According to our research, Trade Ideas is the best overall stock screener for traders and investors due to its AI functionality, customizable screens, and integration with several popular brokerage platforms. Stock screeners can help you identify which stocks and funds are right for your investment strategy. You can look at price, market capitalization, P/E ratio, and more before deciding where to invest your money.
With 8,000 securities listed on all U.S. stock exchanges, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), there is no shortage of opportunities for investors to research. Fortunately, investors don’t have to waste time and effort doing it manually; they can use stock screeners to help identify potential investments and trading opportunities that fit their risk threshold and criteria.
To help you find the best stock screener, we researched 30 stock screeners and evaluated them based on several key criteria, including ease of use, selection of fundamental and technical filters, customization, and additional features.
Best Stock Screeners for October 2024
- Best for Day Trading: Trade Ideas
- Best for Swing Traders: FINVIZ
- Best Free Option: ZACKS (NASDAQ)
- Best for Buy-and-Hold Investors: Stock Rover
- Best for Interactive Charting: TC2000
- Best for Global Investing: TradingView
When evaluating stock screeners, several key factors to consider can significantly impact your trading experience and success. Ease of use and cost top the list, especially for beginners. A platform that is easy to navigate and understand, akin to using a familiar app, can streamline the process of finding stocks that match your criteria.
Additionally, educational resources play a pivotal role in empowering traders to make informed decisions. Look for screeners that offer tutorials, guides, and educational content to enhance your understanding of the market and improve your trading strategies.
Best for Day Trading : Trade Ideas
- Cost: Free to $254 per month with a discount if paid annually
- Key Features: Customized server-based technology connects directly to the exchanges and online brokerage firms; access to a live trading room
- Exchanges: Limited to U.S. and Canadian exchanges
With its lightning-fast platform and AI-driven functionalities for screening hundreds of criteria, Trading Ideas makes our list as the best stock screener for day trading.
Stock screener with AI functionalities
Integration with brokerages
Customizable screens
Live trading room
Only works with U.S. and Canadian stock exchanges
Day traders need access to real-time data, and they need it now. That's what you get with the Trade Ideas Pro stock screener. Powered by a high-end artificial intelligence machine, the tool uses technical, fundamental, and social data to scan thousands of trading opportunities to find the ones with the most substantial upside potential quickly. That makes Trade Ideas our choice as the best stock screener for day trading.
Trade Ideas was founded in 2003 by a group of financial technology entrepreneurs in response to the growing demand for DIY investing. Located in Encinitas, California, the customized server-based technology connects directly to the exchanges, enabling it to track every stock and ETF traded. Every tick is analyzed and tested, measuring financial securities' behavior against the past in real time. That's the kind of edge that day traders need.
The stock screener employs leading-edge backtesting and automated stock trading features with multiple filters. Traders can use pre-configured layouts to start off strong. With more experience, traders can choose to customize their screens with their own criteria.
Traders also have access to a live trading room, real-time streaming trade ideas, and simultaneous charts. Trade Ideas connects directly to online brokerage firms such as E-Trade to allow traders to move between simulated trading and real-world trading.
As you might expect, having access to proprietary, high-end technology doesn't come cheap. But $254 a month is a worthwhile investment for the edge that traders seek. A standard plan is available for $127 a month without full access to AI technology, and a further discount is available if you pay annually. A third baseline option called TI Strength Alerts for $17 a month gives you five new trade ideas every Sunday.
If you still aren't convinced about the service, Trade Ideas now offers a free version that can be used to test the pre-built layouts, scans, and screeners. However, as you develop as a day trader, you might also outgrow the free version. If that time comes, you will have the ability to upgrade anytime.
Best for Swing Traders : FINVIZ
- Cost: $39.50 per month or $299.50 a year; free plan is available, but it's not real-time
- Key Features: Comprehensive toolset using historical data; interactive charts
- Exchanges: Not limited
FINVIZ offers the right combination of swing trading tools, including a large selection of fundamental and technical criteria, real-time quotes, charts, backtesting, pre-market data, and email alerts. All this makes it our pick as the best stock screener for swing trading.
Highly visual approach to screening
Ease of use
Good selection of fundamental and technical screening criteria
Access to global stocks
Free version is sufficient for many swing traders
Fewer fundamental metrics than other screeners on this list
Located in New York City, FINVIZ's stock screener has been a popular choice for investors since its inception in 2007. But what makes it stand out for swing traders is its comprehensive toolset, which includes real-time data, interactive charts, pre-market data, and backtesting using years of historical data. FINVIZ is a great choice for all types of investors and traders, but it's our pick as the best stock screener for swing trading.
FINVIZ is short for Financial Visualizations, a reference to the unique and compelling way it presents information, making it easy and fun to navigate. Users can access a stock chart simply by hovering over the stock symbol in the screener.
But its real claim to fame is the way it has stacked its screener with many useful tools and features. Its Elite screener is a powerful research tool with access to real-time data, advanced charts, pre-market data, customized filters, and data export capabilities.
Its charts are interactive, allowing users to use a crosshair cursor to pinpoint exact data points or check a stock's relative strength indicator. You can also compare a stock's performance with the S&P 500 index. Everything is saved in your portfolio. You can use the screener for up to 100 portfolios and up to 200 screener presets.
FINVIZ*Elite is an excellent value at $39.50 per month or $299.50 a year. It also offers a free plan, but the data is not available in real-time. That might be okay if you're more of a buy-and-hold investor or you set up your swing trades pre- or post-market.
Best Free Option : ZACKS (NASDAQ)
- Cost: Free version available; premium membership $249 per year with free 30-day try-it membership
- Key Features: Enter your own segmentation criteria; extensive EPS metrics
- Exchanges: Not limited
Zacks Investment Research has a comprehensive stock screener solution with high functionality supported by a massive number of metrics. The free version offers enough tools to conduct thorough and informed filtering of stocks, which is why we picked Zacks as the best free option for a stock screener.
Well-equipped free stock screener
Hundreds of fundamental metrics
Extensive stock database
Extensive EPS metrics
Low cost paid plan
Limited technical screening
Founded in 1978 and based in Chicago, Zacks has built a reputation as a reliable source of stock data for investors looking for an edge in stock picking. Its free stock screener has almost everything investors need to make well-timed and informed stock picks. That's why Zacks is our choice as the best free option for a stock screener.
In addition to the hundreds of metrics that Zacks provides, one of its key features is users' ability to enter their own segmentation criteria. You can enter a customs value or range as a filter, giving you more opportunities for precise screening results.
Another standout feature is the extensive earnings per share (EPS) metrics, allowing you to delve more deeply into a company's relative performance compared to its EPS history.
All but some of its more advanced features are available on the free plan. You can dig deeper with more than 96 predefined screens or use the Custom Screener that shows you the best Zacks Rank stocks to match your personal interests and trading style, such as Value, Growth, Momentum, or Income, with Zacks Premium membership for $249 a year. You can try Zacks Premium Screener, plus several additional powerful tools and research, with a free 30-day membership.
Best for Buy-and-Hold Investors : Stock Rover
- Cost: $7.99 to $27.99 per month with a free start-up plan
- Key Features: Almost 500 screening filters for financial indicators; linkable to your brokerage account
- Exchanges: Limited to U.S. and Canadian exchanges
Investors have access to nearly every fundamental criterion you can think of through Stock Rover, as well as an extensive database of company financial statements. That's why it's our pick as the best stock screener for buy-and-hold investors.
Vast selection of fundamental screening criteria
Hundreds of value, growth, and dividend screeners
10-year historical fundamental database
Integrates with most brokerages
Stock scoring system
Limited day trading functionalities
Only works with U.S. and Canadian exchanges
Stock Rover offers limited technical indicator filters, which wouldn't make it a good choice for day traders, but you'll love the robust research and analysis tools offered if you're a long-term investor with buy-and-hold tendencies. That, coupled with its very reasonable pricing, makes Stock Rover our choice as the best stock screener for buy-and-hold investors.
Stock Rover was founded in 2008 by software engineers who are passionate about investing. Located in Braintree, MA, they created an advanced web application to simplify how investors can research, select, and track investments. Its platform offers almost 500 screening filters for financial indicators for screening and comparing stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Users can fine-tune their results by creating complex equations and combining multiple filters.
Investors love Stock Rover's rating system, which scores securities on a scale from 1 to 100 in several categories. These include growth, valuation, efficiency, financial strength, dividends, and momentum. Followers of Warren Buffet will especially like the preset fair market value and margin of safety screeners.
Investors can link Stock Rover to their brokerage account for more robust reporting, portfolio analysis, and portfolio rebalancing recommendations. Stock Rover offers a free account that's sufficient to get you started, but you can start with the Essentials plan for $7.99 a month to access more functionality.
Essentials provides over 275 financial metrics, five years of historical data, watch list tracking, customizable views, and fast stock screening. The Premium plan adds substantially more features for $17.99 per month, including more financial metrics, 100 charts, and ten years of historical data. The Premium Plus includes more than 700 financial metrics and top priority email support for $27.99 per month.
Best for Interactive Charting : TC2000
- Cost: $9.99 to $59.99 per month, discounted when paid annually; $25 monthly discount if you have an account balance over $30,000 or place a trade at least once a month.
- Key Features: Screens for both ETFs and options; interactive charts
- Exchanges: Limited to U.S. and Canadian exchanges
The TC2000 stock screening package is as robust and powerful as you'll find after more than 25 years of refinement, making it our top pick for interactive charting.
Wide selection of fundamental and technical screening criteria
Nearly three decades of refinement and improvement
Ease of use
Screening for ETFs and options
Interactive charts with chart drawing tools
Only works with U.S. and Canadian exchanges
TC2000 was founded in 1997 and is located in Wilmington, North Carolina. It is primarily known for being a brokerage platform; however, the stock screener is as comprehensive as it gets. With its excellent selection of fundamental and technical screening criteria and powerful options and exchange-traded fund (ETF) screening, this award-winning stock screener has long outpaced the competition, which is why we picked it as the best overall.
The entry-level Silver plan costs $9.99 per month, providing users with the opportunity to begin testing the EasyScan stock screener's capabilities. But you can unleash its real power with the Gold and Platinum plans for $29.99 and $59.99 per month, respectively. All plans are discounted when paid annually.
The Gold plan provides full access to the EasyScan screener, including a simple step-by-step wizard for creating conditions. Users can jump from chart drawing tools into sortable watchlists that can set up to 100 alerts with simultaneous tracking.
The Platinum plan adds historical condition testing, automatic refresh intervals on scans, and sorts with up to one thousand alerts that can be simultaneously tracked. Users can receive up to $25 in monthly discounts if they have an account balance over $30,000 or place a trade at least once a month.
Its ease of use masks the power and robustness of its screening, scanning, and filtering. Integration is flawless if you open a TC2000 brokerage account for trading, allowing you to effortlessly move from screening on a wide range of fundamental and technical screens to managing your watchlists to executing trades. The same power and maneuverability apply to its ETF and options screening.
The only downside of TC2000 is that it's limited to U.S. and Canadian exchanges. That aside, the powerful TC2000 stock screener, coupled with its solid customer support, makes it hard to beat.
Best for Global Investing : TradingView
- Cost: $14.95 to $59.95 per month, discounted if paid annually, 30-day free trial available
- Key Features: Highly interactive chat room with traders from all over the world
- Exchanges: Keyed to global investing
TradingView stacks up well with any of the stock screeners on this list, but where it excels is the breadth of securities it covers, including international stocks and funds from all over the globe. That makes TradingView our pick as the best stock screener for global investing.
Excellent selection of fundamental screening criteria
Extensive charting capabilities
Expansive selection of global stocks
Interactive trading room
30-day free trial
Light on historical data
For more experienced and active traders, speed and efficiency are paramount. A stock screener with fast execution speeds ensures that you can capitalize on opportunities swiftly, especially in volatile markets where timing is crucial. Moreover, advanced features such as customizable filters, real-time data, and technical analysis tools can provide invaluable insights for intraday trading and complex strategies. However, it's essential to balance advanced functionality with reliability and cost-effectiveness. Even the most sophisticated screeners must offer stable performance and competitive pricing to meet the needs of all traders effectively. - Amrut Deshmukh, Investopedia Research Analyst
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York City, TradingView has it all, including a solid offering of fundamental, economic, and financial screening criteria and extensive charting functionalities built on advanced HTML5 technology. However, where it stands out is its broad coverage of international stocks across 70+ global exchanges. That's why we chose TradingView as the best stock screener for global investing.
TradingView is the innovative brainchild of a group of traders and software developers who were intent on creating a trading platform for the masses. It's effortless, powerful, and accessible to everyone. TradingView's global reach is unparalleled, with more than 50 million active users worldwide.
The stock screener includes more than 100 fundamental and technical criteria with the ability to customize filters and views to your liking. One of its outstanding features is the ability to map and compare economic indicators with a company's financial indicators to see how a company has performed in various economic conditions.
Another standout feature is its highly interactive chat room, bringing together traders from all parts of the world to share ideas.
You can start screening stocks and ETFs with TradingView for free, which includes access to the screener, list alerts, and advanced filter customization. Paid plans with complete access to TradingView's powerful tools start at $14.95 a month and go up to $59.95. All paid plans include a 30-day free trial.
The Bottom Line
Day traders and stock investors need access to complex data analysis to be able to sift through the tens of thousands of stocks in the U.S. and global markets. They need access to high-quality stock screeners to do that. The best stock screeners combine ease of use with flexibility without sacrificing data accuracy or quantity. The best screeners have a broad range of stocks in their databases that can be filtered with precision using both preset and custom criteria. The interface should be intuitive, even for beginners.
Compare the Best Stock Screeners
Stock Screener | Monthly Price | Limited Free Version | Best Features | Exchanges Followed |
---|---|---|---|---|
Trade Ideas Best for Day Trading | Starts at $254 per month | Yes | AI-driven stock screener | U.S. and Canada |
FINVIZ Best for Swing Trading | Starts at $39.50 per month | Yes | Vivid graphics and interactive charts | U.S. and global |
Zacks Best Free Option | Free version available. Premium plan $249 per year | Yes | Massive number of metrics | U.S. and global |
Stock Rover Best for Buy & Hold Investing | Starts at $7.99 per month | Yes | Stock rating system | U.S. and Canada |
TC2000 Best Overall | Starts at $9.99 per month | No | Powerful screening tools | U.S. and Canada |
TradingView Best for Global Investing | Starts at $14.95 per month | Yes | Follows 70+ global exchanges | U.S. and global |
Guide for Choosing the Best Stock Screener
What Is a Stock Screener?
A stock screener is an essential tool used by stock traders and investors to sift through thousands of stocks so they can find those that best meet their criteria. Users can apply any number of filters based on fundamental and technical metrics to narrow down their lists. The more robust the screening filters, the more quickly the screener can find you a match.
Users can also apply their own customized criteria to find a more precise match. The screener will instantly display the results in the categories you choose when criteria are applied. Stock screeners are used to identify stocks based on different investing scenarios, such as creating an asset allocation strategy, long-term buy-and-hold strategies, or day trading in and out of the market for quick returns.
What Should You Look for in a Stock Screener?
A good stock screener is well organized and easy to use, enabling you to find the filters you need and start the process with a few clicks. It's essential to use a stock screener with a wide range of filters and the ability to quickly sort through your results so you can drill down further. You should look for a stock screener most suited to your investing style. Some are ideally suited for day trading, while others are more appropriate for long-term investing.
Keep in mind that some stock screeners only follow U.S. stock exchanges, while others have a global reach. Additional must haves include accurate data. Always check to ensure the data comes from a reputable and reliable source. Another feature to consider is ensuring the screener can save your screens. Otherwise, you'll have to continually re-enter your criteria, which can be time consuming.
Best Free Stock Screeners
Utilizing premium stock screeners can give investors a sizable edge when trading in the market. Premium stock screeners are the way to go when it comes to getting the most out of a larger selection of tools and data. However, some of these high-profile screeners come with a learning curve as well as costs that are simply too high for inexperienced traders to justify. Below are some of the best free screeners novice traders can use while learning the ropes of trading.
Zacks (Nasdaq)
Zacks is the best free option for stock screeners. Beginning traders will find that they will be equipped with everything they need to research the stock market and execute timely trades. When traders are ready to upgrade to the premium version, they can easily do so without changing to another platform.
Finviz
Finviz is an excellent stock screening platform, but there is a learning curve that traders must overcome. The platform is a good stepping stone for traders to understand how complex screeners operate and the amount of information that traders will need to cipher before spending money on a premium stock screener.
TradingView
TradingView is another excellent option that traders can use before committing to a premium stock screener. The free version of TradingView offers an exceptional stock screener and a wide range of free indicators and market analyses that traders will appreciate. However, this stock screener might also have a learning curve for newer traders, but once traders get the hang of the platform, they can start considering upgrading, which is easy to manage.
Why You Should Trust Us
Investopedia collected vital data points for 30 companies offering stock screeners to identify the most essential factors. We used this data to review each screener for associated costs, functionality, available chart patterns, and other features to provide an unbiased, comprehensive review to ensure our readers decide on the right stock screener. Investopedia launched in 1999, and has been helping readers find the best best stock screeners since 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How Do You Use a Stock Screener?
Stock screeners are relatively straightforward. After opening the screener, you choose the filters you want to use based on specific criteria, such as price, trading volume, price-to-earnings ratio, volatility, chart patterns, and other fundamental or technical metrics. You can layer on more filters until you get the results you want to further narrow down your choices.
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Does Google Have a Stock Screener?
Google removed its stock screener in 2022 and replaced it with a more basic tool, eliminating many key features. Investors needing a stock screener with advanced features will want to find one that aligns with their trading style and fits their budget.
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What Are the Different Types of Stock Screeners?
Investors who actively trade on the market will find that there are several stock screeners to choose from. Although a good stock screener will be able to handle a wide range of demands, certain stock screeners are better equipped to handle different trading styles. For instance, there are stock screeners that focus on day trading, swing trading, and option trading. If traders do not adhere to a particular style, they can reap the benefits of a free stock screener either from an external screener or their preferred brokerage.
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Best Stock Screeners for Beginners
Stock screeners can be a complex tool to learn and understand, especially for new traders. While having the best and most up-to-date screeners in trading is always nice, that level of sophistication will require a high degree of comprehension for these tools to work as intended. Keep in mind that aside from the intricate nature of screeners, they are costly.
A beginner will want to find a screener that is not only cost-effective but one that can gradually introduce the trader to how a stock screener works. The stock screener that we feel fits this criteria is Zacks. It offers a free stock screener with the option to upgrade to better versions when you are ready.
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Do Stock Screeners Work for ETFs?
Yes, most stock screeners can screen for Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), but if you are an investor and are focused solely on ETF investing, then you may want to look for an ETF screener designed specifically for ETFs; Finviz not only has such capabilities but also allows ETF investors to use its screener free of charge.
How We Find the Best Stock Screeners
Our initial search revealed 30 stock screeners for our consideration. We narrowed the list to 16 by running them through our criteria of ease of use, selection of fundamental and technical filters, depth of filter criteria, customization, and extra functionality. After a more rigorous comparison, we identified the best stock screeners in six distinct categories.