Tapeboard vs MarketWatch Short Interest — Beyond a FINRA List
// MarketWatch's short interest page is a free FINRA pass-through with no analytics, no borrow fee, and no methodology. Tapeboard's squeeze board adds borrow fees, a disclosed scoring formula, the Reg-SHO threshold flag, and daily-updating context — for the same $0 entry cost.
// USE TAPEBOARD if Tapeboard is the analytical layer on top of the same FINRA data, with borrow fees, scoring, and threshold context.
| capability | tapeboard | marketwatch short interest |
|---|---|---|
| FINRA short-interest data | Bi-monthly settlement integrated with analytics | Bi-monthly settlement, displayed as a static list |
| Borrow fee data | Daily borrow fee + utilization | Not included |
| Squeeze score with disclosed methodology | 35% SI%Float, 25% borrow fee, 20% float utilization, 15% days to cover, 5% 5-day momentum | No score, no methodology |
| Reg-SHO threshold list (T flag) | Daily threshold list with volume context | Not included |
| Update frequency | Daily refresh on borrow + utilization, FINRA on settlement cycle | FINRA settlement cycle only — static between updates |
| Real-time scanner + charts + EDGAR + FRED + sim | Full terminal alongside the squeeze board | None of the above |
| Brand authority in search engines | Newer; less SEO weight | Dow Jones brand — search engines weight it heavily |
| Page load speed for casual users | React app, full terminal load | Static HTML — instant for casual lookups |
| Cost | $0 free tier, $39 Pro, $79 Terminal | Free |
- // You want borrow fees, float utilization, and a squeeze score on top of the raw FINRA SI%Float number.
- // You want the Reg-SHO threshold (T flag) tracked with daily volume context, not just a static list.
- // You want short-interest data alongside the rest of the trading workflow — scanner, charts, EDGAR, FRED, sim.
- // You're researching short squeezes seriously, not glancing at a top-shorted list.
- // You're a casual investor doing a one-time lookup and the Dow Jones brand authority is reassuring.
- // You want the fastest possible page load for a quick top-shorted-stocks list — MarketWatch's static HTML beats any React app.
- // You don't want any methodology, scoring, or analytics layer — just the raw FINRA number.
- // You arrived via Google and the MarketWatch result ranked first; the answer is good enough for the question.
// What does Tapeboard add over the MarketWatch short interest page?
Tapeboard adds the analytical layer the MarketWatch list doesn't have — daily borrow fee, float utilization, days to cover, a disclosed squeeze score combining those inputs, the Reg-SHO threshold (T) flag with volume context, and links into the rest of the terminal for charts, filings, and scanner. The underlying FINRA SI%Float is the same; the difference is everything around it.
// Is the MarketWatch short interest data the same source as Tapeboard's?
Yes — both ultimately pull from FINRA's bi-monthly short-interest settlement reports for the FINRA-derived numbers. MarketWatch displays the FINRA number directly with minimal transformation. Tapeboard ingests the same FINRA data and joins it with stock-loan borrow fees, float utilization, daily price action, and threshold-list status to produce the squeeze board at /short-squeeze-stocks.
// Why use Tapeboard if MarketWatch is free?
Tapeboard has a free tier too — the squeeze board is accessible without a credit card. The question isn't free vs paid, it's whether you want a static FINRA list (MarketWatch) or the same data wrapped in borrow fees, scoring, threshold context, and a daily refresh cycle (Tapeboard). For casual one-time lookups, MarketWatch is fine. For ongoing short-side research, the analytical layer is the point.
// see how Tapeboard stacks up against other terminals:
// or compare Tapeboard against full platforms and terminals:
// the /alternatives hub indexes all 24 Tapeboard comparisons in one place.
One screen. Every market. No $2,000/mo bill.
// 28 sec to first scanner · no card · cancel anytime
Start free View pricing