Gap up and gap down screener settings, backtested
Gap screens catch stocks that open well away from the prior close. They are the most intraday-flavored screens on SetupHits, although we still measure them over 5 days.
Test: 518 S&P 500 + Nasdaq-100 stocks, 2021-10-13 to 2026-10-12, each signal held 5 trading days. Hit rate = share of signals that closed higher 5 days later.
Ranked by 5-day hit rate
| # | Screen | Hit rate | Avg 5d | SPY 5d | Max DD | Signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gap Down Reversal Gap | 55.2% | +1.09% | +0.77% | -35.0% | 4,524 |
| 2 | Gap Down Continuation Gap | 53.9% | +1.47% | +0.45% | -33.8% | 2,271 |
| 3 | Gap Up on Volume Gap | 50.3% | +0.50% | +0.39% | -34.9% | 1,218 |
What to know
Gaps on heavy relative volume and gaps that fill behave very differently. Compare the gap-and-hold screen with the gap-down reversal and fade screens below.
Gaps down 3%+ but closes green on the day.
Gaps down 4%+ and closes below the open (weak follow-through).
Opens 4%+ above prior close and holds it with heavy volume.
Copy-paste rules for every screen above, plus Daily Fire Picks: 1-3 highest-confidence setups emailed before the open. Educational, not advice.
FAQ
What are the best gap up stock screener?
In our 2021–2026 backtest, Gap Down Reversal had the highest 5-day hit rate of this group at 55.2% over 4,524 signals. "Best" depends on your holding period and risk tolerance; compare drawdowns too.
Where are the exact settings?
The exact backtested thresholds and copy-paste TradingView, Finviz and ThinkorSwim versions are part of SetupHits Pro ($39/mo), delivered by email. The rankings and stats on this page are free.
Are these results realistic?
They are simulated on daily bars with no fees or slippage, on today's index members (survivorship bias). Treat them as a relative comparison, not a forecast.
More guides
Simulated results; no fees, slippage or taxes; survivorship-biased universe. Not financial advice. Methodology.