The Best Scanz Alternatives in 2026: 6 Tools by Job
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The short answer: Scanz suits traders who already know what to scan for, so the right switch depends on what you are missing. For live alerts with Holly AI, OddsMaker and Channel Bar presets that need no setup, Trade Ideas. For small-cap training with a scanner, StocksToTrade. For news, Benzinga Pro. For charts, TradingView. Trade Ideas makes one of the tools on this page.
This page is on Trade Ideas' own website. See our Trade Ideas vs Scanz page for a head-to-head view.
Scanz alternatives, by what you need
- Live alerts with AI, OddsMaker and Channel Bar: Trade Ideas.
- Small-cap lessons with a scanner: StocksToTrade.
- News and catalysts: Benzinga Pro.
- Charts: TradingView.
- Charting on a budget: TC2000.
- Ross Cameron's preset scanners: Day Trade Dash.
- Stay with Scanz if you can already write your exact conditions and want news scans beside them.
What Scanz does well
Scanz is a real-time scanner built around four kinds of scans: data, signals, news and SEC filings.
Scans are assembled from 400+ filters. Every paid plan includes real-time data, premarket and after hours too.
If you trade a fixed playbook and want headlines and filings scanned next to price, it is a focused tool.
Every feature, side by side, is in Trade Ideas vs Scanz.
Why Scanz users look at Trade Ideas as a Scanz alternative
- AI signals and testing. Neither AI trade signals nor a no-code backtester appears on the Scanz pricing pages.
- A faster start. Scanz expects you to know what to scan for. Ready-made channels are not its product.
- A live room. Scanz does not list a free teaching room.
- More than one scan on the entry plan. Scanz Starter runs a single scan at a time.
Scanz documents real-time discovery: Data, Signal and News scanners running on one set of 65+ filters (Scanners 101), and no backtesting or strategy-selection section in its docs as of Oct 7, 2026. Trade Ideas carries the data further. A measurement you write in the Formula Editor can join a strategy, OddsMaker tests that strategy on recent history, its Optimization tab shows which filter values held up, and every night Holly backtests and re-picks her own strategies for the coming session. Both OddsMaker and Holly AI Signals come with TI Premium.
How we compared Scanz alternatives
Six checks, applied to every Scanz alternative. The pages behind them are in How we checked.
- Replaces: the Scanz job, from scan building to news scans, each tool could handle.
- Real-time data: premarket, regular and after-hours coverage the vendor lists by plan.
- Backtesting: whether your scan conditions can be tested on history.
- AI: AI features named by the vendor, nothing assumed.
- List price: posted monthly and annual prices.
- Best for: the scanning style each tool suits.
Scanz alternatives, side by side
| Tool | Replaces which part of Scanz | Real-time data | Backtesting | AI | List price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Ideas | Real-time scanning plus AI and channels | Yes. Live market data, both plans | OddsMaker, no code (TI Premium / Apex) | Holly AI Signals (Premium only); Holly AI Assistant (all TI Pro plans) | $127 a month or $1,068 a year (Standard / Core); $254 a month or $2,136 a year (Premium) | Live alerts with AI and Channel Bar |
| StocksToTrade | Training plus small-cap scans | Real-time Level 1 | Not listed | Oracle algorithm | $179.95/mo or $1,899.50/yr | Small-cap training |
| Benzinga Pro | News plus scanner on Essential | Real-time quotes on paid plans | Not listed | Benzinga AI (Essential) | Basic $37 to Essential $197 a month | News-driven traders |
| TradingView | Charts | Screener auto-refresh on paid plans | Strategy backtesting; Bar Replay | AI screener requests | Basic $0; paid plans from $12.95/mo billed annually | Chart-first traders |
| TC2000 | Charts and scans | Real-time scanning on Premium | Not listed | Not listed | Basic $24.99 to Premium+ $99.99/mo | Budget charting |
| Day Trade Dash | 24 preset scanners | Real-time data included | Not listed | Not listed | $197/mo, or $147 for Warrior members | Ross Cameron presets |
Pan the table left and right to view all columns.
"Not listed" = not found on the company's own pages.
The 6 best Scanz alternatives
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1. Trade Ideas
Best for live alerts with AI, OddsMaker and beginner Channel Bar presets
Scanz hands you 400+ filters and a blank page. Trade Ideas hands you working channels on day one. Across US-listed stocks, Streaming Alerts can trigger on any single trade. Ready-made channels sit on the Channel Bar in both plans. Holly AI Signals and OddsMaker come with TI Premium.
Replaces: Real-time scanning, plus AI signals, backtesting and ready-made channels.
- Real-time data
- Live market data on both plans. Alerts stream in as trades happen.
- Scans and alerts
- 310 alerts and 249 filters, with multiple Alert windows and Top Lists open on either plan. Presets on the Channel Bar come with both TI Pro plans. If you know your conditions, tell the Holly AI Assistant and it builds the scan.
- Backtesting
- OddsMaker backtests your Scanz-style conditions on Trade Ideas history. No coding. TI Premium.
- AI
- Ready-made trade plans arrive as Holly AI Signals, each with entry, stop and target. Included on TI Premium.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. You can start from a preset instead of a blank scan. Barrie Einarson trades live in the free Trading Room.
- Price
- TI Standard costs $127 a month or $1,068 a year. TI Premium costs $254 a month or $2,136 a year. The Trading Room is free.
Building blocks, counted. The Trade Ideas help documents 310 alerts and 249 filters, each on its own page. Every alert can be paired with any combination of filters, and each filter takes a low and a high value. 191 alerts also have an alert-specific setting, such as the minimum share size on Block Trades or the pattern grade, 0 to 100, on a 5-minute bullish engulfing. Add three filters to one alert and the count of possible pairings passes 788 million, so in practice the combinations are effectively unlimited. Opening range breakouts and breakdowns run at 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes, like the 5-minute breakdown, next to trend alerts such as the 30-minute linear regression up trend.
Worth knowing: US-listed stocks only. Signals, testing and auto trading (Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker, Money Machine) need TI Premium. Use TI Pro on Windows; on a Mac, the browser-based web Dashboard needs no download but does not carry Streaming Alerts or Holly.
Three ways to a scan. Plain English to the AI Assistant, a no-code menu of 310 alerts and 249 filters, or a custom filter of your own in the Formula Editor. Whichever you use, OddsMaker on TI Premium can test it, and the same plan brings Holly AI Signals daily with an entry, a stop and a target.
Best fit: Scanz users who want AI and testing on top of their scans, and new traders who want the premium experience with no setup.
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2. StocksToTrade
Best for preset small-cap scans with lessons
Scanz asks you to build scans. StocksToTrade hands you pre-built screeners and a training library to learn from.
Replaces: Self-built scans, with presets and training in their place.
- Real-time data
- Level 1 real-time data is included. The paper trading account uses the same data.
- Scans and alerts
- The presets focus on fast-moving penny stocks. The company also markets an Oracle algorithm.
- Backtesting
- Not listed, though paper trading is part of the package.
- AI
- An Oracle algorithm is marketed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. Training videos and support come through StocksToTrade University. Paid rooms like Small Cap Rockets ($50 a month) are listed.
- Price
- $179.95 monthly, or $1,899.50 for a year.
Worth knowing: Add-ons include Level 2 data at $29 a month and Breaking News Chat at $49 a month. No backtester appears on its pricing or features pages.
Best fit: Newer small-cap traders who would rather start from presets than a blank scan.
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3. Benzinga Pro
Best for news first, scanner second
Benzinga Pro leads with news. Audio squawk, a calendar suite and a real-time scanner are layered on.
Replaces: News scans, with a full news feed and a scanner on Essential.
- Real-time data
- Real-time Nasdaq Basic quotes on every paid plan. The Real-Time Scanner arrives with Essential.
- Scans and alerts
- Per Benzinga, the scanner watches 3,000+ stocks. Streamlined lets you filter the newsfeed by price, volume and float.
- Backtesting
- Not listed.
- AI
- Benzinga AI research comes with Essential.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. Headlines explain why a stock moves. Try it free for 14 days.
- Price
- $37 for Basic, $147 for Streamlined, $197 for Essential, each monthly. Annual plans cost less.
Worth knowing: The Real-Time Scanner is an Essential feature at $197. A live teaching room is not listed.
Best fit: Traders who care more about the story behind a move than about filter count.
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4. TradingView
Best for charts and global screens
Scanz is built around scans. TradingView is built around the chart. You can screen crypto and ETFs as well as stocks, across 150+ exchanges in 50+ countries. Pine Script powers custom studies.
Replaces: Your chart window, with screening for non-US markets as a bonus.
- Real-time data
- Screener auto-refresh on paid plans runs every 10 seconds or once a minute. Some exchanges need a paid real-time add-on.
- Scans and alerts
- 500+ fundamental and technical fields to screen on. Alerts and Pine Screener are both listed.
- Backtesting
- Listed: strategy backtesting and Bar Replay.
- AI
- Paid plans come with 100 to 500 AI screener requests.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. Basic is free to use.
- Price
- Basic: $0. Essential: $12.95. Plus: $29.95. Premium: $59.95. All monthly, billed annually (special price on Oct 5, 2026).
Worth knowing: The screener is timer-based, and auto-refresh needs a paid plan. Studies are written in Pine Script instead of Python.
Best fit: Scanz users who care more about charts than about running many scans at once.
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5. TC2000
Best for chart-led scanning on a budget
Where Scanz starts from the scan, TC2000 starts from the chart. Scanning is built into the charting software.
Replaces: Technical scans and the chart window.
- Real-time data
- Nasdaq Basic real-time US stock data is part of Basic. Real-time scanning and sorting begin on Premium.
- Scans and alerts
- Indicators, formulas and chart data drive the scans. It runs up to five streaming scans at once.
- Backtesting
- Not listed.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Fair. Paper trading comes with it, and the design centers on charts.
- Price
- Basic: $24.99. Premium: $49.99. Premium+: $99.99. All monthly, with two months free on annual billing.
Worth knowing: On Basic, scans are not real-time. That starts on Premium.
Best fit: Swing traders and chart readers on a tighter budget than Scanz Pro.
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6. Day Trade Dash
Best for preset momentum scanners from Warrior Trading
Warrior Trading sells Day Trade Dash as its scanner software. Instead of building scans, you get 24 presets, TradingView-powered charts and a curated news feed.
Replaces: Custom scans, with preset momentum scanners and an optional bundled simulator.
- Real-time data
- Real-time market data is included.
- Scans and alerts
- 24 preset scanners, Small Cap Momentum and Running Up among them. Simple customizations are listed.
- Backtesting
- The Day Trade Dash page does not list it.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes for Warrior students. It is designed around Ross Cameron's method.
- Price
- $197 a month, or $147 for Warrior Starter or Pro members. Add the web simulator for $247 ($197 for members). The simulator alone is $97 a month.
Worth knowing: The live room is sold separately. A no-code backtester is not listed.
Best fit: Traders who want the same scanners Ross Cameron calls out, without building their own.
Trade Ideas vs Day Trade Dash → · Trade Ideas vs Warrior Trading →
Who should stay with Scanz
Scanz does its job well for many traders. If one of these is true for you, stay.
- You already know your exact scan conditions. Scanz is built for traders who configure their own filters.
- News and SEC filing scans in one window matter most. That is a Scanz strength.
- You want Level 2 in the same scanner stack. Scanz lists Level 2 on its plans.
- Ultra concierge scan building is what you need. Ultra is built around that service.
Switching from Scanz: what carries over
Trade Ideas leads with live alerts, AI, OddsMaker and beginner Channel Bar presets. Scanz leads with a scanner you configure yourself. Below, every Scanz habit sits next to the Trade Ideas tool that does that job.
| If you use this in Scanz | In Trade Ideas |
|---|---|
| Data and signal scans you build | Streaming Alerts with 310 alerts and 249 filters. |
| News and SEC filing scans | Streaming Alerts catch price and volume events. Keep a news tool if headlines start your trade. |
| One scan on Starter | Multiple Alert windows and Top Lists at once, on both plans. |
| Level 2 focus | Trade Ideas focuses on live discovery windows. Check your broker for Level 2. |
| Added when you switch | Channel Bar presets on every plan. Big Momentum Movers is one click away. |
| Added when you switch | Holly AI Signals, TI Premium, each with an entry, a stop and a target. |
| Added when you switch | OddsMaker backtests with no code on TI Premium. |
| Added when you switch | The free Trading Room, led by Barrie Einarson. |
Scroll the table sideways for the Trade Ideas side.
Channel Bar and Streaming Alerts
If you are tired of building scans from scratch, the Channel Bar does it for you. Both plans have it in TI Pro. Try Big Momentum Movers, or S&P 500 stocks moving up quickly. Read Trade Ideas for beginners for a tour.
Your Scanz data scans map to Streaming Alerts, the scanner. Ranked lists map to Top Lists, the screener, which update every 15 seconds. Both run on live market data.
Holly AI Signals and OddsMaker
On TI Premium, Holly AI Signals show you trades as the session runs. You get an entry, a stop and a target. Exit that day or hold.
Already know your conditions? OddsMaker tells you how they did on Trade Ideas history, without code.
Past results, including backtests, don't guarantee future results.
Switching from Scanz in six steps
- Decide on a plan. With TI Standard, a Scanz user gets paper trading and the Holly AI Assistant next to Streaming Alerts and Top Lists, with no scan to build. On TI Premium you also get Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker testing and Money Machine automation.
- Try a preset first. Open the Channel Bar and run Big Momentum Movers before you build anything.
- Port your Scanz scan. List your conditions for the AI Assistant, or start from a new high alert.
- Paper trade it. Paper trading runs on live prices.
- Backtest it. TI Premium lets you check the scan in OddsMaker.
- Learn with a room. The Trading Room is free. If you're new, read Trade Ideas for beginners.
What Scanz and Trade Ideas cost
Scanz
- Free: 30-minute delayed data, Nasdaq only
- Starter: $89 a month
- Pro: $199 a month
- Ultra: $999 a month
Starter and Pro both come with a 7-day free trial. Prices were checked on October 6, 2026.
Trade Ideas
- TI Standard: $127 per month. Annual: $1,068 (about $89 a month)
- TI Premium: $254 per month. Annual: $2,136 (about $178 a month)
Both plans include the Channel Bar and the Holly AI Assistant in TI Pro. Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker and Money Machine, the tools a scan builder grows into, are on TI Premium. The Trading Room is free.
Prices current on October 6, 2026. Please confirm on each vendor's site before buying.
How we checked
- Straight from the source. Scanz facts come from Scanz, and the same rule applies to every other tool.
- "Not listed" is not "missing." It only means we didn't see it on the vendor's pages.
- Why Trade Ideas is on top. Scanz users who switch usually want AI signals, no-code backtesting and presets for newer traders. That is what Trade Ideas offers. Since we make it, test the alternatives as well.
- The rest, by job. Live alerts with AI, then training, news, charts and low-cost tools.
- No stars, no points. This page does not rate tools.
Checked on October 6, 2026: trade-ideas.com/pricing; scanz.com/pricing; stockstotrade.com/pricing; pro.benzinga.com/pricing; tradingview.com/pricing; tc2000.com/pricing; warriortrading.com/day-trade-dash.
Page history: first published October 6, 2026, with every price and feature verified that day.
Scanz alternatives: FAQ
What is the best alternative to Scanz?
If you want live alerts plus Holly AI, OddsMaker and presets that need no setup, we pick Trade Ideas. We are the maker, so put it next to the others. If you write your own scans and want news scans with them, Scanz remains a good fit.
Is there a free alternative to Scanz?
Some are. There is a free Scanz plan, though its data is delayed. TradingView Basic costs $0. On the Trade Ideas side, only the Trading Room is free; Streaming Alerts and the rest of the software are paid.
What is the cheapest Scanz alternative?
On October 6, 2026, the lowest prices here were TradingView Essential at $12.95 a month (billed annually) and TC2000 Basic at $24.99 a month. Scanz Starter was $89 a month.
Is Trade Ideas good for beginners?
Yes. You skip the blank-scan stage, because Trade Ideas is a good fit for a beginning trader who wants the premium experience. Channel Bar presets in TI Pro need no configuration. You also get the Holly AI Assistant in TI Pro, whichever plan you choose. See Trade Ideas for beginners.
How does Trade Ideas pricing compare with Scanz?
Scanz listed Starter at $89, Pro at $199 and Ultra at $999 a month on October 6, 2026. TI Standard was $127 a month or $1,068 a year. TI Premium was $254 a month or $2,136 a year.
Is Trade Ideas just for day trading?
No. Holly AI Signals trigger during market hours, but holding past the close is up to you. Investors use Streaming Alerts and Top Lists to choose entries for longer positions.
Is Trade Ideas good if I am new to scanning?
Yes. You don't need to know what to scan for on day one. Click a ready-made Channel Bar channel, on any plan, and watch what it finds. Trade Ideas for beginners explains the rest.
Can I keep Scanz and add Trade Ideas?
Yes. Some traders keep Scanz for news and SEC filing scans and use Trade Ideas for Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker and Channel Bar presets.