Finviz Stock Screener: Complete Guide

Finviz Stock Screener

Quick takeaway: The finviz stock screener is a widely used web‑based research tool for filtering and visualizing U.S. equities and ETFs. This guide explains core features, workflows for traders and investors, pricing differences, limitations, and community resources to help you use it effectively and safely.

As of 2026-01-25, according to Finviz official documentation and industry reviews, the finviz stock screener offers both a powerful free tier and a paid Elite tier with real‑time quotes, alerts and expanded export features. This article explains how it works, common use cases, and how to integrate screening with trade execution on marketplaces such as Bitget.

Overview

The Finviz Stock Screener is a web platform for quickly finding stocks and ETFs that match specific conditions. It combines multi‑criteria screening, visual heatmaps and market maps, snapshot charts, headline aggregation, and a set of preset signals (Top Gainers, Unusual Volume, New High, New Low, etc.). The service is optimized for visual discovery: users can scan markets by sector and industry, layer fundamental and technical filters, and inspect charts and news without leaving the browser.

This guide uses the phrase finviz stock screener throughout so you can find relevant sections quickly. The finviz stock screener supports descriptive filters (exchange, sector, market cap), fundamental filters (P/E, EPS growth, dividend yield), and technical filters (moving averages, RSI, patterns). The platform also includes a paid Elite tier for faster data and extra functionality.

History and development

Finviz (short for “financial visualizations”) started as a visualization and screening project aimed at retail investors who want fast, visual access to market data. Over time the site expanded from simple lists and charts to a full screening engine, heatmaps (Maps), portfolio and group management, and the introduction of a paid Elite subscription that provides real‑time quotes, alerts, and export capability.

Major milestones include the addition of advanced preset signals, the Maps visualization, and the portfolio/watchlist features that allow users to track holdings and custom groups. The platform’s development has emphasized lightweight, fast browsing and a visual approach that appeals to traders and investors who prioritize quick idea generation over deep programmatic access.

Platform components and features

Screener (filters and presets)

The core of the platform is the screener. The finviz stock screener allows you to combine filters across three main categories:

• Descriptive: exchange, sector, industry, country, market cap, float, shares outstanding.
• Fundamental: price, P/E, PEG, EPS growth, revenue growth, dividend yield, sales, debt/equity and more.
• Technical: price performance, SMA/EMA relationships (e.g., price above 50‑day MA), RSI ranges, candlestick patterns, gap and volatility filters.

Built‑in presets and single‑click signals (Top Gainers, Unusual Volume, New High, New Low, etc.) make it easy to start a search. You can combine filters arbitrarily, sort results by metric, and save a preset for reuse. The finviz stock screener supports industry and sector filters, so you can run focused screens like “large‑cap consumer discretionary with rising EPS and price above 50‑day SMA”.

Free users can use many filters; Elite subscribers gain access to more frequent refreshes, additional performance filters, and faster preset saving.

Charts and technical analysis tools

Finviz provides snapshot and interactive chart views alongside screener results. Charts include common indicators such as simple moving averages (SMA), relative strength index (RSI), and volume overlays. The platform focuses on quick visual inspection rather than deep, multi‑pane technical analysis.

Chart features:

• Snapshot charts embedded next to search results for quick scanning.
• Larger interactive charts with basic overlays (SMA, EMA, volume, RSI) and timeframe selection.
• Chart drawing and advanced indicators are limited compared with dedicated charting platforms, so traders who need custom indicators, complex scripting, or multi‑pane layouts may complement Finviz with a specialized service.

The finviz stock screener is best used for rapid screening and initial technical checks; for detailed trade planning, export or secondary charting tools are common.

Heatmaps and Market Maps

One of Finviz’s signature features is the market Map (heatmap). Heatmaps color code sectors, industries and individual tickers by performance, volume or other metrics to help spot broad themes and large movers at a glance.

Uses of Market Maps:

• Visual sector rotation and strength/weakness identification.
• Quickly finding the biggest movers within sectors.
• Theme discovery (for example, identifying outperformance in semiconductors, energy, or small‑cap banks).

The heatmap is interactive: hover or click to view underlying tickers, change sizing by market cap or performance, and focus on a single sector or index.

News, insider and institutional data

Finviz aggregates headlines and displays recent news items alongside tickers in search results. The screener surfaces basic analyst ratings, price targets and insider transactions when available.

• Headlines and aggregated news help quickly assess catalysts for price moves (earnings, guidance changes, M&A rumors).
• Insider and institutional transactions are displayed where data exists, giving a snapshot of notable insider buys/sells and large shareholder activity.

Note: news and analyst information are useful for idea context, but users should confirm details with original filings and broker research for trading decisions.

Signals, screening outputs and alerts

Finviz provides a set of preset signals that can be used alone or combined with custom filters:

• Top Gainers / Top Losers: intraday movers by percent.
• Unusual Volume: tickers trading above their average volume thresholds.
• New High / New Low: price extremes over a defined period.
• News‑driven lists and other thematic presets.

Alerts: The finviz stock screener includes alerting capability in the Elite tier. Elite users can set up price and condition alerts with more frequent and near real‑time notifications. Free users can monitor screens manually, but they rely on delayed data and less frequent refreshes.

Backtests and performance tools

Finviz offers limited backtesting and historical performance filters compared with specialized backtest platforms. You can filter by historical performance period (e.g., performance over 3 months, 6 months) and evaluate basic metrics such as returns and volatility in the screener results.

For rigorous strategy backtesting, many users export lists and use dedicated backtest software or spreadsheets. The platform’s time‑series tools are convenient for screening but are not intended as a full quantitative backtesting suite.

Portfolio, Groups and Watchlists

Finviz supports portfolio tracking, saved groups and watchlists. Key portfolio/group features include:

• Create a portfolio to track positions, cost basis and performance snapshots.
• Save groups of tickers as reusable watchlists for quick monitoring.
• Compare performance and view aggregated sector exposure for portfolio lists.

These features help users move from idea generation (via the finviz stock screener) to ongoing monitoring of selected names.

Data coverage and refresh rates

Assets covered: finviz stock screener primarily focuses on U.S. equities and ETFs. It also provides separate sections for futures, forex, and a crypto tab with price data and basic filters. Coverage emphasizes major U.S. exchanges and a broad swath of listed ETFs.

Data timeliness:

• Free tier: delayed quotes (typically 15–20 minutes) and periodic refreshes. The experience is ad‑supported.
• Elite tier: real‑time market data, faster refresh and near‑instant alerts.

Data sources come from market data feeds and aggregators; Finviz displays official exchange‑derived data for tickers where it has licensing in place. Users should verify critical data points (quotes, spreads, or news) with official exchange data or their broker before acting.

As of 2026-01-25, according to Finviz official statements and industry reviews, real‑time streaming and alerting are reserved for Elite subscribers; free users should treat the data as delayed for execution decisions.

Pricing and subscription tiers

Finviz offers a free, ad‑supported tier and a paid Elite tier with expanded features. Typical differences include:

• Free access: core screening, heatmaps, charts (delayed), basic presets and saved screens with limited refresh.
• Elite subscription: real‑time quotes, faster refresh, custom and advanced filters, alerts, CSV export, multiple saved screens and priority support.

Pricing examples cited in reviews show a yearly Elite subscription that is positioned for active traders and serious scanners. Subscribers who need real‑time alerts, export and faster screen refreshes commonly choose Elite. Check Finviz’s official pricing page for current rates; product pricing and exact feature sets change over time.

Note: this article does not provide investment advice. For price figures and the latest plan comparison, consult Finviz’s published subscription details or contact their support.

Typical use cases

The finviz stock screener is used across several common workflows:

• Swing trading idea generation: screen for stocks above a moving average with rising volume and recent earnings beats.
• Day pre‑market and watchlist building: identify premarket top movers and unusual volume names to add to a day‑trading watchlist.
• Long‑term fundamental screening: filter for low P/E, high free cash flow, dividend yield and positive EPS growth for value or income ideas.
• Sector and theme discovery: use heatmaps and industry filters to identify outperforming sectors or emerging thematic winners.
• Earnings and news scanning: find names with upcoming earnings or unusual news flow combined with technical setups.

Users often combine finviz stock screener outputs with in‑depth fundamental analysis, earnings transcripts, and broker research before committing capital.

How to use the Screener (basic workflow)

A typical workflow with the finviz stock screener looks like this:

1. Select universe: choose exchanges, indices or sectors to narrow the starting set.
2. Apply descriptive filters: market cap, float, industry or country to focus the filter.
3. Add fundamental filters: P/E, PEG, EPS growth, dividends depending on the strategy.
4. Add technical filters: RSI range, price above/below moving averages, volume thresholds.
5. Sort results by metric (e.g., market cap, performance, RSI) and scan snapshot charts and headlines.
6. Open a ticker’s detailed view to read recent news, check insider activity and inspect the larger chart.
7. Save the screen (or export CSV if you are an Elite user) and add interesting tickers to a watchlist or portfolio group.
8. If on Elite, set alerts for price levels or condition triggers. For execution, place trades through a regulated broker or exchange — for crypto or derivative execution, consider marketplaces such as Bitget.

This simple loop (filter → inspect → save/alert → execute via broker) forms the backbone of most Finviz workflows.

Integrations, exports and APIs

Export options: Elite users can export screener results to CSV for external analysis and backtesting. Free users have limited or no export capabilities.

API access: Finviz does not provide a broad public API for all data in the same way dedicated market data vendors do. This limits programmatic access for automated strategies. Many users rely on manual exports, screen scraping (where permitted), or community scripts. Be aware that scraping may violate service terms; always consult Finviz’s terms of use.

Common workflows:

• Manual CSV export (Elite) → import into spreadsheet or backtest tool.
• Use community tutorial scripts or browser tools to automate repetitive tasks (subject to terms).
• Combine screener outputs with other tools for visualization, risk modeling and order execution.

If you require fully programmatic, licensed real‑time feeds, consider contracting a market data provider; for most retail workflows, the finviz stock screener plus broker execution is sufficient.

Limitations and criticisms

While the finviz stock screener is popular, reviewers and users often cite these limitations:

• Delayed data on the free tier: free access is useful for research, but not for execution or intraday alerts.
• Basic charting: charts are fine for quick checks but lack the depth of dedicated chart services that offer custom scripting and advanced study overlays.
• No unified public API for full data access: programmatic users may find the platform limiting for automation.
• Learning curve: while the visual interface helps, mastering filter combinations and avoiding false positives requires practice.
• Ads and UX: the free tiers are ad‑supported, which can be distracting to some users.

Industry review sources generally praise the visual strength and the power of the free screener, while identifying the above tradeoffs. As of 2026-01-25, reviewers recommended Elite for traders who need real‑time alerts and CSV export capability.

Reception and reviews

The finviz stock screener receives positive marks for its visual clarity and the power of its free screening tools. Industry reviewers highlight its ease of use for retail traders and the speed with which users can generate tradeable ideas.

Critics point to the limitations in charting depth and programmatic access. Reviews such as the StockBrokers.com review note the platform’s strengths in visualization and call out the paid tier for real‑time features and exports. Many independent tutorials and YouTube guides demonstrate practical filter recipes and show how to combine Finviz output with other tools.

Tutorials and community resources

A wide range of independent tutorials, videos and community‑shared presets exist for the finviz stock screener. These resources cover topics like building momentum screens, filtering for dividend growers, and combining multiple technical and fundamental conditions.

Community resources to look for:

• Video walkthroughs showing step‑by‑step screen creation.
• Shared filter presets or lists in forums and social groups.
• Blog posts comparing screen outcomes and illustrating how to interpret heatmaps.

Users should prefer sources that date their tutorials and indicate which version of the platform they cover, because interface changes and feature updates can make older tutorials less accurate.

Legal, terms of use and data policy

Finviz is a research and visualization platform, not an execution venue. Users should use a regulated broker or exchange to place trades. The site’s terms of service govern acceptable use, and unauthorized scraping or programmatic collection may violate those terms.

Always verify critical data such as last price, spreads and fills with your broker. If you rely on Elite features, review the subscription terms so you understand data licensing and permitted uses.

Comparison with competing screeners

Finviz stands out for visual clarity and a powerful free screener. Compared with more feature‑rich charting platforms, Finviz trades off some depth in indicator customization and programmability for speed and simplicity.

Typical tradeoffs:

• Strengths: fast visual discovery, intuitive heatmaps, convenient preset signals, strong free tier for basic screening.
• Tradeoffs: limited custom indicator scripting, restricted programmatic API access, free‑tier delays.

Traders choose Finviz for idea discovery, then often move to other tools or broker platforms for execution and deep charting analysis. For crypto or derivatives execution, consider regulated venues such as Bitget and use Finviz primarily as a research aid.

See also

• Stock screening basics and best practices.
• Technical analysis indicators: SMA, RSI, MACD explained.
• Heatmaps and market visualization techniques.
• Finviz Maps and Finviz Elite feature summaries.

References and sources

Sources used to compile this article include Finviz official documentation and screener pages, industry reviews such as StockBrokers.com, and multiple community tutorials and video walkthroughs. For exact feature lists and current pricing, consult Finviz’s official materials and published reviews.

As of 2026-01-25, according to Finviz official statements and a StockBrokers.com review, the platform continues to offer a robust free screener and an Elite tier that unlocks real‑time data and export capabilities.

Practical next steps and recommendations

• If you are new: start with the free finviz stock screener. Build a few simple screens (e.g., market cap > mid, price above 50‑day SMA, positive EPS growth) and save them.
• If you scan frequently during market hours: evaluate Elite for real‑time alerts and CSV export.
• For execution: Finviz does not execute trades. Use a regulated broker or marketplace such as Bitget for trade execution and custody. For crypto wallets, consider Bitget Wallet when managing on‑chain assets.

Explore the finviz stock screener for rapid idea generation, then verify data with primary sources and your execution venue.