10 Best Financial Magazines

Are you trying to sharpen your money skills? Reading the best financial magazines can improve the way you manage money and help you become a better investor.

If you’re an avid reader like me, consider adding some of these to your reading list.

Top Financial Magazines

These magazines cover a variety of topics, including investing, managing money and financial news.

Reading about the latest happenings and learning about different money products can help you build and manage wealth wisely.

1. Barron’s

Barron’s is a long-time favorite for investing news and commentary. You can read daily news articles to get stock market updates, company analysis and stock picks.

The article content is easy-to-understand for casual and experienced investors.   

Most of Barron’s in-depth coverage is in their weekly magazine. The articles can also help you understand how to invest in stocks and funds.

You can read this magazine online. Buying a print subscription allows you to receive the weekly edition in the mail.

“Market Week” is one section you may enjoy most from the weekly edition. This section recaps the weekly market movements for the U.S. and international markets.

You can also get investing ideas to diversify your portfolio. 

Is Barron’s Worth It?

• Easy way to monitor U.S. and foreign markets
• Can read investing commentary
• Stock picks can provide investing ideas

Barron’s may not be worth it if you don’t have the time to read the weekly issue. Their daily content is good for tracking daily market news.

However, you may find similar content for free on other online outlets if you only want basic details.  

Barron’s Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $96.00 for the first year
• Publishing frequency: Weekly
• Print option available: Yes

2. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance helps you manage your money better and get investing ideas. This financial magazine is for personal investors of any age who need money advice.

However, you won’t read any business news or world news in this magazine.

Each monthly issue includes articles about these topics:

• Investing in stocks and funds
• Investing in bonds
• Planning for retirement
• Saving money

You may consider this magazine if you want to start investing in stocks but still mostly invest in index funds. For example, I have been subscribing to Kiplinger’s since 2008 because I appreciate their investing and money management advice. 

One reason why I value it is for the monthly stock and ETF investing ideas.

Other magazines may only focus on individual stocks. Morningstar is one of the few online platforms to cover mutual funds and ETFs besides Kiplinger’s. 

Kiplinger’s also covers ETFs and mutual funds that offer more diversity than stocks if you can only invest small amounts of money.

Plus, I also like their other articles that help me find different ways to make passive income or save money. 

You can likely implement some of the issue’s suggestions each month to improve your finances. For example, you may learn about 529 savings plans or a new budgeting strategy.

While Kiplinger’s only publishes monthly, it’s one of the most affordable financial magazines. In contrast, busy professionals may not have the time (about one hour) to read each weekly issue of more expensive publications.

Print and digital versions of the magazine are available.  

Is Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Worth It?

• Advice to improve your money habits
• Basic investing ideas for stocks and funds
• Monthly issues can be easier to read for busy people

You may not want Kiplinger’s if you want a more frequent publishing schedule. Also, this isn’t the best magazine if you wish to read about business news or international news. 

Kiplinger Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $29.95
• Publishing frequency: Monthly
• Print option available: Yes

3. The Economist

The Economist is a well-respected financial magazine for international economic news and current events. You can read the report from a different perspective as the Economist headquarters are in England.

Most American news outlets don’t provide the same level of in-depth analysis of foreign news. For instance, the Economist contributors can offer a local look of political and economic events. 

Each weekly issue focuses on key happenings from every continent. This magazine doesn’t provide stock tips or money management advice.

But the weekly content can give you an in-depth look at the events and industries that affect your portfolio performance.

Both the online-only and print-only subscriptions cost the same for a one-year plan. Also, you can get a print and digital combo plan. You may also be able to enjoy introductory pricing for your first few months.

The digital plans include the daily Espresso briefing that lands in your email each morning. This daily briefing recaps key news events from the past day. You can also listen to finance podcasts and watch webinars about global financial activities.  

Is The Economist Worth It?

• Read about world news and economics in the same place
• Weekly editions
• Digital and print editions are available

You may not want the Economist if you wish to receive money management or passive income ideas. Also, this magazine doesn’t focus on business news like Bloomberg or the Wall Street Journal.

The Economist Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $189 (or $55 for 12 weeks)
• Publishing frequency: Weekly
• Print option available: Yes

4. Bloomberg Businessweek

For business news and commentary, Bloomberg Businessweek is one of the best outlets. It can be a good alternative to the Wall Street Journal, which focuses more on the daily news.

The Journal publishes in-depth business content, but you may appreciate Bloomberg’s scope.

Businessweek can also be better than the Economist if you would rather have a magazine that focuses more on U.S. financial news. This publication covers some global news as well.

Whether you choose the digital or print plan, you get live streaming access to Bloomberg Television. You may like this channel if you stream cable TV to watch CNBC or Fox Business. 

Is Bloomberg Businessweek Worth It?

• Want to read business news
• Focuses on U.S. economic events and industries
• Can stream Bloomberg Television

You will want to avoid Bloomberg Businessweek if you want a magazine that focuses on personal finance or investing. 

Bloomberg Businessweek Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $290 ($12 for the first $12 weeks)
• Publishing frequency: Weekly
• Print option available: Yes

5. Forbes

Forbes is a great option if you’re a business professional wanting inspiration to build wealth. Most of the magazine contents focus on successful business leaders. You can learn from their experience to improve your business and finance smarts.

You can also read about upcoming business trends. Forbes is known for its lists of the world’s wealthiest people. To be sure, the Forbes 400 is one list that many people enjoy reading.

Is Forbes Worth It?

• Enjoy reading about successful business leaders
• Most content is about business news and trends

Note that Forbes won’t provide stock recommendations or personal finance advice.

Forbes Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $49.99 
• Publishing frequency: 9 issues per year
• Print option available: Yes 

6. Grant’s Interest Rate Observer

Grant’s Interest Rate Observer is one of the priciest financial magazines you can read.   However, you will find in-depth market analysis that cheaper daily publications don’t offer. 

Editor James Grant has been publishing this Grant’s for over 35 years. Many financial magazine and investment newsletter publishers highly esteem Mr. Grant’s research.

Each issue includes micro and macro analysis. You can also gather long and short ideas for stocks, bond investing and alternative assets.

What you won’t see are clear-cut stock tips such as “Buy ‘stock XYZ’ at this price.” You will need to do some homework to make your own investing decisions.

As the publication name infers, Grant’s analyzes government and corporate interest rates. Interest rates were notably higher when this magazine launched three decades ago.

While bank interest rates for high-yield savings accounts are at historic lows, corporate debt and government debt influence the stock market moves.

While Grant’s is an expensive product, you can subscribe to the free email newsletter– Almost Daily Grant’s.

This newsletter can give you an idea of what to expect from a typical issue. The online website also has curated articles, and you can request a free sample issue.

Is Grant’s Interest Rate Observer Worth It?

• In-depth stock and bond market analysis
• Commentary on economic news
• Good research for accredited investors

This newsletter may not be a good option if you’re a new investor and only want a basic knowledge of how to invest.

Also, you may avoid this publication if you only invest in index funds or target-date funds (unless you enjoy in-depth financial commentary).

Grant’s Interest Rate Observer Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $1,425 
• Publishing frequency: Twice-monthly
• Print option available: Yes 

7. Investor’s Business Daily

Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) can offer extensive investing reports and advice. IBD is a competitive alternative to Barron’s.

This financial publication can be suitable for new and experienced investors. You can read articles covering market news. 

Your IBD Digital membership comes with these perks too:

• Stock lists and trading ideas
• Stock ratings
• Personal coaching
• Investing workshop webinars

IBD can be a good option if you use a free investing app with barebones research tools. The premade stock lists can help you quickly find quality stocks to invest in. Of course, no stock pick is guaranteed to make you money. 

The webinars and other educational resources can improve your investing knowledge and make you a confident investor.

As we live in a digital age, the daily IBD edition is online-only. Or you can subscribe to a weekly paper edition for $36.95 per month. This weekly newspaper compiles some of the lengthier articles and a recap of the key market news.

Is Investor’s Business Daily Worth It?

• Can track daily market news
• Premade stock lists and rating system can provide investing ideas
• Webinars and coaching can improve investing skills 

It may not be worth subscribing to IBD if your online stock broker provides advanced research tools and analyst reports. Other financial magazines are better if you want to track business news or world events.

Investor’s Business Daily Highlights

• Annual digital cost: Two months for $20 (then $34.95 per month)
• Publishing frequency: Daily
• Print option available: Yes

8. Money

Money is now a free online-only personal finance magazine. You will receive a daily email with topics that affect your daily habits.

The daily articles focus on these topics:

• Banking
• Careers
• Insurance
• Investing
• Retirement
• Travel

These articles provide a general overview of what’s happening in the economy. You can also find ways to make money and save money.

You can subscribe to two other free newsletters as well. Retire with Money publishes twice a week and provides retirement advice. 

Dollar Scholar is a weekly email that answers money questions that readers ask. This newsletter can supplement the daily content you read. You can send your questions and see if the editor responds to it in the next weekly issue.

Is Money Worth It?

• It’s free
• Provides basic money and investing advice
• Daily articles

Money is a good resource for free money advice. However, you should consider Kiplinger’s if you want a budget-friendly financial magazine with more in-depth content.

Money Highlights

• Annual digital cost: Free
• Publishing frequency: Daily
• Print option available: No

9. Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal needs little introduction as it’s a leading source of financial news. This recommendation is an online daily newspaper, and they offer a print edition.

The Journal covers investing news, but most of the content is for business news and current events. You must subscribe to sister publication Barron’s for in-depth investing news.

The articles you read can help you understand what to expect from the economy and business sectors.

Most of them provide more information than the free news websites. However, the opinion articles are also a popular section to challenge the way you think.

There is also a WSJ Magazine that focuses on a luxury lifestyle. 

Because the Wall Street Journal is a premium news outlet, you may see stories before other national outlets.

Is the Wall Street Journal Worth It?

• Want in-depth business news and current events coverage
• New articles daily

A subscription isn’t worth it if you are happy with your free sources for current events and business news.

Despite its namesake of being the Wall Street Journal, you won’t see any investment research.

Wall Street Journal Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $38.99 per month
• Publishing frequency: Daily
• Print option available: Yes

10. Motley Fool Stock Advisor

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor is an investing newsletter provides a new stock recommendation two weeks each month. On the off-weeks, you receive an updated “Best Buys Now” list highlighting the five best active recommendations to consider investing in with new cash.

Stock Advisor is the entry-level premium service for The Motley Fool. It costs $99 for your first year and $199 each renewal. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

This premium product recommends US growth stocks from the major sectors. These recommendations tend to be the leaders in their industry and the advisory team believe their shares are currently worth holding for at least the next three years.

You will receive exclusive market commentary about the stocks that the service covers.

In addition, the Fool publishes several free articles and podcasts each day covering the stock market, individual companies and investment strategies.

Is Motley Fool Stock Advisor Worth It?

• Want two new monthly stock recommendations
• Have a 3+ years investment horizon
• Only want commentary for stocks in the model portfolio

This is one of the most affordable platforms for finding investment ideas and getting regular updates on your stock picks. Other publications can be better for general stock market commentary.

Motley Fool Stock Advisor Highlights

• Annual digital cost: $99.00
• Publishing frequency: Weekly
• Print option available: No

Summary

These financial magazines make it easy to learn more about many money topics. You can learn about investing or read in-depth news reports.

These publications can improve your money skills and optimize your free time.