Overview
Trade Ideas is a real-time stock-scanning platform built by founder and CEO Dan Mirkin, independently funded and running since the early 2000s (Trade Ideas' own bio cites 2003, its BBB registration shows 2002). Its signature feature is Holly AI, described as a "virtual trade assistant" that scans the market and generates suggested entry and exit signals, alongside live charting, backtesting tools, a paper-trading simulator, and broker integrations for automated execution through partners like Interactive Brokers, TradeStation, and Alpaca.
Pricing
Standard
$1,068/yr (~$89/mo billed annually). Real-time scanning, no Holly AI, no backtesting.
Premium
$2,268/yr (~$189/mo billed annually). Adds Holly AI, backtesting, entry/exit signals, risk assessment.
There's no free trial. Instead, Trade Ideas periodically runs paid "Test Drive" events for a minimal fee. Monthly billing exists at a higher effective rate than annual, though we couldn't confirm an exact current sticker price for it; some third-party plan names and prices we found conflict with the site's current Standard/Premium structure, suggesting a recent repricing, so confirm the live monthly rate directly before buying.
On Holly AI's published results
Trade Ideas' own "Holly Records" page showcases individual trade examples with eye-catching headline numbers (gains in the hundreds to thousands of percent on single trades), backed by only a generic past-performance disclaimer, no aggregate win rate or independently audited return figure alongside them. Separate marketing and affiliate content elsewhere claims "60%+ win rates" across a set of strategies. None of this is third-party verified; it's Trade Ideas describing its own system's best examples. Worth remembering that a scanner generating hundreds of signals a day will produce some spectacular individual winners by volume alone, that's a different thing from a verified, consistent edge.
Pricing and the refund policy
Trade Ideas' own Help Center states plainly: "all sales are final." There's no refund, only store credit or an exchange if you're unhappy, and cancellation is self-service through the account portal, with the customer responsible for confirming it actually went through. That's an unusually firm no-refund stance for a $1,068-$2,268/yr subscription, and worth weighing heavily before you commit, especially since there's no free trial to test the product risk-free first.
Pros and cons
What stands out
- Real-time scanning generates a high volume of ideas continuously, not a handful a month
- Independently owned and long-running (over two decades), with real broker integrations for automated execution
- Backtesting tools at the Premium tier let you test a strategy's logic before trusting it
- Trade Ideas University and a live trading room add real educational value
Where it falls short
- "All sales are final," no refunds at all, a significant risk on a $1,068-$2,268/yr purchase
- No free trial; only periodic paid "Test Drive" events
- Holly AI's showcased results are cherry-picked examples, not an audited win rate
- Primarily US equities; no native options, futures, or crypto scanning, options only through broker pass-through
- Independent reviews describe the interface as dated and flag slow support response
Verdict
Trade Ideas offers genuinely high-volume, real-time scanning and a real backtesting toolkit for traders who want to build and verify their own edge, not just accept someone else's. But the "all sales are final" policy, the lack of any free trial, and Holly AI's cherry-picked (not audited) published results make this a purchase to research carefully rather than one to buy on the strength of its own marketing page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trade Ideas worth it?
If you want high-volume, real-time scanning with a genuine backtesting toolkit, it's a capable platform. Weigh that against the price, the "all sales final" refund policy, and the lack of a free trial before buying.
Is Holly AI's win rate verified?
No. The published "Holly Records" showcase individual winning trades with a generic disclaimer, not an aggregate, independently audited win rate or return figure.
Can I get a refund from Trade Ideas?
No. Trade Ideas' policy states all sales are final; unhappy customers are offered store credit or an exchange instead of a refund.
Curious about Trade Ideas?
$1,068/yr (Standard) or $2,268/yr (Premium, includes Holly AI). No free trial; no refunds once purchased.
Visit Trade Ideas →