Google Finance no longer provides its old dedicated stock screener.

Google removed the built-in screener in 2017. You can still research individual stocks, create watchlists, and view market information through Google Finance, but you cannot apply your own screening criteria directly on google.com/finance.

If you want to screen stocks within Google's ecosystem, the closest alternative is to build a basic screener in Google Sheets using the GOOGLEFINANCE function. For deeper fundamental screening, you can use a spreadsheet-based tool such as Wisesheets.

Need	Best Route
Google Finance built-in screener	No longer available
Basic screening in Google Sheets	Build manually with GOOGLEFINANCE
More advanced spreadsheet screening	Use a dedicated tool such as Wisesheets

This guide explains what happened to the Google Finance stock screener, what Google Finance can still do today, and how to build your own screening workflow in Google Sheets.

What Happened to the Google Finance Stock Screener?

Google Finance once included a dedicated stock screener that allowed investors to filter companies using criteria such as market capitalization, P/E ratio, dividend yield, price performance, trading volume, and other metrics.

It provided visual sliders and dropdowns that made it easy to narrow thousands of companies into a more manageable list.

Google removed the screener as part of its 2017 redesign of Google Finance.

The current Google Finance experience focuses primarily on market information, individual securities, financial statements, news, and watchlists rather than customizable multi-criteria screening.

That means there is currently no direct replacement for the old Google Finance stock screener on google.com/finance.

However, Google Sheets still includes the GOOGLEFINANCE function, which lets you retrieve basic market data and build simple screening logic inside a spreadsheet.

What Google Finance Can Still Do in 2026

Even without a dedicated stock screener, Google Finance still offers several useful features for stock research.

Market overview pages. Google Finance provides lists such as market movers, most active stocks, gainers, and losers. These are predefined lists rather than customizable screens.

Individual stock pages. Search for a company or ticker to view price charts, company financials, recent news, and related securities.

Watchlists. You can follow individual stocks through your Google account and monitor them from the Google Finance homepage. Watchlists help you track securities you have already selected, but they do not screen the market for new companies.

If you want to monitor stocks after screening them, you can also use our Google Finance watchlist template.

The GOOGLEFINANCE function in Google Sheets. This is the closest Google-native option for building your own stock screener. You can retrieve data such as price, market capitalization, P/E ratio, EPS, volume, and 52-week highs and lows, then use standard Google Sheets functions to filter the results.

If these basic metrics are enough for your strategy, the workflow below shows how to build a simple Google Finance stock screener in Google Sheets.

How to Build a Stock Screener in Google Sheets with GOOGLEFINANCE

The GOOGLEFINANCE function pulls market data directly into Google Sheets.

Combine it with functions such as FILTER, SORT, and QUERY, and you can create a basic custom stock screener without using a separate platform.

Step 1: Set Up Your Ticker List

Open a new Google Sheet and list the ticker symbols of the stocks you want to screen in column A. Using the exchange format can help improve accuracy.

For example:

• NASDAQ:AAPL
• NASDAQ:MSFT
• NYSE:KO

For broad screening, you can start with the constituents of an index such as the S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100. But if you are building a smaller watchlist, you can start with 20 to 50 stocks and expand from there.

Step 2: Pull Data with GOOGLEFINANCE

The basic syntax is:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL", "attribute")

Replace attribute with the data point you want Google Sheets to retrieve.

You can learn more about the available syntax and attributes in our complete GOOGLEFINANCE function guide.

Fields commonly used for basic screening include:

Attribute	What It Returns
price	Current stock price
marketcap	Market capitalization
pe	Price-to-earnings ratio
eps	Earnings per share
high52	52-week high
low52	52-week low
volume	Current trading volume
volumeavg	Average trading volume
changepct	Percentage price change
shares	Shares outstanding

To make the formula dynamic, reference your ticker cell rather than hardcoding a company.

If the ticker is in A2:

=GOOGLEFINANCE(A2, "pe")

Drag the formula down to retrieve the same metric for every company in your list.

You can also retrieve historical price data using a date range:

=GOOGLEFINANCE("NASDAQ:AAPL", "close", DATE(2025,1,1), TODAY(), "DAILY")

Historical prices can help you calculate returns, volatility, drawdowns, and moving averages, although GOOGLEFINANCE does not provide historical company fundamentals.

Step 3: Filter and Sort Your Stocks

Once your data is populated, you can use Google Sheets functions to screen companies against your criteria.

FILTER

Suppose:

• column A contains tickers;
• column C contains P/E ratios;
• column D contains market capitalization.

You could use:

=FILTER(A2:F100, C2:C100<35, D2:D100>10000000000)

This returns stocks with a P/E ratio below 35 and a market capitalization above $10 billion.

You can add additional conditions as your screening model becomes more sophisticated.

SORT

To rank your stocks by a particular metric:

=SORT(A2:F100, 5, TRUE)

This sorts the dataset using column 5 in ascending order. If column 5 contains P/E ratios, for example, lower-P/E companies will be the first to show up.

QUERY

For more complex screening logic, use QUERY:

=QUERY(A2:F100, "SELECT * WHERE E < 15 AND D > 1000000000 ORDER BY E ASC")

QUERY lets you combine filtering and sorting into a single formula and is one of the closest ways to recreate a traditional stock screener using native Google Sheets functionality.

Step 4: Add Conditional Formatting

You can also use conditional formatting to make interesting stocks easier to identify visually.

For example, you might:

• highlight P/E ratios below 15;
• flag unusually high debt levels;
• highlight companies trading near their 52-week lows;
• distinguish stocks that meet several criteria simultaneously.

Select your data range and go to Format > Conditional formatting to create the rules.

When applied across several metrics, this can turn a basic dataset into a simple screening dashboard.

Step 5: Let GOOGLEFINANCE Update Your Data

GOOGLEFINANCE retrieves updated market data automatically as your spreadsheet recalculates. However, Google does not provide a fixed refresh schedule for every security, and market quotes can be delayed.

That makes GOOGLEFINANCE appropriate for monitoring holdings and screening stocks for long-term investment decisions, but not for strategies that require real-time intraday quotes or second-by-second price updates.

Limitations of GOOGLEFINANCE for Stock Screening

GOOGLEFINANCE provides enough data for basic screening, but its dataset is much narrower than what you would find in a dedicated financial-data or screening platform.

Limited Fundamental Data

GOOGLEFINANCE provides market fields such as current price, market capitalization, P/E ratio, EPS, trading volume, and 52-week high and low prices.

But many common fundamental screening metrics are unavailable.

For example, investors may want to screen using:

• revenue growth;
• free cash flow;
• operating margin;
• return on equity;
• return on invested capital;
• debt-to-equity;
• dividend yield;
• dividend payout ratio;
• historical earnings growth.

These require a deeper source of company financial data.

No Historical Fundamentals

GOOGLEFINANCE can retrieve historical price data, but it does not provide historical income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, or financial ratios.

You therefore cannot use GOOGLEFINANCE alone to screen for companies with five consecutive years of revenue growth, improving margins, falling debt, or similar trends.

Market Data Can Be Delayed

GOOGLEFINANCE market quotes are not necessarily real time. That generally isn't a major issue for long-term fundamental investors, but it can make the function unsuitable for short-term or intraday screening.

Limited International Coverage

Coverage varies between markets and securities, and some attributes may not return data for every ticker. Investors screening international companies may therefore encounter missing data or unsupported securities.

No Built-In Technical Indicators

GOOGLEFINANCE does not directly return common technical indicators such as RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, or moving averages. You would need to calculate these separately using historical price data.

No Sector or Industry Field for Screening

GOOGLEFINANCE does not provide a convenient native sector or industry field that you can use to screen companies by business category.

No Dedicated Saved-Screen Workflow

Your screening formulas and filter criteria are stored in your spreadsheet. You can save the spreadsheet itself, but there is no dedicated interface for creating, naming, and rerunning multiple stock screens.

Google Sheets Only

GOOGLEFINANCE is a Google Sheets function and does not work in Microsoft Excel. If you primarily work in Excel, see our you would need an Excel-specific workflow.

If you use Microsoft Excel instead, see how to build your own stock screener in Excel.

These limitations may not be critical for simple screens. But if you need to filter stocks by metrics such as revenue growth, free cash flow, operating margins, ROIC, debt levels, dividend history, or multi-year financial trends, GOOGLEFINANCE cannot provide enough data on its own.

How to Build a More Advanced Stock Screener in Google Sheets

If you need to screen companies using financial statements, growth rates, profitability ratios, dividend metrics, or other fundamentals, you can extend your spreadsheet using Wisesheets.

Wisesheets works inside Google Sheets and Excel and provides access to significantly deeper company data than GOOGLEFINANCE alone.

Setting Up Your Screener with Wisesheets

Start by installing Wisesheets and opening the add-on inside Google Sheets. You can then use the Wisesheets Screener to identify companies that meet specific criteria.

For example, you could screen for Nasdaq companies with:

• ROIC above 10%; and
• P/E below 25.

Once you have your list of companies, you can bring the data into your spreadsheet and continue the analysis there.

Select the Metrics You Want to Analyze

Depending on your strategy, you might compare companies using metrics such as:

• P/E ratio;
• revenue growth;
• free cash flow;
• return on equity;
• ROIC;
• dividend yield;
• debt-to-equity;
• operating margin.

You can also select different financial periods, including the latest fiscal year, latest quarter, or trailing twelve months.

Pull Financial Data in Bulk

For a larger list of stocks, Wisesheets lets you retrieve financial data for multiple companies in bulk. Instead of maintaining large numbers of separate GOOGLEFINANCE formulas, you can select your tickers and financial parameters and populate the spreadsheet with the data you need.

From there, you can apply the same FILTER, SORT, QUERY, and conditional-formatting techniques used earlier.

The difference is the depth of data available. GOOGLEFINANCE only allows you to filter using basic market data. But with Wisesheets, you can build screens based on financial performance, valuation, growth, profitability, cash flow, dividends, and other fundamental metrics.

For a closer look at those differences, see our comparison of Wisesheets vs Google Finance.

What Should You Use Instead of the Google Finance Stock Screener?

The best replacement depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

If you only need basic market data and want a free spreadsheet-based solution, use GOOGLEFINANCE combined with FILTER, SORT, and QUERY. However, a dedicated tool such as Wisesheets is more suitable for screening companies using deeper fundamental data while keeping the analysis inside your spreadsheet.

If you want to compare your options, see our guide to the best stock screeners for Excel and Google Sheets.

You can also explore our best Google Finance alternatives for spreadsheet users if you want to replace more than just the screener.

Tips for Building a Better Stock Screener in Google Sheets

• Start with a focused stock universe. Screening thousands of companies inside one spreadsheet can quickly become unwieldy. Begin with an index, industry, sector, or existing watchlist.
• Choose criteria before pulling data. Decide what makes a stock worth investigating before filling your sheet with metrics. Otherwise, it is easy to collect far more data than you actually use.
• Use GOOGLEFINANCE where it works well. Basic price and market data may not require another source.
• Use deeper financial data selectively. Add revenue, margins, cash flow, returns on capital, leverage, or other metrics only when they influence your investment thesis.
• Keep screening separate from analysis. A screener should narrow your universe. It should not replace deeper research into the companies that pass.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Google Finance have a stock screener?

No. Google Finance removed its built-in stock screener in 2017. Today, you can build a basic alternative in Google Sheets using the GOOGLEFINANCE function.

Can GOOGLEFINANCE be used as a stock screener?

Yes. Pull stock data with GOOGLEFINANCE, then use FILTER, SORT, QUERY, or spreadsheet filters to screen stocks based on your criteria.

How do I screen stocks using Google Finance?

Google Finance itself does not support custom screening. Instead, create a ticker list in Google Sheets, pull data with GOOGLEFINANCE, and filter the results.

What are the limitations of GOOGLEFINANCE for stock screening?

GOOGLEFINANCE offers limited fundamental data and no historical financial statements, sector classifications, or built-in technical indicators. It is best suited to relatively basic stock screens.

What is the best Google Finance stock screener alternative?

For basic spreadsheet screening, GOOGLEFINANCE may be enough. For deeper fundamental screening in Google Sheets or Excel, Wisesheets provides broader financial data and screening functionality.

Can I build a stock screener in Google Sheets for free?

Yes. You can combine the free GOOGLEFINANCE function with FILTER, SORT, and QUERY to build a basic stock screener in Google Sheets.

Does GOOGLEFINANCE work in Excel?

No. GOOGLEFINANCE only works in Google Sheets. Excel users can use Excel-native functions or financial-data add-ins instead.

Conclusion: What To Use Now That Google Finance's Stock Screener is Gone

Google Finance no longer has the dedicated stock screener that many investors remember. For simple screening, however, you can still use GOOGLEFINANCE inside Google Sheets to retrieve basic market data and filter stocks using your own criteria.

Data depth is the main limitation, though. Once your strategy depends on financial statements, growth rates, profitability, cash flow, dividends, or other fundamental metrics, you will need a broader source of financial data.

Wisesheets brings that additional data and screening functionality directly into Google Sheets and Excel, allowing you to identify companies and continue analyzing them without moving your workflow away from the spreadsheet.

Ready to build a more powerful stock screener? Try Wisesheets for free in Google Sheets or Excel.