Where to Track Short Float Changes Daily
Monitoring short float changes daily can give traders early warning signs of rising bearish sentiment or a brewing short squeeze. While official short float data is only reported twice a month, several tools now provide daily estimates and trends to help active traders stay ahead of the curve.
Why Track Short Float Daily?
- Identify early signs of short pressure building
- Spot changes in sentiment before big moves
- Monitor high short float stocks for squeeze potential
- Understand risk in volatile trades
Real-time float changes are crucial for day traders, swing traders, and short squeeze hunters.
Best Platforms to Track Daily Short Float
1. Fintel.io
- Features: Short interest, borrow rate, squeeze scores, daily short volume
- Daily Update: Yes (with premium)
- Bonus: Tracks institutional short positions
- Link: fintel.io
2. Ortex
- Features: Real-time short interest estimates, live float changes, utilization, cost to borrow
- Daily Update: Yes (real-time)
- Best For: Professional traders
- Pricing: Paid only
- Link: ortex.com
3. Finviz
- Features: Short float %, screener, sortable table
- Daily Update: No – reflects latest official data
- Best For: Quick overviews (free)
4. TradingView + Plugins
- Features: Can integrate short float estimates with certain data feeds
- Daily Update: Yes, with plugin
- Use Case: Combine float data with charting
5. Benzinga Pro
- Features: News alerts + short interest tools
- Daily Update: Via API feeds and alerts
- Best For: Traders who react to news and float shifts quickly
Comparison Table
| Platform | Daily Updates | Free/Paid | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fintel | Yes (Premium) | Both | Retail + institutional analysis |
| Ortex | Yes (Real-time) | Paid | Professional traders |
| Finviz | No | Free | Screening stocks |
| TradingView | Yes (with plugin) | Both | Chart-based traders |
| Benzinga Pro | Yes | Paid | News-based trading |
How to Use This Data Effectively
- Track rising short float in trending stocks
- Watch for short float declines after earnings (indicates covering)
- Monitor cost to borrow and utilization metrics
- Use alerts for sudden volume or float changes
FAQs
Is short float data real-time?
Only estimate-based services like Ortex and Fintel provide real-time or daily tracking. Exchange data is biweekly.
Can free platforms provide daily short float data?
No. Free platforms like Yahoo Finance and Finviz only update with exchange reports.
What’s the most accurate daily tracker?
Ortex is widely used by institutions and offers the most advanced short interest modeling.
Is tracking short float daily helpful for long-term investors?
It’s more useful for short-term traders. Long-term investors may not need daily float fluctuations.
How often should you check short float for active trades?
At least once per day if trading high short float stocks or monitoring squeeze setups.
