NinjaTrader: information and detailed review

NinjaTrader is one of the most used futures platforms, and many futures prop firms offer it to trade their accounts. It is both a charting program and a US futures broker, so it is worth separating the two.

We read its pricing page, its official guide to connecting prop firm accounts and 465 of its 1,241 Trustpilot reviews.

What NinjaTrader is

• The platform: advanced charts, simulation, strategy backtesting, Market Replay to replay the market tick by tick and order flow tools (Order Flow+). There is a desktop version (Windows only), web and mobile.
• The broker: NinjaTrader Clearing, regulated by the CFTC and NFA in the US, for trading futures with your own money.

To use charts, backtesting and simulation you do not need to pay or open an account.

How you connect your prop firm account

According to its official guide, it depends on the account type your firm gives you:

• Rithmic accounts: only work on NinjaTrader Desktop (Windows). You connect from the Control Center with the details your firm gives you. Only one Rithmic connection can be active at a time.
• Tradovate accounts: you can log in with your firm's details on NinjaTrader Web, Mobile or any Tradovate platform.

Its guide says most prop firms use Rithmic. If your firm gives you Rithmic and you use a Mac, NinjaTrader Desktop will not work for you.

Pricing (for its brokerage)

Plan	Price	Micro commission	Standard commission
Free	Free	$0.39 per side	$1.29 per side
Monthly	$99 a month	$0.29 per side	$0.99 per side
Lifetime	$1,499 once	$0.09 per side	$0.59 per side

Source: NinjaTrader pricing page, checked on 9 October 2026.

These plans are for trading your own money with its brokerage. With a prop firm, platform access usually comes with the firm account: check your firm's terms. Features such as real-time data, Market Replay or Order Flow+ are activated on the brokerage once the account is funded.

What users say

NinjaTrader scores 3.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot, from 1,241 reviews. Almost half of those we read arrive by invitation, and almost all are about the brokerage. Only 11 mention prop firms. Our review analysis above breaks it down.

• Prop firm traders complain about glitches at the New York open: frozen charts, mismatched candles and orders not filled as expected.
• Connecting the firm account causes problems for some; others say support helped them via screen sharing.
• About the brokerage: requests for financial documents, inactivity and transfer fees.
• What people like: the platform, its tools and that it is free for analysis and practice.

Verdict

NinjaTrader is a very complete futures platform, free for analysis and practice, and one of the most compatible with futures prop firms. But the desktop version only runs on Windows, Rithmic accounts do not work on web or mobile, and there are complaints about glitches right at the open, the most important moment for many traders.

Who it is for: futures traders on Windows whose firm offers NinjaTrader and who want Market Replay and order flow.

Who it is not for: Mac users with a Rithmic account, or anyone looking for something simple.

Alternatives

• TradingView: the most comfortable charts, with Tradovate integrated.
• Sierra Chart: very reliable and lightweight for futures.
• GoCharting: web charts with order flow.