,000.
The complexity factor is real. Managing 35 real-money portfolios, 10+ monthly picks, daily Moneyball recommendations, and crypto research requires significant time and attention. More is not always better if you cannot process it all.
Best for: Dedicated investors with $250,000+ portfolios who specifically want Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio, crypto exposure, white-glove support, and the broadest possible access to The Motley Fool’s premium research.
Head-to-Head: Where Motley Fool Portfolios Justifies the Premium (and Where It Does Not)
The Everlasting Portfolio: The Real Differentiator
This is the single biggest reason to upgrade. Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio is not a recommendation service — it is a window into what the CEO of The Motley Fool actually does with his own money. There is a meaningful difference between “we recommend this stock” and “this is a stock I personally own, backed by millions of my own dollars.”
For investors who want to align their portfolio with Tom Gardner’s long-term conviction positions, this is irreplaceable at any other tier. The question is whether that transparency is worth $2,000/year to you.
Portfolio Access: 6 vs 35
Motley Fool Epic Plus gives you 6 real-money portfolios (Moneyball plus 5 Moneymakers). Motley Fool Portfolios gives you 35. That sounds like a massive difference — and it is in quantity. But most investors do not actively follow 35 portfolios.
The portfolios you gain access to at the Motley Fool Portfolios tier include specialized strategies in crypto, microcaps, and advanced themes. If you actively invest across multiple asset classes and want institutional-grade coverage, the breadth matters. If you primarily invest in U.S. equities, the additional 29 portfolios may sit unused.
Crypto Coverage: A Clear Binary
Motley Fool Epic Plus has zero cryptocurrency research. Motley Fool Portfolios includes the Cryptoball Database covering 800+ cryptocurrencies. If crypto is part of your investing thesis, Motley Fool Portfolios is your only option within The Motley Fool premium tiers (short of Fool One). If crypto is not on your radar, this adds no value.
The $2,000 Question: Fee-to-Portfolio Math
The right way to evaluate this gap is against your portfolio size:
| Portfolio Size | Epic Plus Fee Ratio | Portfolios Fee Ratio | Premium as % of Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | 2.0% | N/A (below minimum) | N/A |
| $250,000 | 0.8% | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| $500,000 | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| $1,000,000 | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
At $250,000, the $2,000 premium represents 0.8% of your portfolio — a meaningful drag. At $500,000+, it drops to 0.4% — the cost of a couple of trading commissions in the old days. The larger your portfolio, the more trivial the premium becomes relative to the potential value of Tom Gardner’s personal positions and white-glove support.
How to Decide: Motley Fool Epic Plus or Motley Fool Portfolios
Choose Motley Fool Epic Plus if:
- You have $100,000-$250,000 invested and want premium Motley Fool access without the $3,999 commitment
- You are primarily interested in AI-driven stock scoring, options strategies, and daily Moneyball recommendations
- You prefer to build your own portfolio rather than follow 35 managed strategies
- You do not invest in cryptocurrency and do not need the Cryptoball Database
- You want the lower-risk refund terms (credit swap to $499 Epic vs $1,999 Epic Plus)
Choose Motley Fool Portfolios if:
- You have $250,000+ invested and want Tom Gardner’s complete investing playbook
- You specifically want to see and follow Tom Gardner’s Everlasting Portfolio — his actual personal holdings
- Cryptocurrency is part of your investment thesis and you want scored crypto research
- You value white-glove support from the Investor Solutions team for portfolio guidance
- The $2,000 annual premium represents less than 0.5% of your portfolio
Either works if:
- You will follow The Motley Fool’s core philosophy — buy 25+ companies, hold 5+ years, let winners run
- You understand that both services share the same foundation (Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers, AI Playbook, Moneyball)
- You are not expecting short-term results from a system designed for 5-to-25-year compounding
The tiebreaker: If you are on the fence, start with Motley Fool Epic Plus. You get 90%+ of the core investment tools and picks for half the price. If you find yourself constantly wanting to see Tom Gardner’s personal positions or needing portfolio guidance from a dedicated team, upgrade to Motley Fool Portfolios after your first year.
The Bottom Line
Motley Fool Epic Plus wins for most investors. It delivers the AI Playbook, daily Moneyball recommendations, 8+ monthly picks across 7 scorecards, options strategies, and the full 3,500+ company database — all for $1,999/year. That is the sweet spot of The Motley Fool’s premium lineup: advanced enough to satisfy experienced investors, priced reasonably enough that the fee-to-portfolio ratio makes sense for six-figure accounts.
Motley Fool Portfolios is the better choice if you have $250,000+ invested and the Everlasting Portfolio — Tom Gardner’s personal holdings — is something you genuinely want to track and follow. The white-glove support, crypto coverage, and 35 real-money portfolios add real value for dedicated investors who will actively use them. Just understand that you are paying $2,000 more per year, and the credit swap refund means you lose $2,000 if you downgrade within 30 days.
Both services share the same foundation: The Motley Fool’s 30+ year investing philosophy, Stock Advisor’s proven track record (912.1% total return, 43 ten-baggers, 65% win rate through multiple market cycles), and AI-powered tools that are getting more sophisticated with each update. In a market where the CAPE ratio sits near ~40 and credit spreads at 2.92% signal tightening risk appetite, that proven foundation matters more than marginal feature differences. The difference between these tiers is not quality — it is depth of access.
If the question is where to start in The Motley Fool’s premium tiers, Motley Fool Epic Plus is the answer. You can always upgrade later if you outgrow it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Motley Fool Epic Plus vs Motley Fool Portfolios: which is better?
Motley Fool Epic Plus is better for most investors. At $1,999/year (half the price of Motley Fool Portfolios), it delivers 8+ monthly stock picks, daily Moneyball recommendations, AI-powered scoring across 3,500+ companies, and options trading strategies. Motley Fool Portfolios adds Tom Gardner’s personal Everlasting Portfolio, 35 real-money portfolios (vs 6), crypto research, and white-glove support for $3,999/year — but those additions primarily benefit investors with $250,000+ portfolios who want the complete Tom Gardner playbook.
Is Motley Fool Epic Plus worth it?
Yes, for investors with $100,000+ portfolios who want advanced Motley Fool access. Motley Fool Epic Plus includes everything in Epic ($499/year) plus AI Playbook, daily Moneyball Portfolio recommendations (up to 250 per year), options strategies, 3 additional scorecards (Trends, Value Hunters, Global Partners), and the expanded Moneyball database covering 3,500+ companies. The $1,999 annual fee represents 2% of a $100,000 portfolio — meaningful but justifiable if the AI-driven picks and daily recommendations improve your returns. The credit swap refund policy (no cash refund, only a downgrade to Epic at $499 value) means you should be confident before subscribing.
Is Motley Fool Portfolios worth it?
Yes, for dedicated investors with $250,000+ portfolios who want Tom Gardner’s complete investing playbook. The defining feature is the Everlasting Portfolio — the only stocks Tom Gardner personally owns — plus access to 35 real-money portfolios, crypto coverage through the Cryptoball Database (800+ cryptocurrencies), and white-glove support with Investor Solutions. At $3,999/year, the fee represents 1.6% of a $250,000 portfolio, dropping to 0.8% at $500,000. If you actively use the Everlasting Portfolio and crypto research, the premium over Motley Fool Epic Plus can pay for itself. If you would not use those features, Motley Fool Epic Plus delivers 90%+ of the value at half the price.
Can I use both Motley Fool Epic Plus and Motley Fool Portfolios?
No — they are tiered services, not complementary ones. Motley Fool Portfolios includes everything in Motley Fool Epic Plus and adds more. You choose one tier or the other. If you subscribe to Motley Fool Portfolios, you automatically get all Motley Fool Epic Plus features (AI Playbook, Moneyball Portfolio, options strategies, all 7 scorecards) plus the additional Portfolios-exclusive content (Everlasting Portfolio, Firecrackers and Digital Explorers scorecards, Cryptoball Database, white-glove support, and 35 total real-money portfolios). There is no scenario where paying for both makes sense.
What happens if I cancel Motley Fool Epic Plus or Motley Fool Portfolios?
Neither service offers a cash refund — both use a credit swap system. If you cancel Motley Fool Epic Plus within 30 days, your membership credit transfers to Epic ($499/year value), meaning you lose $1,500 of your $1,999 purchase. If you cancel Motley Fool Portfolios within 30 days, your credit transfers to Motley Fool Epic Plus ($1,999/year value), meaning you lose $2,000 of your $3,999 purchase. Credit swaps must be done at list price and cannot be combined with promotional offers. After 30 days, no refund or swap is available. This is a significant departure from lower-tier services like Stock Advisor, which offers a full cash refund.
What is the difference between Motley Fool Epic Plus and Motley Fool Epic?
Motley Fool Epic Plus ($1,999/year) adds 3 more monthly picks, AI Playbook, daily Moneyball Portfolio, options strategies, and the expanded database compared to Epic ($499/year). Epic includes 5 picks/month across 4 scorecards and a basic Moneyball database of 340+ companies. Epic Plus jumps to 8+ picks/month across 7 scorecards, adds the AI Playbook Portfolio, daily Moneyball recommendations (up to 250/year), 5 Moneymakers Portfolios, options trading through the Leveraging Options Scorecard, and expands the Moneyball database from 340+ to 3,500+ companies. The price difference is $1,500/year.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — January 2026 employment data and benchmark revision
- Slickcharts — S&P 500 YTD returns and performance data
- U.S. Treasury — Current yield data
- Multpl / Shiller CAPE — CAPE ratio data