BigCharts is a web-based financial charting and stock screening platform operated by MarketWatch, a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company. Launched in the late 1990s, BigCharts has established itself as one of the longest-running stock charting services available to individual investors. The platform provides users with access to historical price data, technical indicators, and fundamental information for stocks, mutual funds, indexes, and other financial instruments across various global markets.
BigCharts caters to both novice investors seeking basic price charts and experienced traders requiring advanced technical analysis tools. The service integrates seamlessly with MarketWatch’s broader financial news ecosystem, allowing users to complement their technical analysis with fundamental research and breaking market news. While not as feature-rich as some premium competitors, BigCharts has maintained its position in the market by offering reliable, accessible charting tools without requiring paid subscriptions for basic functionality.
What distinguishes BigCharts from many competitors is its straightforward interface that prioritizes usability over overwhelming users with excessive options. The platform’s longevity in the financial technology space has allowed it to refine its core offering while maintaining the essential tools that investors rely upon for everyday market analysis. Despite the rise of newer, more visually impressive charting platforms, BigCharts continues to serve a substantial user base who appreciate its no-frills approach to stock visualization and technical analysis.
Core Features of BigCharts
BigCharts offers a robust set of features designed to help investors analyze stock movements and market trends effectively. At the center of the platform is its interactive charting system, which allows users to create customizable stock charts with various timeframes ranging from intraday to multi-year periods. These charts can be configured with different styles including line, bar, and candlestick formats, giving traders flexibility in how they visualize price action.
The technical analysis capabilities of BigCharts extend beyond basic price visualization to include a comprehensive library of technical indicators and overlays. Users can apply popular indicators such as Moving Averages, Relative Strength Index (RSI), MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence), and Bollinger Bands to their charts. The platform allows for multiple indicators to be displayed simultaneously, enabling complex technical analysis within a single chart view. Additionally, BigCharts provides drawing tools that allow users to add trendlines, support and resistance levels, and other annotations directly onto their charts.
BigCharts’ screening functionality represents another cornerstone feature, allowing investors to filter stocks based on technical criteria, fundamental metrics, and price performance. The stock screener enables users to discover investment opportunities matching specific parameters, such as stocks breaking out of technical patterns or meeting certain fundamental thresholds. The platform also offers comparison charting, where multiple securities can be plotted together to analyze relative performance. This feature is particularly valuable for sector analysis or benchmark comparisons.
The platform includes specialized views like BigCharts’ Market Map, which provides visual representations of market sector performance, helping users quickly identify strong and weak areas of the market. Historical quotes and data downloads are available for those requiring raw data for further analysis. BigCharts also integrates news and research from MarketWatch’s editorial team, contextualizing price movements with relevant market developments and company announcements directly alongside charts.
Pricing Structure
BigCharts operates primarily as a free service, making it an accessible option for investors at all levels. The basic version of BigCharts is available without any subscription fees or registration requirements, allowing users immediate access to essential charting tools, technical indicators, and historical data. This free tier includes standard chart timeframes, commonly used technical indicators, and basic stock screening capabilities, providing sufficient functionality for casual investors and those performing routine market analysis.
For users seeking enhanced features, BigCharts offers some premium capabilities through integration with MarketWatch’s membership programs. These premium features may include extended historical data access, advanced technical indicators, enhanced screening tools, and additional customization options. The pricing for these enhanced services typically comes as part of broader MarketWatch subscription packages rather than standalone BigCharts upgrades, with current monthly subscription rates ranging from approximately $19.99 to $29.99 depending on the selected features and billing cycle.
Unlike many competitors that operate on a freemium model with clearly delineated paid tiers, BigCharts’ approach is more integrated with its parent company’s overall subscription strategy. This can sometimes create confusion about which features require payment versus which remain freely accessible. It’s worth noting that even without a paid subscription, BigCharts provides more comprehensive free charting tools than many competitors, making it a cost-effective solution for many users.
The value proposition of BigCharts lies in its ability to deliver professional-grade charting capabilities without mandatory subscription costs. While premium features exist, the core functionality remains free, distinguishing BigCharts from many competing services that restrict essential tools behind paywalls. For investors primarily focused on basic technical analysis and chart visualization, the free version of BigCharts often provides all necessary capabilities without requiring financial investment in the platform.
Technical Details
BigCharts employs a web-based architecture that operates entirely within standard browsers, eliminating the need for software installation or downloads. The platform is built using a combination of JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3 technologies, enabling responsive charting capabilities that adapt to different screen sizes and devices. While BigCharts doesn’t offer dedicated mobile applications, its web interface is optimized to function on tablet and smartphone browsers, though with some limitations compared to the desktop experience.
The data infrastructure powering BigCharts draws from comprehensive financial databases maintained by Dow Jones and its partners. This includes real-time and delayed quote data from major global exchanges, with update frequencies varying based on user subscription level. Free users typically access data with a 15-20 minute delay, while premium subscribers may receive real-time or minimally delayed information. Historical data coverage extends back several decades for major securities, with more limited history available for newer instruments and international markets.
Chart rendering capabilities include support for various visualization methods including line charts, OHLC (Open, High, Low, Close) bars, candlesticks, and area charts. The technical indicator library contains approximately 40 different studies and overlays, covering momentum indicators, trend analysis tools, volume studies, and volatility measurements. The computational algorithms employed for these indicators adhere to standard technical analysis methodologies, ensuring consistency with other professional charting platforms.
BigCharts’ server architecture is designed to handle high concurrent user loads, particularly important during volatile market periods when usage typically spikes. The system employs caching mechanisms to improve performance for commonly requested charts and data sets. API access is limited compared to some competitors, with minimal options for programmatic integration with external tools or platforms. For data export, BigCharts supports basic CSV downloads of historical price information, though with quantity restrictions that vary by account type.
Browser compatibility extends to all major modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, though some advanced features may experience inconsistent behavior in older browser versions. The platform’s security infrastructure includes standard encryption for data transmission, though it’s worth noting that the free version doesn’t offer the same level of personalization features that would require extensive user data storage. Overall, the technical architecture prioritizes reliability and accessibility over cutting-edge features, aligning with BigCharts’ positioning as a dependable, straightforward charting solution.
Key Benefits of Using BigCharts
BigCharts delivers several significant advantages that have contributed to its enduring popularity among individual investors and traders. The platform’s primary benefit lies in its accessibility – both financially and technically. By offering comprehensive charting capabilities without mandatory subscription fees, BigCharts democratizes access to technical analysis tools that were once available only to professional traders. This free access point removes financial barriers to entry for beginners while still providing enough depth for intermediate users.
The integration with MarketWatch’s financial news ecosystem represents another crucial benefit, creating a seamless environment where technical analysis and fundamental research coexist. Users can analyze price charts while simultaneously accessing relevant news, analyst opinions, and company fundamentals without switching between different platforms. This integrated approach helps investors develop more holistic market perspectives by combining technical signals with underlying business developments and macroeconomic factors.
BigCharts excels in educational value for developing traders, offering a straightforward environment to practice chart analysis without the overwhelming complexity found in some professional platforms. The clear visualization of technical patterns and indicators helps new investors understand market dynamics and develop their analytical skills. The platform’s straightforward interface serves as an excellent training ground before potentially graduating to more complex systems.
The historical data accessibility provided by BigCharts enables valuable backtesting capabilities, allowing traders to examine how specific technical signals performed across different market cycles. This historical perspective helps users refine their strategies and develop more nuanced approaches to market analysis. Additionally, the platform’s stability and consistent availability ensure users can rely on BigCharts during critical market moments when access to charting tools is most essential.
BigCharts also offers excellent cross-market analysis capabilities, allowing users to examine correlations between different asset classes, sectors, and global markets. This broader view helps investors understand how various markets influence each other and identify potential opportunities arising from cross-market relationships. The combination of these benefits makes BigCharts a valuable resource for investors seeking reliable charting capabilities without complexity or high costs.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Accessibility: BigCharts offers robust free charting capabilities without registration requirements, making it immediately accessible to all users regardless of experience level.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform features an intuitive, straightforward design that prioritizes ease of use over overwhelming complexity.
- Integration with News: Seamless connection with MarketWatch content provides context for technical signals through relevant financial news and analysis.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Charts are available for a wide range of securities including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, indexes, and some international markets.
- Reliable Performance: The platform demonstrates consistent stability and responsiveness, even during periods of high market volatility.
- Customization Options: Users can adjust chart timeframes, styles, indicators, and overlays to create personalized analytical views.
- Historical Data: Extensive historical price information is available for most securities, enabling long-term trend analysis.
Cons:
- Dated Visual Design: The interface appears somewhat outdated compared to newer competitors with more modern aesthetics.
- Limited Advanced Features: Some sophisticated charting capabilities found in premium platforms are unavailable or restricted.
- Delayed Data for Free Users: Standard access includes delayed quotes rather than real-time data, potentially impacting short-term trading decisions.
- Advertising Presence: The free version displays advertisements that can sometimes distract from the charting experience.
- Mobile Limitations: While accessible on mobile devices, the experience is not fully optimized for smaller screens.
- Fewer Drawing Tools: Limited annotation and drawing capabilities compared to specialized technical analysis platforms.
- Restricted Data Export: Options for exporting or saving chart configurations and historical data are somewhat limited.
10 Alternatives and Competitors to BigCharts
1. TradingView
TradingView stands as one of the most powerful alternatives to BigCharts, offering a modern, feature-rich charting platform with a strong social element. Unlike BigCharts’ more traditional approach, TradingView incorporates a community aspect where users can share charts, strategies, and ideas, creating a collaborative environment for technical analysis. The platform boasts significantly more advanced drawing tools and an extensive library of custom indicators, allowing for highly sophisticated chart analysis beyond what BigCharts typically offers.
TradingView’s technical architecture is built on HTML5 technology, delivering smoother, more responsive charts with capabilities like multi-chart layouts and detachable windows. The platform provides comprehensive coverage across global markets and asset classes, including cryptocurrencies, which have limited representation on BigCharts. While TradingView operates on a freemium model with subscription tiers ranging from approximately $15 to $60 monthly, its free version still offers considerable functionality. For investors seeking more modern visualization, extensive customization options, and community integration, TradingView represents a compelling alternative to BigCharts’ more straightforward approach.
2. StockCharts.com
StockCharts.com serves as a direct competitor to BigCharts, focusing exclusively on technical analysis with an emphasis on educational content alongside charting tools. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of charting options including point-and-figure charts, which are less commonly available on other platforms including BigCharts. StockCharts provides extensive scanning capabilities with complex technical filters and predefined scans created by technical analysis experts.
Unlike BigCharts’ primarily free model, StockCharts operates mostly as a subscription service with limited free functionality, with plans ranging from approximately $15 to $60 monthly. The platform distinguishes itself through its educational resources, featuring regular market commentary from respected technical analysts and an extensive knowledge base for learning technical analysis methodologies. StockCharts also offers unique visualization tools like market carpets and sector performance heat maps that provide alternative ways to view market behavior. For investors focused specifically on technical analysis with educational support, StockCharts presents a more specialized alternative to BigCharts’ general-purpose approach.
3. Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance delivers a comprehensive financial platform that competes directly with BigCharts’ parent MarketWatch while offering its own robust charting capabilities. The platform combines technical analysis tools with extensive fundamental data, news integration, and portfolio tracking features in a unified ecosystem. Yahoo Finance’s charts include a solid selection of technical indicators and drawing tools comparable to BigCharts, though presented in a more modern interface.
The platform stands out for its entirely free business model for basic features, supported by advertising rather than subscription revenues. This approach makes it highly accessible to casual investors while still providing substantial functionality. Yahoo Finance offers stronger portfolio integration than BigCharts, allowing users to analyze securities within the context of their holdings. Mobile applications for iOS and Android provide better on-the-go access than BigCharts’ browser-only approach. For users seeking a well-rounded financial platform with charting as one component of a broader ecosystem, Yahoo Finance represents a capable alternative to the more charting-focused BigCharts.
4. Trendspider
Trendspider distinguishes itself as a technologically advanced alternative to BigCharts, leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to enhance technical analysis. The platform’s standout feature is its pattern recognition technology, which automatically identifies chart patterns, support/resistance levels, and trendlines without manual drawing, moving beyond the traditional manual analysis required with BigCharts. Trendspider also offers unique capabilities like multi-timeframe analysis, allowing simultaneous viewing of different timeframes in a single chart.
Operating exclusively as a premium subscription service with plans ranging from approximately $30 to $100 monthly, Trendspider targets more serious traders rather than casual investors. The platform includes sophisticated backtesting tools, automatic breakout detection, and raindrop charts (a proprietary visualization method) not available on BigCharts. For active traders willing to invest in advanced technology to automate aspects of technical analysis, Trendspider offers significant advantages over BigCharts’ more basic manual approach, though at a substantially higher cost and with a steeper learning curve.
5. Finviz
Finviz (Financial Visualizations) offers a distinctive approach compared to BigCharts, focusing primarily on stock screening and market visualization rather than detailed individual charting. The platform’s most notable feature is its stock screener, which provides more comprehensive filtering options than BigCharts’ basic screening capabilities. Finviz’s heat map visualizations offer intuitive representations of sector performance, market capitalization, and price movements across the entire market.
While Finviz does provide individual stock charts, they’re generally simpler than BigCharts’ offerings, with the platform’s strength lying in its screening and market overview features. Finviz operates on a freemium model, with the free version offering substantial functionality and premium subscriptions (approximately $25-40 monthly) providing real-time data and advanced features. The platform excels at helping users identify potential opportunities through visual patterns and comprehensive screening rather than detailed technical analysis of individual securities. For investors who prioritize stock discovery and market visualization over advanced individual charting, Finviz represents a complementary or alternative approach to BigCharts.
6. MetaStock
MetaStock positions itself as a professional-grade technical analysis solution, offering significantly more sophisticated capabilities than BigCharts for serious traders and technical analysts. Unlike BigCharts’ web-based approach, MetaStock is primarily desktop software requiring installation, though it also offers online components. The platform provides extensive analytical depth with over 300 built-in indicators and the ability to create custom indicators through proprietary formula languages.
MetaStock operates exclusively as a premium product with substantial upfront costs (approximately $500-$1,500 for perpetual licenses) or monthly subscriptions (around $100-$200), targeting professional and semi-professional traders rather than casual investors. The software includes robust backtesting engines, expert advisors, and system testing capabilities far beyond BigCharts’ scope. While representing a significant investment, MetaStock offers powerful tools for traders who rely heavily on technical analysis and systematic trading approaches. For serious technical analysts requiring industrial-strength capabilities, MetaStock provides a professional alternative to BigCharts’ more accessible but limited toolset.
7. Koyfin
Koyfin has emerged as a modern alternative to traditional financial platforms like BigCharts, offering a blend of charting capabilities with comprehensive fundamental data and macro analysis tools. The platform provides an elegant, user-friendly interface that delivers advanced functionality without overwhelming complexity. Koyfin’s charting includes standard technical indicators alongside the ability to plot fundamental metrics directly on price charts – a capability not typically available on BigCharts.
Operating on a freemium model with subscription tiers ranging from free to approximately $50 monthly, Koyfin provides substantial functionality even at its free level. The platform particularly excels at cross-asset analysis, allowing users to examine relationships between stocks, bonds, commodities, and economic indicators within the same analytical framework. For investors who integrate fundamental and macroeconomic factors into their technical analysis, Koyfin offers a more holistic approach than BigCharts’ primarily technical focus. Its modern design and intuitive workflow make it particularly appealing to users who find BigCharts’ interface dated but still require sophisticated analytical capabilities.
8. Investing.com
Investing.com offers a comprehensive financial portal that competes with BigCharts through its combination of market data, news, and technical analysis tools. The platform provides charting capabilities comparable to BigCharts but within a broader ecosystem that covers global markets across multiple asset classes, including stocks, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Investing.com’s technical analysis tools include a wide range of indicators and drawing tools, though organized differently than BigCharts’ interface.
The platform operates primarily on an advertising-supported free model with premium subscriptions (approximately $15-30 monthly) removing ads and adding enhanced features. Investing.com distinguishes itself through its global perspective, offering more extensive international market coverage than BigCharts typically provides. The platform also features a more active community element with forums and commentary. Mobile applications for iOS and Android deliver better on-the-go experiences than BigCharts’ mobile web approach. For investors requiring global market coverage alongside technical analysis capabilities, Investing.com represents a comprehensive alternative to BigCharts’ more US-centric focus.
9. TC2000
TC2000 offers a specialized charting and analysis platform that caters to active traders requiring more advanced capabilities than BigCharts typically provides. The software combines charting, scanning, and trading capabilities in an integrated environment designed for efficiency and performance. Unlike BigCharts’ web-only approach, TC2000 offers downloadable software for Windows and Mac alongside web and mobile access, providing enhanced performance for complex charting needs.
Operating exclusively as a subscription service with tiered plans ranging from approximately $10 to $90 monthly, TC2000 targets dedicated traders rather than casual investors. The platform offers unique capabilities including condition-based alerts, customizable workspaces with multi-chart layouts, and sophisticated formula-based scanning not available on BigCharts. TC2000 also provides direct trading integration with several brokers, creating a seamless workflow from analysis to execution. For active traders willing to commit to a dedicated technical analysis platform with higher performance requirements than web-based solutions, TC2000 offers significant advantages over BigCharts’ more accessible but less specialized approach.
10. Google Finance
Google Finance presents a streamlined alternative to BigCharts, focusing on simplicity and integration with Google’s broader ecosystem. While offering less comprehensive technical analysis capabilities than BigCharts, Google Finance provides clean, accessible charts with basic technical indicators and comparison features suitable for casual investors and long-term portfolio tracking. The platform’s primary advantage lies in its seamless integration with other Google services and its straightforward, uncluttered interface.
Google Finance operates entirely as a free service without subscription options or premium features, supported by Google’s broader business model rather than direct revenue. The platform excels at providing quick, essential information rather than deep analytical capabilities, making it ideal for investors who find BigCharts’ interface too complex for their needs. Portfolio tracking features with automatic updates from Google Search create a convenient ecosystem for casual investors. For users seeking basic charting capabilities without BigCharts’ learning curve or who value integration with Google’s ecosystem, Google Finance offers a simplified alternative focusing on accessibility over analytical depth.
Conclusion
BigCharts continues to maintain its position as a valuable resource in the financial analysis landscape despite growing competition from newer, more feature-rich platforms. Its enduring strength lies in striking an effective balance between accessibility and functionality, providing sufficient technical analysis capabilities for most individual investors without overwhelming complexity or mandatory subscription costs. While the platform’s interface may appear dated compared to modern alternatives, this simplicity actually serves as an advantage for many users, particularly those new to technical analysis or those who prefer straightforward tools over excessive features.
The platform’s integration within the broader MarketWatch ecosystem creates additional value by connecting technical analysis with fundamental research and financial news, providing context that standalone charting tools often lack. For investors who incorporate multiple analysis methods in their decision-making process, this integration offers significant convenience and depth. However, as the financial technology landscape continues to evolve, BigCharts faces increasing pressure from competitors offering more sophisticated capabilities, modern interfaces, and additional analytical dimensions.
For casual investors, long-term portfolio holders, and those beginning their technical analysis journey, BigCharts remains a recommended starting point due to its combination of accessibility, reliability, and adequate functionality. More active traders and advanced technical analysts may find themselves gravitating toward specialized alternatives offering greater analytical depth and customization. Ultimately, BigCharts exemplifies how longevity in financial technology often stems from focusing on core user needs rather than feature proliferation – a lesson that remains relevant as newer platforms continue to enter the increasingly crowded market for stock charting and analysis tools.
