Factiva vs. FactSet Workstation

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Factiva
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
Factiva from Dow Jones is a data service that helps companies identify opportunities, accelerate decisions and manage a business's reputation, that includes global news and data accessible via the Dow Jones' research platform, on mobile devices or integrated via advanced feeds and APIs.N/A
FactSet Workstation
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
The FactSet Workstation is a dynamic platform designed to empower financial professionals with seamless data access, advanced analytics, and technology. Integrating over 800 data sources across asset classes and markets, it consolidates crucial insights and elevates decision-making. Its AI-powered tools include smart search and chat features. The workstation simplifies complex workflows, enabling users to uncover insights quickly and improve collaboration. From research and portfolio…N/A
Pricing
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Considered Both Products
Factiva
Chose Factiva
Each of the tools I have described share the same kind of premise: the main thing they do is source and collect media content. Then to varying degrees they run filters against this content and produce a range of data visualisations and ways of slicing the data and content. …
Chose Factiva
I have used Lexis Nexus and Thomson One. I find Factiva to be the most user friendly of these services. I much prefer Factiva's layout on their website when I search for articles and I also prefer its search builder over Lexis Nexus and Thomson One.
Chose Factiva
I often used Twitter as an alternative to Factiva. Additionally, I used a number of link-gathering resources such as Google alerts.
Chose Factiva
At the time, Factiva was already being used by the company I worked for - they had developed procedures specifically for using Factiva, so there wasn't really an option. I've used Lexis, Westlaw and Bloomberg exclusively for legal research, so there wasn't really an overlap …
FactSet Workstation
Chose FactSet Workstation
It has a much better price. I dont need everything that Bloomberg provides. FactSet Workstation gives me what i need.
Chose FactSet Workstation
It's far superior especially with the Irwin integration.
Chose FactSet Workstation
Bloomberg has more info/data than FactSet Workstation which I pointed out earlier. To be fair, I believe Bloomberg is more expensive.

Refinitiv - I have used Thomson Reuters Eikon in the past and I did not like the inflexible interface, FactSet Workstation is much more …
Chose FactSet Workstation
As mentioned, believe it is a much stronger offering that CapIQ. Bloomberg is a better tool for credit and the messaging features, but cost prohibitive. We found that for research tasks FactSet Workstation is more than a good enough option, although we do supplement with a …
Chose FactSet Workstation
Bloomberg has the most data / content but is too expensive, while Eikon has the least. FactSet Workstation and Capital IQ were comparable in price but FactSet Workstation had broader data coverage.
Chose FactSet Workstation
FactSet has a much more robust platform with better excel integration. I used Eikon for many years. Once Thomson Reuters sold it to LSEG, the service went downhill. I am happy I made the switch to FactSet
Chose FactSet Workstation
Product is magnitudes more affordable and provides 80% of the functionality that Bloomberg has and is working to build out the remaining. The workstation is more user friendly than bloomberg but still not perfect. Not as robust as a Bloomberg terminal and doesn't have the …
Chose FactSet Workstation
Bloomberg was very difficult to use, DOS like
Chose FactSet Workstation
While FactSet Workstation certainly stacks up in terms of quantity of data with other providers, the quality is top-notch. I can directly see the source of each line item on a financial statement which gives me confidence what I see is factual data directly from the companies I …
Chose FactSet Workstation
Bloomberg does a much better job at alerts and proprietary news coverage. Charting is also much more intuitive with Bloomberg. It's also very easy to trade directly through Bloomberg instead of using an OMS. FactSet's pricing is more competitive than Bloomberg and FactSet is …
Chose FactSet Workstation
Pitchbook is better for private company data and getting contacts. It is also more useful for capital raises and data
Alphasense is great for more targeted searches which FactSet is very bad at. FactSet often makes it hard to do searches and then once you get to a specific …
Chose FactSet Workstation
FactSet offers the most comprehensive info on industry-specific accounts. We don't currently have plans to leave.
Features
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Financial Research
Comparison of Financial Research features of Product A and Product B
Factiva
-
Ratings
FactSet Workstation
6.8
Ratings
8% below category average
Private Company Data00 Ratings4.90 Ratings
Industry-Specific Information00 Ratings6.80 Ratings
Independent Research Access00 Ratings6.70 Ratings
M&A Analysis00 Ratings6.90 Ratings
Supply Chain Data00 Ratings6.80 Ratings
ESG Data00 Ratings6.60 Ratings
Macroeconomic News00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Search Tools00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Small Businesses
Lead411
Lead411
Score 8.3 out of 10

No answers on this topic

Medium-sized Companies
Lead411
Lead411
Score 8.3 out of 10
S&P Capital IQ
S&P Capital IQ
Score 7.6 out of 10
Enterprises
D&B Hoovers
D&B Hoovers
Score 7.9 out of 10
S&P Capital IQ
S&P Capital IQ
Score 7.6 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
9.4
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
7.4
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
FactivaFactSet Workstation
Likelihood to Recommend
Factiva is particularly useful when I work on securities litigations involving shareholder lawsuits -- i.e. shareholders who bought and sold shares during a specified class period when the company was misrepresenting, for example, its financials. Specifically Factiva is quite useful in helping me understand what company events were known by the market and when they were known. Factiva has also been useful in helping me on various research studies. It is less relevant for other types of litigation that I work on (i.e. Patent litigation, etc).
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FactSet works for all my IR needs. I do not see a function for which I use it for that it would be less appropriate. I believe that the tool's efforts towards becoming more integrated with AI are strong and that in time the Mercury offering will be just as competitive as some of the other AI offerings out there today such as AlphaSense
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Pros
  • Putting broad swaths of news in one place
  • Organizing information
  • Constant updates
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  • Easy/clear UI for navigation
  • Easily find and sort through financial filings to get to the data
  • Document search functionality seems to be improving consistently with more robust features
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Cons
  • Lengthy setup for searches
  • Repeated articles appear frequently
  • Unannounced interface changes were unpleasant surprises
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  • Excel add-in formulas are not constructed in an intuitive way and too often require assistance from help desk
  • No chat function for help desk, which means delayed assistance time or talking with non-native English speakers, some of whom can be difficult to understand
  • There should be an AI chatbot that can answer routine queries; for more advanced questions, a human rep can be connected
  • Portfolio performance metrics should be downloadable using Excel add-in rather than being available only on Workstation
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
We need the FactSet data and capabilities to complete 75% of the financial analyses that we complete for both internal and external purposes. It is invaluable and I am not aware of any other provider that would be able to fill this gap that FactSet does
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Usability
No answers on this topic
It does everything I need. It is pretty user friendly and easy to work with whatever technology interface I am using (desk top, notebook, tablet, or mobile phone). I am able to get work done whether I am in the office, at home, or traveling. The user up time is very good. They are rarely doing maintenance when I need to use the platform
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Support Rating
No answers on this topic
I think the data delivery could be improved, but it's a good data set.
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Alternatives Considered
Each of the tools I have described share the same kind of premise: the main thing they do is source and collect media content. Then to varying degrees they run filters against this content and produce a range of data visualisations and ways of slicing the data and content. Factiva's strength lies more in the sourcing of content than in the manipulation of the results (much like the others do with more sophisticated dashboards and visual interpretations). We chose it because of the integrity of its sourcing breadth. It doesn't matter so much about the display of results because the source material you're working with isn't as dynamic as say social media.
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Bloomberg has more info/data than FactSet Workstation which I pointed out earlier. To be fair, I believe Bloomberg is more expensive. Refinitiv - I have used Thomson Reuters Eikon in the past and I did not like the inflexible interface, FactSet Workstation is much more flexible. To be fair, Refinitiv may have made some upgrades since but my mental impression still lean towards FactSet Workstation because of ease of use.
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Return on Investment
No answers on this topic
  • We were able to end contracts with a few vendors because FactSet provided everything we need for stock screening, modeling, and analytics directly saving us capital that could be repurposed elsewhere
  • Having a an all in one system that does everything speeds up training and learning curve for users
  • Cheaper than main competitor Bloomberg
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ScreenShots

FactSet Workstation Screenshots

Screenshot of PM Hub, which simplifies portfolio management with tools for building, analyzing, and simulating trades for multi-asset class portfolios and exposures. Users can monitor positions in real time with customizable views, ensure compliance, and execute trades through its integration. Link IRN data to foster deeper collaboration between research analysts and portfolio managers.Screenshot of FactSet Internal Research Notes (IRN), which streamlines research with one connected platform. These can be used to organize, share, and analyze everything from market trends to individual securities. Its AI tools help to boost collaboration, enhance workflows, and drive smarter investment decisions.Screenshot of some of the available information which can used to analyze performance, risk, and attribution across multi-asset portfolios. This integrates portfolio, market, and proprietary data into a single platform to streamline workflows, adapt to market changes, and make confident decisions. From stress testing and scenario analysis to AI-driven insights, FactSet provides tools to strengthen portfolio resilience, uncover drivers of performance, and foster collaboration with customizable reports and data sharing.Screenshot of a display of all accounts in one personalized dashboard. Viewers can analyze top positions, spot trends with proprietary signals, and track market-moving events. Access summary stats like total market value and asset allocation across an entire book or by household and strategy.Screenshot of FactSet’s proprietary news, which delivers real-time, focused market insights across regions like the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. From stocks to sectors to broad markets, StreetAccount simplifies updates to cut through the clutter. This critical news is available anytime via the Workstation, web, email, app, or API.Screenshot of one of FactSet's unique datasets, Geographic Revenue (GeoRev), used to quickly understand a company's revenue exposure in countries impacted by geopolitical, macroeconomic, and market risk through a highly structured and normalized display of companies' revenues by geography.