A Free, Real-Time Finviz Alternative
Finviz is a great screener, and its free tier is hard to beat for fundamental and end-of-day work. The one thing it will not do for free is show you the tape in real time. TheDesperateTrader is built for exactly that gap: free, real-time, and alert-driven.
| Feature | TheDesperateTrader | Finviz (Free) | Finviz Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time quotes | Yes, free | Delayed | Yes, paid |
| Live intraday alerts | Yes (RVOL, halts, volume) | No | Limited |
| RVOL / unusual-volume scanner | Live, ranked | End-of-day filter | Yes |
| Trading-halt alerts | Yes, real time | No | No |
| Pre-market and after-hours | Yes (4 AM to 8 PM ET) | Limited | Yes |
| Fundamental screening depth | Basic | Excellent | Excellent |
| Number of filters | Focused on the tape | 150+ | 150+ |
| Charting maturity | Good | Good | Advanced |
| Account required to start | No | No | Yes |
| Price | Free, then $24.99/mo | Free | Paid |
Finviz feature tiers as generally documented; exact plan details and pricing are set by Finviz and may change.
The Real-Time Difference, Live Right Now
This is the live unusual-volume board, updating through the session. This is the view a delayed free screener cannot give you.
RVOL scanner
Last sessionShowing the most recent session. The board goes live and refreshes every 15 seconds once the market reopens and stocks start spiking.
Get a free alert the moment a stock spikes on unusual volume. Real-time, no card, 5 premium days on us.
No card · 5 premium daysWhere Finviz Is the Better Choice
If your work is fundamental or end-of-day screening, Finviz is excellent and its free tier is one of the best available. Its 150+ filters, valuation and financial screens, ETF and broad-market coverage, and instant no-account load are genuinely hard to match.
TheDesperateTrader does not try to replace that. It is focused on the intraday tape, so if you are filtering the whole market on P/E and dividend yield, use Finviz.
Where TheDesperateTrader Fits Better
If you trade intraday and need the live tape, the delayed free screener leaves you a step behind. This site is free and real time: live relative-volume ranking, trading-halt alerts, unusual-volume detection, and pre-market and after-hours coverage, pushed the moment they happen.
Many traders use both: Finviz to build a watchlist overnight, TheDesperateTrader to watch it move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free real-time alternative to Finviz?
Yes. TheDesperateTrader is a free stock scanner with real-time data and live intraday alerts, which is the main thing Finviz's free tier does not offer. It scans every U.S. stock for relative volume, trading halts and unusual volume as they happen, with no 15-minute delay and no credit card required to start.
Is Finviz real-time?
Finviz's free version shows delayed quotes, so it is not suitable for real-time intraday entries. Real-time data and intraday features require the paid Finviz Elite tier. If your work is end-of-day or fundamental screening, the free tier is genuinely excellent; if you need the live tape, you need a real-time tool.
Is TheDesperateTrader better than Finviz?
It depends on the job. Finviz is the better tool for fundamental screening, filter depth and broad coverage, and its free tier is one of the best around for that. TheDesperateTrader is the better tool for free real-time intraday scanning and live alerts (RVOL spikes, halts, unusual volume). Plenty of traders use both: Finviz to build a watchlist, this to watch the tape.
Does it have a stock screener like Finviz?
It has live scanners built for day trading (relative volume, halts, gaps, low float, premarket movers and more) plus a screener, but it is not trying to match Finviz's hundreds of fundamental filters. The focus is what is happening on the tape right now rather than filtering the whole market on fundamentals.
Is it really free?
The scanners are free to view. New accounts also start with 5 free premium days of the full live dashboard, real-time alerts and WebSocket delivery, with no credit card required at signup. After that, premium runs at an early-access price of $24.99/month.
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