The best online stock research tools should find the information you need as fast as possible. If the stock analysis tool is free, you’re able to forgive some lag time, but there’s no reason to stick around the site if you’re not getting value.
Choosing Free Stock Research Software and Tools
With so many free stock research tools and software available to every investor to evaluate your portfolio, the choices can be overwhelming. While one site may seem like it offers the best features, it may not work the best for you. The good news is that all of the options mentioned below have free versions that allow you to try them out. Some you don’t require credit card into to take full advantage of all the capabilities and decide what works well for you. The best approach is to find a tool that offers the information you need in a way you can understand it.
Two factors to focus on when choosing the right tool are usability and real-time capabilities. Whether you’re trading full-time or just a beginning investor, these two capabilities will indicate whether the stock research tool is worth trying or not.
Usability
What’s the point of having free stock advice at your fingers tips if you don’t understand it and can’t use the research to help you? The charts, numbers and jargon in stock analysis sites can be intimidating, but many of the free tools make it easy to understand. The user interface is an important aspect to consider: You’re going to want navigation that’s simple and fast, so you are able to gather and utilize the information in real time.
Real-Time Stock News Capability
Delayed stock market information can be worthless, especially when you need to make quick, informed decisions. In this ever-changing world and market, you need to see the latest news immediately.
Best for Charting Stocks: TradingView
TradingView offers free use of its stock charting, news, screening, scripting, backtesting, news, and watchlist. The software is available on mobile devices and desktops and features one of the largest collections of international exchanges. TradingView offers over 160 indicators, as well as several tools that aren’t available on many other platforms, including tools such as Gann & Fibonacci. The software offers new and scanning in real time, as well as a large social platform which offers forums and chats and a major trading community to connect with. The platform is fully usable for free, but the premium offers get you even more services and charts.
Best for Stock Screening: FinViz
Finviz offers stock screeners and financial visualizations for investors, including an S&P 500 map and a Forex screener. It also offers news that tracks trending businesses. FinViz’s free stock screeners can be found with many other software, however, Finviz’s screener is a little more in-depth. Its news aspect allows you to check out any articles or analyst predictions regarding the stock you’re looking at.
Best for the Professional: Seeking Alpha
Seeking Alpha is a major investing site that boasts a large investing community and many free tools to use for stock market research. The site reports current market trends in real time, all written by investors like yourself. The features offered by Seeking Alpha include stock charts, prices, and market commentary. However, the offers are limited. Seeking Alpha Premium and Seeking Alpha Elite open up opportunities for premium features and content.
Best for Active Investors: Stock Rover
Stock Rover is one of the best market research websites. The site offers analyst rankings and ratings, as well as market news, portfolio management, brokerage integration, and even provides expert feedback on your investments. The free version includes many features that aren’t typical with other free stock research software. Stock Rover also has several plans with an increasing amount of research included with the higher tier plan you choose. Stock Rover is best for active investors as it provides comprehensive research, so you know you’re making informed decisions when it comes to your investments.
Best for the Novice: Wall Street Zen
Wall Street Zen is a market research site that makes the user experience as simple as possible, so investors can get more insight without confusion. The site employs a “Zen Score,” which analyzes several factors about a company, including forecast, performance, valuation, financials, and dividend. The Zen Score makes it easy for any investor to comprehend a site’s rating. Wall Street Zen is a solid place to start research and it’s entirely free to use.
Best for Trend Analysis: TrendSpider
The TrendSpider does a lot of work for you, making it a good option for those who aren’t full-time traders. The features include backtesting and analyst insights, as well as fundamental and real-time data. There are scanners built-into the site and TrendSpider allows you to customize your own scanner. The software offers a free trial, but after the trial period you have to pay for a subscription.
Going Beyond the Free Version
While the above software and sites are the best free tools for stock market research, they all offer premium versions. These premium versions vary in price, but they ultimately open up all the opportunities the software has to offer. It’s advantageous to utilize the free versions of these tools, and when something sticks, buying the premium versions will allow you to expand your capabilities.
