The Best Trade Ideas Alternatives (2026) — Cheaper & Free Options
Trade Ideas is a powerful real-time scanner with its Holly AI, but at roughly $127–254/mo (approx., Sep 2026), Windows-first, and an $11.11 Test Drive instead of a free trial, plenty of traders look for something cheaper.
The right alternative depends on what you use Trade Ideas for: live intraday alerts, AI-ranked ideas, or custom scans. Here's what each option does well and what you'd give up.
How we picked
- Real-time intraday scanning and alerts — the core Trade Ideas job.
- Total monthly cost, including any real-time data add-ons.
- Trial terms: free trial vs paid test drive vs all-sales-final.
- Automation: ranked ideas and signals vs scans you build yourself.
- Whether you lose something important (AI backtesting, unsampled data, charting).
Our pick — best for traders who want real-time alerts plus ranked daily setups for a fraction of Trade Ideas' price
StockSetups
$29/mo (less billed yearly); 14-day free trial
- $29/mo all-in with a free 14-day trial: 35+ real-time alert types, custom alert rules, price alerts and Discord/Slack webhooks.
- Real-time data is included — no exchange fees or subscriber agreements (a sampled tape with calibrated volume).
- A nightly scan of ~12,300 US stocks and ETFs ranks setups into four lanes, each with an entry, stop and target.
Where it isn't the answer: StockSetups has no Holly-style AI strategy backtesting and runs on a sampled tape; if you need Holly or 100% real-time volume, stay with Trade Ideas or look at Scanz.
Start free — 14-day full access →At a glance
| Tool | Price (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| StockSetups | $29/mo (less billed yearly); 14-day free trial | traders who want real-time alerts plus ranked daily setups for a fraction of Trade Ideas' price |
| Scanz | ≈ $89–999/mo | day traders who need 100% real-time data and Level 2 |
| MOMO Pro | ≈ $27–67/mo | budget momentum day traders on mobile |
| TrendSpider | ≈ $82–321/mo | technicians who want backtesting and automated alerts |
| TC2000 | $24.99–99.99/mo + data add-ons | traders who build fast custom scans |
| Finviz Elite | Free; Elite ≈ $39.50/mo | budget screening and swing ideas |
| Stock Titan | Free; real-time scanner from $59.99/mo | news-catalyst traders |
The field — and who each one is for
Scanz
≈ $89–999/moBest for day traders who need 100% real-time data and Level 2.
Pro-grade real-time scanning with breaking news and SEC scans.
StockSetups vs Scanz →MOMO Pro
≈ $27–67/moBest for budget momentum day traders on mobile.
Fast runner scanner from premarket to after-hours.
StockSetups vs MOMO Pro →TrendSpider
≈ $82–321/moBest for technicians who want backtesting and automated alerts.
Dynamic trendlines and a no-code strategy backtester.
StockSetups vs TrendSpider →TC2000
$24.99–99.99/mo + data add-onsBest for traders who build fast custom scans.
Very fast EasyScan plus integrated brokerage.
StockSetups vs TC2000 →Finviz Elite
Free; Elite ≈ $39.50/moBest for budget screening and swing ideas.
The fastest cheap screener and the heat map.
StockSetups vs Finviz Elite →Stock Titan
Free; real-time scanner from $59.99/moBest for news-catalyst traders.
Real-time press releases and SEC filings with AI summaries.
StockSetups vs Stock Titan →Frequently asked
What is the cheapest Trade Ideas alternative?
For real-time alerts, MOMO Pro starts around $27/mo and StockSetups is $29/mo all-in (with a nightly setup scan and trade plans). Finviz has a free tier but isn't a real-time alert engine.
Is there a free Trade Ideas alternative?
Not for true real-time scanning. Free tiers from Finviz, Stock Titan and StockSetups are delayed; StockSetups' free board shows the top 3 setups per lane with a 15-minute-delayed alert tape.
Does Trade Ideas have a free trial?
It offers an $11.11, 10-trading-day Test Drive (as of Sep 2026) rather than a free trial; otherwise sales are final. StockSetups offers a free 14-day trial with one-click cancel.