TradeSmith Review (2024): Best Stock Trading Platform? (2024)

You probably discovered TradeSmith for the same reason you might have come across any other financial newsletter, stock trading service, or investment program reviews:

Because you want more money in less time.

And chances are, you want to quickly multiply the money you do have (as opposed to waiting months or even years to see a decent ROI).

This is a really exciting promise, and it’s probably why the financial publishing and training industry is worth billions of dollars.

The problem is, because the idea of doubling, tripling, or 10X-ing your money in a few minutes to a few days is so enticing, there are a ton of shady characters in this space.

But, putting that aside, let’s say every investing guru and “trading expert” on the internet had the best of intentions.

Even with proprietary algorithms, a room full of supercomputers, and a team of rocket scientists, most of these experts would be lucky to get it right 20% of the time.

Now sure, we’re talking about asymmetric bets here, so theoretically the winners should more than make up for the losers.

But in order to make that happen, you can NEVER miss a trade. With a 20% success rate (speaking optimistically), one missed winner could turn a profitable month into a loser.

That’s a lot of pressure and a lot of stress (not to mention a lot of losing) with not much certainty.

But what if there was a way you could build a passive income stream that’s actually passive?

An income stream that doesn’t require:

Constantly monitoring your phone for buy/sell alerts
Obsessively watching charts and movement
The emotional roller coaster and angst of hoping one winner can cover the last 8 losses
Gambler’s odds (20% chance of success is worse than the odds of winning at Blackjack)

An income stream that brings in consistent revenues every single month (from a couple thousand dollars to well over $10,000)?

An income stream you could actually build in your spare time, and grow as large or as small as you want to, without having to spend hours a day monitoring charts, trades, and alerts?

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, check out Digital Leasing.

However, if you’d still like to know more about TradeSmith, keep reading.

What Is TradeSmith?

TradeSmith claims to be a prominent provider of investment advice and market research tools for individual investors and traders within the United States. They offer a wide range of products to help assist in crafting tailored equity portfolios, tracking market fluctuations, and capitalizing on opportunities through well-timed buy or sell decisions.

Since it was founded in Maryland in 2011, the Baltimore-based company has expanded to include many important features, including risk management tools, portfolio analysis tools, and more.

Investors can use its tools to improve their wealth-creation skills, improvetheir investing strategy, and take advantage of the market.

TradeSmith products include:

Ideas by TradeSmith
Trade360
Crypto by TradeSmith
TradeSmith Decoder
TradeSmith CoPilot

They offer high-quality research tools and analysis, but indifferent pricepoints and for different aspects of the stock market.

Who Founded TradeSmith?

Richard Smith founded TradeSmith, but he sold the company to an unnamed financial publisher for an undisclosed amount. Prior to that, the company had expanded to over 30,000 investors managing over $20 Billion in investments.

Richard didn’t sell TradeSmith because he thought he was finished; he sold it because he wanted to achieve even more. His passion for helping people regain control of their finances hasn’t waned in the slightest.

In fact, he’s committed to using his successful investing experience and expertise in technology and behavioral finance to level the playing field for those wanting to better understand investing and accumulating wealth.

An Overview Of TradeStops And Ideas From TradeSmith

TradeStopsandIdeasby TradeSmith are two distinct but related products of Dr. Richard Smith. These products are for investors who want to manage a stock portfolio actively.

TradeStops evaluates stock risk and balances portfolios based on historical market volatility. Ideas is a supplementary platform that helps traders build and become multi portfolio investors based on different investing techniques and stocks that world-renowned investors own.

Pricing Options

TradeStops and Ideas are sold separately, and there is no option to buy both at a discount. After a 30-day trial, TradeStops is $79 and Ideas is $99 per month.

TradeStops Features

Volatility Quotient And Stock State Indicator

TradeStops uses the volatility quotient (VQ) and stock state indicator (SSI) to calculate the risk of each stock in a portfolio (SSI). In order to avoid premature stop outs, the VQ calculates a percentage value to the volatility of a particular stock to determine how far below the current price a trailing stop loss must be set. It also calculates the maximum potential loss on a stock when using trailing stops. The SSI is a green-yellow-red indicator that shows whether a stock has recently triggered an entry or exit signal.

VQ and SSI are generated automatically for all stocks in TradeStops-monitored portfolios. They serve as a basis for the platform’s more advanced risk management tools.

Position Size Calculator

The position size calculator determines the right amount to buy any stock using VQ, trailing stop calculations, and traders’ risk appetite. To use the calculator, traders must first decide how much money they are willing to lose on a trade. The result shows the maximum investible amount and initial stop loss value.

TradeStops also explains the calculator’s results in plain English, making it easier to comprehend how the calculator arrived at the results and how changing the parameters may impact the outcome.

Asset Allocation And PVQ Analyzer

The asset allocation tool is not new to TradeStops, but it complements the other portfolio analysis tools. Basically, the asset allocation tool shows traders how their holdings are distributed throughout various market industries and sectors.

The PVQ analyzer categorizes assets based on risk (VQ) rather than market sector. Using this tool, investors can quickly assess a portfolio’s risk level. In addition, this tool can be used across various portfolios, which is valuable for investors that have risk-hazard portfolios.

Risk Rebalancer

The risk rebalancer uses VQ across multiple portfolios to assist investors lower their average VQ. A change in the number of shares of current assets can significantly reduce total risk potential. Importantly, the risk rebalancer tool lets you lock some holdings and exclude others from the analysis.

Alerts

Alerts are an essential aspect of tracking portfolio activity in TradeStops, and there are many ways to set them up. For example, alerts can be set for VQ surpassing a threshold, a percentage change, or a change in a stock’s SSI condition. TradeStops also enables price-based notifications, allowing traders to configure alerts around trailing stops.

Ideas Features

Market Risk

Ideas is one of the most accessible and informative financial news and analysis platforms for both short-term traders and long-term investors. The platform divides the market into major indices and shows how many stocks are high risk (red), medium risk (yellow), or low risk (green) based on volatility quotients and computed entry and exit points. So you can see how risk has changed historically and where the indices are in relation to their one-year highs and lows. The Stock Finder also shows traders which stocks fall into each risk category.

Ideas go beyond the major indices, breaking down risk for stocks by market sector and commodities.

Portfolio Ideas

This part of Ideas separates companies into distinct investment strategies based on their VQs and SSIs. Similar to how Zacks creates stock recommendations using proprietary analytics.

Some categories, like “Best of the Billionaires” and “Kinetic VQ,” are unclear, while others, like “Growth,” “Value,” and “Low Risk Runners,” are obvious. The portfolio display highlights stocks that fall into different categories.

Stock Finder

The stock finder tool is a stock screener with parameters based on VQ, SSI, and Dr. Smith’s Lab portfolio categories. Because the stock finder’s technical and fundamental filters are limited, traders must be totally committed to identifying trade ideas based on VQ and possible risk.

Integrating TradeStops And Ideas

Even though they are marketed individually, Ideas and TradeStops are intended to be used together. The Ideas platform makes it very simple to export stocks to a new portfolio, which automatically moves over to TradeStops for users who have logins to both platforms. To make a new portfolio from Ideas, traders simply check the box next to each stock in the stock finder results or Dr. Smith’s Lab that they want to include in the new portfolio.

The idea is that traders and investors can uncover possible new stocks to trade inside Ideas and then observe how those stocks operate within a new or existing portfolio via TradeStops. Traders can use TradeStops’ risk rebalancing and position size tools to determine how many shares of a new stock to acquire while maintaining their portfolio’s risk profile.

Customization, Layout, And Compatible Brokerages

In addition, neither TradeStops nor Ideas have mobile or desktop applications. While the platforms are typically user-friendly, customized options are limited. Most of the settings are for alerts, however it is possible to create template sets for different strategies or portfolios.

TradeStops can import portfolio data from the majority of major brokerages. If a brokerage is unable to interact directly with TradeStops, data can be entered manually or imported from a CSV file. TradeStops supports the import and tracking of an unlimited number of portfolios.

Who Should Use TradeStops Trading Platform

The solution is ideal for investors who manage one or more portfolios. For medium-term investors looking to improve risk management and portfolio allocation techniques. However,TradeStops is not cheap for the ordinary trader. So it is usually employed by investors with large portfolios.

TradeStops is often used with Ideas, a product of TradeSmith. Using the integrated stock finder, you may research and select potentially profitable stocks for your portfolio. TradeStops can then monitor and manage the portfolio. TradeStops and Ideas together form a complete portfolio management solution.

Is Tradesmith Legit Or A Scam?

So, is TradeSmith a scam? Not technically. You can make money with it, but it’s definitely not as easy as Richard Smith makes it sound.

Again, with any kind of financial product (especially trading), you’re taking on a lot of risk.

What Does The Internet Have To Say?

Let’s take a look at what the folks on the Internet have to say about TradeSmith.

Let’s start with Trustpilot. Unfortunately, there haven’t too many comments made about TradeSmith, and they are all negative. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the company is shady as a whole… it could just mean that the satisfied customer didn’t feel the need to broadcast their success.

“I have NEVER purchased a service where they sold my email to so many associates (or non-associates)! I am inundated with about 50 emails a day for all the garbage they send and I am having to shut down my email account that I used for twenty years before they got it! While I was hopefully for the benefits of their research, nothing is worth that hassle.” – Sheree Brown

“Tradesmith’s basic market analysis is useful for longer-term investors looking for entry / exit points in the US markets mainly.
AVOID the expensive subscriptions . You won’t learn about their real-world profit / loss record until it is too late.
Don’t rely on your card company to fight for you ; mine treated me like a criminal so I have written off all my subscriptions.
AVOID Tradesmith. It’s smart marketing and not much else.” – Peter

“This is a SCAM operation. Let me give you insight into what happened to me so you can be smarter. Somehow I landed on 1 of these guys email lists… and I say guys because it’s not just Legacy Research Group, it’s Palm Beach Research, Casey Research, Rogue Economics, Brownstone Research, TradeSmith and the many other scams and names these guys operate with. Here’s how ONE OF THEIR SCAMS WORK…

You are offered a small low ticket product to get you in the door. It may be a small $1 offer or some offer to simply collect your credit card details. At this point as long as you stay with original product you buy they just keep trying to upsell you.” – World King

Now, let’s head over to the BBB. The company does have a A+ rating, but we found 20 complaints made over the last 3 years. Here are the 2 most recent…

“In September 2021 I responded to an internet ad by TradeSmith at tradesmith.com and ordered a $79.00 service that would supposedly tell me when to buy and sell stocks and when a big negative event was about to happen in the market. Apparently I clicked the wrong keys because I was charged on my credit card both for the $79.00 service and for a $299.00 service. After a few weeks I realized I did not have the time to use the service (and I hadn’t used it at all), so I sent an email asking the company to cancel my subscription and charge me for whatever time I had had the service. I got a call back a few days later from the company’s support and told that they couldn’t prorate it but would credit back to me all that was charged to me. I explained that my credit card had been compromised but the person said the credit card company would credit my new number with the full refund. I waited and waited and no refund. I checked credit card regularly. So I called on Nov. 22 and was told that a check was being cut and the money would be promptly sent. I called on Dec. 22 and was told that the “agent” was too busy to speak to me but that he would call me back. I have not received a call back nor have I received credit or check as promised. I have been promised a full refund and “led on” by various TradeSmith support people and received nothing. Months have passed and I should get a full refund immediately as originally promised.”

“I purchased your TradeSmith 360 market timing system in January 2021 for $1499 under the assumption from the sales promotion that it would help me with my Oxford Club “Chairman’s Circle” advisories performance. That’s what the video promoting it stated. It did not accomplish that. I lost money on trading top “Chairman’s Circle” advisories that were specifically mentioned in the sales pitch for TradeSmtih 360 over my 6 months of active trading. I stopped trading when it was obvious I would only lose more money. As just stated I lost money – thousands of dollars – with this program; NO value was realized. I did not find your software to be of any use. I am seeking a refund of my $1499. I called your support line on 12/14/21 but was denied my request for a refund by your agent. Once again I want a refund since this system did not work for me. Thank you.”

Are There Alternatives To TradeSmith?

Yes, there are plenty of other business models to choose from if you want to pursue this making money online. Here are just a few:

Local Lead Generation
Digital Leasing
SEO
Real Estate
Website Building

What Is My Top Recommendation For Making Money Online In 2024?

Our review team has spent months researching, reviewing, and vetting dozens of business models and thousands of programs.

While there may be no “perfect business”, the research IS conclusive:

Digital Leasing is the #1 online business model for those just starting out.

Whether you’ve never made a dollar online, or you’ve been in this space for a while but never really “made it,” Digital Leasing is for you.

Why?

1. It’s Flexible: got an hour a day? You can do this. Ready to drop everything else and dive in full time? You can do this. Yes, the more time you put in, the faster you see results. But even with a little time each day, you can move the needle in a Digital Leasing business.

And because this system is so flexible, you don’t have to constantly be working to make more money. It’s called PASSIVE INCOME because if you stop working, the money doesn’t.

Imagine taking 3 months off to just tour around Europe, rent a cabin in the woods to write a book, hike the Appalachian Trail, or live on the beach and surf all day.

This is only possible if you have an income stream that’s not tied to your time.

2. You Own & Control EVERYTHING: With anything in the financial markets, you own and control NOTHING. You have no say in price fluctuations, demand, or what the market will do.
Trying to beat the market is fighting against the tide. There’s just too much working against you, no matter how many supercomputers or rocket scientists are on your side.
With Digital Leasing, you own the assets, which means you have all the power and all the control.

3. Little To No Startup Costs: It’s possible to get into Digital Leasing with zero dollars upfront. Because, using the strategies outlined in this program, you can get a client to pay you BEFORE spending a penny out of your own pocket…even before you do any work.

Even without getting paid in advance, you can have your first Digital Rental Property up, running, and generating profits for less than $100.

4. Easy To Duplicate: Ok, here’s the best part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up and running, you can literally DOUBLE your income with a few clicks, a couple keystrokes, and a single phone call (and you don’t actually need the phone call).

Remember: each Digital Rental Property is worth $500 to $2,000 a month in semi-passive income (over 95% profit). Every time you decide to create another one and increase your income, it gets easier.

Because you have more knowledge, more experience, more results, and more momentum.

If you wanted to double your income with any kind of trading or investing, you’d have to double your initial capital OR double the average order size of your existing trades. And, guaranteed that’s a lot harder than a few clicks and a few minutes of your life.

5. Make Money Helping Real People: This part is what makes it all worth it. In the financial markets, you might be helping your family, but the impact never goes beyond you and maybe a few others.

But with Digital Leasing, you’re actually helping people by solving your clients’ biggest problem:

Small, local businesses need more customers, and with Digital Leasing, you are unleashing a flood of happy, paying customers for these businesses.

You make money by helping them make money.

Not a big, faceless corporation either…a small business owner who’s using that money to put food on the table for their family, start a college fund for their kids, or take care of a sick parent.

Once you see how Digital Leasing makes a real impact in the lives of real people, you’ll sleep like a baby with a big smile on your face.

Now, the choice is yours. You could continue browsing, looking at opportunities like TradeSmith which could one day make you money.

You could continue researching, never making a decision.

OR, you could take a look inside, consider what you really want, and join a program that makes your dreams a reality. At the same time, joining a community of over 2,000 successful students that are living life on their own terms thanks to Digital Leasing.

A consistent, reliable, semi-passive stream of income that doesn’t depend on you or your time to keep producing profits.

All while genuinely helping real people who are grateful and happy to pay for it.

If this sounds more like what you want out of life (or if you just want some nice side income), click here to learn more about Digital Leasing.