Here I’ve compiled a list of essential tools that will help both beginner and experienced investors. This includes search engines, screeners/apps, trading platforms, investors and books, and podcasts. While there are countless resources available, this list is more than enough to help any beginner get started and build a strong foundation.
Search Engines
Investopedia– This is probably the absolute best for beginners. You can search out any term or words you need to learn to help you with investing. You will probably use it a lot when you first start out.
Sedar- This is going to help you with learning the financial statements and filings of companies. Anything a company reports will be on Sedar.com.
Zach’s Investment research- This is a great tool to look up what you need to know about any publicly listed company. A lot of great information is on this site.
BNN Bloomberg– BNN Bloomberg is a great site for breaking and up to date news on companies and politics. It also have real time TSX/TSX-V/CSE quotes which is very helpful since almost no other screener or site does.
Yahoo Finance- Yahoo finance is also a great site for world news on companies and politics. It is also great for researching companies as it has lots of information and good screeners.
Morningstar – This is a great tool for deeper research on stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. It gives you analyst ratings, fair value estimates, and breakdowns of how investments actually make money. It’s a step up once you move past beginner level.
TradingView – This is one of the best platforms for charting and technical analysis. You can track stock prices, draw trendlines, and follow market momentum. Even if you’re a long-term investor, it helps you understand entry points.
TMX Money – This is directly connected to the TSX, so it’s one of the most reliable places for Canadian stock data. You can look up company profiles, dividends, and official market information straight from the source.
Finviz – This is a powerful stock screener that helps you filter companies based on things like valuation, growth, and performance. It’s more U.S.-focused, but still very useful for learning how to analyze stocks.
Simply Wall St – This tool breaks down stocks into simple visuals and charts, which makes it really easy to understand. It’s great if you want to quickly see if a company looks overvalued or undervalued without digging through reports.
The Globe and Mail Investing – This is a strong Canadian-focused platform that gives you stock data, portfolio tracking, and news. It’s especially useful for TSX investors and staying on top of Canadian markets.
Koyfin – This is a more advanced tool that gives you professional-level financial data and charts. It’s great once you start getting serious about analyzing companies and sectors.
Seeking Alpha – This is a mix of news, analysis, and opinions from investors and analysts. It’s useful for getting different perspectives on a stock, but you should always do your own research as well.
Portfolio Visualizer – This is a great tool for testing investment strategies. You can backtest portfolios, compare performance, and see how different strategies would have worked over time.
Ratehub.ca – This helps you compare things like savings accounts, mortgages, and GICs. It’s not just investing—this helps you optimize your overall financial situation.
Screeners/Apps
Webull-(Glen and Colbys personal favorite)It does give live updates of US listed stocks but it does NOT do live updates of Canadian listed stocks, there is a 15 minute delay. I also use it for the wealth of information that they have and the details they give with their charts, news and updates. There is an app as well as a desktop feature. Their ability to trade is not available in Canada as of yet.
BNN Bloomberg-(Glens second favorite, Colby finds their articles annoyingly biased)It does give live updates of Canadian stocks but it does NOT do live updates of US listed stocks, there is a 15 minute delay. BNN bloomberg is also great for Canadian news and information. There is an app as well as a desktop feature and is also a TV channel(I watch it every trading day).
Investing.com-It does give live updates of US stocks but it does NOT do live updates of Canadian stocks. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Marketwatch-Marketwatch has a screener but I personally use it more for news updates and articles.
Seeking Alpha-I use seeking alpha for information and news only and I also take everything that is written with a grain of salt. As you become a more knowledgeable investor you will learn who to listen to and who to avoid.Yahoo Finance – It does give live updates of US stocks but Canadian stocks are delayed depending on the exchange. This is one of the easiest apps to use for beginners and is great for tracking your watchlist, reading news, and quickly checking stock data. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
TradingView – It does give real-time data for some markets but Canadian stocks are typically delayed unless you pay for live data. This is one of the best tools for charting and technical analysis. I personally recommend this once you want to start understanding price trends and patterns. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Finviz – It does give live updates of US stocks but does NOT support Canadian stocks very well. This is a very powerful screener that lets you filter stocks based on fundamentals, technicals, and performance. It is more advanced but very useful once you understand what to look for.
Koyfin – It does give delayed data depending on the market but the level of detail is very high. This is more of a professional-level tool that gives you deep financial data, charts, and macro insights. It’s great once you start taking investing more seriously.
Stock Events – It tracks dividends and earnings events rather than acting as a traditional screener. This is a great app if you are building a dividend portfolio because it shows you exactly when you are getting paid and how much.
Wealthsimple – It does give near real-time updates for Canadian stocks and is one of the most popular investing apps in Canada. While it is mainly used for trading, it is also useful for beginners to track portfolios and understand how investing works. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Questrade – It does give real-time data depending on your subscription level. This is another popular Canadian platform that offers strong research tools, screeners, and detailed market data. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Morningstar – It does provide delayed data but is more focused on deep research rather than real-time tracking. This is a great tool for understanding the fundamentals of a company, including valuation and long-term outlook.
Trading platforms
Wealthsimple Trade – This is one of the easiest platforms to use in Canada and is great for beginners. It offers commission-free trading on Canadian stocks and ETFs which is a huge advantage when you are starting out. It does have limited research tools compared to others, but its simplicity makes it very popular. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Questrade – This is one of the most well-known platforms in Canada and is a step up from beginner level. It offers more advanced tools, better research, and more flexibility than simpler apps. ETF purchases are free, but stock trades do have fees. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
TD Direct Investing – This is a strong option if you already bank with TD. It offers solid research tools and integrates well with your banking. The downside is higher trading fees, but the platform itself is very reliable. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
RBC Direct Investing – This is another bank-owned platform that is very reliable and easy to use. It is great for long-term investors who want everything in one place. Like most bank platforms, the fees are higher compared to newer apps. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
BMO InvestorLine – This platform is known for its research tools and strong integration with BMO banking. It also offers commission-free ETF trading on select funds. It is better suited for investors who want more data and tools. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Scotia iTRADE – This is a solid all-around platform that gives access to a wide range of investments. It includes research tools and educational resources, making it a good middle-ground option. Like other big banks, trading fees can be higher. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
CIBC Investor’s Edge – This is CIBC’s investing platform and is designed for self-directed investors. It is fairly simple to use and integrates well with CIBC accounts. It offers decent tools but, like other bank platforms, comes with standard trading fees. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
National Bank Direct Brokerage – This has become one of the most competitive platforms in Canada because it offers commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs. It also has strong research tools, making it a great mix of low cost and functionality. There is an app as well as a desktop feature.
Investors/Books
Peter Lynch – Beating the Street, One Up On Wall Street, Learn to Earn
Peter Lynch is one of the greatest investors of all time and these books are perfect for beginners. He focuses on investing in what you understand and keeping things simple. These are some of the best starting books if you want to learn how to actually pick stocks.
Benjamin Graham – The Intelligent Investor
This is considered the long-term investing bible and is the foundation of value investing. It teaches discipline, patience, and how to think about stocks as businesses. It is a very important book, but it is also very dry, so be prepared mentally when reading it.
Warren Buffett – The Warren Buffett Way, The Essays of Warren Buffett
These books break down how Warren Buffett actually thinks about investing and businesses. They focus on long-term investing, strong companies, and discipline. Great once you understand the basics and want to level up your thinking.
Robert Kiyosaki – Rich Dad Poor Dad, Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing
These books are more focused on mindset and how to think about money rather than specific investing strategies. They are great for beginners to shift how they view income, assets, and financial independence.
Steven Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner – Freakonomics
This book is not directly about investing, but it teaches you how to think differently and question everything. It helps build a mindset of looking deeper into data and incentives, which is very useful as an investor.
John C. Bogle – The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
This is one of the best books for beginners who want a simple strategy. It focuses on low-cost index investing and why trying to beat the market usually doesn’t work. Very easy to read and extremely practical.
Morgan Housel – The Psychology of Money
This book is less about numbers and more about how people actually behave with money. It helps you understand why emotions and habits matter more than picking the “perfect” stock. One of the easiest and most valuable reads.
Benjamin Graham – Security Analysis
This is a much deeper and more technical version of The Intelligent Investor. It is very advanced and definitely not for beginners, but it is one of the foundations of value investing.
Phil Town – Rule #1 Investing
This is a more modern and simplified version of value investing. It breaks down how to evaluate companies in a very easy-to-follow way. Good step after you understand the basics.
Joel Greenblatt – The Little Book That Still Beats the Market
This book introduces a very simple formula-based investing strategy. It’s short, easy to understand, and gives you a clear framework for picking stocks.
Burton G. Malkiel – A Random Walk Down Wall Street
This book explains why markets are hard to beat and why passive investing works so well. It pairs really well with John Bogle’s philosophy.
Mark Douglas – Trading in the Zone
This is more for mindset and discipline. It focuses on controlling emotions and thinking clearly when investing or trading. Very useful once you start making real decisions with money.
Andrew Hallam – Millionaire Teacher
This is one of the best Canadian-focused investing books. It focuses on simple, long-term investing strategies using low-cost funds. Very aligned with building your first $100K.
Danielle Town – Invested
This is a more story-based book that walks through learning how to invest step by step. It’s very beginner-friendly and easy to follow.
David Chilton – The Wealthy Barber
This is a classic Canadian personal finance book. It focuses more on saving, discipline, and building wealth over time rather than stock picking. Very practical for beginners.
Podcasts
The Korelin Economics Report
This podcast focuses on macroeconomics, commodities, and overall market trends. It’s very useful for understanding the bigger picture of what is happening in the economy and how it affects investments.
The Maple Money Show
This is a great Canadian-focused podcast that covers personal finance, investing, and money management. It’s very beginner-friendly and practical for everyday investors in Canada.
Planet MicroCap
This podcast focuses on small-cap and micro-cap companies. It’s more niche, but very valuable if you are interested in finding smaller companies with high growth potential.
Planet Money
This podcast breaks down complex economic topics into simple and easy-to-understand stories. It’s not directly about stock picking, but it helps you understand how the economy actually works.
The Rich Dad Radio Show
This podcast focuses on financial education, mindset, and building wealth. It aligns closely with the ideas from the Rich Dad books and is good for beginners learning how to think differently about money.
Mad Money (with Jim Cramer)
This is more of an entertainment-style investing show mixed with stock ideas and market commentary. It can be useful for staying engaged with the market, but you should always do your own research before acting on anything.
Mo’ Money Podcast
This is another Canadian-focused podcast that covers investing, saving, and financial independence. It’s practical and relatable, especially for Canadians trying to build wealth over time.
Freakonomics Radio
This podcast explores the hidden side of economics and how incentives drive behavior. It helps you think differently and question assumptions, which is a valuable skill in investing.
Disclaimer: Colby does not listen to podcasts.
I know that this is only really just scratching the surface but this is what I have started out with and it is what has helped me on the path to becoming a successful investor.