In this guide, we go over r the best paper trading platforms. We base our analysis on a variety of factors such as fees, commissions, tools, security, regulation, and more.
Best Paper Trading Platforms 2023
Here is a list of our favorite trading platforms that offer paper trading. For this list, we considered a few issues. These include how similar the paper trading apps are to live trading, the educational content, and how user-friendly it is.
This is our selection of practice trading accounts…
- eToro – Best Paper Trading Platform Overall
- AvaTrade – Best CFD Paper Trading Platform
- IQ Option – Best Digital Options Paper Trading Platform
- Interactive Brokers – Best US Paper Trading Platform
- e*Trade
- TD Ameritrade (thinkorswim)
- WeBull Paper Trading
- TradeStation
- Nvstr
- Bear Bull Traders
- Warrior Trading
- Ninja Trader
eToro
eToro was founded in 2007. It is highly regulated and a safe option for trading forex and CFDs. eToro is a great option for social copy trading and cryptocurrency. They have a great user-friendly web-based platform and mobile app. eToro is ideal for beginners and casual investors.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Stock trading | A fee charged for inactive accounts |
| Easy account opening | Only one account base currency |
| A vast amount of educational content | Customer support |
CFDs are complex
instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to
leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when
trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider
whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the
high risk of losing your money. Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.
For more information, visit etoro.com/trading/fees.
eToro USA LLC does
not offer CFDs, only real Crypto assets available.
IQ Option (non US)
IQ Option is owned and managed by IQ Options Europe Ltd and they are based in Cyprus. This is another highly regulated and secure trading platform.
What makes IQ Option stand out among the crowd is that they offer users a proprietary platform instead of the standard trading platform. The proprietary platform is great because it is designed to cater to users’ trading needs.
This platform is also used for binary options trading and CFDs. IQ Option’s trading platform is user-friendly and offers tools like charting and margin trading.
A downside of this platform is that it is not available in the US so this is something to keep in mind if you’re a United States citizen.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| User-friendly interface | Not available worldwide |
| Quick and easy account opening | |
| A low minimum deposit needed |
e*Trade
e*Trade is a grandfather platform that has stood the test of time. They have a reputation for having an easy-to-use platform with remarkable customer service.
What makes e*Trade great is that they no longer charge commissions on online stock, options trade, and ETFs.
They offer both a web-based platform and a mobile app. eTrade starts with a $100,000 trading equity which is more than enough to play around with.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| No commission fees charged | Focused on active traders |
| Easy-to-use trading platform | |
| Low minimum deposits |
TD Ameritrade (thinkorswim)
TD Ameritrade is known as being a platform that offers a rich selection of trading features. They offer tons of charting and scanning tools.
This is ideal for active, serious traders.
TD Ameritrade has a web-based and mobile platform. Their mobile app, called thinkorswim, is easy-to-use and has excellent tech support.
Like most, thinkorswim offers a simulation account at $100,000. This is over enough virtual currency to have some fun and learn.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Commission-free stock, options trading, and ETF | Does not offer fractional shares |
| Free research | |
| Amazing trading platform | |
| Great customer support |
Webull
Webull was founded in 2017 and is relatively new to the stock exchange world. This platform is a good choice if you’re an advanced trader because Webull offers extensive trading features. Webull offers in-depth charting and numerous technical indicators.
Their platform is user-friendly and customizable which makes it a good option for newbie traders. What is great is that they offer $1 million to start trading which is more than enough to get a feel of the trading exchange.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A vast amount of trading tools | Do not offer mutual funds |
| Offer cryptocurrency trading | Barebones educational content |
| Easy-to-use platform |
TradeStation
TradeStation was founded in 1982 and is a US-based stockbroker. Like the other trading platforms on this list, TradeStation is a highly regulated broker. They are a tried and trusted brand with a long track record.
TradeStation offers a desktop and mobile platform with amazing features like advanced orders and a variety of asset types.
What makes TradeStation great is that their paper accounts have access to the historical market databases. This can help you develop and test trading strategies.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Low fees for stock and ETF | Not user-friendly |
| Amazing educational tools and content | Do not offer forex trading |
| Bad customer service |
Nvstr
Nvstr was founded in 2015. Their platforms are available online and on Android and iOS mobile devices. The interface is unique and reminded us of the mobile Facebook interface. Nvstr lets you manage your profile and has a feature that suggests ETFs or stocks that you could buy or sell to keep your profile balanced.
Nvstr offers a paper trading account that you can use to experience their platform without the risk of losing your money.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| 20 free trades each month | Charge $4 monthly subscription fee |
| Zero account minimum fees | Do not offer fractional investing |
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers is a global trading platform. They offer web, desktop, and mobile platforms which gives you the freedom to choose one that suits your lifestyle.
Interactive Brokers also offers a proprietary IB SmartRouting system that can provide a share price of around $0.47 per 100 shares which is an improvement on industry standards.
Interactive Brokers offers equity of $1 million in virtual funds.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| A range of asset classes offered | Inactive accounts can generate substantial fees |
| Smart order router | Streaming data only runs on a single device at a time |
| The mutual fund replicator is less expensive than ETFs |
Bear Bull Traders Simulator
Bear Bull is a brokerage platform that focuses on day trading education. A key part of this is the real-time simulation offered on the DAS Trader Pro platform.
Bear Bulls offers training and support for beginners. Their interface is also simple and user-friendly. They have included hotkeys and configured their layouts for a quick and easy jumpstart.
The platform has numerous resources that can help you customize your setup to suit your needs and wants.
When you’re ready to go live, you can continue using the DAS Trader Pro platform. This makes for a seamless transition from paper trading to live trading.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Affordable subscription plans | Monthly subscribers are not given access to educational webinars and psychology training |
| Amazing educational content and support | |
| Helpful trading community | |
| Offers daily watchlists and scanner live streams |
Warrior Trading
Warrior trading is a great platform for both newbies and advanced traders. They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau where they received an impressive A+ rating.
Like Bear Bull Trading, Warrior trading offers extensive educational content such as courses, resources, and active community support. Warrior trading’s platform is a result of direct collaboration with NYSE and NASDAQ. This gives you access to level 2 quotes. Their platform is designed to be as close to live trading as possible. This includes working in real-time conditions.
When starting your account, Warrior trading offers you $200,000 of virtual currency which is more than enough to help you find your feet.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| An amazing array of educational content | Do not focus on long-term trend trading strategies |
| Offers structured trading methods | Educational content is expensive when compared to the free options available |
| Trader mentoring |
NinjaTrader Free Trading Simulator
NinjaTrader was launched in 2003. They run as a fee-based system which is common for broker platforms.
What makes NinjaTrader great is that their platform is free for all users.
The trading platform focuses heavily on education. The platform sports all the features of its live trading platform.
Their research and stock charting tools are interactive. This lets you pinpoint locations on a stock chart that you want to execute trades on from the same screen.
What makes NinjaTrade’s platform great is that the charting also offers backtesting which lets you trade during various periods.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Amazing tools for analysis | Only offers trade derivatives like futures and options trading |
| Free to download and use trading platform | |
| Good educational content |
Paper Trading Explained
Paper trading uses demo or practice accounts to let you trade options, futures, or stocks with virtual money (not to be confused with digital currency). By using virtual trading, you can familiarize yourself with the platform's exchange without having to risk real money.
Virtual trading aims to let new users or beginners practice different kinds of asset trading without putting themselves at risk. If you’re an experienced trader looking to diversify your portfolio, it can help you get a feel for different asset exchanges.
Virtual Trading vs Live Trading
Virtual trading or a stock market simulator gives you a sense of security when practicing trades or getting to know a new platform. They use real-time information to test the success or failure of your practice trades. This lets you test out trading strategies and building portfolios.
Most offer demo accounts that looks and feels just like the real thing.
The only difference is that with live trading, you are putting your own money or assets at risk with the hope of making a profit. With paper trading, there is none of the risk or reward because it is a simulation account. In simple terms, think of it as test driving a new car and live trading as buying a new car.
Account Routing and Fills ETC.
When an order is put in for trade it goes to the exchange where it is matched with another trader and the trade is carried out. If you are selling stock you will need to be matched with someone interested in the same stock.
The process of moving an order to the exchange is known as routing.
Routing doesn’t happen with paper trading because it’s not a real trade. With live trading, issues can happen when routing your order. Machines could crash and prevent your order from getting where it needs to be.
In live trading, routing issues like system crashes can occur but it is rare. This is important to keep in mind when doing paper trades.
The experiences you have when paper trading might not be the same as when live trading so keep this in mind.
Emotions and Psychology
It lets you practice trading without having to worry about losing money. This security might cause you to trade more freely than you would once you start live trading. You should keep in mind that it does not account for your emotional investment in your stocks or how losses could affect you mentally.
Trading with a live account might be a different experience because you stand the risk of losing money. This can affect your trading strategy and the kind of risks you are prepared to take.
Limitations
While a valuable educational tool, has some limitations. Here are the key limitations:
- Commissions and Slippage: Depending on the platform you choose, live trading can come with commissions and slippages. A stock that might cost $20 in paper trades could be $20.50 in real trades.
- Formfitting: Paper traders handpick perfect entries and exits, often bypassing all the obstacles you might face in the real-life computer-driven environment. These obstacles become all too clear in real trading when traders risk seeing sound positions evaporate because an algorithm has shifted.
- Market Correlation: Another limitation is that it does not account for the broad market’s impact on individual securities. So, while the results of trade could look terrible or amazing in theory, the conditions that created the results of the trade might have nothing to do with your position. These conditions could be because of the larger market activities.
Pros and Cons
Much like live trading, paper trading comes with its own set of pros and cons.
Pros
- Amazing learning tool: It is a great educational resource that you can use to learn about trading. It prepares you for real trades and acts as a simulator for live trading. This is great if you’re a beginner and want to get a feel for trading without risking your funds.
- Zero risks: You can experience trading, buying, and selling securities using a trading platform of your choice without risking your own money. It lets you test out new trading strategies against real-time data without running the risk of making a loss. You can test limitations, and different instruments whether they are worth it or not.
- Take your time: With paper trading, there is no rush. You can take as much time and effort you need researching market trends and trade strategies. To make the most of this tool, you should act as though the trades are real. Make decisions as though it could result in a loss. This will help you get into the right mindset when you start live trading.
Cons
- No profits or gains: The major benefit is that you cannot lose money. On the flip side, the major downside is that you can’t make any gains or profit. Because it is a simulation, none of the trades you make occur so keep this in mind. At its essence, it is a learning tool.
- Cannot accurately provide a real-life experience: This is a key limitation. While most platforms try to have their demo accounts be as closely related to live trades, there are some things it does not account for. It does not give you a clear view of commissions and fees. When shifting to live trades you might discover some hidden fees. This is something to keep in mind. Our advice is to make sure you do your research.
Stock Simulators
Here are some good stock simulators you can use to practice your trading skills.
MarketWatch’s Virtual Stock Exchange
MarketWatch’s virtual stock exchange is a popular trading simulator. This game lets you place pretend trades in real-time and with real market conditions. MarketWatch is not limited to stocks alone. You can practice trading options and other instruments. For those with a competitive streak, MarketWatch also has a leaderboard so you can see how you compare with other traders.
Investopedia’s Stock Simulator
When starting, Investopedia gives you $100,000 in virtual funds that you can use to invest in stocks and options trading.
While not as extensive as MarketWatch, Investopedia’s Stock Simulator does offer tutorials and a ton of educational content. They also offer extensive educational research.
This stock simulator is focused on education and is ideal for beginners.
How to Pick a Virtual Trading Account
Here are some things to consider when picking a paper trading account:
Similar to real accounts
How similar is it to the live trading account offered? Do they share similar features?
These are questions you should ask yourself when picking out a virtual trading platform. Ideally, you would want it to be as similar to a real account as possible. This will help you familiarize yourself with the platform and make the transition from paper account to live account smoother.
Real-time data
Something to consider is whether the platform offers real-time data. Having this available helps develop trading strategies. It also helps you decide what to trade and when. Having real-time data available is invaluable, especially for beginners who are learning.
Securities available
You should also check whether the platform offers securities you want to trade. While this is not as important if you’re going to be using a paper trading account, this is important if you decide to go live. Ideally, you should choose a platform with a broker that you would want to use for live trading. This way you can familiarize yourself with the platform you want to use.
It is also important to check out the features, fees, and securities of the live account and make sure it suits your needs.
Research and tools available
The research and tools available on the platform are important. If you’re a beginner, you should choose a platform with a variety of tools and research so that you can improve your trading knowledge.
Having research and tools available helps you develop trading strategies and decide which instruments to invest in.
Best Forex Paper Trading Platform
If you are looking to focus on Forex, we recommend the AvaTrade platform if you are outside of the US, and Interactive Brokers if you live in the US.
AvaTrade is a global trusted brand. They are known for their extensive trading platform options that include web-based, desktop, and mobile options. AvaTrade offers both spot forex and forex options. They also have large asset classes for CFDs.
Interactive Brokers is also available globally. They offer the same array of trading platform options as AvaTrade. Much like AvaTrade, Interactive Brokers also offers a proprietary trade system.
Best for Options Paper Trading
If you are looking to specialize in options trading we recommend the IQ option platform if you are outside of the US, and the Interactive Brokers for those living in the US.
IQ Options offers a user-friendly, proprietary trading platform. It can be used for binary options trading and CFDs.
Their platform offers large charting tools that help you monitor the conditions of markets. It also offers margin trading with certain instruments.
As mentioned, Interactive Brokers also has a proprietary trading platform. With this platform, you could have a share price of $0.47 per 100 shares which is an improvement on the market standard.
Interactive Brokers offers more instruments than IQ option so if you want to expand and diversify your portfolio this is something to keep in mind.
FAQ
Which is the best paper trading site?
This depends on your goals. Ask yourself what you want to achieve out of using a platform. You could list your goals and then look at some trading platforms that offer paper trading and see whether they meet your goals. We do advise you to choose a trading platform with a broker that you want to use for live trading as well since you’ll be used to the platform.
Can you Make Money With a Virtual Trading Account?
Paper trading is a simulated account that uses virtual currency to make fake trades. The gains and losses you make are only simulations of what could happen in live trading.
