★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
IBorrowDesk vs Insider Screener
Pick IBorrowDesk instead if
IBorrowDesk
Free • From $10/mo · Web
- You care about short interest, something Insider Screener doesn't offer
Start here
Insider Screener
Free • Paid plans available · Web · API
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about screeners, insider data, and scores, things IBorrowDesk doesn't offer
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, watchlist and alerts), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Insider Screener simply does more: 6 categories to IBorrowDesk's 3, including screeners, insider data, and scores. IBorrowDesk counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
IBorrowDesk
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Insider Screener
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Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- Insider Screener
- Broader coverage
- Insider Screener6 vs 3 categories
- API access
- Insider Screener
- Asset coverage
- IBorrowDeskAdds ETFs
- Free plan
- Both
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $10/mo | Free • Paid plans available |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | No | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 3 | 6 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: 15-min Delayed and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +1 more | Latency: Real-time |
Capabilities | — | Universe builder |
| Try it | Visit IBorrowDesk | Visit Insider Screener |
Where each one shines
What IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener each do best.What IBorrowDesk does best
- Tracking borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability for stocks and ETFs from Interactive Brokers public data.
- Ticker pages to review recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, fee rates, and available shares.
- Monitoring intraday changes with roughly 15-minute refreshes during North American trading hours and slower weekday updates outside those hours.
- Support for adding tickers to watchlists and set alerts for borrow availability or fee changes.
- IBorrowDesk as one input for short-interest, squeeze-risk, borrow-cost, and liquidity research.
What Insider Screener does best
- Tracking insider buying and selling across 16 markets, including the U.S., Canada, major European markets, India, and Australia.
- Screening for insider buys, sells, cluster activity, buying-the-dip behavior, executive transactions, and earnings-related trades.
- Standardized cross-market data to compare insider activity across jurisdictions that normally publish filings in different formats.
- Updates that appear within minutes of regulatory filings from regulators and exchanges.
- Support for saving searches, receive daily email reports, and create alerts on paid web tiers.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFs | Stocks |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAm | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | 14 countriesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | 15-min DelayedEnd of Day | Real-time |
Data granularity | MinuteEOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: APIKey |
Export formats | CSV | CSVExcel |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Not specified | Universe builder |
Vendor & support | IBorrowDeskSupport: Email | insiderscreener.com Inc.Country: United StatesSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 3/5Reliability 3/5UX 3/5 | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | Free“Free (browse/limited)” |
| Entry paid plan | $10/mo“Patron” | Subscription“Plus” |
| Tier 2 | — | Subscription“Pro” |
| Tier 3 | — | Subscription“Premium” |
| Tier 4 | — | Subscription“API Starter (€25/mo)” |
| Tier 5 | — | Subscription“API Pro (€85/mo)” |
| Top plan | — | Subscription“API Research (€299/mo quarterly / €339 monthly)” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener?
IBorrowDesk leans toward short interest, watchlist, and alerts, while Insider Screener puts more weight on screeners, watchlist, and alerts. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener cost?
Good news: both IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Does IBorrowDesk or Insider Screener have an API?
Insider Screener has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. IBorrowDesk doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose IBorrowDesk or Insider Screener?
It depends on what you're after. Pick IBorrowDesk if short interest matter to you; go with Insider Screener if you'd rather have screeners and insider data. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener cover?
Both cover stocks. IBorrowDesk also handles ETFs.
Does IBorrowDesk or Insider Screener have real-time data?
Insider Screener offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. IBorrowDesk runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Can I export data from IBorrowDesk and Insider Screener?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: IBorrowDesk or Insider Screener?
Insider Screener has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; IBorrowDesk doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
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Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.