> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://finpins.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Seeking Alpha Stock Screener - URL: https://finpins.ghost.io/seeking-alpha-stock-screener/ - Published: 2026-10-16T01:55:37.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T22:29:43.000Z - Description: How to get useful idea lists from Seeking Alpha's rating-based screener, with sample setups, a monthly routine and honest limits. - Author: Kenneth Wagner - Tags: Seeking Alpha, ScreenerPremium Try Seeking Alpha Premium free for 7 days $269 for your first year through this link (regular $299/yr) [Start My Free 7-Day Trial →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4G6SHH/) Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. *Disclosure: FinPins may earn a commission if you buy through links in this post, at no extra cost to you. FinPins is independent and not endorsed by Seeking Alpha. This is not investment advice.* Traditional screeners are blank forms. You choose a price-to-earnings ceiling, a margin floor and a growth threshold, then hope you picked sensible numbers for every industry. Seeking Alpha's screener works differently. It lets you filter on scores the platform has already calculated, such as quant ratings, factor grades, dividend grades and the opinions of its contributors and Wall Street analysts. That changes how quickly you can go from a vague idea to a short research list. According to the firm's knowledge base, this rating-based screener is reserved for paying members. Premium lists at $299 a year; through our partner [Premium link](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4G6SHH/) the opening year costs $269, and newcomers get seven days free. Run your first screen at no cost A free week, then $269 for twelve months if you keep it. [Start screening →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4G6SHH/) ## Where to find it and how to begin The knowledge base describes the path. Pick "Stock Screener" in the left-hand menu, then "Create New Screen". Decide what to rank by: the views of Seeking Alpha authors, the views of sell-side analysts, or the objective quant model. You can also narrow the universe by country, sector or industry. "Advanced Filters" then lets you tighten things further. When you are happy, save the screen and give it a name; saved screens appear under "My Screens", where a bin icon removes them. A collection of preset screens is provided for anyone who wants a starting point, and a separate ETF screener exists too. ## Filter families - Ratings: quant, author and Wall Street. - Quant factor grades: value, growth, profitability, momentum and EPS revisions. - Dividend grades: safety, growth, yield and consistency. - Trading measures. - Earnings data. - Company attributes such as sector and country. ## Why pre-computed grades save time Each grade already compares a company with its sector. So "profitability A- or better" means strongly profitable versus direct peers, without you needing separate margin thresholds for banks, software and retailers. The firm pitches the tool as a fast way to surface stocks and REITs with the best ratings and grades, and that is a fair description. ## Five setups worth saving **Reasonably priced quality.** Quant Buy or Strong Buy, profitability A- or better, value C or better. Strong businesses without the richest valuations. **Dependable income.** Dividend safety B+ or better, consistency B or better, restricted to one sector. Pair it with our [dividend grades guide](https://finpins.ghost.io/seeking-alpha-dividend-grades/). **Upward estimate trend.** EPS revisions A or better with momentum B or better. Companies where analysts keep raising forecasts and the share price is following. **Agreement across camps.** Quant Strong Buy plus author rating Buy or better. Useful when you want human and model views aligned. **Undervalued growers.** Growth B+ or better and value B or better. A classic hunting ground for long-term investors. ## A monthly rhythm Once a month, open each saved screen and look only at names that are new since last time. For each, check whether the quant rating has been stable for weeks or flipped recently, note its weakest factor grade and skim the most recent analysis. Anything you cannot justify in a sentence goes. Survivors go on a watchlist so news and rating changes reach you. This keeps the tool as an idea generator rather than a trigger for impulsive trades. ## Common errors - Stacking eight filters and getting zero results, or results from just one industry. - Screening on high yield alone without a safety filter. - Rerunning screens daily, which encourages churning as grades shift with new data. - Treating a result as a buy list rather than a research list. Unlock the rating filters Partner price: $269 in year one, renewing at $299 list. [Get the offer →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4G6SHH/) ## Versus free tools Free numeric screeners such as Finviz's free tier are excellent at fast filters and market maps. Seeking Alpha's strength is what happens after the screen: every result links directly to its grades, contributor arguments and call transcripts. If raw numbers are enough for you, stay free. If you want rating-based filters and immediate follow-up research in one place, the paid tool fits better. Comparisons: [Seeking Alpha vs Finviz](https://finpins.ghost.io/seeking-alpha-vs-finviz/) and [free alternatives](https://finpins.ghost.io/seeking-alpha-free-alternatives/). ## Limits The results inherit the assumptions of the platform's own rating system, and they change as the underlying data changes. A company passing today may fail next week. Nothing produced by the screener is personal advice, and the firm is not a licensed adviser. ## Who benefits most Investors who have cash ready but lack ideas; income investors who want safety checks automated; and anyone who already trusts the quant grades and wants to apply them at scale. ## Real situations **The idea-starved saver.** Omar has money waiting and no shortlist. A saved quality screen gives him about ten new names a month. **The utility hunter.** Elif filters utilities for safety and consistency and saves hours of manual checking. **The numbers purist.** Pete likes choosing his own P/E limits and finds a free numeric tool suits him better. ## Who should skip it If you only need simple numeric screens, free tools do that well. ## From screen to decision: a worked flow Imagine your quality screen returns twelve names. Sort them by sector and drop any in industries you do not understand. That leaves eight. For each, open the factor grades and note the weakest; if it is momentum, the market may simply be ignoring the company for now, while weak profitability is a deeper concern. You are now at five. Read one bullish and one bearish article on each and the most recent call. Two or three will still look compelling. Those go to your watchlist, with alerts switched on. The whole process takes an evening and produces a far better list than browsing headlines. ## Pairing the screener with alerts Saved screens and portfolio alerts work well together: the screen finds candidates, alerts tell you when something changes. ## Verdict in one line For investors who already value the platform's grades, the screener turns them into a steady, manageable flow of research candidates; for pure number-crunchers, free tools may be enough. ## FAQ ### Is the screener available to free users? The knowledge base describes the rating screener as a Premium feature. ### Can I save and rename screens? Yes, and manage them under My Screens. ### Is there a dividend filter? Yes, dividend grades are one of the advanced filter groups. ### Can I screen ETFs? Yes, through a separate ETF screener. ### Are preset screens included? Yes. ### What does access cost? $299 list, or $269 for the opening year via a partner link, after a free week.