Top 10 Best Free Stock Charting Software Tools Review

Free Stock Charts – We all want Free Stock Charting – but who provides the best services?  290 Comparisons – 10 Services- 2 Winners. Save Time & Money with our In-Depth Head to Head Review & Comparison of Free Stock Charting Services.

If you are relatively new to stock market investing, you are probably looking around for free stock charts so you can experiment with learning technical analysis and plotting stock chart indicators.  There are many services available but most of them are garbage.  It is a wise move to start with free, but when you develop your skills and become a power user of stock market software you will probably choose a premium provider to best meet your needs.

Luckily for you, our review winner TradingView gives you powerful features in the free version but is also the winner of our premium stock market software review which means the service will grow with your needs.

But for now, we have your top 10 free charting tools for you to compare and contrast.

Top 10 Best Free Stock Charting Tools

1. TradingView – Winner – Best For Ambitious Beginners Wanting A Huge Social Community For Learning + First Class Chart Analysis Which Will Grow With Your Demands
2. FreeStockCharts.com – Winner – From Our Award Winning TC2000 Worden Brothers – 1st Class Technical Analysis & Charts
3. StockCharts.com – Best For Those Wanting Some Advanced Charting & Good Analysis From Industry Experts
4. Yahoo Finance – Best For Those Who Want To Integrate A Good Charting Service With A Large Selection of US Brokers
5. CNN Money – A Basic Charting Service That Requires No Login & Quick Access To A Watchlist
6. Robinhood – Best For Those Wanting To Invest With Zero Commissions From Their Smartphone
7. Reuters Stock Charting – Good For Those Wanting A Solid News Services With Some Basic Chart Indicators.
8. Finviz – Best For Those Searching For Some Innovative Financial Visualization & A Solid Stock Screener
9. MSN Money Central – Best For Those Wanting An OK Stock Screener & Not Much Else
10. Google Finance – Retired – They Gave Up

Free Stock Chart Comparison Table

Through detailed research of the most popular Free Stock Charting Tools on the web, Liberated Stock Trader has compiled the definitive review of FREE Stock charting tools.  We selected the biggest hitters of the Stock Charting Community and pitted them head to head to make your life easier and save you the work.  Liberated Stock Trader has tested 30+ charting services and the best made our top 10.

Each service was rated against 29 different factors.  Those tools that offer the most in flexibility, usability, functionality and most of all being cost-free made the top 10.

Free Stock Charting Tools – Detailed Reviews

We really only have 2 winners that are worth recommending, they are the clear leaders.  The top 6 are worth an individual test to see which interface you like the most and what features match what you are looking for.  If you have limited time, you cannot go wrong with FreeStockCharts.com and TradingView.com is the best of the best.

#1 – TradingView – Best For Ambitious Beginners Wanting A Huge Social Community For Learning + First Class Chart Analysis Which Will Grow With Your Demands

Recommended for Long-Term U.S.A. & International Investors who value a great price (free), insanely good Fundamental & Technical Analysis with great streaming news engines and the best ease of use.

There is no doubt about it, TradingView has stormed into the Review Winners section in its first try. I spent 2 days playing with this software, and it is seriously making me think about leaving my beloved wife TC2000.  It is a close run competition and I am genuinely shocked at how good it is.

Pricing & Software

You can have TradingView for free, it is also the winner of our Premium Subscription Software Review & the prices are reasonable and unlock a lot of extra functionality.

If you like TradingView you can upgrade to PRO for only $10 per month the benefits are extensive including Priority Customer Support and unlimited everything.

TradingView runs on PC, Mac, Tablets, and Smartphones and requires zero installation, it simply works. Click here and it will be running in 2 seconds.

The Market data is huge, covering nearly all Stock Markets and it includes Stocks, ETF’s Futures, Foreign Exchange & Bonds, all at no extra price, which means outstanding value for money combined with excellent support options.

Also, a huge benefit is that the Data Speed and Coverage are mind-blowing, covering literally every stock market on the planet and not just stocks but ETF’s, Mutual Funds, Futures, FOREX, Bonds & CryptoCurrencies AT NO EXTRA COST.

Best Stock Screener & Fundamental Scanning

A perfect score for TradingView as they hit the mark on Real-time scanning and filtering, and fundamental watchlists also.

TradingView has a very slick system and they have put a huge amount of thought into how Fundamentals Integrate into the analytics system.

Watchlists have fundamentals broken into Performance, Valuation, Dividends, Margin, Income Statement and Balance Sheet.  You can set the watchlist and filters to refresh every minute if you wish.

What makes TradingView stand out is the huge selection of economic indicators you can map and compare on a chart. For example, you can compare the Civilian Unemployment Rate versus the growth in Company Profits for the U.S.A.  This is incredibly powerful.

Stock Market News & Social Community

TradingView is built with social at the forefront.  Fully integrated chat systems, chat forums and an excellent way to share your drawings and analysis with a single click to any group or forum.

This makes for an excellent way to generate ideas or learn from other traders.  You have to try it and see it in action to understand the power of the implementation.

They have also thoughtfully integrated a Kiplinger newsfeed, Stocktwits, and various FX newsfeeds.  With a social first development methodology, combined with powerful economy statistics and a solid newsfeed it is a great package.

The news feeds are fully integrated, including Kiplinger, DailyFX, Futures Magazine, FXStreet, and StockTwits.  Add that to the social network and you have a great solution.  The news service is only second to MetaStock with their Reuters Feeds & Benzinga’s News For Traders.

Technical Analysis Stock Charting & Screening

With over 160 different indicators, and unique specialty charts such as LineBreak, Kagi, Heikin Ashi, Point & Figure and Renko, you have everything you will need as an advanced trader.

So why does it score so highly and rank as a winner in this section? TradingView runs on PC, Mac, Tablets, and Smartphones and requires Zero Installation, it simply works.  The Market data is huge, covering nearly all Stock Markets and it includes Stock, ETF’s Futures, Foreign Exchange & Bonds, all at no extra price, which means outstanding value for money combined with excellent support options.

Powerful Screening Tools – Integrated into TradingView:

• Stock Screener – See the example below to see how powerful and easy it is to use.
• Forex Screener – shows by default the major and minor pairs and you can add exotic FX pairs.  You can filter on rising and falling fx pairs and even set alerts directly from the screener.
• Crypto Screener – similar to the Forex Screener in power and flexibility.

Stock Market Apps Usability

Within 5 minutes I was using TradingView, no credit card, no installation, no configuring data feeds, it was literally just there.

TradingView is up and running with a single click.

Click on the TradingView logo on the left and it will be instantly running. 

It does not get easier than that.

Even better is the fact it is already configured for use.  All controls are intuitive and the charts look amazing.  It is quite a feat that it is so easy to use considering TradingView has so many data feeds and backend power.

TradingView is the outright winner for Free Stock Charts in 2019.  For free there is a huge selection of indicators, drawing tools and it is fully interactive.  They also offer a premium service to rival the best software vendors out there.  Check it out at www.tradingview.com. The PRO plan is very cost effective starting at $9.95 per month and that gets you real-time charts and Advert free services, and SMS alerts

Watch this Video Overview of the Benefits of TradingView

[Related Article – Backtesting For Advanced Stock Charting SystemDevelopement]

#2 – FreeStockCharts.com – From Our Award Winning TC2000 Worden Brothers – 1st Class Technical Analysis & Charts

FreeStockCharts.com is powered by Worden Brothers who are a review winner for our Premium Stock Market Software Review, so they have an excellent track record in delivering quality services.

Stock Charts, Indicators & Drawing Tools

The FREE service has the following has over 80 stock chart indicators (or studies) which you can apply to the chart, all the popular ones are there and many exotic indicators also.  You can use different bar types like Japanese Candlesticks and Open, High, Low Close OHLC. 

What is really nice is that you have the ability to plot trend-lines not only on the price data but on all the indicators, this can be very valuable when you become more experienced in technical analysis.

In terms of drawing tools, they also allow you to use Fibonacci Lines, Fibonacci Fans and Fibonacci Arcs.  The user interface is super simple and effective, with easy access to watchlists and stock scans, you will need to sign in to access and save your watchlists.

One surprising feature is that if you are a TD Ameritrade customer, you can use FreeStockCharts to pull your portfolio and watchlists directly from your account, quite why you would want to do that, I don’t know.

This is a good free package with:

• a vast array of indicators
• candlesticks, OHLC.
• the ability to plot Trend lines not only on price but on all the indicators
• Fibonacci Lines / Fans / Arcs
• free mealtime streaming Price & Volume
• intra-day 1 minute – 1 year per bar
• integrated portfolio management,
• streaming News, this is invaluable
• good user interface
• watch-lists
• Also with the premium version, there is powerful Stock Scanning built in.

Overall there is an excellent array of technical indicators and drawing tools, all the big ones are there, from OBV, RSI and Bollinger Bands to Fibonacci Fans and Andrews Pitchfork.

With over 80 different indicators you will have plenty to play with.  They have also introduced live alerts which you can configure to email or pop up if an indicators or trend line is breached.  Very useful indeed.

Real-time Charts

The charts are real-time and the data comes from BATS, which means the price data is accurate, but the volume data only represents BATS trades.  Luckily you can select whether you want to see only BATS volumes or get an estimate of the broader market volume. The data is free real-time streaming of Price & Volume and you can go to a granularity of intra-day 1 minute up to 1 year per bar.

The Downsides to FreeStockCharts.com

This software is not available to Mac users because it requires Internet Explorer to work, you will also need to install Microsoft Silverlight, which constantly needs updating.  In addition to that, the adverts on display will take up 10% of your screen.  But if you do not want to pay and you want real-time charts, then this is still one of the best options available.

Stock Market News & Social

Free StockCharts has built-in social and chat features for you to connect and share charts with friends.

Free is Great but the Paid Version is Better

The Liberated Stock Trader uses Telechart TC2000, to screen, sort, and find winning stocks, FreestockCharts will get you familiar with the interface and workflow until you are ready to upgrade to TC2000.  

Starting at $9.95 per month you will get a full suite of excellent feature and end of day data.  The powerful Fundamental & Technical Stock Screeners,

[Related Article- TC2000 Our Award Winner Preferred Software, That I Use]

Watch this TC2000 Video to See A Live Demo

Note: As you can see in the comments a few long-time users of Freestockcharts.com have left messages regarding the incompatibility of this software with the latest browsers and Mac OS.

[Related Post – The Best Trading Platforms for Day Traders]

“FreeStockCharts.com uses the MS Silverlight plug-in, but that no longer supports the latest Apple Mojave OS or Chrome and Firefox browsers”. Rick McKinley.

#3 – StockCharts.com – Best For Those Wanting Some Advanced Charting & Good Analysis From Industry Experts

Worthy of strong consideration are StockCharts.com, who also come with a solid recommendation.  Worth mentioning are the sharp charts, which are visually very impressive, and its array of exotic indicators may excite the more advanced investor.  One thing to mention this service offers excellent Point and Figure Charts, which to my knowledge no other free service offers.

Missing trend lines, rolling EPS, and a weak news service do not do it justice. They do also offer, like the other service providers, a monthly Membership service with increased functionality.

#4 – Yahoo Finance – Best For Those Who Want To Integrate A Good Charting Service With A Large Selection of US Brokers

Yahoo has updated its interactive charting experience, it is a clean experience and full screen, so now it is actually very good indeed.

With 114 different technical indicators, you are well covered with Yahoo Finance.  The interactive charts also now allow you to draw trendlines, linear regressions, and even quadrant lines.

A nice new addition is that Yahoo now provides real-time quotes and charts via the BATS system, this is a significant upgrade for 2019.

Yahoo Finance is working hard to make their charting system a respectable alternative to other free vendors.  They have actually done something innovative also.  You can now trade stocks through the Yahoo Finance charts.  Yahoo has partnered with Trade.it who essentially provide an interface to transport trade requests to many of the mainstream U.S. brokers.  This means, using Yahoo you can trade stocks with your broker.  It is a nice feature but if you have a brokerage account you will already have access to real-time data, charts, and quotes and can trade directly with them, so it seems a little redundant.

[Related Article: The Top 10 Best Stock Trading Platforms – Trade From Charts]

However, Yahoo has climbed from nearly last place to fourth place in this review thanks to their constant improvements.  Coming in higher than Google in our review, Yahoo it seems, can do at least one thing better than Google.

Other Contenders in our Top 10 Free Stock Charts Review

#5 – CNN Money – A Basic Charting Service That Requires No Login & Quick Access To A Watchlist

CNN money fares well with all basic indicators available but suffers from only 1 sub window and no ability to draw trend lines.  Also, the chart is only static, and non-interactive format becomes highly annoying after a while, having to continually refresh the page to get new indicators plotted will make the experiences investor growl.

However, on the bright side, you can plot earnings (EPS) on the chart which is also a rare advantage amongst its competitors.

[Related Article: Best Financial & News Services For Traders]

#6 – Robinhood – Best For Those Wanting To Invest With Zero Commissions From Their Smartphone

Robin Hood is a commission-free broker with a $0 account minimum.  This means you can essentially sign up for Robin Hood and gain access to the free stock charts and real-time quotes and charts for free.

The only downside is that you cannot really do any serious stock analysis using Robin Hood.  Because it is a mobile-first company the interface is limited to the size of your phone.

Mobile first refers to the fact that Robinhood started only as an app on a phone and not a fully fledged trading platform.  This means you have to do everything via the phone including opening, funding, and trading.

The charts are free but severely limited in functionality.

Free trading refers to $0 commissions for Robinhood Financial self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. listed securities via mobile devices.  As Robinhood is a mobile-first company, this means if you trade from your smartphone on the Major U.S. listed stocks available through Robinhood then the trade has no cost.

[Related Article: Best Brokers For Zero Commissions Trading]

#7 – Reuters Stock Charting – Good For Those Wanting A Solid News Services With Some Basic Chart Indicators.

With its powerful news reporting and RED Green Candlestick plotting Reuters does have something to offer, coming in joint fifth with Yahoo. Missing a rolling EPS indicator combined with its lack of trendlines takes it out of the reckoning for overall leadership.

What I really like is the ability to plot breaking news for a stock on the chart itself this is really what sets it apart from the other charting tools.  For quickly referencing the global markets and perusing the news it is an OK service.  For chart analysis it is useless.

[Related Article: The Ultimate Guide To Robo Advisors – Simplify Your Investing]

#8 – Finviz – Best For Those Searching For Some Innovative Financial Visualization & A Solid Stock Screener Locked Behind A Paywall

Finviz used to be an excellent free service, but now it is all behind a paywall.  To get access to anything good here in terms of an interactive free charting experience you will need to pay a handsome sum.

Finviz has a lot of fans and some good heatmaps and visualizations, but practically none of it for free.

#9 – MSN Money Central – Best For Those Wanting An OK Stock Screener & Not Much Else

While the stock screener from MSN Money is in the opinion of the author one of the best free screeners available, the charting software comes in poorly.  Lack of trend lines, moving averages, OBV and index overlay mark it down heavily. However, with membership, you can get real-time stock quotes.

#10 – AOL Finance – They Now Redirect To The Rather Good Yahoo Finance

AOL finance now redirects to Yahoo Finance for all charting and quotes – officially retired.

#11 – Google Finance – Retired – They Gave Up

Google finance suffers criminally in the weakness of its charting, scoring 13 out of 28 points, it is not all bad news.
Google is an excellent place to go for a single page of the latest news, blog alerts, and the P&L & Balance Sheet of any stock, and if you only need a rapid view of the general stock this is still a good stop of point for a general look. The news reports can be overlaid on top of the stock price which is unique and valuable to the investor interested in how news plays out in the stock price.

Free Stock Charts Review Summary

The market for Free Chart Services is competitive but there are some clear winners who offer a great free service and also additional add-ons for a fee.  Ultimately, what you select is down to your needs. If you are starting out as a new investor with a few hundred dollars to invest you certainly would not buy a premium stock charting package for $30 per month, you would use the Free Stock Chart Services.

There are many free stock charting services available, but only 2 are worth looking at. If you want a service that will grow with you on your journey, then TradingView is the clear winner. FreeStockCharts.com is great and allows you a good upgrade path to TC2000 our review winning software. The rest offer quick access to basic services, but nothing more.

But as you mature and your investment pot grows you will need to seriously think about selecting a professional grade Stock Charting Software Package.

Good luck on your journey to find the tools you need.

Stock Charts Free? How is it possible for these Free Stock Chart providers to make money and stay in business?

The answer lies in 2 business models.  Firstly, some providers make money from the advertising you see when you use the Free Stock Charts.  Secondly, many of the companies hope you will like the service and as you use it more you will seek out the premium benefits that a paid subscription will unlock.

There has never been a better time for freely available stock charting & free stock screening data on the web.  But ultimately all businesses need to make money to stay in business and keep providing the Free Stock Chart Features we love.

Glossary for the 31 Services Comparison Table.

1. Login Required – Is a login required to use the Free Charting Service”
2. Cost “Are the Stock Charts Free”
3. Chart Interactive “Interactive charts are easier to manipulate that static charts, making the user experience better”
4. Price Windows (Logarithmic) “Logarithmic scaling is vital for good chart assessment”
5. Draw Trend Lines –  “As we know plotting trend lines, are a crucial part of stock analysis (3 points for a Yes)”
6. Size (large) “Large charts make it easier to see and read the patterns“
7. Bars “Does the service provide Bar Charts”
8. Candlesticks “Does the service provide Japanese Candlestick Charting“
9. OHLC “Does the service provide Open High Low Close Bar Charting”
10. Streaming “Free Real-time streaming charts“
11. Extended hours “Out of hours stock prices”
12. Intraday “Are hourly or 1-minute charts available”
13. Indicators – What indicators are available for the free stock charts
14. Number of Lower Windows (min 3) “3 windows provide additional insight for stock analysis”
15. Volume – Volume Indicators available
16. MACD “Moving Average Convergence / Divergence Indicator”
17. RSI “Relative Strenght index”
18. Index Compare e.g. SP-500 “Can we overlay the industry or Index on the price chart”
19. SMA / EMA “Simple Moving Average / Exponential moving Average”
20. Show Earnings “Can we overlay earnings reports onto the chart”
21. On Balance Volume “On Balance Volume indicator“
22. Stochastics “Fast and Slow Stochastic Available”
23. Money Flow “Money Flow Indicator available”
24. Rolling EPS “Rolling EPS is very valuable to the investor”
25. Rolling Dividend “interesting for those that like to see a dividend, not so important for the wise investor”
26. Other Options
27. News Overlay On Price “interesting for comparison for people trading news, or wanting to understand how news affects price“
28. News sources “Quality of news feeds into the site”
29. Portfolio Tracking “ability to track stock for you.”

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Now it’s over to you – did you like the review, agree or disagree, leave a message, I will be sure to reply.