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Trade Ideas Review
An AI-assisted stock scanning and idea-generation tool (featuring 'Holly' AI) aimed at active US day traders. Powerful, pricey, and not a signal guarantee.
Best for
- Active US day traders
- Real-time scanning
- Idea generation
Not best for
- You're a long-term investor
- You want a cheap tool
- You expect guaranteed signals
Our verdict & scoring
Trade Ideas is a real-time scanning and idea-generation platform for active US traders, best known for its 'Holly' AI that surfaces potential setups. It's powerful for discovering opportunities intraday, but it's a subscription tool and — like all AI aids — its suggestions are not guaranteed outcomes.
Scores are based on our review methodology. Affiliate relationships do not buy higher ratings.
Who should actually use Trade Ideas
Trade Ideas is for active US day traders whose bottleneck is finding setups: real-time scanning across US stocks and ETFs, with the 'Holly' AI surfacing candidate trades intraday and a built-in simulated-trading mode to test them. If you day trade US equities and can absorb the subscription cost, it's one of the most powerful discovery engines available. Long-term investors, budget-conscious traders and anyone expecting guaranteed signals should stay away.
What we'd change
It's expensive — the AI features sit in the premium tier — and the learning curve is steep before the scanners pay for themselves. The free plan is very limited, real-time data has its own considerations, and the essential caveat applies doubly here: Holly's suggestions are idea generation, not an edge guarantee.
How it compares to TrendSpider
Two different kinds of AI assistance. Trade Ideas is discovery — real-time scanning and AI-surfaced setups for intraday US equities; TrendSpider is analysis — automated trendlines, pattern detection and no-code backtesting across stocks, crypto, forex and futures. Day traders hunting fresh setups lean Trade Ideas; technical traders systematising their charting lean TrendSpider. Both are subscription aids, not brokers or signal guarantees.
Pros
- Powerful real-time scanning
- AI-assisted idea generation
- Simulated trading built in
Cons
- Expensive
- Steep learning curve
- Not a guaranteed edge
Fees & hidden costs explained
Subscription tiers (higher tiers add Holly AI and more scanning); only a limited free plan.
Safety, regulation & availability
Scanning/analysis software, not a broker. AI features are aids, not investment advice or guaranteed outcomes.
Account protection: Not a broker — holds no client funds.
Available to retail traders in:
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Frequently asked questions
What is Holly AI?
Trade Ideas' AI engine that scans in real time and surfaces potential trade setups intraday. It's available on the higher subscription tier — and its suggestions are aids, not guaranteed outcomes.
Is Trade Ideas free?
There's only a limited free plan. The real capabilities — including Holly AI and full scanning — require a paid subscription, and it's one of the pricier tools we cover.
Is Trade Ideas a broker?
No — it's scanning/analysis software. It doesn't execute real trades or hold funds, though a simulated-trading mode is built in for testing ideas.
What markets does Trade Ideas cover?
US stocks and ETFs — it's built for intraday US-equity scanning.
Is Trade Ideas worth it for long-term investors?
No — it's designed for active day trading. Long-term investors get far more value from research platforms than from real-time scanners.
Official sources
Risk warning: Trading stocks, options, futures, forex, crypto, CFDs and funded accounts involves risk. You can lose money. This website is educational only and does not provide financial, investment, tax or legal advice.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you click some links on our site. This does not cost you extra. Our comparisons are educational and transparent, and our rankings are not affected by commissions.