The best free stock research websites aren’t always obvious. Why’s that? Well, some paid stock research sites feature great free content, and there are also some free sites out there that fly a bit under the radar.

So, keep reading for an overview of the best free stock research websites as well as carefully curated lists of both free and paid stock research sites so you can optimize your gains and meet your trading and investment goals.

Best Free Stock Research Websites Overview

Stock research websites can vary a lot, but the best ones tend to deliver in the same key areas. Here’s a quick breakdown of some aspects to take into account when considering a stock research site, whether free or paid.

• Value delivered – Even if it’s a free service, you don’t want a stock research site that’s unreliable or otherwise a waste of your time. And since many top stock research services generally require a fee, what is the likelihood that the value it delivers helps you recover said fee through smart investments?
• Track record – Is this a bona fide site with an excellent reputation for reliability, or did it just pop up a couple of months ago? Whether it’s brand-new or has been around for decades, it’s always a good idea to consider a given site’s track record. It doesn’t make sense to give up your hard-earned money for investment research from a source with no legitimate track record.
• Educational resources – Yes, stock research sites should be all about information and education, but they’re not all created equal. Using a free or paid stock research site that provides a comprehensive educational platform will allow you to grow into a smarter, more educated investor.
• Free or paid? – Some sites provide great value, even at the free tier. There are other sites that may cost hundreds of dollars a month but offer relatively low value. You should assess your budget and find the best site that you can get that fits within your budget.

Best Free Stock Research Websites

TD Ameritrade

TD Ameritrade is one of the most trusted names out there when it comes to investment brokers. They also offer many options for free research, some of which are available to anyone with an internet connection and not just clients.

Thinkorswim is a free technical analysis and research tool that many day traders appreciate using. There are also reports from their research team that TD Ameritrade uses to rank stocks with a proprietary algorithm. This helps you get a quick idea of the financial industry’s overall thoughts on a given company.

Yahoo Finance

Yahoo Finance is a long-time player in the financial research site industry. They provide a lot of great info and tools at the free tier, including financials, historical returns, up-to-date news, and more.

That said, to get the most out of Yahoo Finance requires a paying membership.

Tipranks

Tipranks is a neat tool that you can use to see what analysts think of a given stock. It gives an overall consensus rating (from Strong Sell to Strong Buy) and you can see the success of given analysts.

Just like Yahoo Finance, however, the free option is pretty limited and you will need to subscribe for access to all that Tipranks has to offer.

Stocktwits

StockTwits is a sort of Twitter clone that focuses specifically on—yep, you guessed it—stocks. It can be a useful free resource to check out when you want to see other investors’ thoughts on a given ticker or on general market movements.

That said, you should take these tweets (or “twits”) with a grain of salt, as anyone can use Stocktwits (which, again, is why it’s like Twitter).

Which Are the Best Paid Stock Research Sites?

While it’s great when a stock research site is free, there are some limitations as mentioned. So, here are the best stock research sites around. Many of them have a “basic” (i.e. free) tier and offer drastically improved features and possibilities for paid tiers.

Morningstar

Morningstar is one of the industry’s leading sources of reliable data, research, and analysis. Many leading brokers use Morningstar’s stock ratings and provide them for their clients. Morningstar keeps things simple by using a star rating so you can quickly see what to consider and what to avoid.

Morningstar’s full research suite is subscription-based, but there’s also a free plan that you can explore before committing to a subscription.
Click here to check out our special introductory Morningstar pricing.
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Motley Fool

The Motley Fool is well known among retail investors as it has helped countless everyday people make tons of money in the market. Compared to Morningstar and others on this list, however, the Motley Fool is more of a stock-picking service than a true stock research site.

That said, you can find many articles of analysis on the Motley Fool site. These articles, however, are written by people with varying credentials, and they don’t necessarily represent the philosophy of the Motley Fool founders. You can think of them more so like opinion pieces.

Nonetheless, the Motley Fool is worth considering given its strong track record. They also help explain their stock selections for their stock-picking services (like the Motley Fool Stock Advisor).

Click here to explore our new member pricing for the Motley Fool.
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Seeking Alpha

Seeking Alpha is another stock analysis site that’s a bit like Motley Fool and Morningstar. Let me explain: Seeking Alpha aggregates tons of research articles written by individual investors and analysts. There are many articles on just about any stock you can think ofout there.

In addition to this library of research articles, you can also benefit from Seeking Alpha’s “Quant Rating” system, which uses algorithmic analysis.

To check out these tools and get one month free, click here.
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Benzinga

Benzinga is next up on our list, and its yet another stock research site that offers a ton of financial news and analysis articles. With the Benzinga Pro subscription, you can get fresh market news around the clock, and you can select custom filters to limit your stream to the news you care about.

There’s also a financial calendar, newsletters, a breakdown called the “Squawk Box,” and much more. While Benzinga Pro comes at a significant cost, you can try a commitment-free trial right here.
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TrendSpider

TrendSpider is a stock research site that leverages AI algorithms to provide cutting-edge stock analysis. Rather than analyze financials, TrendSpider aims to latch onto certain trends (hence the name). To do this, it looks at technical charts to monitor specific trading patterns that may provide short-term opportunities.

TrendSpider may be better suited for more advanced traders who are familiar with technical analysis and trade frequently. For all it delivers, though, it’s a relative bargain compared to many of the other options reviewed here.

Click here to try a seven-day free trial.
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TradingView

TradingView is last on our list but certainly not the least. This stock research site has created a lot of buzz and quickly gained a huge community. Perhaps best known for its leading charts and screeners, TradingView also provides help to traders with technical research and educational resources.

To try a free trial of TradingView, click here.
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Wrapping Up

The best free stock research websites will deliver solid value despite being free. Many of them will offer tons of great features that are worth upgrading for. Depending on your unique investment goals and preferences, one of these sites may be better for you than others. So, be sure to assess what you need in a stock research site before plunking down your hard-earned money for something that may not be right for you.