Day Trading
SMB Capital's traders teach several distinct playbooks, from opening momentum and intraday mean reversion to multi-day relative-strength breakouts and systematic strategy testing. Here is the stack each trader shows publicly, and the tools that can do the same jobs.
Official SMB Capital channel, joined YouTube June 26, 2008. An organizational channel with several desk traders and guests, not one trading record. Channel https://www.youtube.com/@smbcapital · official site https://smbtraining.com
Some lessons on this page come from SMB presenters who are not identified by name in the source video. We label those as presenter not identified.
Subscribers
767K subscribers · 2026
Public statement, not verified
A New York proprietary trading firm founded in 2005 by Mike Bellafiore and Steve Spencer (company statement, not independently verified).
Entity
organization
Channel joined 2008
Subscribers
767K
Channel views
88.3M
Videos
2,561
On YouTube since
2008
Avg views per video
about 34,500
Stack range
$0 to $176/mo
Did you know?
SMB's Jeff Holden grades each setup from A+ to D before deciding how much of the day's risk it gets.
Avg views per video is total channel views divided by public video count, the channel average. Stack range runs from the Free Start bundle to the priciest bundle. All figures 2026.
Market focus
Holding period
Preferred conditions
The stock opens above the previous close and the previous day's high, with a catalyst, room to resistance, and a supportive market.
The 2.5% to 5% figure in the video is the stop's distance on the stock price, not a percentage of the account. Account risk percentage is not publicly detailed. More sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAAIzHsKsYM&t=400s · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAAIzHsKsYM&t=641s
A stock that holds up through several days of market weakness, near a 52-week or all-time high, with the 10 SMA above a rising 20 SMA.
Strength puts a stock on the watchlist; it is not a buy signal. A nearby event can disqualify the chart. The example management is not a universal rule. More sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7F9yIf8CeE&t=520s · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7F9yIf8CeE&t=766s
Price stretched away from VWAP or the 9 EMA into identifiable support or resistance.
A fixed account percentage and a universal ATR multiple are not publicly detailed. The video uses both stock and option examples. More sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHtOexL3jtw&t=323s · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHtOexL3jtw&t=1047s
Starts from a stock gapping above 3% on positive news. Not every gap is a fade.
Exact stop distance and position size are not publicly detailed. More source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-n_-xQfUQ&t=2050s
These are portions of a daily risk budget set in advance, not portions of account equity. They describe an advanced desk framework, not a budget we suggest for readers. C grade source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-n_-xQfUQ&t=2534s
STEP 01
Previous evening or week · presenter not identified, 2026
Keep the setup playbook and the event calendar current; flag multi-day strength names before a breakout.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 02
Premarket · Lance Breitstein, 2022
7:30 wake; 8:00 walk and news; about 8:30 earnings, IPOs, macro, and watchlist; around 9:00 grade his own readiness.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 03
Premarket AI briefing · presenter not identified, 2026
A scheduled task reads research emails and writes the morning rundown. The demo shows an existing task set for 8:00 a.m. and proposes 8:30 a.m. for the new example; neither is an SMB-wide time.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 04
9:30 open, first 30 to 60 minutes · presenter not identified, 2026
Apply the chosen playbook's trigger, not the gap alone; record the trade and its invalidation.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 05
Midday · Lance Breitstein, 2022
As activity quiets, use alerts, news, and scanners; take breaks and check readiness; lunch around noon.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 06
Close and after · Lance Breitstein, 2022
Stay through 4:15 if relevant; about 4:30 trim highlight clips and collect charts; then exercise, personal time, and study.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 07
Daily review · Brett Steenbarger, 2020
Grade idea, execution, and self-management separately.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 08
Monthly review · Trader Max, 2020
Review the month's records for setup, timing, liquidity, and mental-state patterns; set training priorities.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
STEP 09
Strategy research · Dave Mabe, 2026
Claude Code edits, the engine runs, the output is inspected; version control and smoke tests come before larger runs.
As taught by SMB Capital · Source
The Full Stack
Their pick on the left. Same job, different tool on the right. Prices sit side by side so you can do the math.
Scanner recipe
A single desk-wide price, float, or relative volume scan was not found in SMB's public videos. Below are the selection criteria their traders describe, each tied to the speaker.
The volume figures are teaching examples, not established SMB filter cutoffs. Market cap, float, and price thresholds are not publicly detailed. SMB Scalp Radar's full configuration is not public.▶ 14:34
Load this recipe into
Their pick
$6,000 displayed offer
Offer page describes lifetime access to training videos and community. A monthly scanner price is not published.
Source video: presenter not identified. Also seen: Garrett ran his chart grid and custom ETF display in thinkorswim in 2022 (HISTORICAL 2022).
Why they use it. SMB's detector for proprietary scalp candidates, marketed across five setup families.
Same job, different tool
$0 for eligible Schwab clients
Replaces. Scanning and alerts for unusual stock activity
What you give up. The proprietary five-setup detector, SMB cheat sheets and community, and exact alert timing are not reproduced
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$127/mo or $1,068/yr ($89/mo equivalent)
Replaces. Custom real-time scans, screeners, and price alerts
What you give up. Different setup algorithms; no SMB training or live coaching; AI signals and backtesting require Premium
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$254/mo or $2,136/yr ($178/mo equivalent)
Replaces. Real-time discovery plus strategy testing
What you give up. Different setup algorithms; no SMB training or live coaching; broker integration and auto trading need a supported account and configuration
What the AI actually does. Adds AI signals and backtesting on top of the real-time scanner
Affiliate link
Keeping Scalp Radar makes sense if you want SMB's own setup detector together with its training and community. Software alternatives can scan and alert, but none of them includes a prop desk's training or coaching.
Their pick
Not public
Why they use it. Garrett links symbol selection to the news and tape view, so the reason a stock is moving sits next to the tape.
Jeff Holden, 2026. Rate the catalyst's magnitude and speed first, then grade the setup and the trade's confirmation. A strong catalyst grade alone does not grant entry. Source
Same job, different tool
$0
Replaces. Confirming the catalyst from the primary source
What you give up. Manual lookup; no audio squawk or wire-speed match
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$20/mo or $200/yr
Replaces. A manual first pass through newsletters and research emails, when the sources are accessible
What you give up. Does not replace the underlying research subscriptions or a live news wire; same subscription as the AI Assist layer, so it counts once
What the AI actually does. Reads your connected research emails and writes one dated, source-cited morning summary with a searchable archive
Affiliate link
Their pick
Not public
Sources: presenter not identified, 2026 · Jeff Holden, 2026 · Garrett's trading and tape screen, 2022. SMB's exact platform and data vendors are not public.
Why they use it. Depth and tape give execution context next to the two-minute, 9 EMA, and VWAP charts the playbooks use.
Same job, different tool
$0 for eligible Schwab clients
Replaces. Level 2 and time and sales with native charts
What you give up. Depth comes through your Schwab account only; account and data agreements apply, and professional status or certain exchanges can add fees
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$0 increment if your current equipment works
Replaces. Keeping tape, chart, news, and watchlist visible together
What you give up. Fewer simultaneous views; hardware speed was not tested
Layout idea source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44j62q7cBqY&t=96s
Their pick
Not public
Source video: presenter not identified. SMB's common desk broker is not public in the reviewed videos.
Why they use it. At the open, the trader applies the playbook trigger, not just the gap, and records the trade and its invalidation.
Same job, different tool
$0 platform for eligible Schwab clients
Replaces. Charts, alerts, and order entry in one platform
What you give up. Broker transaction fees remain separate; it does not connect to another broker
Affiliate link
Keep the broker that gives you the routing and short access your strategy needs.
Their pick
Not public
Lance Breitstein, 2022. A standard SMB journal field list or paid journal app was not found in the public videos.
Why they use it. Lance collects short trade clips and chart screenshots into a daily report card.
Same job, different tool
Journal replacement after you check one imported day against your broker
Basic $0 / Pro $19.99/mo / Platinum $29.99/mo
Pro $179/yr, Platinum $269.88/yr billed annually
Replaces. Tags, charts, and performance breakdowns for daily and monthly review
What you give up. Does not reproduce a prop desk's private blotter or a human coach; Basic is stocks only, capped at 3,000 executions a month
What the AI actually does. AI Coach and review summaries on paid plans
Same job, different tool
$0
Replaces. Daily grades for idea, execution, and readiness, plus the setup playbook
What you give up. Everything is manual; this is a FullStack Alpha layout of the concepts, not an official SMB template
Affiliate link
Keep the desk's own review process if you have access to it. A journal app organizes the records; it does not replace a coach reviewing your decisions with you.
Their pick
Claude Pro $20/mo or $200/yr
Cowork access on paid plans, subject to plan limits. Demonstration.
Source video: presenter not identified, 2026. Current Claude documentation says new cloud tasks can run while your computer is off. Tasks that need local files work differently. This differs from the April 2026 video.
Why they use it. Reads subscribed research emails and builds a dated briefing on macro, events, earnings, movers, and themes, with an HTML archive.
Affiliate link
Their pick
Claude Pro $20/mo or $200/yr; engine licenses in the sidebar below
Dave Mabe, 2026. This is Dave Mabe's workflow as a guest. It does not show that every SMB trader uses AmiBroker.
Why they use it. Claude Code edits strategy code, the engine computes the results, and the output is inspected, with version control and smoke tests before larger runs.
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$20/mo (no annual discount verified)
Replaces. The coding assistant role
What you give up. API use is billed separately; the subscription is not unlimited API credits
What the AI actually does. Codex can assist with writing and revising strategy code
Affiliate link
Same job, different tool
$0 software
Replaces. Repeatable historical calculations in place of a licensed engine
What you give up. Coding required; you supply the scripts, data-quality checks, and historical data
Affiliate link
Claude already is their pick here. The AI drafts and organizes; a deterministic engine or journal must compute the numbers.
Prices are subject to change fast, like AI technology.
Garrett's four logical screens: trading and tape, multiple timeframes, a watchlist chart grid, and a spare screen for current studies or market internals
Four logical screens, not verified monitor models. Exact PC, monitor, desk, and chair models are not public. A dated snapshot from their videos. You do not need this setup to use the strategy.
SMB did not give a beginner hardware list in the reviewed videos. These slots are FullStack Alpha's suggestion: the four logical screens can live as linked panels on fewer monitors.▶ 1:36
Lenovo LOQ 15.6", Ryzen 7 250, RTX 5060, 16GB, 512GB
$1,000 to $2,000
Affiliate link
Dell 27 Plus QHD S2725DSM (x2)
$100 to $250
Affiliate link
HUANUO FlowLift Dual
Under $100
Affiliate link
Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
$100 to $250
Affiliate link
CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
$100 to $250
Affiliate link
Prices change daily on Amazon. Check each item's current price. Compare more in the Gear Lab
Ready-made stacks
The AI Full Stack
One-time. Day Trader Core desk $700 to $800 + computer $1,000 to $2,000. Check current prices on Amazon. Gear Lab
Trade Ideas PremiumAI signals and backtesting for discovery$254/mo
Claude ProAI morning research briefing, written review, and strategy code help; one subscription across catalysts and AI Assist$20/mo
TradesViz PlatinumAI trade review$29.99/mo
thinkorswimLevel 2, charts, and execution for eligible Schwab clients; no AIFree$303.99/mo month to month
$2,605.88/yr
Broker fees, exchange fees, research subscriptions read by the briefing, and backtest data are separate. Keep your broker.
Built by FullStack Alpha from SMB Capital's public videos. Not used or endorsed by SMB Capital or its traders.
Known subtotal: $2,605.88/yr ($217.16/mo equivalent). TradesViz Platinum annual is $22.49/mo billed yearly ($269.88).
$0/mo
thinkorswim$0
SEC EDGAR$0
LibreOffice Calc$0Stays manual. Preparation, catalyst research, and review
Does not include Scalp Radar or prop-desk resources. Requires an eligible non-professional Schwab account.
$20/mo
Or $200/yr ($16.67/mo equivalent) $200/yr ($16.67/mo equivalent)
thinkorswim$0SEC EDGAR$0LibreOffice Calc$0Claude Pro$20Stays manual. Grading the catalyst, confirming the setup, and execution
Research subscriptions the briefing reads stay extra if you use them.
$176.99/mo
Annual comparison $1,537.88/yr ($128.16/mo equivalent) $1,537.88/yr ($128.16/mo equivalent)
thinkorswim$0Trade Ideas Standard$127Claude Pro$20TradesViz Platinum$29.99Stays manual. Grading the catalyst, judging structure, setting risk, and execution decisions
Different scanner signals from Scalp Radar; SMB training and coaching are not included.
Totals cover software and selected data only. Commissions, exchange fees, hardware, research subscriptions, and taxes are not included. TradesViz annual pricing is the current advertised offer. Prices checked 2026.
In the public videos we reviewed, SMB Capital trades with Broker order entry (vendor not public) (used in 2026; Not public). At the open, the trader applies the playbook trigger, not just the gap, and records the trade and its invalidation.
Same job, different tool: thinkorswim (Charles Schwab) at $0 platform for eligible Schwab clients.
For scanning, SMB Capital uses SMB Scalp Radar (promoted in 2026; $6,000 displayed offer). SMB's detector for proprietary scalp candidates, marketed across five setup families. Same job, different tool: thinkorswim Stock Hacker scans and alerts at $0 for eligible Schwab clients.
The software stacks on this page run $0 to $176/mo. The cheapest, Free Start, is thinkorswim (charts, scans, alerts, execution) + SEC EDGAR and company IR pages + LibreOffice Calc DRC and playbook. Our pick, AI Prep, is Free Start + Claude Pro (email research digest, report archive, and written review). Commissions, exchange fees, and hardware are separate. Prices checked 2026.
Yes. SMB Capital uses Claude Cowork + Gmail connector (premarket research briefing) (used in 2026; Claude Pro $20/mo or $200/yr); Claude Code with a dedicated backtest engine (AmiBroker, RealTest, or the internal Kite) (used in 2026; Claude Pro $20/mo or $200/yr; engine licenses in the sidebar below).
Reads subscribed research emails and builds a dated briefing on macro, events, earnings, movers, and themes, with an HTML archive.
19:58 · 2026
SMB Capital's opening momentum playbook runs on the two-minute chart: trim near resistance or an ATR extension, and exit the runner on the first two-minute close below the 9 EMA. Trade the trigger, not the gap, and read the 2.5% to 5% stop as price distance.
Watch on YouTube17:33 · 2026
SMB Capital flags stocks with multi-day relative strength and waits for a breakout, with the example stop below the entry-day low and a trail on the five- or ten-day average. Strength earns a watchlist spot, not a buy, and a nearby event can disqualify the chart.
Watch on YouTube18:03 · 2022
Lance Breitstein walks through his day: a walk and news at 8:00, earnings, IPOs, macro, and the watchlist around 8:30, then a grade of his own readiness near 9:00. After the close he trims highlight clips and collects charts into a daily report card.
Watch on YouTube44:50 · 2020
Brett Steenbarger grades each day on three separate scores, idea quality, execution, and self-management, then picks one process fix. Trader Max adds a monthly review of setup, symbol, time-of-day, and mental-state patterns that sets next month's goals.
Watch on YouTube44:36 · 2026
Jeff Holden grades the catalyst's size and speed first, then the setup and confirmation, and each grade gets a share of a preset daily stop, from 80% for A+ to zero for D. A great catalyst alone never earns an entry, and this is a pro desk budget.
Watch on YouTube48:16 · 2026
Dave Mabe, a guest who says he has traded systematically since 2005, uses Claude Code to edit strategy code while a backtest engine computes the results. He inspects each output and adds version control and smoke tests before any larger run.
Watch on YouTube24:33 · 2026
Jeff Holden pairs support and resistance with liquidity, entering on evidence of reversal and placing the stop beyond the setup's structural failure point. The target is a move back to VWAP with partials in thirds, though no fixed account risk or ATR multiple is given.
Watch on YouTube36:45 · 2026
SMB Capital lays out its Stocks in Play criteria and shows SMB Scalp Radar, its detector for scalp candidates marketed across five setup families. The volume figures are teaching examples, not fixed cutoffs, and market cap, float, and price thresholds are not spelled out.
Watch on YouTube93:39 · 2026
Jeff Holden teaches fading a failed opening move with defined structure, managed with measured moves and partial exits. Either a price failure or a time clock invalidates the trade, though exact stop distance and position size are not spelled out.
Watch on YouTube19:32 · 2022
Garrett splits his workspace into four logical screens: trading and tape, multiple timeframes, a watchlist chart grid, and a spare for studies or market internals. Keeping news next to the tape shows why a stock moves, and the four views can live as linked panels on fewer monitors.
Watch on YouTube17:54 · 2026
SMB Capital demos a scheduled Claude task that reads research emails and writes a morning briefing on macro, events, earnings, movers, and themes, saved to an HTML archive. Scheduling rules have changed since the April 2026 video, so check current Claude docs before copying it.
Watch on YouTubeVideo titles are the creator's own wording.
Watch the foundation lesson
Start with "The Only Opening Momentum Strategy I'd Trade" before the advanced material. Open on YouTube
Write the setups down
Copy the 5 setup cards on this page into your own words: conditions, entry, exit, risk.
Build the Free Start stack
thinkorswim (charts, scans, alerts, execution) + SEC EDGAR and company IR pages + LibreOffice Calc DRC and playbook. Learn the process before you pay for speed. Load it in the Stack Builder
Log 20 trades or paper trades
Journal every one, including the bad ones. Your journal, not a video, decides what works for you.
Upgrade to AI Prep
Free Start + Claude Pro (email research digest, report archive, and written review). Add paid tools one layer at a time, starting with the job your journal says costs you most. Load it in the Stack Builder
A FullStack Alpha study order built from SMB Capital's public lessons. Process beats prediction: master one layer before you pay for the next.
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