Stock Valuation Calculator
Determine if a stock is overvalued or undervalued using key metrics. Based on the principle that "a $10 stock isn't 'cheap' if the company is losing money".
Starting to invest doesn’t mean you need a finance degree or a wall of monitors. It just means you need the right tools-ones that cut through the noise and show you what actually matters. For first-time investors, the biggest hurdle isn’t money. It’s knowing what to look for, how to find it, and when to act. That’s where investor toolkits come in: free and paid platforms that give you screeners, calculators, and alerts-everything you need to make smarter moves without guessing.
Why You Need a Toolkit, Not Just a Broker
Most people start investing through their brokerage-Fidelity, Robinhood, or Schwab. But those apps are built to let you buy and sell, not to help you decide what to buy. That’s like using a GPS that only tells you how to get to the store, but never says what’s on sale. A real investor toolkit gives you three things your broker won’t:- Screeners to filter thousands of stocks down to a few that match your strategy
- Calculators to see if a stock is truly cheap-or dangerously overpriced
- Alerts to notify you when something important happens, without you staring at the screen all day
Stock Screeners: Your First Filter
A stock screener is like a search engine for stocks. You set filters-like “P/E ratio under 15,” “dividend yield over 3%,” or “up 10% in a week”-and it shows you only the stocks that match. No scrolling. No guessing. Here’s what works for beginners:- Yahoo Finance: Free, simple, and built into most broker accounts. Lets you screen by market cap, price, dividend, and basic ratios. Perfect for your first 10 hours of investing.
- Finviz: The most popular free screener. Uses color-coded heat maps so you can spot hot sectors at a glance. Free version gives you 67 metrics and 15-minute delayed data. Elite version ($39.50/month) adds real-time updates and 150+ metrics.
- TradingView: More complex, but powerful. Lets you build custom screens with technical indicators like RSI or moving averages. Great if you want to learn chart patterns later.
- StockFetcher: If you’re curious about building your own filters, this is the place. It has over 125 built-in indicators. The learning curve is steeper, but Reddit users say the templates make it easy to copy and tweak.
Calculators: Don’t Guess, Calculate
You wouldn’t buy a car without checking the mileage or fuel cost. Why buy a stock without checking its value? The best beginner calculators do three things:- Calculate if a stock is overvalued or undervalued
- Show how much your investment could grow over time
- Help you size your position so you don’t risk too much
- TrendSpider’s Free P&L Calculator: Plug in a stock, your entry price, and how many shares. It shows your profit or loss at every price level. Also includes a compound return tool-great for seeing how $5,000 grows over 10 years with reinvested dividends.
- Investopedia’s Stock Calculator: Free, no sign-up needed. Lets you compare two stocks side by side. Input earnings growth, dividend yield, and P/E. It tells you which one’s cheaper based on fundamentals.
- 20Screener.in’s AI Credits: If you’re using their Premium plan ($60/year), you get ₹500 in AI credits. Type in a ticker, and it says: “This stock’s P/E is 22% higher than industry average. Here’s why that matters.”
Alerts: Set It and Forget It (Safely)
The biggest win for new investors? Not having to watch the market all day. Alerts let you get notified when something important happens:- Stock hits a price you set
- Volume spikes unexpectedly
- Dividend is announced
- Options activity surges
- StockAlert.pro: Free tier lets you set up to 50 alerts. Premium removes the limit. Users love the 21 alert types-from “RSI crossing 70” to “earnings within 3 days.” Trustpilot gives it 4.3/5. Only downside: SMS alerts require Premium.
- Market Chameleon: Best for options traders. Tracks unusual options activity-like when a stock suddenly has 10x more calls than usual. ORATS found users who followed these alerts had 37% higher returns. But it costs $99/month-too much for most beginners.
- Fidelity’s Built-In Alerts: If you already use Fidelity, use their alerts. They’re free, reliable, and sync with your portfolio. Not as customizable, but no learning curve.
Free vs. Paid: What’s Worth It?
You don’t need to pay anything to start. But you’ll outgrow free tools fast.| Tool | Free Tier? | Best For | Limitations | Price (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yahoo Finance | Yes | Basic screening, news, dividends | 15-min delay, no custom alerts | $0 |
| Finviz | Yes | Visual heat maps, easy filters | Only 67 metrics, no technical indicators | $39.50 |
| StockCharts | Yes | Charts, basic alerts | Delayed data, no CSV exports | $14.95 |
| StockAlert.pro | Yes (50 alerts) | Custom price and volume alerts | SMS alerts locked behind Premium | Undisclosed |
| 20Screener.in | No | AI explanations, mobile-friendly | Only for Indian markets | $60 |
| TradingView | Yes | Advanced charts, custom scripts | Complex for beginners | $14.95+ |
What Most Beginners Get Wrong
Here’s what goes wrong-and how to avoid it:- Trying too many tools: 68% of beginners use 4+ platforms at once, according to the CFA Institute. That’s like having 5 GPS apps open. Pick one screener, one calculator, one alert system. Master them.
- Ignoring data delays: A 15-minute delay sounds harmless. But if a stock jumps 8% in 10 minutes, you’ll miss it. Don’t use free tools for day trading.
- Chasing hot stocks: Screeners show you what’s moving. But moving doesn’t mean good. Always check fundamentals. A stock up 50% in a week could be a trap.
- Not tracking results: Write down why you bought a stock. Then check back in 30 days. Did the reason still hold? This is how you learn.
Where to Go Next
Once you’ve got your toolkit working:- Use your screener to find 3 stocks you don’t know. Research them for 15 minutes each.
- Set up one alert for a dividend-paying stock you like.
- Run your portfolio through a calculator. What’s your projected return in 5 years?
What’s the best free stock screener for beginners?
Yahoo Finance is the best free option for beginners. It’s simple, integrates with most broker accounts, and lets you screen by basic metrics like P/E ratio, dividend yield, and market cap. You don’t need to sign up or pay anything. It’s perfect for learning how screeners work before moving to more advanced tools like Finviz or TradingView.
Do I need to pay for an investor toolkit?
No, you don’t need to pay to start. Most free tools-like Yahoo Finance, Finviz’s free tier, and StockAlert.pro’s basic alerts-are enough for your first year. Pay only when you’re ready to go deeper: if you’re using screeners daily, want real-time data, or need advanced alerts. Upgrading is a sign you’ve outgrown free tools, not a requirement to succeed.
Can I use these tools on my phone?
Yes. All major platforms-Finviz, TradingView, StockAlert.pro, and Yahoo Finance-have mobile apps that work just like the web versions. 20Screener.in even built its Premium plan around mobile use. You can screen, set alerts, and check calculators from your phone. Just make sure you’re not constantly checking your portfolio. Use alerts to notify you, not your eyes.
What’s the biggest mistake new investors make with screeners?
They treat the results like a buy list. Screeners show you what fits your filters-not what’s a good investment. A stock with a low P/E might be cheap because the company is failing. Always dig deeper. Use the calculator to check cash flow. Read the news. Don’t trust the screen alone.
How many alerts should I set up?
Start with three: one for a price target, one for earnings date, and one for dividend payout. Too many alerts create noise. You’ll start ignoring them. Quality over quantity. If you’re getting more than 5 alerts a week, you’re overdoing it. Trim them down until you’re only getting notifications that matter to your strategy.
Are these tools safe to use?
Yes. All major platforms-Finviz, Yahoo Finance, TradingView-are secure and don’t require you to link your brokerage account. They’re information tools, not trading platforms. Your money stays in your broker. The toolkit just helps you decide what to do. Just avoid sites asking for your login details or bank info. Those are scams.
Final Tip: Use Your Toolkit Like a Journal
The real power of these tools isn’t in the numbers. It’s in what you learn over time. Keep a simple log:- Which screener filter did you use?
- Why did you pick that stock?
- What alert triggered your action?
- Did the outcome match your expectation?
Graeme C
November 25, 2025 AT 21:08Yahoo Finance is fine for starters, but if you're serious, Finviz is non-negotiable. The heat maps alone save me hours. I used to scroll through 200 stocks manually-now I filter by P/E under 15, dividend yield over 3%, and volume above 500k. Done in 90 seconds. And yes, the 15-minute delay is annoying, but for swing trading? Still usable. Just don't try to scalp with it.
Also, stop using StockFetcher unless you enjoy reading SQL-like syntax. Reddit’s templates help, but you’re better off learning Finviz first. Simple beats clever when you’re starting out.
Astha Mishra
November 26, 2025 AT 15:50It is truly remarkable how the modern investor, even without formal training, can now access tools that were once the exclusive domain of institutional analysts. I recall, in my early twenties, having to wait for the morning paper to see stock quotes-now, with a single tap, we can dissect a company’s financials, compare it across sectors, and even simulate long-term growth with AI-driven projections.
Yet, I worry that convenience is breeding complacency. We are becoming adept at using screeners, yet less adept at understanding *why* a company’s free cash flow matters more than its P/E ratio. The calculators give us numbers, but they do not teach us wisdom.
I urge every beginner: do not let the tools become your mind. Let them be your compass. Always return to the fundamentals-the balance sheet, the management’s letter, the industry’s headwinds. The numbers are silent; it is you who must give them meaning.
Kenny McMiller
November 27, 2025 AT 01:49Bro, TradingView is the only real tool. Finviz is cute for beginners, but once you start looking at volume profiles, VWAP, and OBV divergence, you realize Yahoo Finance is just a glorified RSS feed.
Also, StockAlert.pro’s free tier is trash-50 alerts? That’s like giving someone a Ferrari and saying ‘only use it on Sundays.’ Upgrade to Pro at $15/mo. You’ll thank me when you catch a 12% pump from an earnings surprise you didn’t even have to watch.
And no, 20Screener.in doesn’t count if you’re not trading Indian stocks. Stop pretending it’s global. It’s not. It’s a niche tool for a niche market. Don’t waste your time.
Dave McPherson
November 27, 2025 AT 15:49Let’s be real-90% of these ‘beginner tools’ are just glorified Excel sheets with a pretty UI. You think Finviz makes you smart? Nah. You’re just better at clicking buttons than the guy who’s still using Robinhood’s ‘Trending’ tab.
And don’t get me started on ‘AI credits’ from 20Screener.in. That’s not AI-that’s a junior analyst in Bangalore typing ‘this stock looks expensive’ into a template. You’re paying $60/year for a chatbot that says ‘P/E is 22% higher than industry’ like it’s a revelation.
Real investors don’t need alerts. They read 10-Ks. They track insider buying. They know that a ‘dividend yield over 3%’ could be a value trap if the company’s debt-to-equity is 3.5. But sure, keep your 3 alerts. It’s cute.
RAHUL KUSHWAHA
November 27, 2025 AT 16:08Start with Yahoo Finance. Simple. No stress. 😊
One alert. One screener. That's enough. I did it. Took 6 months. Now I understand. No need for fancy tools yet.