Stack builder
Build Your Trading Tool Stack and See the Real Monthly Cost
Pick the tools behind your routine, see what each one costs, and find out what stays manual. Start from an educator's stack, a budget, or a blank page.
How Do You Want to Start?
- Scanner not covered
- Catalysts not covered
- Charts not covered
- Level not covered
- Execution not covered
- Journal not covered
- AI not covered
- Gear not covered
Scanner and Discovery
Not covered yet
Catalysts and News
Not covered yet
Charts
Not covered yet
Level 2 and Tape
Not covered yet
Execution
Not covered yet
Journal and Review
Not covered yet
AI Assist
Not covered yet
Gear
Not covered yet
The Stack Builder by the Numbers
Most-listed tool
thinkorswim
On 4 of 13 educator pages
Tools compared
42
Across all 13 educator pages
Widest-coverage stack, lowest cost
$20/mo
SMB Capital AI Prep, 7 of 7 software tasks
AI tools in the catalog
15
Tagged AI in our data
Counted from our research files when the site is built.
The Stack at a Glance
Scanner and Discovery
7 tools
Free option
Paid from $39.50/mo
Catalysts and News
6 tools
Free option
Paid from $37/mo
Charts
10 tools
Free option
Paid from $7/mo
Level 2 and Tape
4 tools
Free option
Paid from $4.50/mo
Execution
3 tools
Free option
Paid from $1.55/mo
Journal and Review
3 tools
Free option
Paid from $19.99/mo
AI Assist
9 tools
Free option
Paid from $20/mo
Gear
52 tools
Under $100
Cost Ladder
| Task | Tools | Entry cost |
|---|---|---|
| Scanner and Discovery | 7 | Free optionPaid from $39.50/mo |
| Catalysts and News | 6 | Free optionPaid from $37/mo |
| Charts | 10 | Free optionPaid from $7/mo |
| Level 2 and Tape | 4 | Free optionPaid from $4.50/mo |
| Execution | 3 | Free optionPaid from $1.55/mo |
| Journal and Review | 3 | Free optionPaid from $19.99/mo |
| AI Assist | 9 | Free optionPaid from $20/mo |
| Gear | 52 | Under $100 |
| Educator and stack | Monthly | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| Adam KhooFree Start | $0/mo | |
| AI PathwaysLowest-cost Research and Review | $0/mo | |
| Financial WisdomFree Start | $0/mo | |
| Investor's Business Daily (CAN SLIM)Free Start | $0/mo | |
| Live TradersFree Start | $0/mo | |
| Rayner TeoFree Start | $0/mo | |
| Ricky GutierrezFree Start | $0/mo | |
| Ross CameronFree Start | $0/mo | |
| SMB CapitalFree Start | $0/mo | |
| TraderTV LiveFree Start | $0/mo | |
| ZipTraderFree Start | $0/mo | |
| The RumersLowest-Cost Futures | $1.55/mo | |
| Adam KhooAI Research | $20/mo | |
| AI PathwaysAI-Assisted Research | $20/mo | |
| Financial WisdomAI Weekend Review | $20/mo | |
| Live TradersAI Plan and Review | $20/mo | |
| Rayner TeoAI System Review | $20/mo | |
| Ricky GutierrezAI Plan and Review | $20/mo | |
| Ross CameronAI Review | $20/mo | |
| SMB CapitalAI Prep | $20/mo | |
| TraderTV LiveAI Prep | $20/mo | |
| ZipTraderAI Swing Plan | $20/mo | |
| Humbled TraderLean Start | $21/mo | |
| The RumersAI Review | $21.55/mo | |
| Live TradersAutomatic Journal | $39.99/mo | |
| AI PathwaysAI Full Stack: The full builder stack | Known subtotal$41.95/moincomplete | |
| AI PathwaysAI Full Stack: Brendan's style, rebuilt for non-coders | $49.99/mo | |
| AI PathwaysJournal and Research Convenience | $49.99/mo | |
| The RumersChart and Journal Convenience | $51.94/mo | |
| Ricky GutierrezWebull Level 2 and Review | $52.97/mo | |
| ZipTraderWebull Data and Review | $52.97/mo | |
| Rayner TeoAI Full Stack | $54.94/mo | |
| Rayner TeoCharts and Review | $54.94/mo | |
| ZipTraderAI Full Stack | $54.94/mo | |
| Investor's Business Daily (CAN SLIM)AI Research | $59.50/mo | |
| Humbled TraderAI Prep and Review | $61/mo | |
| Adam KhooHis Course Toolkit, Today | $64.49/mo | |
| The RumersAI Full Stack | $71.94/mo | |
| Financial WisdomWeekly Breakout Desk | $74.44/mo | |
| Live TradersAI Full Stack | $76.99/mo | |
| Investor's Business Daily (CAN SLIM)AI Full Stack | $79.49/mo | |
| Ricky GutierrezAI Full Stack | $91.94/mo | |
| Adam KhooAI Full Stack | $94.44/mo | |
| Financial WisdomAI Full Stack | $94.44/mo | |
| Humbled TraderPaid Scanning and Review | $167.99/mo | |
| TraderTV LiveScanner and Level 2 | $167.99/mo | |
| Investor's Business Daily (CAN SLIM)IBD Research | $169.94/mo | |
| SMB CapitalFewer Steps | $176.99/mo | |
| Ross CameronFewer Steps | $239.97/mo | |
| SMB CapitalAI Full Stack | $303.99/mo | |
| Humbled TraderAI Full Stack | $313.99/mo | |
| TraderTV LiveAI Full Stack | $330.99/mo | |
| Ross CameronAI Full Stack | $340.99/mo |
Stack Builder Questions
How much does a day trading tool stack cost?
The stacks on this site run from $0 a month, using free tools plus the platform an eligible broker account includes, to $340.99 a month for the AI Full Stack we built from Ross Cameron's routine. Broker commissions, exchange fees, and hardware are separate.
What is the cheapest way to get a scanner, news, and a journal?
Free tools can cover all three with tradeoffs: thinkorswim (eligible Schwab account) or Finviz Free (quotes delayed) for scanning, SEC EDGAR for primary-source catalysts plus Tenji for AI catalyst research (updated a few times a day, not live), and LibreOffice Calc or TradesViz Basic for a journal. You give up speed and automation, so more of the work stays manual.
Do I need paid Level 2 data?
Only if your routine reads the order book. Many brokers include Level 2 for eligible accounts. If yours does not, add-ons like Webull Nasdaq TotalView + NBBO ($12.98/mo) or IBKR Nasdaq TotalView ($16.50/mo) cover it. Swing and position traders often skip it.
Can AI replace a stock scanner?
Not for live scanning. AI assistants like Claude Pro help with research, catalyst summaries, and trade review, but they do not stream real-time market data. Scanners such as Trade Ideas and Day Trade Dash do that job, and Trade Ideas Premium adds AI signals and backtesting on top of its live scanner.
Which tools do trading educators use most?
Across the 13 educators we documented, thinkorswim, TradingView, and Claude Pro appear most often.