When you say metastock to any stock trader they know exactly what you are talking about. Thats because metastock stock analysis software is the industry standard in stock charting software. It is a powerful software tool that is designed to provide you with a full range of technical analysis tools on which to base your stock trading decisions. There are versions available for real time analysis and for end-of-day decisions.

Metastock is without any question an extremely powerful and effective tool. The trouble is, the program in and of itself doesnt do you much good without data. Heres where it gets tricky. It is up to you to populate your metastock database with metastock data. In other words, the data is the fuel for the system.

Purchasing data and uploading it into your stock charting software program sounds simple enough, doesnt it? In theory it is. The problem is, all metastock data is not created equal. You have to consider such things as accuracy, frequency of updates, geographic coverage, and market coverage. The good news is that there are many metastock data providers out there offering a wide range of options for data. The bad news is the large number of choices. You will need to do some research and homework prior to selecting your provider.

While weeding through the many metastock data providers out there sounds like a terrible task, you should take heart. The best providers have all the information you need on their websites. Many also offer free trials so that you can determine if what they provide is what you need. Luckily, if you end up making the wrong decision you are not locked in for life. Of course, if you need to switch metastock data providers you will lose some time and maybe a little money. It makes sense to take a little time to do your homework and youll find just the right provider to meet your needs.

So its all well and good to say you need to do your homework but what do you need to look for in a metastock data provider for use with your analysis program.

First and foremost you need to make sure that your provider offers the type of data that you really need. Many people prefer to commit to a metastock provider that offers a wide range of data options so that they can additional markets (either geographic or financial) if their needs change. You will also want to make sure that the data download is provided in a format you can work with. Do you need the data in metastock format or are you equipped to handle conversion? A second key point is frequency of updates. If you are using an end of day system then of course you need your data nightly. If you are operating in real time then you will need actual real time data.

Other features to consider are customer support, stability of the company, and speed of downloads. All these factors combine to ensure that your metastock experience is a good one. So take your time and select the provider that is right for you. Youll be glad you did.