The S&P 500 is up 16.63% this year, but that number hides a brutal reality: the spread between top performers (+510%) and bottom performers (-68%) is over 575 percentage points. In a market where stock selection can mean the difference between tripling your money and losing two-thirds of it, the question isn’t whether technical analysis matters—it’s whether you’re using the right tools to do it.
StockCharts has been the answer to that question for 1.9 million traders since 1999. But with free charting tools everywhere, is paying $20-$50 per month actually worth it?
Quick Verdict
StockCharts is worth it for technical traders who’ve outgrown free tools and want institutional-grade analysis. At $19.95/month for Basic, you get 25 indicators per chart, intraday data, and ad-free charting. The Extra tier at $29.95/month offers the best value with 250 ChartLists, 200 custom scans, and 200 alerts.
The catch: StockCharts doesn’t tell you what to buy—it gives you the tools to figure it out yourself. If you want stock picks, look elsewhere. If you want to become a better technical analyst, this is the platform that’s won “Best Technical Website” from Stocks & Commodities magazine 22 years in a row.
Best for: Technical traders and swing traders who rely on chart patterns, indicators, and systematic scanning to find opportunities.
The StockCharts Track Record
Let’s address the elephant in the room: StockCharts doesn’t pick stocks, so there’s no “beat the market by X%” claim to verify. What they do have is something harder to fake—longevity and industry recognition.
The numbers that matter:
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 by Chip Anderson (former Microsoft developer) |
| Monthly Active Users | 1.9 million worldwide |
| Industry Recognition | 22 consecutive years winning “Best Technical Website” (Stocks & Commodities) |
| Data History | Back to 1900 for Pro members |
| Markets Covered | US, Canada, UK, India stocks + commodities, currencies, futures |
Twenty-two consecutive years of winning the same industry award isn’t marketing—it’s a track record of consistent excellence. StockCharts has outlasted the dot-com crash, the 2008 financial crisis, and countless competitors. When a company founded by a guy who worked on Windows 1, 2, and 3 is still leading the charting space, that tells you something about execution.
The platform serves everyone from individual traders to financial advisors to institutional analysts. That breadth means the tools have been stress-tested by users with very different needs—and they’ve held up.
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What You Get with StockCharts
StockCharts isn’t just one charting tool—it’s an ecosystem. Here’s what you’re actually paying for:
Core Charting Tools
SharpCharts is the flagship: customizable technical charts with up to 25 indicators (Basic) or unlimited overlays (Pro). You can annotate, save, and share charts. It’s the tool that won those 22 consecutive awards.
StockChartsACP (Advanced Charting Platform) is the full-screen, real-time streaming alternative. Multi-chart layouts, exclusive plug-ins, and the kind of interface professional traders expect.
Point & Figure Charts filter out market noise using traditional X’s and O’s methodology—something you won’t find in most free tools.
Scanning and Screening
Technical Scans let you filter the entire market based on custom criteria. Looking for stocks breaking above their 50-day moving average with increasing volume? Build that scan in minutes.
SCTR Reports (StockCharts Technical Rank) provide a proprietary ranking system that measures relative strength across different timeframes. It’s like having a technical analyst score every stock for you.
MarketCarpets give you visual heat maps of large groups of securities—instantly spot what’s moving.
Analysis and Research
Relative Rotation Graphs (RRG) track relative strength and momentum in a way that’s genuinely unique. Watch sectors rotate through leading, weakening, lagging, and improving phases.
Seasonality Charts show monthly performance patterns over adjustable time periods—useful for identifying recurring patterns.
ChartSchool is a comprehensive education center that teaches technical analysis from basics to advanced concepts.
Expert Commentary
This is where StockCharts separates from pure software plays. You get regular analysis from legends like:
- John Murphy — author of “Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets”
- Martin Pring — 50+ years of technical analysis experience
- Arthur Hill — senior technical analyst
- David Keller — chief market strategist
StockCharts TV provides video commentary on current market conditions. It’s like having a team of technical analysts on staff.
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How StockCharts Works
StockCharts uses adjusted historical price data to eliminate artificial effects from splits, dividends, and distributions. This matters more than you might think—unadjusted data creates misleading technical signals that can lead to bad trades.
The platform covers:
- US stocks (NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX)
- US Mutual Funds
- Canadian stocks (TSX, Venture)
- UK stocks (LSE)
- Indian stocks (NSE)
- 1,000+ technical market indicators and indexes
- Commodities, currencies, and futures
Data Depth by Tier
| Tier | Historical Data | Intraday Data |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10 years | None |
| Basic/Extra | 50 years | 1-15 min: 20 days back |
| Pro | Back to 1900 | 60-120 min: back to 2001 |
Pro members can chart data from 1900—useful for studying long-term cycles and historical patterns that repeat over decades.
Real-Time vs. Delayed Data
Free users get BATS real-time data for popular US stocks, but thinly-traded stocks are delayed. For official NYSE/NASDAQ real-time data, you’ll need the optional $9.95/month data plan.
Auto-refresh rates matter for active traders:
- Basic/Extra: Every 15 seconds
- Pro: Every 5 seconds
StockCharts Pricing and Value
Let’s break down what you’re actually paying for at each tier:
Pricing Tiers
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 3 indicators, ads, no saved charts |
| Basic | $19.95 | $239.40 | 25 indicators, 1 ChartList, intraday data, ad-free |
| Extra | $29.95 | $359.40 | 250 ChartLists, 200 scans, 200 alerts, ChartPacks |
| Pro | $49.95 | $599.40 | 500 ChartLists, 500 scans, data back to 1900 |
Annual plans include a 13th month free (save one month’s cost per year).
The Value Math
At $29.95/month for Extra, you’re paying roughly $1/day for:
- 250 saved ChartLists (up to 1,000 charts each)
- 200 custom scans running on demand
- 200 price alerts
- 100 advanced technical alerts
- ChartPacks from expert analysts
- Scheduled scans that run automatically
If better analysis helps you avoid just one bad trade per month, the subscription pays for itself many times over. A single 10% loss on a $3,000 position is $300—ten months of Extra tier access.
Optional Data Plans
| Add-On | Price | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| US Real-Time | $9.95/mo | Official NYSE/NASDAQ data |
| Canada Real-Time | $9.95/mo | TSX data |
| UK Real-Time | $9.95/mo | LSE data |
Most users can start without the data add-on—BATS real-time covers popular stocks.
Guarantee and Cancellation
- Free trial: 1 month free at Extra level
- Refunds: Available for whole months of remaining service
- Data plan refunds: Non-refundable
- Cancel: Anytime from Your Account page
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The Trade-Offs
What StockCharts Does Well
Depth of charting tools. The combination of SharpCharts, ACP, Point & Figure, RRG, and Seasonality charts gives you more analytical angles than any single competitor.
Expert commentary. John Murphy, Martin Pring, Arthur Hill—these aren’t random bloggers. They’re the people who literally wrote the books on technical analysis.
Scanning power. 200 custom scans with 200 alerts (Extra tier) means you can systematically screen the market instead of manually hunting for setups.
Education. ChartSchool is genuinely comprehensive. If you’re learning technical analysis, you’re getting a course included with your subscription.
Longevity and stability. 25 years in business means your charts and scans won’t disappear if a startup runs out of funding.
What StockCharts Doesn’t Do
No stock picks. This is a tool, not a recommendation service. You need to know what you’re looking for.
No phone support. Email and web-based support only. If you need to talk to someone, that’s not available.
Limited international coverage. US, Canada, UK, and India are covered. If you trade European or Asian markets extensively, you’ll need additional tools.
BATS data limitations. The free real-time data doesn’t cover thinly-traded stocks and shows lower volume than official exchange data.
No mobile app for Android. iOS app exists, but Android users are limited to the web interface.
Who StockCharts Is For
Technical swing traders who hold positions for days to weeks and rely on chart patterns, moving averages, and momentum indicators. The scanning and alerting features are built for this workflow.
Active traders who need fast, reliable charting with multiple indicators and the ability to save complex chart setups.
Self-directed investors who want to add technical analysis to their fundamental research. The education resources help you build skills over time.
Financial advisors who need professional-grade charts for client presentations and analysis.
Who StockCharts Is NOT For
Investors who want stock picks. If you want someone to tell you what to buy, our Stock Advisor review or Alpha Picks review are better fits.
Fundamental-only investors. If you don’t believe in technical analysis and never look at charts, you’re paying for tools you won’t use.
Casual investors. If you check your portfolio quarterly and make a few trades per year, free charting tools are probably sufficient.
Options traders needing strategy analysis. While StockCharts has an OptionsPlay add-on, dedicated platforms offer deeper options-specific features.
Best Alternatives to StockCharts
TradingView
TradingView is the most direct competitor. It offers:
- Price: Free tier available, Pro at $14.95/mo, Pro+ at $29.95/mo
- Strength: Social features, pine script for custom indicators, broader international coverage
- Weakness: Less depth in expert commentary and education
See our TradingView review for the full comparison.
Choose TradingView if: You want social features and community-shared indicators, or you trade international markets heavily.
Choose StockCharts if: You want deeper education resources, expert commentary from industry legends, and proven scanning tools.
Finviz
Finviz excels at visual screening and heat maps:
- Price: Free with ads, Elite at $299/year
- Strength: Fast visual scanning, excellent heat maps, good for quick market overview
- Weakness: Less depth in charting customization
Read our Finviz Elite review for details.
Choose Finviz if: You primarily need screening and quick visual scanning rather than deep chart analysis.
TC2000
TC2000 is another serious contender:
- Price: $249/year for Gold, $999/year for Platinum
- Strength: Fast charting, excellent custom condition scanning
- Weakness: Steeper learning curve, higher price point
Check our TC2000 review for the full analysis.
Choose TC2000 if: You need the fastest possible charting and are willing to pay more for speed.
Final Verdict
StockCharts has earned its 22-year winning streak. The platform offers genuine depth—from basic charting to advanced tools like Relative Rotation Graphs and SCTR rankings that you won’t find in free alternatives.
At $29.95/month for Extra tier, you’re paying about $1/day for professional-grade tools, expert commentary from legends like John Murphy, and education resources that can make you a better analyst. The free trial gives you a full month to test everything.
The bottom line: If you’re serious about technical analysis and you’ve outgrown free tools, StockCharts is the industry standard for a reason. Start with the free Extra tier trial, build some scans, save some ChartLists, and see if the workflow fits how you trade.
Five years from now, you’ll either have developed a systematic approach to technical analysis that helps you spot opportunities and avoid losers—or you’ll still be guessing based on headlines. StockCharts gives you the tools for the former. What you do with them is up to you.
For a broader comparison of charting and analysis platforms, explore our guide to the best stock analysis websites.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is StockCharts worth the money?
Yes, for technical traders who use charts regularly. At $19.95-$49.95/month, StockCharts provides professional-grade charting tools, 200+ custom scans (Extra tier), and expert commentary from industry legends. The platform has won “Best Technical Website” 22 consecutive years. If better analysis helps you avoid one bad trade per month, the subscription pays for itself. However, if you only check charts occasionally or prefer fundamental analysis, free alternatives may suffice.
What are the best alternatives to StockCharts?
The top alternatives depend on your priorities. Our TradingView review covers similar charting with stronger social features and international coverage at $14.95-$59.95/month. Finviz Elite excels at visual screening and heat maps at $299/year. TC2000 provides faster charting with excellent custom scanning at $249-$999/year. For fundamental research instead of technical analysis, consider our Morningstar Investor review at $249/year.
StockCharts vs TradingView — which is better?
Both are excellent, but they serve slightly different needs. StockCharts offers deeper education (ChartSchool), expert commentary from legends like John Murphy, and proprietary tools like SCTR rankings and Relative Rotation Graphs. TradingView has stronger social features, community-shared indicators via Pine Script, and broader international market coverage. See our StockCharts vs TradingView comparison for the full breakdown. Choose StockCharts for education and expert analysis; choose TradingView for community features and global markets.
How do I cancel StockCharts?
Cancel anytime from your “Your Account” page on stockcharts.com. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period—you’ll retain access until then. Refunds are available for whole months of remaining service on membership plans, but data plan add-ons are non-refundable. There are no cancellation fees or penalties.
Does StockCharts offer real-time data?
StockCharts includes free BATS real-time data for popular US stocks. For official NYSE/NASDAQ real-time data, you’ll need the optional $9.95/month US Real-Time data plan. Canada and UK real-time data are also available at $9.95/month each. Most traders can start with the free BATS data and upgrade if they need official exchange data for thinly-traded stocks or precise volume figures.
Is there a free version of StockCharts?
Yes, StockCharts offers a free tier with limited features: 3 indicators per chart, 900px maximum chart size, ads, no saved charts, and no intraday data. For serious analysis, the free tier is restrictive. However, StockCharts also offers a 1-month free trial at the Extra tier level ($29.95/month value), giving you full access to 250 ChartLists, 200 scans, and 200 alerts to test the platform properly.