TC2000 vs Trade Ideas 2026: $25 Scanner vs $254 AI
Compare TC2000 Scanner and Trade Ideas — features, pricing, pros and cons.
Fees, feature availability, and plan details come from each provider's current documentation. If you're about to act on this, confirm the specific numbers on the vendor's site first. Methodology →
At-a-Glance
Higher Rated
TC2000 Scanner (4.3)
More Affordable
Trade Ideas (Free)
TC2000 Scanner
TC2000 by Worden Brothers is a fast, US-focused stock scanner and charting platform voted best trading software by Stocks & Commodities for 25 consecutive years.
Trade Ideas
AI-powered stock scanner with Holly AI for automated trade signals, real-time alerts, and backtesting for active day traders.
Screener Head-to-Head
TC2000 is a traditional screener prioritizing speed and technical depth, while Trade Ideas pivots to AI-generated signals that automate analysis entirely. TC2000 excels at scanning 1,000 stocks in ~2 seconds and delivers 240+ technical indicators plus 129+ fundamental variables on a single chart—ideal for discretionary traders who build custom analysis. Trade Ideas shifts the model to Holly AI, offering institutional-grade signals as real-time alerts that identify opportunities without manual screening. The audience split is clear: data-heavy technicians versus convenience-seeking active traders.
TC2000's proprietary indicators (MoneyStream, Balance of Power, Time Segmented Volume) exist nowhere else, but real-time data requires adding $14.99–$34.97 monthly to the $24.99 base—hidden costs accumulate fast. Trade Ideas uses transparent pricing with a free tier and $254/month premium; its real differentiator is Holly AI compressing hours of analysis into actionable signals, letting traders skip the chart work entirely and focus on execution.
Pick TC2000 if you're a technical analyst building custom indicators, enjoy chart research, and trade US stocks exclusively—the scanning speed and indicator library justify costs despite data add-ons. Choose Trade Ideas if you're a busy day trader willing to pay for hands-off signals, prefer AI-vetted setups over raw data, or want backtesting without chart obsession. The $254/month premium stings, but Holly AI's time savings justify it for high-frequency traders. Test the free tier first.
Filter & Data Feature Breakdown
| Feature | TC2000 Scanner | Trade Ideas |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.3 | ★ 4.3 |
| Starting Price | $24.99/mo | Free |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Markets | stocks, options, etfs | stocks |
| AI Analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Backtesting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paper Trading | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price Alerts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✗ |
| API Access | ✗ | ✗ |
| Social Features | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom Indicators | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automated Trading | ✗ | ✓ |
| Trade Journaling | ✗ | ✗ |
| Performance Analytics | ✗ | ✗ |
| Risk Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| News Feed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Education Content | ✗ | ✓ |
TC2000 Scanner: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Scans thousands of stocks in seconds — among the fastest retail screeners available
- + Condition Wizard builds complex multi-condition scans without formula writing
- + 240+ technical indicators plus 129+ fundamental variables on the same chart
- + Proprietary indicators (MoneyStream, Balance of Power, TSV) unavailable elsewhere
- + Spacebar chart-flipping enables reviewing 1,000 charts in 20-30 minutes
- + Nearly four decades of stability from a profitable family-run company
Cons
- - US stocks, ETFs, and options only — no futures, forex, crypto, or international markets
- - Real-time data requires add-ons costing $14.99-$34.97/month on top of subscription
- - No public API for programmatic access or automated workflows
- - Integrated brokerage charges commissions in an era of zero-commission trading
- - Interface looks dated compared to modern web-based platforms like TradingView
Trade Ideas: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Holly AI runs millions of backtests nightly and delivers high-probability setups before market open
- + Best-in-class real-time scanning engine with 500+ data points and instant streaming alerts
- + Money Machine enables fully automated trading with built-in risk management controls
- + Stock Racing provides an intuitive visual way to spot momentum shifts instantly
- + 30+ pre-built Channel Bar templates eliminate hours of workspace configuration
- + OddsMaker backtesting lets you validate any scan strategy against historical data before risking capital
Cons
- - Premium plan at $254/month is 5x the cost of comparable TradingView or Finviz setups
- - Steep learning curve — the desktop interface feels dated and requires significant time investment to master
- - No mobile app — you are locked to desktop, which limits flexibility for traders on the go
- - Holly AI signals are shared across all Premium subscribers, creating potential crowded-trade slippage
- - Broker integration limited to Interactive Brokers (Pro only) and E*TRADE — most other brokers unsupported