Best Stock Scanners

The New York Stock Exchange has 10 markets and is home to over 2,400 companies, each issuing its own shares of stock. On the NASDAQ, you’ll find even more listings, with 3,800 corporations offering shares of stock. 

You might be wondering how anyone decides which stocks to buy or sell and how traders find new purchase opportunities. The answer to both of these questions is often a stock screener.

A stock screener is a tool used by traders to identify stocks that match a certain set of criteria. For example, you can use a stock screener to filter stocks by industry, price, the average number of shares that change hands during a day and more. Stock screeners are an essential tool for the beginner trader — especially if you’re getting ready to try day trading or swing trading and you aren’t sure which assets to buy and sell. 

Featured Product: finviz

Check It Out

Featured Product: finviz

Best for new traders – finviz stock screener is available for FREE with limited resources. Upgrade to finviz Elite for a low monthly fee and get access to all of their platform including premarket data.

Check It Out

Best Stock Scanners Right Now:

• Best Analysis Tool: Stock Rover
• Best for Intermediate Traders: TradingView
• Best for Real-Time Updates: Ziggma
• Best for Beginner Traders: Finviz
• Best for Stocks: Benzinga Pro
• Best for Custom Rules: MT4 Professional

Best Stock Scanners for a Volatile Market

If you’re planning on taking advantage of the current market volatility, a stock screener can be an essential tool. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite stock screeners for traders of all skill levels. 

get started

1. Best Analysis Tool: Stock Rover

Stock Rover, a powerful investment research and analysis tool, offers screening capabilities to find and rank stocks, compare investment options, dive into research reports and view performance metrics accurate to the minute. 

Stock Rover’s charts go beyond the industry standard and you can even chart fundamental metrics.

You can choose over 650 different selectable metrics, and many involve years of historical data in its Stock Entry Level Plan: 

• Over 8,500 North American stocks
• 4,000 ETFs and 40,000 funds
• 260+ financial metrics
• 5 years of detailed financial history
• Powerful investment comparison
• Customizable views and columns
• Flexible stock screening
• Comprehensive charting capabilities
• Portfolio management
• Brokerage integration
• Watchlist tracking
• Daily analyst ratings and rankings
• Real-time text and email alerting
• Stock Rover Investment Library
• Highly responsive support

Bump up to the premium package and you’ll find even more value, including 300+ additional metrics: 

• Equation screening
• Historical data screening
• Stock ratings
• Stock fair value and margin of safety
• Current and historical stock scoring
• Investor warnings
• Ratio charts
• User defined custom metrics
• Much higher data limits
• Top priority email support

Scanning through a company’s quarterly financial reports is a thing of the past with Stock Rover.

Read Review

get started

2. Best for Intermediate Traders: TradingView

If you’re looking for an expanded range of features with a simple design and layout, consider TradingView. TradingView offers a few different plan options, and there’s a free option if you’re only interested in testing out the features. TradingView allows you to view real-time streaming quotes on its paid accounts, and you can screen stocks using a wide range of fundamental and technical criteria. 

Creating watchlists with TradingView is also a breeze — you can create as many custom watchlists as you need. If you trade forex or cryptocurrencies with stocks, TradingView also offers custom screeners for these assets as well. Combining a smooth design with powerful tools, TradingView is our top choice for the intermediate trader.

Pros:

• 12 customizable chart types
• Price, indicator and custom alerts available
• Over 100 fundamental and technical screening criteria

Cons:

• 4 plan tiers make it more difficult to choose a paid option
• Real time charting not available on free accounts

get started

3. Best for Real-Time Updates: Ziggma

Ziggma’s free stock screener lets you find the best companies and stocks quickly. Search results are updated in real-time, and you can easily change your search parameters with its sliding scales.

You can also switch easily to the ETF screener for ETF comparison. Stay tuned for screening bonds and preferred shares.

It is free, but Ziggma can provide you with professional grade financial data. Once you’ve compiled a shortlist of companies that fit your selection criteria, use the quick views to get an initial idea of the company with a short profile, key performance indicators and mini charts illustrating the price trend.

Then add the company to your portfolio or dig deeper with Ziggma’s Company Profile views.

Pros:

• Free
• Pre-selection of your important search parameters
• Ziggma proprietary stock scores

Cons:

• More prep work to set initial parameters

get started

4. Best for Beginner Traders: Finviz

If you’re looking for the widest range of screening tools and charting options, be sure to consider Finviz and Finviz Elite in your search. Hundreds of screening criteria are available, including average volume, current daily volume, price, IPO date, beta, expected EPS growth and many more. Results are clearly laid out and both novice and experienced traders will quickly master the platform. 

Finviz Elite expands on the free version of the platform, offering real-time streaming data, advanced charting options, email alert features and more. Technical studies, more advanced sales and revenue data and layout customization is also available through Finviz’s paid account options. Traders can also access a few of the platform’s more advanced features by registering with their email account.

Pro:

• Simple platform layout
• Widest range of screening tools
• Widest range of email alert options

Cons:

• More expensive than other options
• No free trial available (but can cancel and receive a refund during 1st month)

get started

5. Best for Stocks: Benzinga Pro

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all the information needed to buy and sell stocks, look no further than Benzinga Pro. The comprehensive, all-in-one platform provides you with real-time charting and a massive range of indicators, screening criteria and alert options. Active traders in particular will love Benzinga Pro’s full calendar suite, which includes information on upcoming earnings reports, revenue announcements and other events. 

One of Benzinga Pro’s most unique features is Audio Squawk, which allows you to save time and screen space by reading you the day’s key headlines. With a wide range of unique features and a ton of useful tools, Benzinga Pro is the top analysis platform for serious traders.

Pros:

• Real-time news feed
• Audio Squawk features reads the headlines for you
• Instant desktop and email alerts
• Unusual trading activity monitor
• Multi-security research capabilities

Cons:

• Most expensive analysis solution on the list
• Some tools may not be suitable for beginners

get started

6. Best for Custom Rules: MT4 Professional

MT4 Professional lets you see the entire market sit­u­ation at a glance for any symbol and timeframe. You create your ­custom rules based on any standard or custom indicators, but it’s so simple no programming skills required on your part.

Scan hundreds of symbols and timeframes, and open all charts with different timeframes and templates for a selected symbol. Up to 100 indicators are scanned per second, and you’ll have unlimited scanner conditions and flexibility.

Real-time MT4 snapshots and trade status on your phone mean you’re always up-to-date. And the cloud-based platform means you’ll never have lost data or configurations.

Pros:

• Compare multiple indicators against 1 another
• Create your rules for your strategies

Cons:

• More costly than other options

Biggest Stock Gainers and Losers Right Now

Getting ready to dive into a new trading day? Before you open up your trading software and make your 1st trade of the day, check out our list of the top-moving stocks making waves on the market today. 

Use Your Stock Screener Effectively

The right stock screener can greatly enhance your trading and help you identify more profitable trading opportunities. However, your screener is just one of the research tools you’ll need to stay on top of the market’s movements.

Be sure that you’ve got a grasp on your trading fundamentals, a brokerage account that works with your needs and skill level and a great source for daily market news before you trade. 

Frequently Asked Questions