The Motley Fool
Private financial advisory service offering stock picks, investment advice, and financial literacy resources.
The Motley Fool at a glance
The Motley Fool is a finance & banking website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #605 in the country. It was founded in 1993 by David Gardner, Tom Gardner and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. Today The Motley Fool is owned by The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 28 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through newsletter subscriptions, premium investment advisory plans. Its closest rivals include seekingalpha.com, investopedia.com, cnbc.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 26.3 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 27.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 28 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 29.7 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct72%
- Organic search18%
- Referral5%
- Paid3%
- Social2%
Audience & demographics
- Men53%
- Women47%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 8.4 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the motley fool | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| online banking login | Top 10 | High | — |
| money transfer | Top 10 | High | — |
| loan rates | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 82% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading finance & banking apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- fool.com
- Sector
- Finance & Banking
- Owner
- The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc.
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- David Gardner, Tom Gardner
- Founded
- 1993
- Headquarters
- Alexandria, Virginia, USA
- Employees
- 600+
- Ownership
- The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Motley Fool operates a bank and digital financial platform focused on United States. Private financial advisory service offering stock picks, investment advice, and financial literacy resources. Revenue comes mainly from newsletter subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Newsletter subscriptions
- Premium investment advisory plans
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #605 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading finance & banking site in United States
- Global rank
- 2650
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| seekingalpha.com | ≈ 16.8 million / month | #606 class competitor | — |
| investopedia.com | ≈ 12.6 million / month | #607 class competitor | — |
| cnbc.com | ≈ 8.4 million / month | #608 class competitor | — |
What is The Motley Fool?
The Motley Fool (fool.com) is a bank and digital financial platform serving users in United States. Private financial advisory service offering stock picks, investment advice, and financial literacy resources. It ranks #605 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the finance & banking category.
Who owns The Motley Fool?
The site is operated by The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc., founded by David Gardner, Tom Gardner. The company was established in 1993 and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. It employs around 600+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Motley Fool at roughly 28 million visits per month, about 0.9 million per day. Around 82% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 6.3 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How The Motley Fool makes money
Revenue comes primarily from newsletter subscriptions, alongside premium investment advisory plans.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include seekingalpha.com, investopedia.com, cnbc.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1993
The Motley Fool is founded in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its finance & banking offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #605 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Full account management without branch visits
- Instant local transfers and bill payments
- Strong authentication and fraud monitoring
- Wide ATM and branch network behind the app
Cons
- Occasional downtime during peak load
- Fee structure is hard to compare
- Customer support wait times
- Older interface areas outside the mobile app
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The Motley Fool?
The Motley Fool is operated by The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc.. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Motley Fool headquartered?
The Motley Fool is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
When was The Motley Fool founded?
The Motley Fool was founded in 1993 by David Gardner, Tom Gardner.
How many employees does The Motley Fool have?
The Motley Fool employs approximately 600+ people.
What is The Motley Fool's revenue?
The Motley Fool's revenue: ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are The Motley Fool's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include seekingalpha.com, investopedia.com, cnbc.com.
How does The Motley Fool make money?
Mainly newsletter subscriptions, premium investment advisory plans.
Is The Motley Fool publicly traded?
No — The Motley Fool is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc..
How many visitors does The Motley Fool get?
Third-party estimates place The Motley Fool at roughly 28 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 82% mobile traffic.
Is The Motley Fool safe?
The Motley Fool is an established finance & banking site founded in 1993 and ranked #605 in United States; use the official domain fool.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsfool.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos