NinjaTrader Review 2024: Pros, Cons and How It Compares

A $1,000 minimum initial deposit is required to fund a new account and commissions go as low as $.09 per Micro contract with a Lifetime license. Day trading margins of $500 for ES, NQ and YM contracts and $400 for GC and CL contracts are also very low. NinjaTrader’s state-of-the-art trading platform has web programming with php and mysql a variety of features available across three license levels that allow traders to select the best fit for their trading approach. There are two upgrade feature sets available, Trader + and Order Flow +. Bonus offers subject to terms and conditions, visit robinhood.com/hoodweek for more information.

It’s important to understand how reduced intraday margins in futures trading work before starting to trade. This may result in a margin call if your account has insufficient funds to meet the higher overnight margin requirement. The NinjaTrader platform is geared toward active traders—not long-term investors. As a result, it doesn’t offer any portfolio analysis tools or reports that would help buy-and-hold investors make decisions about asset allocation or specific holdings.

• When it comes to platform fees, the broker’s advanced platform and live data are available free of charge for use in a demo account.
• Day trading margins of $500 for ES, NQ and YM contracts and $400 for GC and CL contracts are also very low.
• It’s always important to carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for your circumstances and financial resources.
• Users have complained about a clunky, frustrating user interface, as well as having difficulty placing trades and reviewing charts.
• Tradovate also offers the option to trade futures from desktop, mobile, or tablet, including more than 40 advanced trading tools.

Our brokerage rating methodology

The trading platform offers an innovative market replay function which is useful for backtesting. On a tick-by-tick basis, users can download historical data, rewind to a specific day and interact as if it were live. The feature is great for general practice or when testing out a new strategy such as with Fibonaacci levels. NinjaTrader and the community’s ecosystem has a wide selection of educational videos, webinars, and documentation. Vendors provide much of the education, which includes promotional material for vendor systems, add-ons, and plugins, but we didn’t see this as a negative.

It does charge an inactivity fee of $25 per month, but this is easily waived by making at least 1 trade per month. It charges an outgoing ACAT transfer fee of $50, which is on the lower end among brokers we review. A great feature of the platform worth mentioning is the ability to place simulated trades, complete with an imaginary account and profit/loss summary.

Futures are available from $0.59 per contract ($0.09 per Micro contract). The company also has inside bar trading strategy a YouTube channel which hosts additional content. For more details about the categories considered when rating brokers and our process, read our full methodology.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Plans range from a $0 monthly fee, to $99 per month, to a one-time payment of $1,499. But if you want to trade anything other than futures, consider a different investment platform than NinjaTrader, such as one of the best online brokerages. All content on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult relevant financial professionals in your country of residence to get personalized advice before you make any trading or investing decisions.

The platform is robust with lots of tools and resources, and it takes some time to learn how to use all the features. Fortunately, NinjaTrader hosts free weekly webinars to help you get started. Topics include connecting to data, one-click order entry, how to set up a workspace, basic chart creation, advanced settings, and strategy automation. NinjaTrader is one of the top brokers for futures and forex trading. The unlimited use of its free platform is a great way to get acclimated to NinjaTrader before deciding to trade live.

NinjaTrader Review 2024: Pros, Cons and Alternatives

NinjaTrader has its flagship advanced trading platform for Windows-based desktop computers. If you are a Mac user, you can run the trading software using a multi-boot utility like Apple Boot Camp. At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and account types; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and highly rated mobile apps. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.

You may be better off sticking with the web and desktop platforms, which get much higher marks from investors. NinjaTraders is a competitively-priced trading platform offering multiple pricing plans catered to different styles and budgets. Investors can choose from the platform’s free plan to access basic trading features or pay into the more costly plans to unlock advanced features and reduced commission rates.

Ways to Invest in NinjaTrader

Trades of stocks, ETFs and options are commission-free at Robinhood Financial LLC. Compare NinjaTrader with the top 3 similar brokers that accept traders from your location. There are, of course, some limitations, namely the program can take a while to get familiar with, particularly for beginners. Although, if using NinjaTrader brokerage, you can access your account on the go using CQG Desktop. The firm also has a support forum which can be accessed through the website.

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The platform caters to online traders across asset classes and global markets. Costs are how to trade etfs reasonable and there are free indicators and resource options available. Moreover, the platform hosts training sessions and workshops for beginners and experienced futures traders. Some online brokerage platforms are best for beginners, while others are more fitting for more advanced traders. We evaluated NinjaTrader with a focus on how well it performs as a futures trading platform, as well as the past experiences of users.

Advanced Trade Management

It has useful charting tools for technical analysis, thousands of apps and add-ons, and it’s fully customizable to fit your needs. For advanced futures traders looking for a platform that has it all, NinjaTrader is an excellent choice. Tradovate is a futures trading software company focusing on this type of investing without offering other options or trying to be a “one-stop shop” for investors. This platform offers a 14-day free trial to help users get acquainted with its tools and functionality, and it has three different plans to choose from — a free plan, a monthly plan, and a lifetime plan.