Beat the Couch
Try to out-trade a couch that buys the S&P 500 once and never sells.
What is Beat the Couch?
Why Beat the Couch is on Unfound
It was the #14 top post of the past year on r/WebGames, and its data sources and methodology are laid out openly on the page.
✓ Passes the Unfound bar56 upvotes on RedditWhat's the bar?
What players say
Highlights
- Real daily S&P 500 history from 1928 to 2019, dividends included
- Wins are audited against 1,000 random-trading monkeys
- Daily mode where everyone gets the same secret years
Keep in mind
- A game, not financial advice: it ignores fees and taxes
- Skip it if you want a deep trading sim: there's one button
About Beat the Couch
The chart plays out day by day across two random years drawn from 1928 to 2019, with dividends included and cash earning that year's Treasury-bill rate. You press buy or sell as often as you dare; at the end the game reveals the years, your trades, your time in the market and how many of the best days you missed.
If you do beat the couch, 1,000 simulated monkeys replay your two years with the same number of trades on random days, and unless you beat 90% of them your win is stamped LUCKY. A daily mode gives everyone the same years, and the page cites the research behind it, from the Buffett bet to the SPIVA scorecards, which makes it a sharp lesson for anyone curious about investing.
Beat the Couch FAQ
Is Beat the Couch free?
Yes. Its maker says it's free with no ads and no signup; an optional Google sign-in lets the game remember you across devices.
Is the market data in Beat the Couch real?
Yes. It uses daily S&P 500 closes from January 1928 through December 2019, with dividends included and cash earning that year's 3-month Treasury-bill rate.
What does LUCKY mean in Beat the Couch?
When you beat the couch, 1,000 monkeys replay your two years with the same time in the market and trade count on random days. If you don't beat 90% of them, your win is stamped LUCKY.
