I attempt to screen and purchase undervalued dividend growth stocks. These companies have increased their dividend for at least 15 years and have a lower than average price to earnings (PE) ratio, a higher operating margin, a low price to book, a reasonable dividend yield and payout ratio. This is easily my favorite part of my financial empire.
The advance of stock analysis apps and tools has grown over the years. As it continues to grow, the effort to find the best out there, and the best for you, can be laborious. The many free tools and platforms can aid in a number of different goals. While some may require more knowledge on your part, others are made specifically for beginners. What you’re mainly looking for is an app that can be useful, reliable, and educational.
What to Look For
While it may seem obvious, it’s important to look for the best stock analysis software and tools that keep up with real time. While using a report from last year could help you to understand some things, it won’t be useful to your stock investments today. Fundamental and technical analysis are the two main stock research forms. These analyses work together to offer information on the performance and price action of a stock, allowing you to make the best decisions for your portfolio.
Transparency
The transparency of a platform refers to the readability of the interface itself, as well as the research. The point of the app or tools you use is to find actionable information, meaning being able to read, understand, and put into action what you’ve discovered. While an app that throws a lot of information at you can seem useful, if you can’t understand it then it doesn’t aid your portfolio at all.
The Top Stock Market Research Platforms
Stock Rover: Best Overall
Stock Rover is an investment research and analysis tool that works for all type of investors. Its services are offered on both a web platform and through an app. Stock Rover’s user interface was designed with desktop users in mind, making it easy to learn and use. Stock Rover has top screening capabilities which makes it easy to find and rank stocks. The platform offers comparison features which evaluates trends, computes margin of safety and fair values, and scores quality, growth, value, and sentiment of companies. Alongside portfolio analytics, Stock Rover also offers advanced charting, stock ratings, alerts in real time, brokerage integration, earnings calendars, and many more capabilities. Stock Rover offers a free version of their software; however, their premium plan can offer many more capabilities at a competitive price.
Seeking Alpha: Best for Stock Market Commentary
Seeking Alpha is known for stock market news and expert analysis, but it also offers many more capabilities. Using a quant-rating system, the site streamlines research and financial metrics to allow investors to make investment decisions without wasting any time. Seeking Alpha could be especially useful to beginners because it’s made with investors who are looking to bypass their own analysis to make decisions. This is done through their authors who submit their articles and blogs which offer recommendations based on their own reports and research. The free version of this platform offers enough for beginners to get started. The paid version, Seeking Alpha Premium unlocks even more tools and articles.
WallStreetZen: Best for Fundamental Analysis of Stocks
This platform makes it easier for investors looking to make their own fundamental analysis. The stock analysis software gathers data and summarizes it to include the weaknesses and strengths of a stock. The Zen Score applies 38 due diligence checks to show the growth, value, forecast, dividends, balance sheets, margins, and cashflow of companies. WallStreetZen allows users access to recommendations from analysts with proven track records. While the free tools from WallStreetZen are useful, their premium software offers even more for investors to stay data informed.
TradingView: Best for Technical Analysis of Stocks
TradingView offers their services through a desktop app and a mobile app. With an easy setup, this platform offers screening, charting, scripting, news, watchlists, and backtesting. TradingView also has a substantial community which allows for investors to connect with each other. The free version of this software has over 160 indicators, as well as fast charts such as LineBreak and Kagi Charts. The number of fundamentals available is expansive and the interface is easy to use. However, TradingView is a solid choice for its free features and their premium features expand its capabilities even more.
Scanz: Best Tool for Scanning Stocks
Scanz is a comprehensive scanning platform which is best for day traders and swing traders. This easy-to-use software allows you to scan the stock market in its entirety in a short amount of time. You can get access to real-time data and news as it’s happening. While pre-built scans are offered, you can also customize your own scans using different price, volume, technical, and fundamental variables. This platform offers its features for a monthly fee, but you can start a 7-day trial for free before committing.
TrendSpider: Best for Stock Analysis
TrendSpider technical analysis software offers scanning, screening, charting, alerts, pattern recognition, and backtesting. This analysis tool can work on any browser and offers comprehensive stock market analysis. The software is best for active traders and helps to make more informed and efficient trading decisions. TrendSpider also allows for anyone to turn any strategy into an automated trading bot and no coding skills are required. The software is easy to use and offers several plan options with a free trial offered with all of them.
Finviz: Best for Everyday Market Overviews
This free tool which offers a full stock market overview makes it easy to check market conditions with market data all on the same screen. The stock screener scans market performance statistics, fundamental metrics, and technical indicator signals. Finviz heatmaps display the stock markets of the US and even the world on a single page. It provides basic pattern recognition which makes it easy for investors. This software is wed-based so you can simply log in from anywhere without any installation needed. The free version gives access to the software, but the premium version, Finviz Elite, opens access to real-time data and even more flexibility.