Streaming Alerts
The scanner. Alerts can fire on every trade, which can be several times a second. A new high is one example. Add Composite Rating and you only hear about high-rated stocks.
Alternatives · VectorVest Updated October 2026
The Best VectorVest Alternatives in 2026: 7 Tools by Job
Named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies six years in a row (2017–2022).
Investopedia: Best Short Term Stock Screener, 2024
The short answer: If you leave VectorVest for faster data, our pick is Trade Ideas. It keeps a stock rating, SCoRE, which updates live, and adds real-time scanning, AI signals and backtesting. The right fit still depends on what you use VectorVest for. For fundamental research, Stock Rover. For quick screens after the close, Finviz Elite. For charts across world markets, TradingView. Trade Ideas makes one of the tools on this page.
This page is on Trade Ideas' own website. See our Trade Ideas vs VectorVest page for a head-to-head view.
VectorVest alternatives, by what you need
- A live stock rating plus real-time scanning: Trade Ideas. SCoRE works as a filter inside Streaming Alerts and Top Lists.
- Fundamental research and fair value: Stock Rover.
- Screens after the close: Finviz Elite, or the free Finviz.
- Charts and markets outside the US: TradingView.
- Low-cost charting with scans: TC2000.
- Automated chart analysis: TrendSpider.
- Schwab clients: thinkorswim.
- Stay with VectorVest if a Buy, Sell or Hold call on each stock fits your daily or weekly check-in.
Fair view
What VectorVest does well
VectorVest has rated stocks since Dr. Bart DiLiddo founded it in 1988. Its product page says it analyzes 16,000 stocks every day.
VectorVest scores every stock on Relative Value, Relative Safety and Relative Timing. The three combine into one VST number and a Buy, Sell or Hold call. Its market timing gauge places the whole market in one of four states, from Safe to Buy to Be Defensive.
Coaching is a big part of the service. A coach records a market analysis at the close of each trading day. Subscribers also get coach-led onboarding and US-based phone support.
A long-term investor who wants one clear call per stock gets a complete system. For every feature, see Trade Ideas vs VectorVest.
Reasons
Why investors try Trade Ideas as a VectorVest alternative
- Speed of data. Market Launchpad and Enhanced carry a 15-minute delay, per VectorVest's pricing page. Real-time US data comes with Premium, at $149 a month.
- Extras that add up. RealTime Derby costs $99 a month and requires Premium. Super WatchDog runs $99 a month, and Options Launchpad $69 a month.
- Format. VectorVest is built around daily analysis and a call on each stock. Some traders want to see each setup the moment it happens instead.
- Markets. Market Launchpad covers US stocks only. Europe and Australia use end-of-day data on the higher plans.
Method
How we compared VectorVest alternatives
Every VectorVest alternative was checked on seven points. The sources sit in How we checked.
- Replaces: the VectorVest feature, from VST to RoboTrader, that each tool can stand in for.
- Real-time data: live or 15-minute delayed, plan by plan.
- Backtesting: whether the tool tests ideas on history, the way AutoTimer does in VectorVest.
- AI: assistants or signals the company lists itself.
- Stock rating: whether the tool gives each stock a rating, like VST.
- List price: each posted monthly and yearly price, with add-ons noted where listed.
- Best for: the investor or trader each tool suits.
At a glance
VectorVest alternatives, side by side
| Tool | Replaces which part of VectorVest | Real-time data | Backtesting | AI | Stock rating | List price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Ideas | VST ratings, screeners, WatchDog alerts, AutoTimer, RoboTrader | Yes. Live market data on both plans | OddsMaker, no code (TI Premium / Apex) | Holly AI Signals (TI Premium); AI Assistant (every TI Pro plan) | SCoRE, 30 to 100, live during market hours | TI Standard (Core), $127 a month or $1,068 a year; TI Premium, $254 a month or $2,136 a year | A live rating plus real-time scanning |
| Stock Rover | Ratings and fundamental research | Real-time quotes (where available) on Ultimate | Not listed (historical screening on Premium Plus) | Not listed | Stock scores and fair value estimates on higher plans | Premium $34/mo, or $29/mo billed annually; up to $199/mo | Long-term fundamental investors |
| Finviz Elite | Preset screeners for daily review | Free: delayed. Elite: real-time, 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Free; Elite $39.50/mo or $299.50/yr | Quick screens after the close |
| TradingView | Charts and screens, including non-US markets | Screener auto-refresh 10 sec or 1 min on paid plans | Strategy backtesting; Bar Replay | AI screener requests (paid plans) | Not listed | Basic $0; Essential $12.95, Plus $29.95, Premium $59.95/mo billed annually | Chart-first investors; world markets |
| TC2000 | Technical searches and charts | Real-time US stocks (Nasdaq Basic); real-time scanning on Premium | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Basic $24.99, Premium $49.99, Premium+ $99.99/mo | Charting and scanning on a budget |
| TrendSpider | AutoTimer-style backtests and technical scans | Real-time US data (non-pro); scans every 2 hours to every minute by plan | Yes, on every plan | Sidekick assistant (25 messages/mo) | Not listed | Standard $59 to $89/mo by billing term; up to $349/mo | Automated chart analysis |
| thinkorswim | Screeners and trade entry at your broker | Scan refresh rate not listed by Schwab | thinkScript strategy testing | Not listed | Not listed | No charge for Schwab clients | Schwab clients |
Scroll the table sideways on a phone.
A "Not listed" cell means the company's pages did not show it on October 6, 2026.
The list
The 7 best VectorVest alternatives
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1. Trade Ideas
Best for a live stock rating with real-time scanning
You keep a rating when you move. Trade Ideas scores stocks with SCoRE, its own rating, during market hours. It also catches US-listed stocks in motion with Streaming Alerts, the scanner, and ranks them with Top Lists, the screener.
Replaces: VST ratings, preset screeners, WatchDog alerts, AutoTimer backtests and RoboTrader.
- Real-time data
- Live market data on both plans. You never press refresh.
- Scans and alerts
- 310 alerts and 249 filters. Channel Bar presets on Standard and Premium, in TI Pro. Both plans include the Holly AI Assistant in TI Pro; describe a rating screen in words and it builds the window.
- Backtesting
- OddsMaker replays your idea over past trading days, and you write no code. It is part of TI Premium.
- AI
- Holly AI Signals arrive while the market is open, each one carrying an entry, a stop and a target. They are part of TI Premium.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. No configuration is needed. The free Trading Room lets you learn live.
- Price
- TI Standard is $127 a month, or $1,068 a year. TI Premium is $254 a month, or $2,136 a year.
Live technical events. Alongside a rating, Trade Ideas gives you 310 alerts and 249 filters, each explained in our help, to combine as you like; every filter accepts a min and max value. Intraday alerts cover crossovers and candles on several timeframes, such as a 5-minute 8/20 SMA cross down or a 15-minute hammer, along with opening range breakout and breakdown alerts at 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes like the 30-minute breakdown. 191 alerts carry an extra setting of their own; on a gap down reversal it is the minimum retracement. The possible combinations are effectively unlimited.
Worth knowing: You won't get a Buy, Sell or Hold call per stock. SCoRE narrows a list; it never tells you to buy or sell. Coverage is US-listed stocks. Holly AI Signals need TI Premium, and so do OddsMaker and Money Machine.
Build the screen yourself. Use the AI Assistant in plain English or the no-code menu with 310 alerts and 249 filters, and write extra filters in the Formula Editor. On the Premium tier you can replay ideas through OddsMaker and get Holly's intraday signals, each spelling out entry, stop and target.
Best fit: Investors and active traders who want a rating and a live view of setups. Beginners who want the premium experience also fit.
-
2. Stock Rover
Best for scores and fair value on a long-term portfolio
Long-term investors are the audience for Stock Rover, a research and screening tool. Stock scores and fair value estimates arrive on the higher plans.
Replaces: VST ratings and fundamental research for a long-term portfolio.
- Real-time data
- Real-time quotes, where available, are listed on Ultimate.
- Scans and alerts
- Premium screens on 300+ metrics. Premium Plus adds 700+ metrics, equation-based screens and historical screening. Real-time email alerts are listed.
- Backtesting
- Not listed. Historical screening comes with Premium Plus.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes, for investors. You can try it free for 14 days.
- Price
- Premium is $34 a month, or $29 a month billed annually. Plans run up to $199 a month.
Worth knowing: Real-time quotes appear only on Ultimate. A backtester is not listed.
Best fit: Long-term investors who screen on fundamentals and want a score next to each stock.
-
3. Finviz Elite
Best for do-it-yourself screens after the close
Finviz pairs a web screener with market heat maps, sold free or as the paid Elite plan. You choose the filters instead of following a rating.
Replaces: The preset VectorVest screens you check once a day.
- Real-time data
- Delayed quotes if you use it free. Real time arrives with Elite, covering 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
- Scans and alerts
- Elite subscribers can save presets, set alerts and use advanced filters. Screens refresh automatically every 10 seconds.
- Backtesting
- Not listed on Elite's page.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. The layout is easy to follow, and the free version costs $0.
- Price
- Free, or $39.50 a month for Elite, or $299.50 a year.
Worth knowing: The free version refreshes screens every 3 minutes. A stock rating is not listed.
Best fit: Long-term investors who review stocks after the close and like fast fundamental screens.
-
4. TradingView
Best for investors who want charts across world markets
VectorVest gives you a rating. TradingView gives you the chart and lets you judge. World coverage matters if you invest abroad, and its screeners reach 150+ exchanges in 50+ countries for stocks, ETFs and crypto.
Replaces: VectorVest charts and screens, with markets outside the US.
- Real-time data
- If you pay, screens update automatically, every 10 seconds or every minute. Some exchanges charge extra for real-time data.
- Scans and alerts
- Screen on 500+ fields, from fundamentals to technicals. Pine Screener and alerts are listed too.
- Backtesting
- Strategy backtesting and Bar Replay are listed features.
- AI
- 100 to 500 AI screener requests on paid plans.
- Beginner-friendly
- Yes. You can begin on the free Basic plan.
- Price
- Basic costs $0. Essential is $12.95, Plus $29.95 and Premium $59.95 a month on annual billing.
Worth knowing: Only paid plans auto-refresh the screener. There is no stock rating listed, so you make the call yourself.
Best fit: Chart-first investors, and anyone who holds stocks outside the US.
-
5. TC2000
Best for technical scans and charts on a budget
TC2000 is charts first, scans second. Investors who used ProTrader-style scans can rebuild them here.
Replaces: Technical searches, such as ProTrader-style scans, and the charts that go with them.
- Real-time data
- Basic subscribers get Nasdaq Basic, so US stock prices are real time. Premium unlocks real-time scanning and sorting.
- Scans and alerts
- Indicator, formula and chart-data scans, with up to five streaming at once.
- Backtesting
- Not listed.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Fair. Paper trading is included, though the focus is charts, not ratings.
- Price
- Monthly prices: Basic $24.99, Premium $49.99, Premium+ $99.99. Two months free when billed annually.
Worth knowing: Premium is the first tier with real-time scanning. A stock rating is not listed.
Best fit: Chart-centered and swing investors who want a low monthly cost.
-
6. TrendSpider
Best for backtesting your own technical rules
TrendSpider is for investors who want to test rules themselves. It automates technical analysis. Scans, backtests, automatic trendlines and automated orders all live in one tool.
Replaces: AutoTimer-style backtesting and technical scans.
- Real-time data
- Real-time US stock data is free if you are not a professional. Standard scans every 2 hours. Higher plans can scan every minute.
- Scans and alerts
- Strategy-based, multi-timeframe and scheduled scans.
- Backtesting
- Yes. Backtesting is part of all plans.
- AI
- An AI assistant called Sidekick, capped at 25 messages a month per plan.
- Beginner-friendly
- Fair. Expect at least one training session a year with any plan.
- Price
- Standard is $59 to $89 a month, depending on the billing term. The top plan is $349 a month.
Worth knowing: Scan frequency varies by plan. Paid trials cost $19 to $49.
Best fit: Investors who want to build and test their own timing rules.
-
7. thinkorswim
Best for Schwab clients who invest and trade options
thinkorswim is trading software from Schwab. It scans with a tool called Stock Hacker.
Replaces: Stock screens and trade entry, in one place at your broker.
- Real-time data
- The thinkorswim pages at Schwab do not list scan refresh rates.
- Scans and alerts
- Stock Hacker scans for criteria you choose. Custom scans are written in thinkScript.
- Backtesting
- Schwab says you can build strategy testing in thinkScript.
- AI
- Not listed.
- Beginner-friendly
- Fair. No minimum deposit, and no charge for Schwab clients.
- Price
- No charge for Schwab clients.
Worth knowing: Its audience is Schwab clients. A stock rating is not listed.
Best fit: Swing and options traders with Schwab accounts.
Honest take
Who should stay with VectorVest
Plenty of investors are well served by VectorVest. Stay if one of these describes you.
- You want a Buy, Sell or Hold call per stock. That call is the center of VectorVest. SCoRE is a filter, and it never makes that call.
- You check your portfolio once a day or once a week. Daily ratings and a market timing gauge fit that routine.
- You invest outside the US. Enhanced and Premium at VectorVest add Canada, Europe and Australia. Trade Ideas sticks to US-listed stocks.
- You want coaching built into the subscription. Coach-led onboarding and phone support come with VectorVest.
If you are okay with static non-refreshing data, Trade Ideas is probably not your best choice.
Switch
Switching from VectorVest: what carries over
Trade Ideas does what VectorVest does, and much more. Each VectorVest feature in the left column has its Trade Ideas counterpart on the right.
| If you use this in VectorVest | In Trade Ideas |
|---|---|
| VST rating (Relative Value, Safety and Timing) | SCoRE, rated 30 to 100 and updated live in market hours. In the app it is the Composite Rating filter. |
| Buy, Sell or Hold call | There is no per-stock call. On TI Premium, Holly AI Signals give an entry, a stop and a target in the session. |
| Preset screeners ranked by VST | Top Lists sorted with a SCoRE filter, and Channel Bar presets on all plans. |
| WatchDog and Super WatchDog alerts | Streaming Alerts across US-listed stocks, the moment each event happens. |
| 15-minute delay on Market Launchpad and Enhanced | Both plans run on live market data. |
| AutoTimer backtesting | OddsMaker, which tests without code, on TI Premium. |
| RoboTrader trade alerts you approve | Money Machine Auto Trading on TI Premium. Simulated Mode lets you try it first. |
| Daily Color Guard analysis and coaching | The Trade Ideas Trading Room, free, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 3:30pm ET. |
| Added when you switch | The AI Assistant in TI Pro on all plans. Describe a scan in plain English. |
| Added when you switch | Paper trading and in-app trading (TI Standard). |
Swipe to see the Trade Ideas side of each row.
SCoRE, the Trade Ideas stock rating
SCoRE stands for Stock Composite Rating. It is Trade Ideas' own rating of a stock's technical and fundamental strength.
30 to 100One number per stock
15+Metrics, mostly technical, plus key fundamentals
LiveUpdates during market hours
90+Generally excellent
SCoRE rolls more than 15 metrics into one number. Most are technical. Key fundamental data points are part of the mix. It is dynamic, so it updates in real time during live market hours.
Inside Trade Ideas, the filter is called Composite Rating. You add it in an Alert window or a Top List window, on the Window Specific Filters tab. A minimum of 90 keeps only high-rated stocks.
Because SCoRE is a filter (called Composite Rating in Trade Ideas), Trade Ideas' AI can also use it when it designs a strategy. It brings SCoRE in where it is appropriate to look for a statistical advantage.
Past results, including backtests, don't guarantee future results.
Treat SCoRE as a way to narrow your list, never as a buy or sell call. After the filter, look at the chart and apply your own risk rules. For details, read SCoRE explained and the Stock Composite Rating filter guide (official help page).
What you gain on top of a rating
Top Lists
The screener. Top Lists rank the stocks that pass your filters right now. They update every 15 seconds.
The Channel Bar
One click on a preset fills your screen. S&P 500 stocks moving up quickly suits a quality-first investor, and Big Momentum Movers shows the wider market. Standard and Premium both carry it, on desktop and the web.
Holly AI Signals
On TI Premium, each signal carries an entry, a stop and a target. Signals arrive intraday, and you choose to exit that day or hold.
OddsMaker
Test without code. Run a scan back over Trade Ideas history using your own entry, stop and exit. TI Premium includes it.
Money Machine
Auto Trading that follows your own Top Lists and Streaming Alerts, with a stop and a target set on each trade. Simulated Mode comes first. TI Premium includes it.
Moving from VectorVest to Trade Ideas in six steps
- Decide on a plan. A VectorVest-style daily routine fits TI Standard, which has Top Lists, Streaming Alerts, the Holly AI Assistant and paper trading. OddsMaker, Money Machine and Holly AI Signals are for TI Premium users.
- Rebuild your quality screen. Open a Top List. On the Window Specific Filters tab, set Composite Rating to a minimum of 90. Add the price and volume filters you use.
- Turn it into alerts. Put the same filters in an Alert window. You hear about a high-rated stock the moment it moves.
- See the market move. Big Momentum Movers on the Channel Bar shows it in one click.
- Practice first. Use paper trading on live prices. Premium subscribers can then run it through OddsMaker.
- Watch it done live. The Trading Room is free to join. If you are new to trading, read Trade Ideas for beginners.
Pricing
What VectorVest and Trade Ideas cost
VectorVest
- Market Launchpad: $49.99 a month, or $499 a year
- Enhanced: $99 a month, or $995 a year
- Premium: $149 a month, or $1,495 a year
A $0.99 trial covers the first 30 days of each plan. Premium is where real-time US data comes in.
Trade Ideas
- TI Standard: $127 per month or $1,068 per year (roughly $89 a month)
- TI Premium: $254 per month or $2,136 per year (roughly $178 a month)
Only TI Premium has Money Machine, OddsMaker and Holly AI Signals. Standard subscribers still get the Holly AI Assistant and the Channel Bar. Joining the Trading Room is free.
These prices date from October 6, 2026. Prices move, so confirm on VectorVest's site and ours before you subscribe.
Method
How we checked
- Vendor sources only. VectorVest facts come from vectorvest.com, and each other tool's facts from its own pricing or product page.
- "Not listed" is literal. We looked and did not see it. The tool might still have it.
- Why Trade Ideas leads. Investors who leave VectorVest mostly cite data speed and want more live tools. Trade Ideas fits, and you still get a stock rating. We make it, so weigh that and test the others.
- The rest follow by job. Ratings and research first, then screens, charts, backtests and broker tools.
- No scores or stars. Nothing here gets a score.
Where the facts come from (October 6, 2026): vectorvest.com/product-pricing; trade-ideas.com/pricing; stockrover.com/plans; finviz.com/elite; tradingview.com/pricing; tc2000.com/pricing; trendspider.com/pricing; schwab.com/trading/thinkorswim.
Revision note: published October 6, 2026. That is the day each VectorVest price and feature here was checked.
FAQ
VectorVest alternatives: FAQ
What is the best VectorVest alternative?
For most investors leaving VectorVest, our pick is Trade Ideas. It's our own product, so test it. SCoRE rates stocks from 30 to 100 and updates live during market hours. On top of that you get Streaming Alerts, Top Lists, Holly AI Signals and OddsMaker. For fundamental research, Stock Rover is a strong fit.
Does Trade Ideas have a stock rating like VectorVest?
Yes. SCoRE, short for Stock Composite Rating, is how Trade Ideas rates a stock's technical and fundamental strength. More than 15 metrics go into one number from 30 to 100. A score of 90 or above is generally excellent. The app calls the filter Composite Rating. It narrows a list and is never a buy or sell signal.
Can I replace VectorVest for free?
Partly. The free Finviz has delayed quotes. TradingView Basic costs $0. Schwab clients pay nothing for thinkorswim. None of them list a rating like VST. For Trade Ideas, the free piece is the Trading Room; the rating and scanning software is paid.
What is the cheapest VectorVest alternative?
On October 6, 2026, TradingView Essential at $12.95 a month (annual billing) and TC2000 Basic at $24.99 a month had the lowest paid prices here. Finviz Elite cost $39.50 a month. Finviz and TradingView have free versions too. Choose the lowest-cost tool that shows what you need when you need it.
Can a beginner use Trade Ideas after VectorVest?
Yes. If you have only ever checked a daily VST rating and live data is new to you, Trade Ideas is a good fit for a beginning trader who wants the premium experience. You configure nothing, because the Channel Bar's presets are ready in TI Pro. Every TI Pro plan includes the Holly AI Assistant. The free Trading Room adds live lessons from Barrie Einarson and a community of traders. See Trade Ideas for beginners.
Is Trade Ideas only for day traders?
No. Holly AI Signals come during the session, and you can hold for as long as you choose. Investors can sort a Top List by SCoRE so quality names stay on top. Streaming Alerts can help time an entry for a longer hold.
Does Trade Ideas cost more than VectorVest?
On October 6, 2026, VectorVest listed Market Launchpad at $49.99 a month, Enhanced at $99 and Premium at $149. Real-time data is on both Trade Ideas plans, so the only choice is TI Standard at $127 a month or $1,068 a year, or TI Premium at $254 a month or $2,136 a year. Holly AI Signals, OddsMaker and Money Machine are not in TI Standard; they come only with TI Premium.
Can I use Trade Ideas and VectorVest together?
Yes. Some investors keep VectorVest for long-term ratings and market timing. They add Trade Ideas to see which stocks are moving during the session. A Composite Rating filter then keeps high-rated stocks at the top of a live scan.