TL;DR
- Trade Ideas Holly AI is a real-time stock scanning platform that uses artificial intelligence to generate roughly 5-8 actionable trade signals per day, with the company claiming around 65% historical accuracy — though independent verification of that number is limited.
- Holly AI is only available on the Premium plan at $228/month ($2,736/year). The Standard plan ($118/month) includes the scanner but not Holly. That price point puts it among the most expensive retail trading tools on the market.
- The platform excels at intraday and short-term US equity scanning (NYSE, NASDAQ). It does not cover crypto, options, forex, or international markets.
- If you are an active day trader or swing trader with a funded account above roughly $25,000-$30,000, Holly AI can genuinely surface opportunities you would miss manually. If you trade casually or have a smaller account, the math does not work.
- Trade Ideas has been around since approximately 2003 — this is not a fly-by-night startup. But two decades of existence does not automatically validate AI accuracy claims.
What Is Trade Ideas?
Trade Ideas LLC is a US-based financial technology company that has operated in the stock scanning space since around 2003. The company built its reputation on real-time market scanners that filter thousands of stocks simultaneously based on technical criteria — price breakouts, volume surges, unusual activity patterns.
Holly AI arrived later as an overlay on the existing scanner infrastructure. The name "Holly" stands for the underlying AI engine that ingests historical pattern data, backtests dozens of trading strategies overnight, and surfaces the highest-probability setups each morning before the US market opens.
The company positions itself squarely in the active trader market. This is not a passive investing tool, not a portfolio manager, and not a set-it-and-forget-it system. Trade Ideas expects you to sit at your screen, evaluate Holly's signals in real-time, and execute trades through your own brokerage.
How Holly AI Actually Works
The Overnight Backtesting Engine
Every night after the US market closes, Holly runs simulated backtests across a library of more than 70 proprietary trading strategies. Each strategy is tested against recent market conditions — the AI evaluates which patterns have been working over the last several weeks and which have degraded.
By the next morning (typically before 9:30 AM ET), Holly publishes a curated list of strategies ranked by recent simulated performance. This is not a single algorithm making one prediction — it is a meta-system choosing from a portfolio of strategies based on what the current market regime favors.
Real-Time Signal Generation
During market hours, Holly monitors the strategies it selected that morning and generates trade signals when conditions align. A typical Holly signal includes:
- Entry price — the exact price at which the AI recommends entering
- Stop loss — a predefined exit point if the trade moves against you
- Target price — the projected profit target
- Risk/reward ratio — calculated automatically from entry, stop, and target
- Strategy name — which of Holly's underlying strategies triggered the signal
You will typically see between 5 and 8 signals on a normal trading day, though volatile sessions can produce more. Not every signal is meant to be traded — the system expects you to apply your own judgment about position sizing, sector exposure, and overall risk management.
Three Holly Variants
Trade Ideas actually runs three versions of Holly simultaneously:
| Variant | Focus | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Holly AI | Balanced intraday signals | Mix of momentum, mean-reversion, and breakout |
| Holly Grail | Higher win rate, fewer signals | Conservative setups with tighter risk parameters |
| Holly Neo | Aggressive, higher reward targets | Wider stops, larger potential gains, lower win rate |
Most traders gravitate toward Holly AI or Holly Grail. Holly Neo tends to appeal to traders comfortable with larger drawdowns.
How We Tested
We tracked Holly AI signals over a 45-day window from mid-January through late February 2026, logging every signal from all three Holly variants. We did not execute live trades — instead, we paper-tracked entries and exits at the prices Holly specified to evaluate whether the claimed accuracy held up in practice.
Methodology caveats: Paper tracking does not account for real-world slippage, partial fills, or the psychological pressure of watching a position go against you. Our results should be considered directional rather than precise.
Our Observations
Over the 45-day window, Holly AI generated approximately 280 signals across all three variants. Of these:
- Holly AI: Roughly 62-64% of signals reached the target price before hitting the stop loss. This aligns broadly with the company's ~65% claim, though our sample is too small for statistical certainty.
- Holly Grail: Higher win rate (our tracking showed around 68-70%) but with smaller average gains per trade.
- Holly Neo: Lower win rate (roughly 52-55%) with meaningfully larger winners when they hit. The risk/reward profile is genuinely different from the other two.
The average holding period for winning trades was about 2-4 hours. Losing trades tended to hit stops faster — typically within 30-90 minutes.
Important context: Our 45-day test occurred during a period of moderate market volatility (VIX ranging roughly 14-22). Holly's performance likely varies in extreme market conditions. The company does not prominently publish performance data for crash periods like late 2018, March 2020, or the 2022 bear market.
Pricing — The Elephant in the Room
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | Holly AI Included? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $118 | ~$84 (billed annually) | No — scanner only |
| Premium | $228 | ~$167 (billed annually) | Yes — all three Holly variants |
At $228/month, Trade Ideas Premium is one of the most expensive retail trading subscriptions available. To put that in perspective:
- Danelfin AI stock scores start at around $0-$15/month
- Composer AI charges $30/month for automated strategy execution
- TrendSpider runs approximately $39-$79/month for AI-assisted technical analysis
- TradingView Premium is roughly $13-$60/month for advanced charting
Break-even math: At $228/month ($2,736/year), a trader with a $50,000 account needs Holly to generate roughly 5.5% additional annual returns just to cover the subscription cost. On a $25,000 account, that threshold doubles to about 11%. On a $100,000 account, it drops to a more manageable 2.7%.
The annual billing discount is significant — $167/month vs. $228/month — but requires a $2,004 upfront commitment.
Third-Party Ratings
| Platform | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | ~4.3/5 | Reviewers praise scanner speed and Holly accuracy; complaints focus on price and learning curve |
| Trustpilot | ~3.8/5 | Mixed — enthusiastic active traders vs. casual users who found it overwhelming |
| Capterra | ~4.0/5 | Highlighted ease of scanner customization; criticized onboarding documentation |
The pattern across review platforms is consistent: experienced active traders generally rate Trade Ideas highly. Casual investors or swing traders who expected a simpler experience tend to leave disappointed. The learning curve is real and the company's own documentation, while extensive, assumes a baseline level of trading knowledge.
What Trade Ideas Gets Right
Scanner speed is genuinely fast. In our testing, alerts triggered within 1-3 seconds of the qualifying condition occurring. For day traders where seconds matter, this is a material advantage over slower platforms.
The AI rotation concept is smart. Rather than committing to one strategy forever, Holly dynamically selects from 70+ strategies each night. This adaptive approach means the system theoretically adjusts to changing market conditions — trending markets favor different strategies than range-bound or volatile markets.
Transparency about individual signals. Each Holly alert shows the underlying strategy, historical win rate for that strategy, and the risk/reward math. You are not blindly following a black box — you can evaluate each signal on its own merits.
Brokerage integration. Trade Ideas connects with Interactive Brokers for one-click execution directly from the scanner window. This removes a friction point that matters when you are trying to act on time-sensitive signals.
What Trade Ideas Gets Wrong (Honest Assessment)
The price is hard to justify for most traders. At $228/month, you need to be trading actively with meaningful capital for Holly to make mathematical sense. The majority of retail traders have accounts under $25,000 — for them, the subscription cost is a punishing annual drag.
US equities only. No crypto, no forex, no options scanning, no international markets. If you trade multiple asset classes, you will need additional tools alongside Trade Ideas. This is a meaningful limitation in a market where multi-asset platforms are increasingly common.
The learning curve is steep. The scanner interface has hundreds of configurable filters, alert types, and layout options. Holly AI itself is straightforward (you get the signals), but understanding how to integrate Holly signals into a broader trading plan takes time. Budget at least 2-3 weeks of active practice before making real trading decisions based on the platform.
Historical accuracy claims lack independent audit. Trade Ideas publishes performance data on their website, but as of early 2026, there is no independently verified track record from a third-party auditor. The ~65% accuracy claim is plausible based on our limited testing, but "plausible" is not the same as "verified." Compare this to platforms like Prospero AI, which at least publishes daily picks that users can independently track.
No backtesting for custom strategies. Holly runs backtests on its own proprietary strategies, but you cannot backtest your own custom scanner configurations against historical data within the platform. If you want to validate your own ideas, you need external tools.
Customer support is adequate but not exceptional. Email support typically responds within 1-2 business days. The knowledge base is comprehensive but text-heavy. Live chat is available during market hours but can have wait times during high-traffic periods.
Holly AI vs. Competitors
| Feature | Trade Ideas Holly AI | Danelfin | TrendSpider | Tickeron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI approach | Strategy rotation + signal gen | AI stock scores (1-10) | Automated trendlines + pattern detection | Pattern recognition + prediction |
| Signals per day | ~5-8 | Continuous scoring | Chart-based alerts | 5-15 pattern alerts |
| Accuracy claim | ~65% | ~70% (AI score 8+ stocks) | N/A (chart tool) | ~60-75% (varies by pattern) |
| US stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| International | No | EU stocks included | Yes (some markets) | No |
| Options | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly cost | $228 (Premium) | $0-$15 | $39-$79 | $50-$100 |
| Learning curve | High | Low | Medium | Medium |
| Brokerage integration | Interactive Brokers | None (advisory only) | Several brokers | None |
| Ideal for | Active day traders | Casual investors + swing traders | Technical analysts | Pattern-focused traders |
The comparison reveals that Trade Ideas occupies the premium end of the spectrum. You are paying for scanner speed, AI strategy rotation, and direct brokerage execution — features that matter most to high-frequency active traders.
If you are a swing trader or casual investor, Danelfin's AI scores offer a dramatically cheaper entry point with a simpler interface. If you primarily need charting and automated technical analysis, TradingView combined with TrendSpider covers most needs at a fraction of the cost.
Who Should Use Trade Ideas Holly AI
Good fit:
- Active day traders executing 3+ trades per session
- Accounts above $30,000 where the subscription math works
- Traders who want AI-generated entries, stops, and targets rather than just scores or charts
- Interactive Brokers users who benefit from one-click execution integration
Not a good fit:
- Swing traders or position traders with weekly or monthly holding periods
- Accounts under $25,000 — the fee drag is too heavy
- Traders who need options, crypto, or international market coverage
- Beginners without basic knowledge of order types, risk management, and market mechanics
- Anyone looking for a "set and forget" system — Holly requires active monitoring
FAQ
Is Trade Ideas Holly AI worth the money?
It depends entirely on your trading frequency and account size. For an active day trader with a $50,000+ account who trades 3-5 times per day, the $228/month cost can be recovered with a relatively small edge — roughly 0.5% additional monthly return. For a casual trader with a $10,000 account, the annual cost ($2,736) represents over 27% of the account value, which is almost impossible to justify through improved signal quality alone.
How accurate is Holly AI really?
Trade Ideas claims approximately 65% accuracy across Holly's signals. Our 45-day paper-tracking test showed results roughly in that range (62-64% for Holly AI, higher for Holly Grail, lower for Holly Neo). However, accuracy alone does not determine profitability — position sizing, stop discipline, and avoiding overtrading matter equally. A 65% win rate with poor risk management still loses money.
Can I use Trade Ideas without Holly AI?
Yes. The Standard plan ($118/month) includes the full real-time scanner without Holly AI. The scanner itself is powerful — many traders use Trade Ideas purely for custom scans without relying on Holly signals. If you are technically proficient at building your own scan criteria, the Standard plan might be all you need.
Does Holly AI work for swing trading?
Holly is primarily designed for intraday setups with holding periods of a few minutes to several hours. While some Holly signals can be held overnight, the system is not optimized for multi-day or multi-week swing trades. Swing traders would likely get better value from tools designed for their timeframe, such as Danelfin AI scores or Prospero AI stock picks.
Is there a free trial for Trade Ideas?
Trade Ideas occasionally offers promotional trials, but as of early 2026, there is no permanent free trial. They do offer a 15% discount on annual billing and sometimes run limited-time offers. Check their website directly for current promotions. Given the $228/month Premium price, negotiating a trial period before committing is strongly advisable.
Verdict
Trade Ideas Holly AI is one of those tools where the quality is real but the value proposition depends heavily on who you are. The scanner infrastructure is among the fastest in the retail space. The AI strategy rotation approach — dynamically choosing from 70+ backtested strategies each night — is a genuinely clever architecture that most competitors do not match. The signal quality, based on our limited testing, appears to broadly support the company's accuracy claims.
The problem is cost. At $228/month, Trade Ideas is pricing itself into a narrow market segment: well-capitalized, active day traders who execute frequently enough to amortize the subscription cost. That segment is real, and for those traders, Holly AI is a serious contender.
For everyone else — swing traders, casual investors, smaller accounts, multi-asset traders — the market offers more cost-effective alternatives. Danelfin provides AI-driven stock analysis at a fraction of the price. TradingView offers superior charting at lower cost. Composer provides automated execution for systematic strategies.
If you trade US equities actively, have an account above $30,000, and value AI-generated signals with defined entries, stops, and targets — Trade Ideas Holly AI deserves a serious look. Start with the annual billing to soften the per-month cost, and give yourself at least 30 days of paper-tracking before sizing into real positions.
If you trade less frequently, have a smaller account, or need multi-asset coverage, your money is better spent elsewhere.
Disclaimer: This review reflects independent research and paper-tracked signal evaluation. It does not constitute financial advice. Trade Ideas did not sponsor or review this article. Past performance of any AI trading system is not indicative of future results. All trading involves risk of loss.