For over a decade, Finviz (Financial Visualizations) has been a cornerstone tool for a massive number of traders, and for good reason. It’s fast, powerful, and packs an incredible amount of market data into a single, browser-based platform. Our team has been using it since the early days, and it remains a critical part of our daily workflow.
But as trading tools evolve, a key question comes up constantly in our community: Is the free version of Finviz still enough, or is the Finviz Elite subscription truly worth the upgrade?
This isn’t just another feature list. This is our official Finviz review where our team of active traders will break down exactly how we use the platform, who it’s for, and whether the paid plan offers a genuine edge. We’ll even walk you through the exact screener settings we used to find a recent high-momentum trade.
What is Finviz? The 30,000-Foot View
At its heart, Finviz is a web-based market data platform. It’s designed to help traders and investors quickly digest vast amounts of financial information to find trading opportunities. It’s famous for three things:
- A Powerful Stock Screener: Arguably one of the best in the industry for its speed and sheer number of filters.
- Market Heat Maps: A brilliant way to visualize the performance of entire sectors and industries at a glance.
- Chart Patterns & Data Aggregation: It aggregates news headlines, insider trading data, and analyst ratings, and overlays automated technical analysis on its charts.
The beauty of Finviz is its efficiency. There’s no software to download. It’s a bookmarkable, data-rich resource you can pull up on any browser in seconds.
For a limited time, you can test-drive all of Finviz’s most powerful tools for a full week, risk-free. Claim Your Finviz 7-Day Free Trial
The Core Features: A Trader’s Perspective
Let’s break down the tools we use every single day.
The Finviz Stock Screener
This is the main event. The Finviz stock screener is a masterpiece of user interface design, allowing you to filter over 8,500 stocks down to a manageable handful in seconds. The filters are divided into three categories:
- Descriptive: Core details like Market Cap, Sector, Industry, and Average Volume.
- Fundamental: Financial data like P/E Ratio, EPS Growth, and Insider Ownership.
- Technical: Price-action data like 52-Week High/Low, Moving Average crosses, and Candlestick Patterns.
How Our Team Uses the Screener (Real Trade Example): Just last week, the semiconductor sector was showing immense relative strength. Our team wanted to find the strongest stock in that group for a potential swing trade.
Here are the best Finviz screener settings we used to find a breakout candidate in AMD:
- Descriptive Tab:
Sector: Technology,Industry: Semiconductors,Average Volume: Over 2M - Technical Tab:
Price: Above 50-Day Simple Moving Average,20-Day Simple Moving Average: Above 50-Day Simple Moving Average,Performance (Week): Up 5% or more
This scan, which took 30 seconds to set up, narrowed the entire market down to just 3 stocks. AMD was showing the most bullish volume pattern, and we flagged it for a long entry on a break of its intraday high near $185. This is the power of Finviz: it takes a broad market thesis (“semis are hot”) and turns it into a specific, actionable trade idea.
Heat Maps & Groups
The Finviz heat map is the fastest way to understand market sentiment. In one image, you can see which sectors are strong (big green blocks) and which are weak (big red blocks).
Our day traders have this page open all morning. If the entire “Technology” sector is bright green, it tells us to focus our efforts on finding long plays in tech stocks. If “Financials” are deep red, we know to either avoid them or look for potential short setups. It’s a simple but incredibly effective tool for gauging money flow.
Charts and Technical Analysis
The Finviz charts are clean and fast, though not as advanced as a dedicated platform like TradingView. Their key feature is the automated trendline and pattern recognition. Finviz will automatically draw support/resistance lines, channels, and flag common patterns like wedges and triangles right on the chart.
While our pro traders always perform their own analysis, this feature is a fantastic learning tool for newer traders and a great way to quickly validate a pattern you might see forming.
Finviz Free vs. Elite: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
This is the core question for most users. Let’s break down the key differences in this Finviz Free vs. Elite comparison.
| Feature | Finviz Free | Finviz Elite ($39.50/mo or $299.50/yr) | Our Verdict |
| Data Speed | 15-Min Delayed Quotes | Real-Time Quotes & Pre-Market Data | Game-Changer |
| Screener | Standard Filters | Advanced Filters & Export Data | Huge Advantage |
| Charts | Basic Charts | Intraday Charts & Advanced Features | Essential for Day Traders |
| Backtesting | No | Yes (Screener Backtesting) | Powerful for Strategy Dev |
| Alerts | No | Email Alerts for Price & News | Very Useful |
| Ads | Yes | No Ads | Quality of Life Upgrade |
So, is Finviz Elite worth it?
- For Swing Traders & Long-Term Investors: You can probably get by with the free version. Delayed data isn’t a dealbreaker if your holding period is weeks or months.
- For Serious Swing Traders & All Day Traders: Yes, Elite is 100% worth it. Trading with a 15-minute data delay is like driving while looking in the rearview mirror. The real-time data, pre-market scanning, and intraday charts are not just conveniences; they are essential for anyone making decisions on an intraday basis. The Finviz Elite cost is a small price to pay for a professional-grade edge.
See the difference for yourself. Unlock every Finviz Elite feature, from premarket data to advanced alerts, and see how it can transform your trading strategy. Claim Your Free 7-Day Trial
The Finviz Backtesting Feature: A Hidden Gem
One of the most underrated features of Elite is the Finviz backtesting functionality. You can take any screener setting and run it against years of historical data to see how that strategy would have performed.
For example, you could test the performance of buying stocks that hit a new 52-week high with a low P/E ratio. The backtester will give you a full performance report, showing you the compound annual return, win rate, and drawdowns. Our data analysts use this to validate new strategies before ever putting capital at risk.
Finviz Alternatives
While Finviz is a top-tier tool, it’s not the only option. Here’s how it stacks up against a common Finviz alternative.
- Finviz vs. Trade Ideas: Trade Ideas is built for serious day traders who need AI-driven signals and automated trading. It is far more powerful for real-time idea generation. Finviz is more of a research and analysis tool. We cover this in depth in our Trade Ideas review.
- Finviz vs. TradingView: TradingView has world-class charting tools that are far superior to Finviz’s. However, Finviz’s screener is faster and, in our opinion, more intuitive for finding fundamental and technical setups quickly. Many of our traders use both.
Finviz Pro and Cons
After extensive use, our team has compiled the key strengths and weaknesses of the Finviz platform.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ World-Class Screener: Incredibly fast, intuitive, and packed with a huge number of filters. | ❌ Delayed Data on Free Plan: The 15-minute delay is a major drawback for active traders. |
| ✅ Excellent Free Version: The amount of power and data in the free tier is unmatched. | ❌ Basic Charting Tools: Charts lack the advanced indicators and drawing tools of competitors. |
| ✅ Superb Data Visualization: Heat maps provide an instant, high-level view of the market. | ❌ Dated User Interface: The design is functional but feels less modern than other platforms. |
| ✅ Great Value Elite Plan: The upgrade is affordable and adds essential professional features. | ❌ No Broker Integration: You cannot trade directly from Finviz; it’s a pure analysis tool. |
| ✅ Web-Based and Fast: No software to install, accessible from any browser in seconds. | ❌ No Mobile App: Lacks a dedicated, optimized application for mobile devices. |
| ✅ Powerful Backtesting: The Elite backtester is a fantastic tool for strategy validation. | ❌ Limited to US Markets: Primarily focuses on U.S. equities, with limited international data. |
Finviz Ratings: A Look at Trusted Sources
To provide a fair and balanced view, our team analyzed ratings from major technology publications and large-scale user review platforms. Here’s a summary of the consensus on Finviz from across the web.
- G2 & Capterra (User Reviews): On these platforms, which collect hundreds of reviews from verified users, Finviz holds a strong average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Users overwhelmingly highlight “Ease of Use” and the screener’s effectiveness as top benefits. The primary criticism found in user reviews is the 15-minute data delay on the free plan.
- Investopedia: In its annual reviews of trading tools, Investopedia frequently names Finviz as “Best for Stock Screening.” While they don’t assign a single numerical score, their expert analysis consistently praises its comprehensive filtering capabilities, intuitive layout, and exceptional value, calling it a foundational tool for both new and experienced traders.
Consolidated Rating Analysis
Across the board, the consensus is clear. The platform’s core strengths—its world-class screener, ease of use, and outstanding value—are highly and consistently praised by both experts and everyday users.
The primary, and universally acknowledged, weaknesses are its basic charting capabilities and the delayed data in the free version.
Based on this synthesis of real user and expert reviews, here is a more grounded rating:
Overall Consolidated Score: 4.3 / 5.0
Final Verdict: Our Team’s Official Take
After more than a decade of daily use, our team’s verdict is clear: Finviz is an essential, highly effective tool for nearly every type of trader and investor.
The free version remains one of the best value propositions in the entire industry, offering a powerful screener that can genuinely help you find winning stocks.
However, for anyone serious about short-term trading, Finviz Elite is a necessary and highly valuable upgrade. The real-time data and backtesting capabilities transform it from a great research tool into a professional-grade trading weapon. The annual cost breaks down to less than a dollar a day—an incredibly small price for the edge it provides.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Finviz Elite worth it?
Yes, for active day traders and serious swing traders, Finviz Elite is absolutely worth it. The access to real-time data, pre-market scanning, intraday charts, and backtesting provides a significant professional edge.
For casual investors or long-term swing traders who don’t rely on intraday data, the free version is likely sufficient. But for anyone making time-sensitive decisions, the upgrade is essential for accurate and timely analysis.
Key Takeaway: The Finviz Elite cost is a small investment for the critical advantage of real-time market data.
Is Finviz data real time?
Finviz Elite provides real-time and pre-market data. The free version of Finviz operates on a 15-minute delay for quotes, which is a critical distinction for active traders.
This is the single biggest reason our team recommends the Elite plan for anyone trading on intraday timeframes. Making decisions with delayed data puts you at a significant disadvantage against the rest of the market.
Key Takeaway: You must upgrade to Finviz Elite to get the real-time data necessary for day trading and active swing trading.
How do you use the Finviz screener?
You use the Finviz screener by applying filters from the “Descriptive,” “Fundamental,” and “Technical” tabs to narrow down the market to a list of stocks that meet your specific criteria.
For example, our team looking for growth stocks might set filters like EPS growth past 5 years > 20%, Sales growth qtr over qtr > 20%, and Price > 200-Day SMA. This process, which we’ve detailed in our guide on how to use the Finviz screener, allows you to turn a broad strategy into a focused watchlist in seconds.
Key Takeaway: Combine filters from all three tabs to create powerful, specific scans that identify high-potential trading candidates.
How accurate is Finviz data?
Finviz aggregates data from a wide variety of professional sources and is considered highly accurate and reliable for the vast majority of trading and investment analysis.
Like any data aggregator, occasional discrepancies can occur, but our team has found its data to be consistently reliable for fundamental metrics, pricing, and technical overlays. For mission-critical decisions, we always recommend cross-referencing with a second source, but we trust Finviz for our daily scanning and research.
Key Takeaway: Finviz is a highly accurate and reliable source for market data, trusted by professional traders worldwide.
What are the best Finviz screener settings?
The best Finviz screener settings depend entirely on your trading strategy. There is no single “best” setup. A value investor will use different settings than a momentum day trader.
A great starting point for momentum traders on our team is to look for stocks with Average Volume > 1M, Price > 200-Day SMA, and Performance (Week) > +10%. A value investor might start with P/E < 15, Debt/Equity < 0.5, and Insider Ownership > 10%.
Key Takeaway: The best settings are the ones you build and test to match your unique trading style and market outlook.
Can you backtest on Finviz?
Yes, the Finviz Elite plan includes a powerful backtesting feature that allows you to test the historical performance of any screener configuration you create.
This is an invaluable tool for strategy development. Our team uses the Finviz backtesting feature to analyze how a specific set of criteria (e.g., golden crosses on high-volume stocks) has performed over the past 10+ years, providing statistical evidence to support or reject a trading idea.
Key Takeaway: The Elite backtester lets you replace guesswork with historical data, a critical step for building robust trading strategies.
Is Finviz good for day trading?
Yes, Finviz Elite is an excellent tool for day trading, primarily for pre-market research and identifying potential stocks to watch.
Our day traders use the Elite screener before the market opens to find stocks gapping up or down on high volume. This allows them to build a focused watchlist for the day. While it’s not a real-time signal generator like Trade Ideas, it’s a top-tier platform for preparation and opportunity discovery.
Key Takeaway: Finviz Elite is a key part of a day trader’s preparation toolkit for finding which stocks are “in play.”
Is Finviz good for swing trading?
Yes, Finviz is arguably one of the best platforms on the market for swing trading. Both the free and Elite versions are incredibly effective for this style of trading.
Swing traders on our team use the screener to find stocks forming classic multi-day patterns, pulling back to key moving averages, or showing sustained relative strength over several weeks. The end-of-day data on the free version is often sufficient for this, but Elite offers more powerful scanning capabilities.
Key Takeaway: Finviz’s screener is perfectly suited for the research and analysis required for successful swing trading.
What is a good Finviz alternative?
A good Finviz alternative depends on your needs. For superior charting and social features, TradingView is the top choice. For AI-driven real-time signals and autotrading, Trade Ideas is in a league of its own.
However, for pure, efficient, web-based screening with a huge number of filters, Finviz remains a top contender that’s hard to beat, especially for its value.
Key Takeaway: While alternatives excel in specific areas like charting or AI, Finviz offers one of the best all-around packages for market screening.
Can you set alerts on Finviz?
Yes, the Finviz Elite subscription allows you to set up a variety of email alerts. You can be notified about price movements, news releases, insider trading, and more for stocks in your portfolio.
This is a very useful feature for traders who can’t be glued to their screens all day. Our team uses alerts to monitor potential setups or to keep track of key news on stocks in our long-term portfolios. The free version does not have an alert feature.
Key Takeaway: Alerts are a key benefit of the Elite plan, helping you stay on top of market events automatically.
What is the Finviz heat map?
The Finviz heat map is a data visualization tool that shows the performance of stocks in the S&P 500, with the size of each rectangle representing the stock’s market cap and the color representing its price performance (green for up, red for down).
It allows you to see the entire market’s sentiment and money flow in a single glance. Our traders use it to instantly identify the day’s strongest and weakest sectors, which helps guide our trading decisions.
Key Takeaway: The heat map provides an immediate, high-level understanding of which parts of the market are performing best and worst.
Are Finviz charts any good?
The Finviz charts review from our team is that they are good for quick analysis but are not a replacement for a dedicated charting platform. They are clean, load quickly, and the automated pattern recognition is a helpful feature.
However, they lack the advanced drawing tools, custom indicators, and flexibility of a platform like TradingView. Most of our traders use Finviz to find the stock, then switch to a more advanced platform for deeper chart analysis.
Key Takeaway: Finviz charts are functional and fast for quick looks, but serious technical traders will need a more powerful, dedicated charting solution.
What does “Finviz” stand for?
“Finviz” is a portmanteau of the words “Financial” and “Visualizations.”
This name perfectly captures the platform’s core mission: to present complex financial data in an intuitive, easy-to-understand visual format, such as through its heat maps and charts.
Key Takeaway: The name Finviz itself explains its main strength—visualizing financial data.
Can you trade directly from Finviz?
No, you cannot trade directly from the Finviz platform. It is strictly a market analysis, research, and screening tool.
You would use Finviz to find your trading opportunity and conduct your research. Then, you would place the actual trade through your own separate brokerage account (e.g., Interactive Brokers, E*TRADE, etc.).
Key Takeaway: Finviz is for finding and analyzing trades, not for executing them.
Is Finviz safe?
Yes, Finviz is completely safe to use. It is a web-based platform, so there is no software to download that could contain malware.
Furthermore, since you cannot connect it to your brokerage account, there is no risk of your financial or trading account information being compromised. It is a read-only data platform.
Key Takeaway: Finviz is a safe, reputable platform with no direct access to your financial accounts.
The Review
Finviz
Finviz is a powerful and highly efficient web-based platform for stock market research and analysis. Its standout feature is an elite-level stock screener that allows traders to filter thousands of stocks with incredible speed and precision. Combined with excellent data visualization tools like its famous heat maps, it provides a fantastic at-a-glance view of the market. While the free version offers immense value, it's limited by a 15-minute data delay. The paid "Elite" plan unlocks real-time data and powerful backtesting capabilities, making it an essential and affordable upgrade for active traders. Its primary weakness is its basic charting functionality, which is less advanced than dedicated charting platforms.
PROS
- World-Class Screener
- Excellent Free Version
- Superb Data Visualization
- Great Value Elite Plan
- Web-Based and Fast
- Powerful Backtesting
CONS
- Delayed Data on Free Plan
- Basic Charting Tools
- Dated User Interface
- No Broker Integration
- No Mobile App
- Limited to US Markets
