Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, and this is not financial or investment advice. Barchart Premier is a data and research tool, not a recommendation to buy or sell anything. Trading and investing carry real risk of loss. Do your own research and consult a licensed professional before making decisions.
I have used a lot of market data tools over the years, and the question I get most is whether a paid screener actually earns its keep versus the free tier. So I took a hard look at Barchart Premier to see what the upgrade really buys you. Here is my honest, first-person review.
Barchart Premier is the top paid membership tier of Barchart.com, a long-established market data platform. It is a research and screening subscription covering stocks, ETFs, options, futures, indices, and forex, with real-time data, advanced screeners, options flow, and heavy customization. To be clear about what it is not: it is a data and analysis tool, not a brokerage and not a signal service that tells you what to trade.
You are an active trader or serious investor who screens the market regularly, you trade or analyze options and want unusual options activity and dedicated options screeners, or you follow futures and forex and need real-time data across asset classes. Anyone who has outgrown the free tier's five-item limits on watchlists and screeners is the core audience.
You are a buy-and-hold investor who rarely screens, you only need occasional quotes (the free tier may be plenty), or you are looking for someone to tell you what to buy - this tool gives you data, not decisions. It is also overkill if you already get equivalent real-time data and screening from your broker.
A standout feature is Unusual Options Activity, which surfaces large-volume options orders so you can see where unusually big bets are being placed. Premier also unlocks options screeners for covered calls, naked puts, vertical spreads, and fully custom options screens across stocks, ETFs, and indices. For options-focused users this is the main reason to subscribe.
Premier provides real-time data for futures, equities, indices, and forex, plus options flow. Real-time (rather than delayed) data matters a lot if you are making intraday decisions, and getting it across multiple asset classes in one place is convenient.
Where free accounts are capped at five each, Premier gives unlimited custom views, chart templates, watchlists, portfolios, saved screeners, and alert templates. It can also auto-run any screener at midday and end-of-day and email you the results - a genuine time-saver for systematic screeners.
Premier exposes over 400 data fields - price change, moving averages, pivot points, Barchart Opinions, financial ratios, and other technicals - so you can build detailed, multi-factor screens and chart templates. There is also portfolio tracking for equities, futures, and forex positions.
Barchart Premier is priced at $29.99 per month (per Barchart's published pricing at the time of writing). That sits above a free membership tier and Barchart's mid-level options. For an active trader, $29.99/month is modest relative to what dedicated options-flow or screening tools often charge, but only you can judge whether your trading volume justifies any recurring data cost. Always confirm the current price on Barchart's site before subscribing, and remember a data subscription is a fixed cost that does not guarantee any trading profit.
✅ Pros: Strong options tooling (unusual options activity + screeners); real-time data across stocks, futures, indices, and forex; unlimited screeners, views, and alerts; auto-run screeners with emailed results; 400+ data fields; reasonable price for active traders; established, reputable platform.
❌ Cons: Recurring monthly cost that does not guarantee returns; overkill for passive investors; it is data/analysis only, not trade recommendations or a brokerage; serious traders may still want a dedicated platform for execution; learning curve to use the screeners well.
Versus the free Barchart tier, Premier mainly removes limits (five-item caps become unlimited) and adds real-time data and options flow - if you bump into those caps weekly, the upgrade pays for itself in saved time. Versus dedicated tools like Finviz Elite or premium options-flow services, Barchart Premier is broader (multi-asset) and competitively priced, though a single-purpose tool may go deeper in its niche. Choose based on whether you want one broad data hub or a specialized point tool.
For active traders and serious screeners - especially options traders - Barchart Premier is a solid, fairly priced data subscription. The unusual options activity, real-time multi-asset data, and unlimited auto-run screeners are the standout reasons to pay. Just keep expectations grounded: it is a research tool, not a money machine, and the monthly fee is a cost regardless of your results. If you screen the market regularly and the free tier's limits frustrate you, it is well worth a trial. If you are a passive investor, you probably do not need it.
It is listed at $29.99 per month. Confirm the current price on Barchart's website, as pricing can change.
Real-time data across stocks, options, futures, indices, and forex; unusual options activity and options screeners; unlimited screeners, views, and alerts; auto-run screeners; and 400+ data fields.
It is one of its strengths - unusual options activity plus dedicated options screeners make it appealing for options-focused users. It provides data, not trade advice.
Beginners can start with the free tier. Premier makes more sense once you screen regularly and need real-time data and higher limits. Remember it is a tool, not advice.
If you want to check current pricing and features, you can find Barchart Premier here: Visit Barchart Premier.
Affiliate disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you subscribe through it, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not change my honest assessment, and nothing here is financial advice.
