Comparison
BestFolio vs AllocateSmartly
Both services answer the same question: what should a tactical asset allocation portfolio hold this month? Here is an honest side-by-side, including where AllocateSmartly is the better choice.
Comparison last reviewed: 2026-10-18. Sources: pricing and FAQs. If something is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Choose AllocateSmartly if
You value public research dating to 2016, a broad strategy archive, alternative-trading-day analysis, tranching, US tax-efficiency analysis (short- vs long-term gains), and withdrawal-rate tools.
Choose BestFolio if
You want walk-forward validation you can inspect, a blend builder, detailed UCITS mappings for European brokers, after-tax results under local tax rules (30 account types in 16 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, and Italy's regime amministrato and Germany's Depot), 6 fully accessible free strategies, API and MCP access, and a lower price. You can verify most of this without an account.
Feature by feature
| Dimension | BestFolio | AllocateSmartly |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly signals | Exact allocations at each strategy's rebalance cadence, with email, Telegram, and webhook delivery options | Near-real-time tracking, with intraday, end-of-day, and weekly email notifications for membersSource |
| Strategy library | 103+ published strategies plus leveraged and UCITS variants, with additions and corrections recorded in a public changelog | Broad library of published TAA strategies, with public research dating to 2016 and ongoing feature updatesSource |
| Validation and research | Rolling out-of-sample windows, parameter choices, and live-versus-backtest boundaries are visible on supported strategy pages | Alternative-trading-day analysis, strategy screening, withdrawal-rate research, and portfolio tranchingSource |
| Portfolio blending | SmartBlend optimizer: combine any strategies with custom weights, see blended backtest, correlation, and drawdown | Paid members can combine strategies into up to 3 custom Model Portfolios; Pro supports up to 15Source |
| European implementation | Account-wide EU mode can translate portfolio outputs and model trade lists using mappings with ISINs and verified European listing symbols. Saved ETF preferences also flow into portfolio execution allocations. | Signals use US ETF data; European members receive a separate UCITS fund-alternatives list by asset classSource |
| Tax analysis | After-tax CAGR under local rules for 30 account types in 16 countries, from Europe and Israel to the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Switzerland and Singapore (Study 01), Italian and German tax estimates on each strategy page, and a US federal tax-drag model | Tax-efficiency analysis built around US short- and long-term capital gains; no European tax regimes describedSource |
| Backtest depth | Proxy chains back to the 1970s for flagship strategies, with Treasury, gold, and bond series reaching the 1920s | Long backtests, using simulated pre-ETF asset data where appropriate, with shared assumptions disclosedSource |
| Free tier | 6 fully accessible strategies with a free account (no card), plus free tools that need no account | Free limited access to 3 strategies and sample Model PortfoliosSource |
| Automation and alerts | Read-only JSON/CSV API, remote MCP server, and configurable outbound signal webhooks | Portfolio-change email notifications with intraday, end-of-day, and weekly optionsSource |
| Price | $29/mo or $299/yr. Every new paid subscription comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. If BestFolio is not right for you, tell us within 14 days of your first payment and we refund that payment in full, with no reason needed and no fee. The guarantee applies to every customer in every country, businesses included. It adds to your statutory rights, including the 14-day consumer withdrawal right where it applies, and never limits them. | $49/month, $399/year, or $499/year for ProSource |
| Track record as a service | Launched 2025; every published signal kept in an append-only, timestamped record since July 14, 2026, and a Behaviour check on each strategy page compares live signals with the backtest | Public strategy research and near-real-time tracking references date to 2016Source |
Where AllocateSmartly is genuinely stronger
- Public strategy research and near-real-time tracking references date to 2016. BestFolio launched in 2025, and no amount of backtesting substitutes for years of operating history. Source
- Mature analysis tools include strategy screening, tranching, US tax-efficiency analysis, withdrawal-rate analysis, and aggregate TAA allocation. Source
- Near-real-time portfolio tracking with intraday, end-of-day, and weekly email notification options. Source
Where BestFolio is stronger
- Walk-forward validation is the product, not a footnote: out-of-sample windows, parameter choices, and live-vs-backtest boundaries are visible on every supported strategy page.
- Portfolio blending with the SmartBlend optimizer: combine strategies, see the blended equity curve, correlations, and drawdowns before committing money.
- Built for Europe: account-wide EU mode translates portfolio outputs and model trade lists, while mapping records include ISINs and verified European listing symbols. Saved ETF preferences flow into portfolio execution allocations. We also publish a free UCITS Finder anyone can use, and a list of the best UCITS-compatible TAA strategies with each sleeve's European match. And our study of what works where you live gives after-tax results under local tax rules, account by account.
- Radical transparency: a public rejection log of strategies we refused to list, and a methodology page covering every proxy chain and assumption.
- API, MCP, and outbound webhooks support automated read-only workflows and configurable signal delivery.
- Price: $29/mo against $49/mo, with 6 strategies free to evaluate the product first.
“BestFolio has become my first stop in a toolkit that also includes PortfolioVisualizer, AllocateSmartly, ETF-Portfolio, and TestFol.io. They’re constantly adding new strategies, the site is quick and easy to use, and the data goes deeper and slices more ways than what I’ve found on the other sites. I also appreciate the fact that they are quick to respond to feedback and suggestions.”
Matt · US, Pro subscriber
Frequently asked questions
Is BestFolio a replacement for AllocateSmartly?
For following published TAA strategies and combining them into portfolios, the core job overlaps. BestFolio emphasizes inspectable walk-forward tests of portfolio weights, account-wide implementation preferences, and API, MCP, and webhook workflows. AllocateSmartly offers public research dating to 2016 and mature tools including tranching, US tax-efficiency analysis (short- vs long-term gains), and withdrawal-rate analysis.
Which is better for European investors?
Both services support European implementation. AllocateSmartly provides European members a UCITS fund-alternatives list by asset class. BestFolio's EU mode applies mapped UCITS tickers to portfolio outputs and model trade lists, and its mapping data includes ISINs and verified European listing symbols. BestFolio also models after-tax results under European tax rules, account by account; AllocateSmartly's tax analysis follows the US short- and long-term gains split.
Can I try BestFolio before paying?
Yes. 6 strategies, including GEM and Golden Butterfly, are free with full backtests and live monthly signals. No credit card is required. Every new paid subscription comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. If BestFolio is not right for you, tell us within 14 days of your first payment and we refund that payment in full, with no reason needed and no fee. The guarantee applies to every customer in every country, businesses included. It adds to your statutory rights, including the 14-day consumer withdrawal right where it applies, and never limits them.
Are the strategies the same on both services?
The libraries overlap on many published Keller, Antonacci, and Faber models. Check each service's current strategy list and methodology, because names alone do not guarantee identical rules, data, or assumptions.
Verify it yourself, free
6 strategies with full backtests and live monthly signals, no credit card. Compare the methodology pages side by side and decide.
Already using AllocateSmartly or Portfolio Visualizer? See how to move your models over
Want the longer version, with the full methodology and the numbers behind each claim? Read our AllocateSmartly review. Weighing more than two services? See every tactical asset allocation service compared.
AllocateSmartly is a trademark of its owner. This page is an independent editorial comparison and is not affiliated with or endorsed by AllocateSmartly.