SOFI vs PYPL Stock Comparison
PYPL currently leads SOFI in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 67 vs 38. The clearest difference is momentum.
What is the main difference between SOFI and PYPL?
PYPL leads the current stock comparison as PayPal Holdings, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
SoFi Technologies, Inc. vs PayPal Holdings, Inc.
PYPL leads
PYPL leads by 29 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, and the lead has widened from 24 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors SOFI on target upside.
Stable: 5 of 6 evidence groups support PYPL, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
SoFi Technologies, Inc.
PayPal Holdings, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PYPL over SOFI, 67 versus 38 as of Oct 21, 2026. PYPL's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience. PYPL also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors SOFI. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PYPL today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. PYPL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 24 to 29 points over 30 sessions.
Compare SoFi Technologies, Inc. and PayPal Holdings, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare SOFI and PYPL against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum32 vs 80PYPL +48
- Risk Resilience24 vs 62PYPL +38
- Value27 vs 63PYPL +36
- Quality62 vs 64Even
5 of 6 evidence groups favor PYPL. PYPL’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +6
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
New signals
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
PYPL's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — SOFI and PYPL both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PYPL (PayPal Holdings, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
SOFI (SoFi Technologies, Inc.): the counter-case, on analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 43.9% against 24.7%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
PYPLPYPL on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
PYPLPYPL on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
PYPLPYPL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 36 points.
Momentum
PYPLPYPL on the Momentum factor, by 48 points.
Lower downside
PYPLPYPL on Risk Resilience, by 38 points.
Analyst upside
SOFISOFI on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors PYPL, analyst targets favor SOFI. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | SOFI | PYPL | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +38.3% | -5.6% | SOFI has more room |
| Target dispersion | +67.9% | +51.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 12 | 16 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PYPL. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | PYPL | 38 vs 67 |
| Fundamentals | PYPLon balance | revenue growth 11.5% vs 3.9%; EPS growth -7.7% vs 3.3%; TTM ROE 6.2% vs 24.4%; gross margin 76.5% vs 45.8%; operating margin 13.2% vs 18.8% — PYPL takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | PYPL | Value 27 vs 63 |
| Technicals | PYPL | Price vs 50-day -12.1% vs 2.2%; vs 200-day -19.5% vs 14.2% |
| Risk Resilience | PYPL | Risk Resilience 24 vs 62 |
| Analyst expectations | SOFI | Target upside 38.3% vs -5.6% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of SOFI and PYPL and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 29 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on PYPL.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20PYPL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 24 to 29 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- PYPL +29
- 38 vs 67
- 7 sessions ago
- PYPL +29
- 37 vs 66
- 30 sessions ago
- PYPL +24
- 37 vs 61
- 90 sessions ago
- PYPL +18
- 47 vs 65
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
0 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral
Only SOFI
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (7.70%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.66%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (2.3%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
4 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only PYPL
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.92%)
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: Bollinger Band Squeeze.
PYPL leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.5%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.11%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1SOFI closes the Momentum gap — currently 48 points behind, the largest single contributor to PYPL's edge.
- 2SOFI's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3PYPL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
PYPL leads on balance| Metric | SOFI | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 11.5% | 3.9% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -7.7% | 3.3% |
| Gross margin | 76.5% | 45.8% |
| Operating margin | 13.2% | 18.8% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 6.2% | 24.4% |
| Debt to equity | 0.31 | 0.72 |
Performance
PYPL leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | SOFI | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -3.7% | 1.7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -14.5% | 8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -14% | 2.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -22% | 12.3% |
| Year to date | -43.8% | -2.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -44.8% | -13.5% |
Technicals
PYPL has the stronger structure| Metric | SOFI | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 38.4 | 85 |
| ADX (14) | 23.9 | 23.3 |
| Price vs 50-day | -12.1% | 2.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | -19.5% | 14.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 43.9% | 24.7% |
Risk
PYPL is the more resilient| Metric | SOFI | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.77 | 1.08 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.83 | -0.26 |
| Sortino ratio | -1.22 | -0.3 |
| Max drawdown | -55.9% | -46.5% |
| Current drawdown | -54.4% | -21.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 56.6% | 42.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -6.1% | -3.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, SOFI or PYPL?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PYPL is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 67 against SOFI's 38. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is SOFI or PYPL the better buy right now?
PYPL carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.
Why does the AIQ Score favor PYPL over SOFI?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. PYPL leads Momentum by 48 points; PYPL leads Risk Resilience by 38 points; PYPL leads Value by 36 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, SOFI or PYPL?
Analyst price targets imply +38.3% upside for SOFI and -5.6% for PYPL, so the Street currently favors SOFI. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors PYPL. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, SOFI or PYPL?
PYPL is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PYPL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 36 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, SOFI or PYPL?
PYPL on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, SOFI or PYPL?
PYPL on the Momentum factor, by 48 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, SOFI or PYPL?
PYPL is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PYPL on Risk Resilience, by 38 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is SOFI more profitable than PYPL?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 76.5% vs 45.8%; operating margin 13.2% vs 18.8%; ttm roe 6.2% vs 24.4%. SOFI leads on one measure and PYPL on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is PYPL's lead over SOFI getting stronger or weaker?
PYPL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 24 to 29 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the SOFI vs PYPL verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: SOFI closes the Momentum gap — currently 48 points behind, the largest single contributor to PYPL's edge; SOFI's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; PYPL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about SOFI and PYPL?
SOFI: 0 bullish / 4 bearish / 2 neutral. PYPL: 4 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on SOFI is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On PYPL it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare SOFI and PYPL with others
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.