Best Free Stock Screener, Watchlist & Alert Apps in 2026 (Ranked)

ChartingLens takes the top spot because it combines screening, watchlist, and alert functionality into a single platform, and does so with a level of AI integration and unique data that no other free tool matches. The platform is built around the idea that traders should not have to switch between five different apps just to find, track, and act on opportunities.

The free watchlist is one of the best available anywhere. It displays live prices with real-time updates, percentage changes, and volume data for every stock you add. Unlike many watchlist tools that update on a delay or require you to manually refresh, ChartingLens streams prices as they change, so your watchlist always reflects what is actually happening in the market right now.

Where ChartingLens truly differentiates itself is in screening. The platform includes a built-in insider trading tracker that functions as a powerful screener: you can see when corporate executives, directors, and 10% shareholders are buying or selling their own company stock. This is data that most platforms either do not offer or lock behind expensive subscriptions. Insider buying, in particular, is one of the strongest non-technical signals available because insiders only buy when they genuinely believe the stock is undervalued.

The top gainers and losers view acts as another real-time screener, showing you the biggest movers of the day so you can quickly identify momentum opportunities or catch stocks making unusual moves. Combined with the platform's AI buy signals, which scan over 2,000 stocks to identify high-probability setups, ChartingLens effectively gives you a multi-layered screening system that works across technical, fundamental, and sentiment dimensions.

The AI buy signals also function as smart alerts. Instead of manually setting price targets for every stock, the AI proactively surfaces opportunities based on pattern recognition and machine learning. Think of it as having an alert system that does not wait for you to tell it what to look for; it finds setups on its own and brings them to your attention. You also get a traditional price alert system where you can set specific price levels and receive notifications when they are hit.

The interface is clean, modern, and ad-free on every tier. You can be up and running with a watchlist and screening in under a minute after creating an account. The premium tier at $9.99 per month unlocks deeper AI analysis and additional features, but the free version already delivers more screening and alerting capability than most paid platforms.

Finviz (Financial Visualizations) has been one of the go-to stock screeners for years, and for good reason. Its screener page is one of the most comprehensive free filtering tools available online. You can filter stocks by dozens of fundamental criteria (P/E ratio, market cap, dividend yield, EPS growth), technical criteria (RSI, moving average signals, pattern recognition), and descriptive criteria (sector, industry, country, exchange). The visual heat map of the market is another standout feature that gives you an instant overview of how different sectors and stocks are performing.

The free version of Finviz provides access to the full screener with delayed data (roughly 15-20 minutes). You can view basic charts, filter by most criteria, and access insider trading data in a simplified format. However, the free tier includes ads on every page, and you cannot set price alerts, save custom screener presets, or access real-time quotes. The Elite plan at $24.96 per month unlocks real-time data, advanced charts, backtesting, email alerts, and an ad-free experience.

Finviz excels as a pure screening tool. If your primary need is filtering the market by dozens of fundamental and technical criteria to generate a list of candidates, it is hard to beat. Where it falls short is in the watchlist and alert experience. The free tier does not offer meaningful watchlist functionality or any alert system, which means you will likely need a second tool to actually track and monitor the stocks you find.

Stock Rover is a research-heavy platform designed primarily for fundamental investors and value-oriented traders. Its strength lies in deep financial data: you can screen stocks by over 650 financial metrics, including detailed profitability ratios, growth rates, valuation multiples, and debt analysis. For investors who pick stocks based on earnings quality, balance sheet strength, or dividend sustainability, Stock Rover provides a level of fundamental screening depth that few platforms can match.

The free tier gives you access to a limited screener, basic watchlists, and some portfolio tracking. However, the most powerful features, including the full set of 650+ metrics, real-time data, scoring and ranking systems, and the ability to save custom screeners, require a paid plan. Plans start at $7.99 per month for Essentials, with the most popular Premium Plus tier at $27.99 per month. The free tier uses delayed data and limits you to roughly 10 screening criteria at a time.

Stock Rover is not built for technical traders or day traders. Its charting tools are basic, it has no AI features, and its interface is dense with financial data that can overwhelm newcomers. There are no stock alerts on the free tier. But if you are a long-term investor who screens primarily on fundamentals, and you are willing to pay for the full experience, Stock Rover's data depth is impressive.

TradingView is best known as a charting platform, but it also includes a capable stock screener and watchlist. The screener lets you filter by technical indicators, fundamentals, and performance metrics, and you can use community-created screener presets that other traders have shared. The watchlist feature is well-designed, with support for multiple lists, color coding, and notes alongside each ticker.

The biggest limitation on TradingView's free tier is the alert system. Free users can only set a single active alert at a time. For a screener and watchlist platform, that is a serious constraint since most traders want alerts on at least a handful of stocks simultaneously. Upgrading to the Essential plan at $14.95 per month gives you 20 alerts, while the Plus plan at $29.95 per month provides 100 alerts. The free tier also shows ads and limits you to one chart layout.

TradingView's community is its strongest differentiator. You can browse thousands of screener setups shared by other traders, follow users whose screening methodologies match your style, and get ideas for criteria you might not have considered. The Pine Script language also lets advanced users create custom screening conditions. But for the actual free screening and alerting experience, TradingView's limitations push most active users toward paid plans relatively quickly.

Yahoo Finance is one of the most widely used financial platforms in the world, and its stock screener is accessible to anyone without even creating an account. The screener lets you filter by basic criteria including market cap, sector, P/E ratio, dividend yield, price change, and a few technical indicators. It is not the deepest screener available, but it covers the basics that casual investors and beginners need.

The watchlist feature on Yahoo Finance is solid and completely free. You can create multiple portfolios and watchlists, track stocks with live-ish prices (data can be delayed depending on the exchange), and see percentage changes, volume, and market cap at a glance. The mobile app makes it easy to check your watchlist on the go. Basic price alerts are available through the app, though they are not as customizable as what dedicated alert platforms offer.

Where Yahoo Finance falls behind is in the depth of its screening capabilities and the quality of its data. Screener filters are limited compared to Finviz or Stock Rover. There are no insider trading data, no AI features, and no technical screening beyond the basics. Yahoo Finance Plus at $24.99 per month adds some research and valuation tools but does not meaningfully improve the screener. For a free, no-frills starting point, Yahoo Finance works. For anything more, you will need a more specialized tool.

Webull is a commission-free trading app that includes built-in screening, watchlist, and alert features as part of its trading platform. The screener lets you filter by basic criteria like price, market cap, volume, and a handful of technical indicators. It is not the most powerful screener available, but the integration with Webull's trading platform means you can screen, add to a watchlist, set an alert, and execute a trade all within the same app.

The watchlist is straightforward and functional, with live price updates and the ability to organize stocks into custom lists. Price alerts are free and unlimited (within reasonable limits), which is a genuine advantage over platforms like TradingView that restrict free alerts to just one. You can set alerts based on price levels, percentage changes, and volume thresholds. Push notifications on mobile make it easy to stay informed without constantly checking the app.

Webull's weakness is in the depth and sophistication of its screening. The filter options are basic compared to dedicated screeners like Finviz or Stock Rover. There are no AI features, no insider trading data, and no advanced technical screening. The screener is designed for the platform's core audience of beginner to intermediate traders who want a simple all-in-one solution. If that describes you, Webull delivers a lot of value for free. If you need more advanced screening, pair Webull's trading and alerts with a more powerful screener like ChartingLens or Finviz.

MarketWatch, owned by Dow Jones, is primarily a financial news and market data platform. It includes a stock screener and a watchlist feature that complement its extensive market coverage. The screener provides basic filtering by market cap, P/E ratio, dividend yield, sector, and a few performance metrics. It is straightforward to use and does not require an account, making it accessible for quick, one-off screens.

The watchlist on MarketWatch lets you create a virtual portfolio where you can track stocks, see price changes, and read related news for each holding. Basic price alerts are available for free, with email notifications when stocks hit your target prices. The integration with MarketWatch's news coverage means you get context alongside your price data, which is useful for understanding why a stock is moving.

The limitations are clear: the screener is shallow compared to dedicated tools, with far fewer filter options than Finviz, Stock Rover, or even TradingView. Data is delayed on the free tier. There are no AI features, no insider trading data, and the premium tier at $29.99 per month is one of the most expensive on this list while primarily adding ad-free browsing and some additional research tools rather than meaningfully improving the screener. MarketWatch works best as a news-driven companion tool rather than a primary screening platform.