MA Crossover Tool
Check moving average crossover signals for any ticker — detect golden cross and death cross instantly.
Free — no signup, no ads, instant results
Who Is This For?
Traders who want to quickly check MA crossover status on any ticker without opening a charting platform — useful for screening and confirming trend direction.
What Is an MA Crossover?
A moving average crossover occurs when a faster (shorter period) moving average crosses a slower (longer period) moving average. The two most important crossovers are:
Golden Cross: The fast MA crosses above the slow MA, signaling a potential bullish trend reversal. The classic example is the 50-day SMA crossing above the 200-day SMA.
Death Cross: The fast MA crosses below the slow MA, signaling a potential bearish trend reversal. This is the 50-day SMA crossing below the 200-day SMA.
SMA vs EMA
SMA (Simple Moving Average) gives equal weight to all prices in the period. It is smoother and less reactive to sudden price spikes, making it better for identifying long-term trends.
EMA (Exponential Moving Average) gives more weight to recent prices. It reacts faster to price changes, which can generate earlier signals — but also more false signals in choppy markets.
How to Use
- Enter a ticker symbol (e.g., AAPL, BTC-USD, EURUSD=X)
- Set your fast and slow periods (default: 50 and 200)
- Choose SMA or EMA
- Click Calculate to see the current crossover signal and last crossover date
Worked Example
Scenario: AAPL with 50/200 SMA on daily timeframe.
If the 50 SMA is above the 200 SMA, the signal is Bullish — the stock is in golden cross territory. Price trading above both MAs confirms the uptrend.
If the 50 SMA is below the 200 SMA, the signal is Bearish — a death cross, suggesting downward momentum.
Best MA Periods
- 50/200 — Long-term trend direction (golden cross / death cross)
- 9/21 — Short-term momentum for day trading and scalping
- 20/50 — Swing trading and medium-term trend following
Assumptions & Edge Cases
- Uses daily or weekly closing prices from Yahoo Finance.
- MAs require sufficient historical data — a 200-period MA needs at least 200 candles.
- Crossover signals are lagging indicators — they confirm trends, not predict them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When a shorter-period MA crosses above a longer-period MA, it's a bullish signal (golden cross). When it crosses below, it's bearish (death cross).
SMA weights all prices equally. EMA gives more weight to recent prices, making it more responsive to new data but also more prone to false signals.
The 50/200 combination is the most widely watched (golden cross / death cross). For shorter-term trading, 9/21 or 20/50 are popular.