The Motley Fool
U.S. center-left (financial/investment focus)
Background
The Motley Fool was founded in July 1993 by brothers David and Tom Gardner, along with Todd Etter and Erik Rydholm, as a print investment newsletter. The name comes from Shakespeare's As You Like It, evoking the court jester who could speak truth to power. In 1994, the company expanded onto America Online (AOL), dramatically growing its audience. It launched its own website, Fool.com, in 1997. After the dot-com bust, it shifted in 2002 from a mostly ad-supported model to a subscription model anchored by its flagship Stock Advisor product. The Gardners have kept the company private throughout; it has grown to an estimated $100–175 million in annual revenue with several hundred employees. A 2026 deal transferred its wealth management arm (roughly $1.5 billion in client assets) to the Apollon financial platform, though the media and asset management businesses were unaffected. Media bias analysts at both Media Bias/Fact Check and Ad Fontes Media rate the outlet slightly left of center, but its editorial output is overwhelmingly financial rather than political in nature.
Sources
- The Motley Fool - Wikipedia
- The Motley Fool - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
- The Motley Fool Bias and Reliability - Ad Fontes Media
- Motley Fool Wealth Management to join Apollon in 2026 deal - InvestmentNews
- The Motley Fool Is 25 This Year - Washingtonian
- Trump's Tariffs Will Cost You $1,300 This Year - The Motley Fool
- The Motley Fool Financial Statements - CB Insights
Profile compiled 2026-06-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.