Best stock screeners for fundamental and long-term research
Compare Finviz, TradingView, TIKR, Koyfin and Stock Analysis by their stock coverage, filter definitions and access to company accounts. A fundamental screener should leave you with a manageable group of companies and a clear reason each one appeared.
Even a screen for profitable companies with growing sales can return different lists. One service may use trailing figures, another the last fiscal year, and a third forecasts. Match those definitions before comparing results.
We reviewed the providers' public product information on 19 September 2026; we have not tested their paid subscriptions. We make Helmbeam, included below as a way to examine candidates after screening. Confirm current filters, coverage and plan limits on each site before choosing one.
Reviewed 20 September 2026
1. Finviz: start with a visible set of filters
Finviz lets you narrow US stocks using filters. Start with a few conditions you understand. Before saving the results, record which stocks the screen covers and how it defines your chosen profitability measure.
2. TradingView: connect filtering with chart inspection
TradingView combines screeners and charting, so you can examine a candidate's market history after screening. Check its finances separately: meeting a technical condition tells you nothing by itself about the accounts.
3. TIKR: carry candidates into fundamental research
TIKR has screening and company financial information. To test that combination, select a growth metric in the screener, open a matching company and find the reporting period behind the figure.
4. Koyfin: investigate candidates in a broader workspace
Koyfin combines screening with financial analysis and sector or market context. Try comparing a candidate with its sector. Check whether the comparison explains the result that caught your attention.
5. Stock Analysis: move from a screen to company tables
Stock Analysis provides a screener and company financial pages. Use a shortlisted name to test how easily you can inspect its reported accounts. Check that the selected share class, reporting currency and financial period are the ones you intended.
Where Qualtrim fits after screening
Qualtrim offers another step after you have a shortlist: financial charts and a discounted cash flow calculator, where you can change the assumptions behind a valuation scenario. Use that to examine a company in more depth. The five tools above address filtering; Qualtrim is included here for follow-on company analysis.
Helmbeam: check what sits behind the match
A filter can tell you that revenue grew. In Helmbeam, open the company and use Numbers to examine revenue alongside margins, cash flow and financial position. Follow it if another report could answer your question. You can also start in Discover when you want candidates from Helmbeam’s framework rather than build your own filter combination. This can replace part of a discovery workflow, but it is not a claim that Helmbeam reproduces every custom filter or export offered by these screeners.
Return to the condition that put the company on your list and check whether it still holds.
Use the same comparison task in every screener
Write down which companies your screen covers: for example, US-listed operating companies, with financial firms examined separately. Then define revenue growth and profitability using the same period. Missing values are not automatically zeros. Excluding them can remove newer companies before you have had a chance to examine them.
Do not tighten filters merely to get an exciting answer. If only two firms match, inspect whether your conditions make economic sense. A bank, retailer and software company do not have interchangeable balance sheets or margins. The SEC's financial-statement guide explains why ratios need industry context.
Suppose a fictional result shows sales up 12% but operating profit down. It can still pass a screen that requires positive profit. Open the accounts to find out why profitability weakened as sales expanded.
Record one reason a result might be misleading, then open its filing. Use eight app-comparison checks before deciding whether a paid plan solves a real problem.
Compare the screen, not just the number of filters
Suppose you want companies with revenue growth and positive operating profit. Record whether revenue growth is year-on-year or sequential, whether operating profit is reported or adjusted, and whether the screen uses the last quarter, fiscal year or trailing twelve months. Then open a result and reconcile it with a filing. That exercise tests whether the screen can be explained, rather than whether it returns an attractive list.
Also decide how you will reuse the work. A free screen may be enough for occasional checks; recurring exports or many saved screens can require a paid tier. Our free screener guide separates continuing free access from temporary trials. If you want historical fundamentals and portfolio analysis in the same product, the Stock Rover review covers that different scope.
Sources
8 referencesFrequently asked questions
Why do two screeners return different stocks?
They may use different universes, reporting periods, definitions or treatments of missing data. Align those settings before comparing the output.
Should I add more filters until only one stock remains?
Not simply to force an answer. Each filter should represent a question you understand, and the remaining company still needs separate investigation.
Is a profitable company necessarily improving?
No. Profit can remain positive while declining. Compare the direction and source of the result rather than checking only whether it is above zero.
Helmbeam is a research and analysis tool operated by Scydex Ltd. Scydex Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Helmbeam does not provide investment advice, recommendations, or solicitations to buy or sell securities. All data is for informational purposes only. Past performance of any signal, cohort, or classification does not guarantee future results. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Always conduct your own research and consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.
Take a candidate into Helmbeam
Pick one company from your results and explore it in Helmbeam on iPhone or Android. Every stock is a research opportunity; active setups are the subset whose current structure qualifies. Start with the condition that put it on your list: is that growth, profitability or funding picture still what you expected?
Helmbeam is available as a free download on iOS and Android.
