Trading software has come a long way in the past few years, there are now sophisticated desktop, cloud, and mobile charting solutions. Competition and technology costs have caused prices to drop.
Traders usually end up jumping from platform to platform in the beginning, jumping from one new shiny thing to another. Once figuring out the style they settle on the one that offers most of the tools they like at a favorable price point.
If you have a live brokerage account in 2022, most of your favorite software should be near free. Talk to your broker about making it so. If they don’t go for it, use getting free software as leverage to join a new brokerage.
Competition in online brokerage is very high. Even low to medium volume traders should be able to negotiate their software to be free or very lost cost.
What about new traders who are just starting to study the markets and waiting to fund accounts. Well firstly, we invite you to look around Funded Trading Sales to find yourself a nice structured funding program so you can learn with something on the line.
Funded trader programs often include diverse selection trading and execution software. You can trade at your desktop, on the cloud, or even trade on a mobile device. There are plenty of solutions for all of the above.
Most importantly, funded trader programs include free software and data. In many cases, it would cost traders more to buy platforms and data separately. If you feel that you are not ready for even funded trader evaluation live sim environment, there are still ways. Get access to the best trading software with live data for free by joining trials for software and then a funded trader program. Should be able to get a few years and $1000s in savings.
NinjaTrader
NinjaTrader is the most popular trading platform in the trader funding space and one of the top overall.
NT (what everyone calls NinjaTrader) can be had for free with a small brokerage account. The paid version is from $225/quarter to a $ 999-lifetime license.
Fortunately no need to pay so quickly if you choose to go the funded trader route. Very few funded trader programs don’t use NT. So if you would like to get a chance at funding or starting a trading career, Ninja trader and data are included there.
Many funded trader programs offer free trials between 14 and 30 trading days. That would also include free NT and data for as little as putting in an email. Hopping around free trials could yield months of free trials.
If you are going to grind funded trader programs, being familiar with Ninja trader is useful:
Highlights:
– Many chart types
– Strategy tester
-Custom coding
-Massive community
-Many custom third-party tools are available
Cons:
– Order Flow suite is a premium package that is not included with trader evaluations
TradingView
During the crypto trading boom, TradingView became one of the top 10 websites in the world and for good reason. It performs effortlessly on the cloud and has a mobile app. Has multiple broker integration.
You can try the premium features of TW for 30 days, after that you have to pay between $15 and $59/month. TW is rarer but can be trader free of charge with trader funding programs
Highlights:
- Massive product selection from new crazy coin crosses to major US indexes.
- Custom charting and intervals
- Huge database of custom indicators and strategies free to use
- Pine Script (Python like) can be used to create custom indicators and strategies with a very quick learning curve.
- Alert system that allows traders to set up complicated alerts to screen, sms and email.
EdgeProX
Relatively new charting platform that is built by the pros for the pros. Offers great value and can be tried for free for a period of time. Can also be included for Edge Clear brokerage customers.
Partnering with more and more funded trader programs should be able to get it included in any trials of trader evaluations for an extended free run.
Highlights:
- All Volume analysis tools – custom market profiles, volume delta, order flow, ladder and many others.
- Includes indicators and tools that single-handedly cost more than whole EDGE clear package.
- Custom time frames
- Various cloud s/r levels can be uploaded to the cloud
- Can store trading software settings on the cloud and access them from any desktop
Cons:
- No customization, many competitors allow users to use available indicators to be modified to their own needs
- They absolutely hate sounds alerts. If you like to have sound alerts to be triggered by indicators events, that’s just too bad.
Finamark
A sophisticated cloud-based platform that can be used for free with the Earn2Trader Gauntlet program.
Highlights:
- Web based platform that won’t overload your desktop no matter how many widgets you add to your chart
- Chart and 1-Click trading
- Persists across desktop and mobile devices.
Cons:
- Could have more volume tools
Best Trading Software Summary
Many great trading tools are available today. Most of the time those tools can be used for free by being a participant in funded trader programs or funding brokerage accounts for a few hundred dollars.
New traders exploring the trading world can use the software free for years with free trials available through software providers and funded trader program trials
Make software work for you by choosing the one that allows for perfect order entry and customization to fit your trading needs.
Keep an eye on software performance too, if the program is causing your system to be too slow, consider going easier on intense indicators or choose a cloud charting and execution trading solution.
Trade Well