Tradovate – Prop Firm Review
- Modern platform with subscription pricing
- Zero commission futures trading available
- Cutting-edge technology enriches trading journey
- Customizable charts with multiple timeframes
- Intuitive experience for all skill-levels
Important: Tradovate Is a Brokerage, Not a Prop Firm
Tradovate is a futures brokerage, not a proprietary trading firm. There is no evaluation, no funded account program, and no profit split. Traders deposit their own capital and keep 100% of all profits. It appears on this page because many futures prop firms — including Tradeify, BluSky, Top One Futures, and MyFundedFutures — use Tradovate as their underlying broker and execution platform. If you are looking for a prop firm where you trade the firm’s capital after passing an evaluation, see the other firms on this page. If you are looking for a professional-grade futures brokerage to trade your own capital, Tradovate is worth considering.
Membership Plans
| Plan | Monthly Fee | Commission | Exchange Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Standard rates (~$0.79/side CME products) | Apply |
| Active | $99/mo | $0 commission | Apply |
| Professional | $199/mo | $0 commission + advanced features | Apply |
Exchange and regulatory fees apply on all membership tiers regardless of subscription. These are standard CME exchange fees and cannot be waived by the broker.
Platform Options
- Tradovate Web: Cloud-based, accessible from any browser on any OS — no download required
- Tradovate Desktop: Full-featured application for Windows. Mac is currently not supported for desktop app.
- Tradovate Mobile: iOS and Android apps with full trading capabilities
- NinjaTrader Integration: Tradovate accounts connect directly to NinjaTrader for advanced charting, automation, and order flow tools
- TradingView Integration: Connect Tradovate as the execution broker within TradingView charts
Markets
Futures Markets via CME Group: equity indices (ES, NQ, YM, RTY + micros), metals (GC, SI), energy (CL, NG), currencies (6E, 6J, 6B), interest rates (ZB, ZN), agriculturals, and more. Micro contracts available across all major products. No spot forex, equities, or crypto direct.
Key Features
- API trading: Full API access for automated strategy deployment
- No PDT rules: Pattern day trading restrictions do not apply to futures accounts
- No minimum trading days: Trade as often or as rarely as you like
- Bracket orders and advanced order types: OCO, stops, limits, and more built in
- Copy analyst feature: Built-in trade analysis and copy functionality
Company Information
- Founded: 2014
- HQ: Chicago, Illinois
- Regulation: CFTC and NFA regulated; NFA ID: 0532675
- Ownership: Part of NinjaTrader Group (acquired by Kraken for $1.5B in May 2025)
- Account types: Individual, entity, demo
- Withdrawals: Bank wire (1-3 business days), ACH for US clients (2-3 business days)
Why Use Tradovate?
Tradovate is most valuable for active futures traders who execute a high volume of contracts monthly. At $99/month for commission-free trading, the break-even point versus standard commissions is roughly 125 round-turn trades per month. Above that, the Active membership saves money. The cloud-based platform is genuinely modern and accessible — particularly useful for traders who switch between desktop and mobile frequently. As the execution backbone for multiple major prop firms, it also means that Tradovate skills transfer directly to prop firm evaluations.
Tradovate Futures Brokerage Overview
Tradovate is a cloud-based futures brokerage founded in 2014 by Rick Tomsic and launched to the public in April 2016, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is regulated by the CFTC and is a member of the NFA (National Futures Association), providing traders with a professionally regulated environment for exchange-listed futures trading. Tradovate’s defining innovation when it launched was its subscription-based, commission-free trading model — a structure that had never previously existed in the retail futures brokerage space. Instead of paying a per-contract commission on every trade, subscribers pay a flat monthly fee and trade as many contracts as they want with zero per-trade commissions, fundamentally changing the economics of active futures trading.
In January 2022, Tradovate was acquired by NinjaTrader Group, LLC, one of the most established names in retail futures trading software. The acquisition combined Tradovate’s modern, cloud-native brokerage infrastructure with NinjaTrader’s industry-leading platform and established trader base. Subsequently, in May 2025, NinjaTrader itself was acquired by Kraken — the major cryptocurrency exchange — for approximately $1.5 billion, making Tradovate part of the Kraken/NinjaTrader group.
Key Features at a Glance
Pricing and Subscription Plans
Tradovate offers three account tiers: a free base tier with per-contract commissions, and two subscription tiers (Active and Professional) that eliminate per-trade commissions entirely.
- Free (Basic) plan: $0/month with standard per-contract commissions
- Active plan: $99/month — zero per-trade commissions for active traders
- Professional plan: $199/month — zero commissions plus advanced data and features
- Exchange fees and NFA fees apply to all plans regardless of subscription tier
- Annual subscription discounts available (2 months free with annual commitment)
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