Connect a brokerage

Connecting a brokerage lets your holdings and transactions sync automatically. This page explains the connect flow, what a connected portfolio shows, and how its headline return is measured. Connecting a brokerage is available on Pro Lite and Pro. Free accounts can build manual portfolios on the same page.

Before you begin

Sign in on Pro Lite or Pro to connect a brokerage. For manual tracking on any of the three plans, see Manual portfolios.
Have your brokerage sign-in credentials ready. You authenticate directly with your brokerage in a secure window.
Decide whether to connect a new portfolio or convert an existing flow. You can start the connection from the create-portfolio dialog or from portfolio settings.

Quickstart

Open the connect flow
On the portfolio page, select Connect Brokerage Account in the create-portfolio dialog or in portfolio settings.
Choose your institution
Select your brokerage from the list of supported institutions. The flow names brokerages such as Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, and Robinhood, and supports many more.
Authenticate securely
Sign in to your brokerage in the secure window. You do not type any financial figures; the connection provides them.
Select accounts to import
Choose which accounts to bring in. Each selected account becomes a synced portfolio.
Review the synced portfolio
Open the portfolio to see positions, transactions, and performance that come from your brokerage rather than manual entry.

What it shows

A Connect Brokerage Account option in the create-portfolio dialog and in portfolio settings that opens a secure connection flow. The flow lists supported institutions and names brokerages such as Schwab, Fidelity, Vanguard, and Robinhood.
An account-selection step after connecting, where you choose which accounts to import.
A connected-accounts list, with the ability to re-sync or update the connection later.

Inputs

Launch the connect flow, authenticate with your brokerage in the secure window, then select which accounts to import.
No financial figures are typed by you. The connection provides positions, transactions, and prices.

Outputs and how to read them

A synced portfolio whose positions, transactions, and performance come from the brokerage rather than manual entry.
A headline return that, for connected portfolios, uses a time-weighted methodology by default, labeled on screen (for example, TWR). Simple, money-weighted (XIRR), and cost-basis options are also available.

How it is calculated

The default headline return for a connected portfolio is time-weighted. A time-weighted return measures the growth rate of a dollar invested, removing the distorting effect of your deposits and withdrawals so it reflects investment performance only.

TWR = (product of all (1 + r_t) − 1) × 100, where r_t = (value today − value yesterday − net deposits today) / value yesterday

In this formula, value is the portfolio value each day in US dollars, and net deposits today is deposits minus withdrawals that day in US dollars. Buys and sells are not flows, because they swap cash for shares. For example, two days with returns of plus 1.0% and then plus 0.5% and no deposits give (1.010 times 1.005 minus 1) times 100, which is 1.505%. The exact connected-portfolio return comes from the brokerage-sync performance figures, and the methodology label on screen tells you which figure you are reading. Switching to simple or cost-basis can show a different number for the same period.

Data and timing

Holdings, transactions, and prices come from the connected brokerage and from AlphaVantage end-of-day pricing. The connection re-syncs on a regular schedule and can be refreshed manually.

Use cases

Auto-import a live brokerage account so you never re-type a trade.
Keep an account's performance current without manual upkeep.
Compare a synced account's time-weighted return against a benchmark.

Limitations and disclosures

Synced figures depend on the brokerage's data. Reconcile against your brokerage statement for tax purposes, and read the methodology label before comparing returns across portfolios.

GNG Research provides equity research and educational tools, not investment advice. Nothing on the platform is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Do your own research and consider your circumstances before making any investment decision.