We promise to keep things fair, honest, and unbiased.
We just want to showcase some awesome tools you might like.
Below, we’ve outlined 5 of the best free tools you can use to track insider and hedge fund buying, so you can follow what the smart money is buying.
Insider and hedge fund buying are worth following because when somebody is directly involved with a company’s operations, or manages millions/billions of dollars, they often have deeper insights than the average retail investor.
Insider buying can reveal what company leaders really think. CEOs, CFOs, and board members possess a deeper understanding of the business than anyone else. When they use their own money to buy shares, especially when the stock is struggling, it often shows real confidence in the future.
Billionaire hedge fund managers are also worth watching. They have teams of analysts, strong industry connections, and access to research that most investors do not. When they build a large position in a stock, it usually means they see long-term value or a specific catalyst.
For individual investors, tracking this activity can help surface strong ideas early. It is not a replacement for doing your own research, but it can point you toward stocks that are backed by high-conviction buyers.
Below are 5 of the best free tools you can use to track insider and hedge fund buying, so you can see what the smart money is doing.
Let’s dive in!
Summary
✅ Best for Insider Trading Data: TIKR and OpenInsider
TIKR makes it easy to evaluate insider buying for any stock by showing the exact trade date, amount, and role of the insider. It’s the best choice if you want insider data alongside full stock research.
OpenInsider is built entirely for insider trade tracking. It’s fast, no-frills, and great for filtering recent buys by size, role, and cluster activity. It’s the best tool if you want insider data with zero distractions. It’s also entirely free.
✅ Best for Hedge Fund Ownership: TIKR and WhaleWisdom
TIKR tracks over 10,000 of the world’s top hedge funds, allowing you to see these funds’ top holdings, and which stocks they’re increasing or decreasing their position in. It’s the best option if you want hedge fund data integrated with full stock research tools.
WhaleWisdom is designed specifically to track hedge fund portfolios through 13F filings. You can filter by fund, stock, or strategy and see how positions change over time. It’s the best for deep-dive analysis on hedge fund behavior.
✅ Best Overall Research Platform: TIKR
TIKR brings together insider trading, hedge fund ownership, Valuation Model building, financials, estimates, and earnings data in one modern dashboard at a very affordable cost. It’s the best overall because it has everything you need to go from idea generation to a full investment thesis in one tool.
Find high-upside stock ideas with TIKR’s Insider Trading & Hedge Fund Tracking tools (It’s free) >>>
What to Look for in an Insider Trading/Hedge Fund Tracking Reseach Tool
Not all tracking tools are built the same. Some only show hedge fund data, while others focus on insider trades. Some are cluttered and hard to use. Others hide the best features behind a paywall.
Here’s what to look for in a high-quality free tool:
- Access to both Form 4 and 13F filings: Form 4 filings show insider buying, usually within two business days. 13F filings show hedge fund positions but come with a 45-day delay. The best tools let you see both.
- Filtering capabilities: You should be able to filter by things like dollar amount, insider role (CEO, CFO, Director), date, and whether it was a buy or a sale. For hedge funds, filters like fund name, position size, and holding period are helpful.
- Easy-to-use interface: You want to be able to scroll through trades quickly without having to read through SEC filings by hand.
- Tracking and alerts: Some tools let you follow specific companies, insiders, or hedge funds. This saves time and helps you catch important trades as they happen.
- Historical context: The best tools also show whether the insider or fund has a strong track record. For example, has this CEO bought at past lows before the stock recovered?
The right tool helps you spot the trades that matter and ignore everything else.
1. TIKR
TIKR is one of the only free platforms that provides both insider trading (Form 4) and hedge fund filings (13F) in a clean, searchable dashboard, as well as full, end-to-end stock research. You can sort insider trades by role (e.g., CEO or CFO), transaction type, and dollar value. It’s especially useful for spotting “cluster buys,” where multiple insiders buy at once, which is a strong potential signal of undervaluation.
TIKR also shows which hedge funds are buying or selling specific stocks, and lets you see each fund’s full 13F portfolio with historical changes. The data is intuitive to navigate, with helpful charts and filtering options.
Best for: All-in-one insider and fund tracking tool without needing to pay.
Below, you can see recent insider transactions for Dollar Tree (DLTR). You can see recent Insider Transactions on over 50,000 stocks with TIKR:
TIKR also lets you track the top holdings of over 10,000 leading hedge funds through TIKR’s Track Investing Gurus feature.
This allows users to easily see what stocks hedge funds are buying and how they’re allocating their portfolio.
As an example, you can see that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway recently reduced its stake by ~4% in Davita:
See what the smart money is buying with TIKR’s Insider Trade & Hedge Fund tracking (It’s free) >>>
Pros
- All-in-One Platform: Combines insider trades, hedge fund ownership, financials, valuation model building, analyst estimates, earnings transcripts, and more in a single, intuitive dashboard.
- Accurate Insider Data: Clearly shows insider buying/selling activity per stock, including date, amount, and insider role.
- 13F Ownership Transparency: For any stock, you can instantly see which funds hold it, how much they own, and how their positions have recently changed.
- Zero Clutter: No ads, and no distractions. Clean, professional-grade interface with a dedicated team building a better product everyday.
- Incredible Value: Offers all of this (and more) at a price point lower than many single-feature tools.
Cons
- No Feed of Insider/Hedge Fund Activity Across All Stocks: You can’t browse the latest insider trades or fund buys across the entire market. You need to check insider buys stock-by-stock, and check recent hedge fund buys fund-by-fund.
- Not Built Solely for Tracking Hedge Funds: Lacks niche views like “top recent buys across hedge funds” or filters by strategy (e.g. value vs. growth funds).
2. OpenInsider
OpenInsider is a longtime favorite for scanning insider trades quickly. The platform pulls real-time Form 4 filings and organizes them by insider name, company, date, and transaction size. You can easily filter by purchase type (only buys, for example), role, or trade size.
The website’s layout is simple, but it gets the job done. It’s especially helpful if you want to scan for recent large insider buys across the entire market.
Best for: Quickly spotting insider buying activity across companies.
Pros
- No Fluff, Just Data: Laser-focused on insider trades, which makes it extremely simple and fast to navigate.
- Useful Filters: Filter by type (buys only), market cap, sector, or cluster buying.
- Free & Fast: Loads instantly, with zero login or setup required. Great for quick checks.
- Highly Trustworthy: Uses real Form 4 data with direct links to SEC filings.
Cons
- Very Dated UI: No-frills layout feels old and can be overwhelming for new users. On the flipside, it’s also extremely practical for experienced investors.
- No Hedge Fund Data: This tool focuses strictly on insider trades, meaning there’s no 13F tracking or fund activity.
- Not Integrated with Stock Research Tools: You can’t click into a stock to get any kind of deeper stock research.
3. WhaleWisdom
WhaleWisdom focuses entirely on 13F filings and institutional ownership. You can browse top hedge funds, see their newest positions, and track how their holdings have changed over time.
One unique feature is the “WhaleScore,” which ranks funds based on past performance and position turnover. You can also view consensus picks, which are stocks held by multiple top-performing funds.
Best for: Researching hedge fund portfolios and long-term investment ideas.
Pros
- 13F Filing Focus: One of the best platforms for tracking hedge fund ownership because you can filter by fund, stock, or sector.
- Trend Analysis: See how positions have changed over time, including new buys and sold-out positions.
- WhaleScore & Rankings: Ranks funds by performance and transparency.
- Free Tier is Solid: Most key features are accessible without a subscription.
Cons
- Clunky Navigation: The interface can feel slow, crowded, and less modern than alternatives. The UX isn’t optimized for speed or daily use.
- Insider Trade Coverage & Stock Research is Weak: The platform is designed for hedge fund tracking, but insider trading data is minimal or nonexistent.
Find the best stocks to buy today with TIKR (It’s free) >>>
4. Insider Monkey
Insider Monkey tracks both insider trading and hedge fund activity, making it a useful resource if you want to monitor moves from company executives and elite investors in one place. The platform highlights recent Form 4 filings and gives helpful commentary when large, unusual insider buys occur.
Insider Monkey often publishes articles that spotlight cluster buying, recent trends, and big bets from notable hedge funds, giving you more context than raw data alone. Their 13F section also tracks the top holdings of major investors like Buffett, Dalio, and Ackman.
Best for: Getting extra context behind insider and fund trades, with a mix of data and commentary.
Pros
- Articles + Data: Combines hedge fund filings with commentary, rankings, and news.
- Pre-Analyzed Lists: Offers curated views of “hedge fund favorites,” new positions, and under-the-radar stocks.
- Accessible for Beginners: The blog format and explanations make it easy to follow without technical knowledge.
Cons
- Too Much Clutter: Ad-heavy layout and frequent pop-ups can ruin the user experience.
- Lacks Precision: You don’t get the clean, sortable tables that tools like TIKR or OpenInsider offer.
- Light on Raw Data: You’ll often get summarized opinions instead of full trade details.
Find undervalued stocks quicker with TIKR (It’s free) >>>
5. QuiverQuant
QuiverQuant was built for retail investors who want professional-grade data in a modern interface. Their insider trading dashboard is clean, visual, and packed with filters. You can track how many insiders are buying vs selling, when the last major purchase occurred, and which sectors are seeing the most activity.
What sets Quiver apart is how it connects insider activity to broader transparency trends. In addition to Form 4 data, Quiver shows trades from U.S. politicians, government contracts, lobbying spend, and more. This makes it a great choice if you’re interested in understanding how public sector influence intersects with stock performance.
Best for: Visualizing insider trading trends and exploring government-related investment signals.
Pros
- Unique Data Sets: Tracks not just insider trades and hedge funds, but also politician trades, government contracts, and even Reddit sentiment.
- Free & Accessible: Offers a generous amount of data at no cost.
- Insider & 13F Data is Visualized Well: Timeline charts, % change visuals, and easy sorting make it digestible.
- Dashboard Filtering: You can scan recent buys/sells across insiders and funds with built-in filters.
Cons
- Lacks Context: Doesn’t show much about insider roles, cluster buying patterns, or fund strategy. The data is useful for headlines but it doesn’t offer much for deeper analysis.
- Can Feel Gimmicky: The focus on viral content with limited depth (e.g. Nancy Pelosi trades) can distract from serious research.
- Missing Integration: No earnings data, valuation models, or deep stock insights to pair with the trading activity.
TL;DR:
Use TIKR if you want a complete research platform that combines insider and hedge fund data with deep stock analysis.
Use OpenInsider for fast, focused insider trade tracking.
Use WhaleWisdom to study how hedge funds build and update their portfolios over time.
TIKR Takeaway
TIKR brings together insider trade data, hedge fund ownership, financial statements, valuation models, and earnings transcripts all in one platform.
You can quickly check if insiders are buying a stock or if top funds are building a position. It is the most complete research platform on this list and offers unmatched value for long-term investors.
The TIKR Terminal offers industry-leading financial data on over 100,000 stocks, so if you’re looking to find the best stocks to buy for your portfolio, you’ll want to use TIKR!
TIKR offers institutional-quality research for investors who think of buying stocks as buying a piece of a business.
Find stocks insiders and hedge funds are buying with TIKR (It’s free) >>>
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FAQ Section:
What is insider buying and why does it matter?
Insider buying happens when a company’s executives, directors, or major shareholders use their own money to buy shares of their company. It often shows confidence in the company’s future and can signal that the stock is undervalued.
What are 13F filings and how do they help investors?
13F filings are quarterly reports that show the U.S. stock holdings of institutional investors who manage over $100 million. They allow individual investors to see what hedge funds are buying and selling.
Can tracking insider and hedge fund activity improve my investment results?
Yes, it can help surface strong ideas early. These trades often reflect high-conviction bets by people with deep knowledge or research resources. While not a guarantee of success, following this activity can complement your own analysis.
Are these tracking tools really free to use?
Yes. All five tools listed offer free access to insider and hedge fund data, although some also have premium plans. Each one provides valuable insights without requiring payment.
What is the best overall tool for tracking insider and hedge fund buying?
TIKR is the best all-in-one platform. It lets you view insider trades and hedge fund ownership alongside full company financials, valuation tools, and earnings data. It is ideal for investors who want everything in one place.
Disclaimer:
Please note that the articles on TIKR are not intended to serve as investment or financial advice from TIKR or our content team, nor are they recommendations to buy or sell any stocks. We create our content based on TIKR Terminal’s investment data and analysts’ estimates. We aim to provide informative and engaging analysis to help empower individuals to make their own investment decisions. Neither TIKR nor our authors hold any positions in the stocks mentioned in this article. Thank you for reading, and happy investing!
