Best Prop Firms for NinjaTrader

Why NinjaTrader matters when choosing a futures prop firm

NinjaTrader is a futures trading platform known for advanced charting, depth of market and order flow tools, and automated strategies and indicators written in NinjaScript, which is based on C#. Its main desktop platform is built for Windows, and it also has web and mobile versions. Futures prop firms connect their accounts to NinjaTrader through a data and order routing service, and some supply a NinjaTrader licence for use with their accounts. The firms listed above support NinjaTrader on at least one program.

Who this suits

NinjaTrader suits futures day traders who want detailed charts, a trading ladder and advanced order management, such as stop and target orders attached automatically to each entry. It suits traders who build or buy NinjaScript indicators and strategies, and traders who have used NinjaTrader on a personal futures account and want the same setup on a funded one. It also suits traders who study order flow and market depth closely before entering.

The trade offs

The desktop platform takes more setting up than a web platform, needs a Windows computer or a Windows environment on a Mac, and uses more system resources. Some advanced features, such as certain order flow tools, may need a paid licence or an extra purchase. Automated strategies are powerful, but prop firms set their own rules on them, and some ban fully automated trading on funded accounts. The connection between NinjaTrader and the firm also matters, since the routing service the firm uses decides how you log in and which other platforms can connect to the same account.

What to check before you buy

• Licence. Check whether the firm supplies a NinjaTrader licence for its accounts or whether you need your own, and what applies after you pass.
• Connection type. Find out which data and order routing service the firm uses and how to connect NinjaTrader to it.
• Market data fees. Confirm whether real time exchange data is included in the fee or billed monthly, and whether the cost changes on a funded account.
• Automation rules. Read whether NinjaScript strategies and automated order management are allowed in the evaluation and on the funded account.
• Trading hours and news rules. Check the time by which positions must be closed each day and any restrictions around major economic releases.

How to compare the firms listed

Start with drawdown, where futures programs vary widely. Compare whether each program uses an end of day or intraday trailing drawdown, the dollar amount, whether a daily loss limit applies and when the trailing stops. Then compare contract limits, the fee model (single payment or monthly), any activation fee on passing, and data and platform costs. Finish with the payout terms: any buffer you must build, the first payout date, the payout frequency, the profit split and any consistency rule. Each firm's profile sets out its programs and rules, and the comparison table can be filtered by platform.

The futures hub lists every futures firm on the site. Futures drawdown rules explained covers end of day and intraday trailing drawdown, and how to pass futures evaluations covers managing risk in practice. Firms offering Tradovate are listed separately.