Roundup · Stock scanners Updated

The Best Stock Scanners in 2026: 10 Tools Compared

The short answer: The best stock scanner depends on how you trade. For day trading and AI signals, our pick is Trade Ideas: Streaming Alerts report each event as it prints, Top Lists refresh every 15 seconds, and Holly AI Signals (TI Premium) come with an entry and a stop to manage risk.

Free account, just an email. No card. Live access for a limited time.

Named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies six years in a row (2017–2022).

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Investopedia: Best Short Term Stock Screener, 2024

Real Stock Race replay, recorded.

For visual screens and heat maps, Finviz. For technical charts, TradingView. For long-term fundamentals, Stock Rover. For swing trading, Trade Ideas: Holly AI Signals look for large gainers that can run for weeks or months.

Written by Daniel Mirkin, CEO of Trade Ideas, which makes one of the tools compared here.

Best stock scanners by trading style

How you trade decides which scanner is right. One honest pick for each style, with what it costs:

Best stock scanner by trading style. Prices checked October 2026 on each company's own site.
Trading styleOur pickWhyCost (Oct 2026)
Day tradingTrade IdeasStreaming Alerts (Scanner) report a new high, a volume spike or a halt as it prints; Top Lists (Screeners) refresh every 15 seconds. 308 alerts and 249 filters.TI Standard $89/mo billed annually ($1,068/yr) or $127 monthly
AI signalsTrade IdeasHolly AI Signals arrive intraday with an entry and a stop to manage risk. The AI Assistant, which builds scans from plain English, is in every TI Pro plan.TI Premium $178/mo billed annually ($2,136/yr) or $254 monthly
Swing tradingTrade IdeasEvery trade starts during the trading day; what matters is what you hunt. Holly AI Signals hunt unusual behavior and large gainers, not quick in-and-out trades, and some picks keep running for weeks or months. OddsMaker tests multi-day holds. Top Lists are also on TI Standard. For daily-chart scans with EasyScan, TC2000 is a strong option.TI Premium $178/mo billed annually ($2,136/yr) or $254 monthly
Visual and heat mapsFinvizMarket heat maps and a fast visual screener; intraday maps on Elite.$0 free; Elite $24.96/mo billed annually ($299.50/yr) or $39.50 monthly
Technical chartingTradingViewCharts across stocks, ETFs and crypto on 150+ exchanges, with screeners of 500+ fields.Basic $0; paid from $12.95/mo billed annually
Long-term fundamentalsStock Rover300+ metrics and 5-year fundamentals on Premium; 700+ metrics and 10 years on Premium Plus; portfolio reports.Premium $29/mo billed annually ($348/yr) or $34 monthly
FreeFinviz (free version)Screener, heat maps and charts with a free account. Quotes are delayed and screens refresh every 3 minutes.$0

Competitor prices and features checked October 12, 2026.

We make Trade Ideas, so weigh our view and try the tools yourself. More detail: day trading, swing trading, free scanners, AI trading software, Trade Ideas vs Stock Rover.

Sources for this table, checked October 9, 2026: trade-ideas.com/pricing; tc2000.com/pricing; finviz.com/elite; tradingview.com/pricing; stockrover.com/plans.

How a real-time scanner works: market data comes in, your rules check every trade, and an alert fires when a stock qualifies Market dataevery trade, every quote Your rulesalerts and filters Resultalert or Top List row
Every scanner on this list does some version of this.
The question

Who has the best stock scanner?

The answer depends on when you look at the market. A trader who acts during the session needs a different tool from an investor who reviews stocks on the weekend.

Key point

For live discovery, we pick Trade Ideas. We make it, so weigh our view and try the tools yourself. For research after the close, a screener such as Finviz or Stock Rover can do the job for less money.

TI Pro toolbar latency readout.
TI Pro toolbar latency readout.
Two different jobs

Stock scanner vs stock screener: which do you need?

Many lists use the two words as if they mean the same thing. They do different jobs.

  • A scanner watches. It tells you when something happens to a stock. In Trade Ideas, Streaming Alerts are the scanner. Examples are a new high, high relative volume or a trading halt.
  • A screener sorts. It shows which stocks meet your rules. In Trade Ideas, Top Lists (Screeners) are the screener. They update every 15 seconds.
  • Most other tools lean one way. Scanz and Benzinga Pro's Real-Time Scanner work as scanners. Finviz, TradingView, Stock Rover and VectorVest mainly work as screeners.
Trader tip

Trade Ideas gives you both, fed by the same live market data. You can test either one in OddsMaker before you trade it.

Key point

If the screener is what you need, see the best real-time stock screeners.

Method

How we compared

TI Pro desktop layout with Channel Bar, stock race, Top List, chart and news
Desktop TI Pro: more windows, more room to work.

A scanner earns its keep by telling you something in time to use it. So every tool faced the same 8 questions. Each one is a column in the table.

  • What it is: Scanner, screener, or both.
  • Real-time data: Does a match reach you live, and on which plan?
  • Scans and alerts: How many conditions, and are hits pushed to you?
  • Backtesting: Can you test a scan on history without code?
  • AI: Each company's own description of its AI features.
  • Beginner-friendly: Presets, training, and a way to try it free.
  • Price: The vendor's list price, monthly and yearly where shown.
  • Best for: The trader each tool suits.
Key point

Our source for every fact was the company itself, on October 6, 2026. How we checked lists them.

At a glance

The best stock scanners, side by side

How the ten scanners and screeners line up. List prices taken from each company's own site on October 6, 2026.
ToolBuilt forLive dataHow you find stocksStrategy testingAI helpPrice (list)
Trade IdeasDay traders and active traders who want stocks surfaced as they moveEvery plan streams live market dataStreaming Alerts (the scanner, 308 alerts) and Top Lists (the screener, 249 filters, every 15 seconds); Channel Bar presets; SCoRE rating; the AI Assistant builds windows from plain EnglishOddsMaker tests alert-and-filter setups without code (TI Premium)Holly AI Signals on TI Premium; the AI Assistant on every TI Pro planTI Standard: $1,068 a year or $127 month to month. TI Premium: $2,136 a year or $254 month to month
TradingViewTraders who start from the chartPaid plans refresh the screener every 10 seconds or every minuteScreeners with 500+ technical and fundamental fields, Pine Screener and alertsStrategy tester plus Bar ReplayAI requests in the screener on paid plansFree Basic plan; paid tiers at $12.95, $29.95 and $59.95 a month on annual billing
Finviz EliteEvening prep, quick fundamental screens and heat mapsDelayed on the free version; Elite is real-time from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ETAdvanced filters and alerts; Elite refreshes every 10 seconds, the free version every 3 minutesNone listedNone listedFree version; Elite $299.50 a year or $39.50 month to month
ScanzTraders who already know the exact conditions they wantReal-time on all plans, premarket and after hours included400+ filters, plus news and SEC filing scans; Starter runs one scan at once, Pro has no limitNone listedNone listed$89 (Starter), $199 (Pro) or $999 (Ultra) a month; 7-day intro period
Benzinga ProCatalyst and news tradersNasdaq Basic quotes starting on Basic; the Real-Time Scanner starts on EssentialAudio squawk, newsfeed filters, and a scanner over 3,000+ stocks on EssentialNone listedBenzinga AI on Essential$37 (Basic), $147 (Streamlined) or $197 (Essential) a month; 14-day intro period
TrendSpiderTechnical traders who want chart work automatedReal-time U.S. stock data for non-pro users; scan frequency from every 2 hours to every minute, by planScheduled, strategy and multi-timeframe scansBacktests, including across many symbols at onceSidekick (25 messages a month) and AI strategy analysisStandard runs $59 to $89 a month depending on the billing term; top plan $349 a month; 14-day paid intro period
TC2000Budget-minded chart and swing tradersNasdaq Basic real-time quotes; real-time scanning needs PremiumEasyScan from indicators, formulas and chart values, up to 5 streaming at onceNone listedNone listed$24.99 (Basic), $49.99 (Premium) or $99.99 (Premium+) a month; paper trading included
thinkorswimSchwab clients, including options tradersSchwab does not publish a scan refresh rateStock Hacker custom scans written with thinkScriptStrategy testing in thinkScriptNone listedNo charge and no account minimum for Schwab clients
Stock RoverLong-term investors doing fundamental researchReal-time email alerts listed; it is a research tool rather than an intraday scanner300+ metrics on Premium, 700+ on Premium PlusHistorical screening on Premium Plus; no backtester listedNone listedPremium $29 a month on annual billing or $34 monthly; top plan $199 a month; 14-day intro period
VectorVestInvestors who want ratings and market-timing guidanceReal-time U.S. data on Premium; lower plans run 15 minutes behindPreset screeners ranked automaticallyNone listedNone listed$49.99, $99 or $149 a month, or $499 to $1,495 a year; free coaching session

Competitor prices and features checked October 12, 2026.

"Not listed" is our label for anything absent from the company's own pages.

A real Top List built from filters.
The list

The 10 best stock scanners and screeners in 2026

  1. 1. Trade Ideas

    Trade Ideas is our pick because it covers both halves of the job. Streaming Alerts are the scanner, and Top Lists (Screeners) are the screener. One tells you what just happened. The other shows what is leading right now.

    Settings

    Counted, not estimated. Our help documents 308 alerts and 249 filters, one page each. Technical events are alerts, each with a bullish and a bearish version on several timeframes: 15-minute bullish engulfing, 5-minute downward thrust, Fibonacci 62% sell signal, and opening range breakouts and breakdowns at 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes such as the 10-minute breakout. Any alert pairs with any filters, each with a min and a max, and 191 alerts have their own extra setting. With one alert and three filters there are more than 788 million pairings, so the scans you can build are effectively unlimited.

    See the move as it happens. Streaming Alerts can fire on every trade. That can be multiple times per second: a new high, a burst of volume or a halt. Every plan runs on live market data. You never press a refresh button, so the list in front of you is the market you are trading.

    Trader tip

    Skip the setup. The Channel Bar, in every plan, opens ready-made channels such as Big Momentum Movers. Every TI Pro plan also has the AI Assistant, which turns a plain-English request into a scan. For full control, you can build from 308 alerts and 249 filters.

    Filter for quality. SCoRE is the Composite Rating filter, scored from 30 to 100. It narrows a list. It never tells you to buy or sell.

    Test it, then act. OddsMaker runs a scan back through Trade Ideas history, no coding needed. Holly AI Signals arrive intraday with a symbol, an entry and a stop to manage risk. Holly hunts for large, long-term potential winners, so the exit is yours: same day or later. Both come with TI Premium.

    Key point

    Learn it with people. Learn beside mentor Barrie Einarson and other members in the free Trading Room. Stock Races let you feel how fast the market moves.

    Price: For TI Standard, pay $127 a month or $1,068 up front for the year. For TI Premium, pay $254 a month or $2,136 up front for the year.

    Trader tip

    Worth knowing: Trade Ideas covers U.S.-listed stocks. Its options data is limited to volume-based filters. TI Pro is a Windows app that Mac traders can run through Parallels; the browser-based web Dashboard needs no download and has Top Lists but not Streaming Alerts. To try it before paying, open a free account.

    Key point

    Best for: Finding stocks while they move, testing an idea before trading it, and beginners who want the premium experience. Trade Ideas also monitors unusual options activity across all stocks. See the best unusual options activity scanners.

  2. 2. TradingView

    TradingView is the chart many traders already know. Its screeners span stocks, ETFs and crypto on 150+ exchanges in 50+ countries.

    Real-time data
    Paid tiers update screener results at 10-second or 1-minute intervals.
    Scans and alerts
    The stock screener has 500+ fundamental and technical fields. Pine Screener and alerts round it out.
    Backtesting
    Strategy backtesting and Bar Replay are listed.
    AI
    AI screener requests on paid plans range from 100 to 500.
    Beginner-friendly
    Yes. Basic is free, and the charts are easy to pick up.
    Price
    Basic is $0. Annual plans: $12.95, $29.95 and $59.95 a month for Essential, Plus and Premium. Ultimate is $199.95 a month, billed annually.

    Worth knowing: Real-time data for some exchanges is an extra purchase. On the free Basic plan, TradingView does not list auto-refresh for screens.

    Best for: Chart-first traders. Plenty of them find the stock in Trade Ideas and chart it in TradingView.

  3. 3. Finviz Elite

    Finviz is a quick web screener with market heat maps. It comes free, or as a paid version called Elite.

    Real-time data
    Free quotes are delayed. Elite adds real-time quotes, from 4:00 a.m. premarket until 8:00 p.m. ET after hours.
    Scans and alerts
    Elite adds advanced filters, unlimited saved presets and alerts.
    Backtesting
    Not listed on the Elite page.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Yes. The layout is simple, and the free version costs nothing.
    Price
    $0 for the free version, or $39.50 a month ($299.50 a year) for Elite.

    Worth knowing: Screens auto-refresh every 10 seconds on Elite. The free version refreshes every 3 minutes.

    Best for: Evening research and quick fundamental screens. If you only look after the close, the free version may be plenty.

  4. 4. Scanz

    Scanz is a real-time scanner for traders who know exactly what they want. It runs data, signal, news and SEC filing scans.

    Real-time data
    Every plan includes real-time data and news. Premarket and after-hours scanning are included.
    Scans and alerts
    Scanz lists 400+ real-time filters. Pro runs unlimited scans at once and adds alerts.
    Backtesting
    Not listed.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Fair. You set up your own conditions. You can try Starter or Pro free for 7 days.
    Price
    Starter is $89 a month. Pro is $199 a month. Ultra is $999 a month.

    Worth knowing: Starter runs one scan at a time. The Windows and Mac desktop apps come with Pro.

    Best for: Traders with fixed conditions who want news in the same window and can do without AI or backtesting.

  5. 5. Benzinga Pro

    Benzinga Pro starts with the news. Audio squawk, a calendar suite and a real-time scanner sit around the headlines.

    Real-time data
    Each paid tier carries Nasdaq Basic real-time quotes.
    Scans and alerts
    Benzinga says the scanner monitors 3,000+ stocks. Streamlined adds newsfeed filters for price, volume and float.
    Backtesting
    Not listed.
    AI
    Benzinga AI research is part of Essential.
    Beginner-friendly
    Yes. The news shows why a stock is moving. There is a 14-day intro period.
    Price
    Three tiers: $37 Basic, $147 Streamlined, $197 Essential, each per month. Annual billing costs less.

    Worth knowing: Essential ($197 a month) is the plan with the Real-Time Scanner.

    Best for: Traders whose ideas start with a headline or a catalyst.

  6. 6. TrendSpider

    TrendSpider does the chart work for you. Trendline drawing, scans, backtests and order automation are all part of it.

    Real-time data
    For non-professionals, real-time U.S. stock data costs nothing extra.
    Scans and alerts
    Strategy-based, multi-timeframe and scheduled scans are listed. Plans include 3 to 10 scheduled scans.
    Backtesting
    Yes, on every plan, with deeper tests on higher plans.
    AI
    Plans come with 25 monthly messages to the Sidekick AI assistant. Larger Sidekick plans cost extra.
    Beginner-friendly
    Fair. You get one or more training sessions a year on any plan. Intro periods cost $19 to $49.
    Price
    Billing term sets the Standard price, somewhere from $59 to $89 a month. Premium is $99 to $149. Advanced reaches $349.

    Worth knowing: Scan timing depends on the plan. Standard scans every 2 hours, Premium every 5 minutes, and Enhanced and Advanced every minute. The 14-day intro period is paid.

    Best for: Technical traders who want software to handle the chart work.

  7. 7. TC2000

    TC2000 is charting software with scanning built in. The chart comes first, and the scan follows.

    Real-time data
    Its Basic plan already has real-time U.S. stock data from Nasdaq Basic.
    Scans and alerts
    You scan with indicators, formulas and chart data.
    Backtesting
    Not listed.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Fair. Paper trading is included, and the focus is the chart.
    Price
    You can pay $24.99 for Basic, $49.99 for Premium or $99.99 for Premium+ each month. Annual billing gives two months free.

    Worth knowing: You need Premium for real-time scanning and sorting. Five streaming scans can run at once.

    Best for: Chart-centered and swing traders on a budget.

  8. 8. thinkorswim

    thinkorswim is Schwab's trading software. Its scanner, Stock Hacker, sits right next to your orders.

    Real-time data
    How often scans refresh is not stated on Schwab's thinkorswim pages.
    Scans and alerts
    Stock Hacker scans for criteria you choose, including custom ones written in thinkScript.
    Backtesting
    Schwab says thinkScript can build strategy testing.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Fair. There is no minimum deposit.
    Price
    No charge for Schwab clients. Schwab charges $0 commission on online trades of listed stocks.

    Worth knowing: It is available to Schwab clients.

    Best for: Schwab clients, options traders and swing traders.

  9. 9. Stock Rover

    Built for long-term investors, Stock Rover handles research and screening. It is built for screening on fundamentals.

    Real-time data
    The plans page lists real-time email alerting and auto-refresh; it is built for research, not intraday scanning.
    Scans and alerts
    Premium screens on 300+ metrics. Premium Plus adds 700+ metrics and equation-based screens. Real-time email alerts are listed.
    Backtesting
    Not listed.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Yes, for investors. There is a 14-day intro period.
    Price
    Premium costs $34 monthly, or $29 a month on an annual plan. Plans run up to $199 a month.

    Worth knowing: Historical screening comes with Premium Plus.

    Best for: Long-term investors who screen on fundamentals.

  10. 10. VectorVest

    Value, safety and timing are the three things VectorVest rates. It gives buy, sell and hold ratings.

    Real-time data
    Premium updates U.S. data in real time.
    Scans and alerts
    Auto-ranked preset screeners are included.
    Backtesting
    Not listed on the pricing page.
    AI
    Not listed.
    Beginner-friendly
    Yes. Each plan comes with webinars and one free one-to-one coaching session.
    Price
    Monthly pricing is $49.99 for Market Launchpad, $99 for Enhanced and $149 for Premium. Yearly plans are $499, $995 and $1,495.

    Worth knowing: Market Launchpad and Enhanced show data on a 15-minute delay.

    Best for: Investors who want a rating system and timing guidance.

Also checked: MOMO Pro by Mometic

MOMO Pro is a browser-based momentum scanner that also installs as a Progressive Web App.

Real-time data
The data feed isn't named on mometic.com. Trade Ideas uses every US exchange, plus off-exchange trades and the NBBO.
Scans and alerts
Five alert types listed and a screen builder on Pro+.
Backtesting
Not listed on its plans page.
Price
$27, $47 or $67 a month; $290, $480 or $640 a year (checked Oct 13, 2026).
Ratings

Stock ratings: SCoRE, VectorVest and Stock Rover

Some tools on this list rate stocks as well as scan them. VectorVest gives value, safety and timing ratings. Its higher plans add stock scores and fair value estimates.

Trade Ideas has its own rating, called SCoRE (Stock Composite Rating). It runs from 30 to 100. It combines more than 15 metrics, mostly technical, with key fundamental data points. It updates live during market hours.

Trader tip

You can use SCoRE as a filter in Streaming Alerts and Top Lists (Screeners). It is a screen for quality, not a trade signal. Pair it with your chart, your risk plan and liquidity filters.

Trader tip

Because SCoRE is a filter (called Composite Rating in Trade Ideas), Trade Ideas' AI can also use it when it designs a strategy. It brings SCoRE in where it is appropriate to look for a statistical advantage.

Past results, including backtests, don't guarantee future results.

Free vs paid

Are free stock scanners good enough?

Key point

Sometimes they are. If you check stocks once a day, delayed data costs you little.

Free tools get harder to use once you trade during the session. Finviz delays its free quotes, and its free screens refresh every 3 minutes. TradingView's screener auto-refresh is listed on its paid plans.

A paid scanner earns its price when timing matters to you. Pick the cheapest tool that shows you what you need, when you need it.

Honest take

Who Trade Ideas is not for

Key point

Trade Ideas pays off when you act while the market is open. If that is not you, a cheaper tool can do the job.

  • You only look at stocks after the close. A free screener with delayed quotes may be all you need.
  • Your market is crypto, forex or futures. Trade Ideas covers U.S.-listed stocks.
  • You read options flow order by order. A dedicated flow tool shows each trade by strike and expiration.
  • The price would be a big chunk of your trading account. Start free, and practice in paper trading first.

If you are okay with static non-refreshing data, Trade Ideas is probably not your best choice.

Holly AI signals in the Channel Bar.
Method

How we checked

Trade Ideas Stock Race ranking ten AI buy signal stocks by change from the open
Green bars for gainers, red names for the ones slipping.
  • Same eight points for every tool. Those are the eight table columns, from real-time data to price.
  • Vendor sources only. Competitor details are taken only from each company's pricing or product pages.
  • "Not listed" is literal. It means we did not find the feature or price on those pages. The tool may still offer it.
  • Order. Trade Ideas is first because it is our pick for live discovery. The rest follow by how close they come to that job.

Past results, including backtests, don't guarantee future results.

Key point

Prices checked October 2026. Sources: trade-ideas.com/pricing/; tradingview.com/pricing/; finviz.com/elite; scanz.com/pricing/; benzinga.com/pro/pricing; trendspider.com/pricing/; tc2000.com/pricing; schwab.com/trading/thinkorswim and schwab.com/trading/thinkorswim/desktop; stockrover.com/plans/; vectorvest.com/product-pricing/. List prices are monthly unless marked. Some vendors showed sale or annual prices; we list what each page showed. Verify any price before you subscribe.

Updates in the edition:

  • We went back to each company's site to verify every price.
  • We added a "Worth knowing" line to each tool, including Trade Ideas.
  • We added "How we compared", a table of contents and links to six new roundups.
FAQ

Best stock scanners: FAQ

What is the best stock scanner for each trading style?

For day trading, AI signals and swing trading, Trade Ideas. For visual screens and heat maps, Finviz. For technical charting, TradingView. For long-term fundamentals, Stock Rover. For free, the free version of Finviz. We make Trade Ideas, so test it yourself.

How much does Trade Ideas cost?

Trade Ideas plans start at $127 per month for TI Standard and $254 per month for TI Premium, billed monthly; annual plans cost less, at $1,068 a year ($89 a month) for TI Standard and $2,136 a year ($178 a month) for TI Premium. Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker backtesting, Money Machine, Smart Risk Levels and RBI/GBI windows come with Premium. The AI Assistant is in every TI Pro plan. To try it first, open a free account. Prices checked October 2026 on trade-ideas.com/pricing.

Who has the best stock scanner?

Trade Ideas is our pick for finding stocks while they move, and since we make it, test it yourself. For free research after the close, Finviz works well, and chart-first traders often reach for TradingView.

What is the difference between a stock scanner and a stock screener?

A scanner tells you when something happens, and a screener shows which stocks meet your rules. In Trade Ideas, Streaming Alerts are the scanner. Top Lists are the screener, and they update every 15 seconds.

Are stock scanners worth it?

Yes, if you trade during market hours and need to know what is moving right now. If you only review stocks after the close, a free screener may cover you. Most of the other paid tools here offer a intro period, so check the fit before you pay.

Is there a free real-time stock scanner?

Not without limits. Finviz's free version is delayed, TradingView's free Basic plan does not list screener auto-refresh, and thinkorswim is free only for Schwab clients. Every Trade Ideas plan runs on live market data.

Which stock scanners have AI?

Trade Ideas has Holly, and each Holly AI Signal names an entry and a stop to manage risk. TrendSpider includes Sidekick, Benzinga Pro Essential includes Benzinga AI, and TradingView lists AI screener requests on paid plans. Our AI trading software roundup goes deeper.

Can I backtest a stock scan without writing code?

Yes. OddsMaker, on TI Premium, replays a scan on Trade Ideas history and shows every trade and its stats, with no code. Past results, including backtests, don't guarantee future results.

Can swing traders and investors use Trade Ideas?

Yes. Holly AI Signals fire intraday but aim for large, long-term potential winners, so you can exit the same day or hold. Streaming Alerts can time a swing entry, and a Top List can rank a longer-term watch list.

Web Dashboard replay, narrated by Daniel Mirkin · press play for sound
Keep reading

Related roundups, comparisons and tools

New to scanners? Start with what a trade scanner is and how streaming works.

More scanners: see all 43 Trade Ideas stock scanners.

Alerts and filters to look at

Ready when the next move starts.

Free account, just an email. No card. Live access for a limited time. Ready to buy? See plans & pricing