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Best paper trading simulators and accounts in 2026

Paper trading lets you place practice orders against market prices without real money, and every broker and charting site now offers some version of it. The versions are not the same: some need a funded brokerage account, some start with a fixed virtual balance, and some fill orders in ways a live account would not. This roundup compares eight simulators on what their own pages state about cost, virtual balance, instruments, data and account requirements. We make Tradewink, and it is on the list; it is also the entry that is not a general practice brokerage. For a beginner walkthrough, see our guide to the best paper trading platforms. Every figure below was read from the vendor's own pages on October 10, 2026.

Vendor details checked against each vendor's own pages on . Tradewink details from its public plan data.

The list, by what each is best for

  1. Moomoo

    Free practice in stocks, options and futures without opening a brokerage account

  2. Webull paperTrade

    Practising multi-leg options and extended-hours trades with resettable virtual funds

  3. TradingView Paper Trading

    Practising from the charts and scripts you already use

  4. Alpaca

    Developers who want a paper trading API with documented simulation limits

  5. NinjaTrader

    Futures traders practising on a full platform with free simulation

  6. Trade Ideas

    Practising scanner-driven intraday trades in a paid real-time platform

  7. TradersPost

    Testing a TradingView or TrendSpider strategy through a paper broker account before going live

  8. Tradewink

    Paper-tracking written signals for a watchlist; not a general practice brokerage

Comparison table

As stated on each vendor's own pages, read October 10, 2026. A "not stated" cell means the page we read did not say.

Best paper trading simulators and accounts in 2026: pricing model, free tier, data latency, broker integration, automation and limits
ToolBest forPricing modelFree tierData latencyBroker integrationAutomationLimits
MoomooFree practice in stocks, options and futures without opening a brokerage accountFree for app usersYes: no brokerage account required for paper tradingReal-time quotes and live market data per the pageNo brokerage account required for paper tradingNone listed on the page$1 million virtual for stocks or options, up to $10 million for futures; the web version is available for stock trading only
Webull paperTradePractising multi-leg options and extended-hours trades with resettable virtual fundsFree, per the pageYes; whether an account is required is not stated on the pageOrders are filled against real-time data and Level 2 is mentionedWebull brokerage; account requirement for paper not statedNone listed on the paper trading pageNo starting dollar amount shown; unlimited virtual funds with reset; margin tracked with simulated margin calls
TradingView Paper TradingPractising from the charts and scripts you already useNo fees stated for paper trading itselfYes, per the support article; the plan needed for chart features you use is separateOrders and positions tracked in real time; data requirements are not stated on the articlePaper Trading is chosen from the broker list inside the chartNot stated on the article we readStarting balance and limits are not stated on the article
AlpacaDevelopers who want a paper trading API with documented simulation limitsFreeYes: a Paper Only Account needs only an email addressIEX market data only on Paper Only accountsIt is the broker; paper accounts use separate API keys from live accountsYou code against its paper API endpointDefault $100k balance; about 10% of eligible orders get a random partial fill; orders fill only when marketable; market impact, slippage, fees and dividends are not modeled
NinjaTraderFutures traders practising on a full platform with free simulationFree plan $0/mo includes simulated trading; Monthly $99/mo; Lifetime $1,499 onceYes: simulated trading and backtesting free, no time limit, no funding requiredReal-time top-of-book data and Market Replay need a funded, approved live accountFutures-focused; third-party tool integration, including TradingView, is listedCommunity automated strategies and NinjaScript are listedReal-time data, Market Replay and Order Flow+ require a funded account
Trade IdeasPractising scanner-driven intraday trades in a paid real-time platformStandard $127/mo ($1,068/yr); Premium $254/mo ($2,136/yr)Free account shows data delayed by 15 minutes; paper trading is listed on StandardReal-time on paid plans; 15-minute delay on the free viewInteractive Brokers, Alpaca and TradeStation (live or paper), E*TRADE (live only), plus an in-house simulatorAuto Trading listed on PremiumPaper trading sits on the paid plans; AI signals, backtesting and Auto Trading are Premium only
TradersPostTesting a TradingView or TrendSpider strategy through a paper broker account before going live7-day free trial ($0); Starter $49/mo; Basic $99/mo; Pro $199/mo; Premium $299/mo (monthly billing)7-day free trial: automated submit to paper accounts, manual submit to live accounts; the page does not say what happens when it endsNot applicable: it routes signals from the source you connectBrokers not named on the pricing pageRoutes strategy signals to paper or live accounts; live auto-submit needs a paid planPaper accounts 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 by paid plan; extra paper accounts $5/mo
TradewinkPaper-tracking written signals for a watchlist; not a general practice brokerageFree $0; Starter $19/mo; Pro $79/mo; Elite $149/moFree: up to 3 signals a day across 2 sampler signal types, 5-ticker watchlist, 7-day history, no credit cardFree: delayed 15 minutes; paid plans: real-time delivery for currently enabled signal typesOptional paper or sandbox broker accounts. Public subscriptions are paper-only; separately approved private beta accounts may submit live broker orders.Paper Autopilot follows signals in a simulator or paper/sandbox account; email and webhook alerts on paid plansFree is capped at 3 signals a day and a 5-ticker watchlist; Starter has an unlimited watchlist and 90-day history; Pro adds REST API access

Each tool: what it does and where it is not the right fit

1. Moomoo

Best for: Free practice in stocks, options and futures without opening a brokerage account

Moomoo's paper trading page says it is free for users of the moomoo app and does not need a brokerage account. It lists practice in stocks, options and futures against real-time quotes, with $1 million in virtual money for stocks or options and up to $10 million for futures.

Where it works well

  • No brokerage account needed to start
  • Stocks, options and futures on one practice account
  • Real-time quotes are stated on the page

Where it is not the right fit

  • You want to automate: no API or bot route is listed on the paper trading page
  • You trade options or futures from a browser: the web version is stock trading only
  • You want instruments beyond stocks, options and futures: only those are listed on the page

Read from: Moomoo paper trading (October 10, 2026)

2. Webull paperTrade

Best for: Practising multi-leg options and extended-hours trades with resettable virtual funds

Webull's paperTrade page lists it as free, with unlimited virtual funds you can reset and reload, all assets available, U.S. stocks in regular, pre-market, after-hours and overnight sessions, multi-leg options strategies, no pattern day trader restrictions, and orders filled against real-time data.

Where it works well

  • Multi-leg options strategies and extended-hours sessions are listed
  • Reset and reload your virtual funds whenever you want
  • Margin calls and liquidations are simulated

Where it is not the right fit

  • You want to learn pattern day trader limits: the page says it has none
  • You want a fixed starting balance that mirrors a small account: none is shown and funds are unlimited
  • You want to know if you need an account first: the page does not say

Read from: Webull paperTrade (October 10, 2026)

3. TradingView Paper Trading

Best for: Practising from the charts and scripts you already use

TradingView's support article describes Paper Trading as available globally to all users with no fees, supporting almost every asset class on the platform, including stocks, forex, crypto and commodity and index futures. You open it from the Trade button in Supercharts and choose Paper Trading from the broker list.

Where it works well

  • Practice orders sit on the same charts and indicators you already use
  • Stocks, forex, crypto and futures are listed
  • No fees are stated for the simulator

Where it is not the right fit

  • You want a stated starting balance or hard limits: the article states neither
  • You trade a market that needs a data subscription: data requirements are not described
  • You want a simulator tied to a broker you will use live: it is a separate simulator in the broker list

Read from: TradingView paper trading support article (October 10, 2026)

4. Alpaca

Best for: Developers who want a paper trading API with documented simulation limits

Alpaca's documentation says paper trading is free and available to all users through a Paper Only Account opened with an email address, with a default $100k balance, its own API keys and endpoint, and IEX market data. It also lists what the simulation does not model.

Where it works well

  • The documentation states how the simulator differs from live trading
  • Paper accounts can be created and deleted from the dashboard
  • Margin, short selling and extended-hours trading are listed as available in paper

Where it is not the right fit

  • You do not write code: the API is the main route in
  • You need market data beyond IEX on a paper-only account: it is limited to IEX data
  • You want realistic large-order fills: size is not checked against displayed quantities

Read from: Alpaca paper trading documentation (October 10, 2026)

5. NinjaTrader

Best for: Futures traders practising on a full platform with free simulation

NinjaTrader's pricing page lists a full-feature simulated trading experience at no cost, with strategy backtesting and simulated trading free with no time limit and no funding required. Top-of-book real-time data, Market Replay and Order Flow+ need a funded, approved live account.

Where it works well

  • Simulation is free with no time limit and no funding
  • Charting and backtesting are on the same platform
  • The pricing page states which features need a funded account

Where it is not the right fit

  • You practise stocks or options: it is built around futures
  • You want real-time data without funding an account: it is listed as needing one
  • You want a no-code strategy builder: custom strategies are coded

Read from: NinjaTrader pricing (October 10, 2026)

6. Trade Ideas

Best for: Practising scanner-driven intraday trades in a paid real-time platform

Trade Ideas' pricing page lists real-time paper trading with in-app trading on its Standard plan, alongside real-time data, customizable scans and 500+ data points. Its Brokerage Plus guide lists Interactive Brokers, Alpaca and TradeStation (live or paper) and an in-house simulator.

Where it works well

  • Real-time paper trading with in-app trading is listed on the Standard plan
  • An in-house simulator and paper broker connections are both listed
  • Scanning, alerts and paper trading are in one product

Where it is not the right fit

  • You only want a free practice account: paper trading is on the $127 a month plan
  • You hold for days or weeks and do not need intraday speed
  • You want written reasoning behind each idea: its pricing page does not describe it

Read from: Trade Ideas pricing, Trade Ideas Brokerage Plus guide (October 10, 2026)

7. TradersPost

Best for: Testing a TradingView or TrendSpider strategy through a paper broker account before going live

TradersPost is an execution bridge, not a simulator of its own. Its pricing page lists a free 7-day trial with automated submit to paper accounts and manual submit to live accounts, and paid plans by number of live and paper accounts.

Where it works well

  • Automated paper submission is included in the 7-day free trial
  • Keeps you on your own broker and your own signal source
  • Paper account counts are listed per plan

Where it is not the right fit

  • You need a simulator that generates its own fills: it routes to a broker paper account
  • You want signals or charts from it: it does not provide them
  • You want a free route to live automation: live auto-submit needs a paid plan

Read from: TradersPost pricing (October 10, 2026)

8. Tradewink

Best for: Paper-tracking written signals for a watchlist; not a general practice brokerage

Tradewink is the product we make: a watchlist-first signal service. Signals carry entry, stop, target and written reasoning, and Paper Autopilot follows them in a simulator or a connected paper or sandbox broker account so you can review a decision before risking money.

Where it works well

  • Each signal arrives with entry, stop, target and written reasoning to review
  • Paper tracking is attached to the signal you reviewed
  • A free plan with no credit card, and a 7-day Starter trial

Where it is not the right fit

  • You want a general practice brokerage with a large virtual balance and every order type: use a simulator from this list
  • You want charts, drawing tools or scripting: it is not a charting platform
  • You want live order routing from a public plan: public subscriptions are paper-only

Read from: Tradewink pricing (October 10, 2026)

Start a free watchlist See Tradewink plans

How to choose

Which tool fits which need
If youLook at
You want to practise stocks, options and futures free, without a brokerage accountMoomoo
You want to try multi-leg options and extended-hours trades with resettable fundsWebull paperTrade
You already chart on TradingView and want to practise from those chartsTradingView Paper Trading
You are testing code and want the simulation limits written downAlpaca
You trade futures and want a free simulator with backtestingNinjaTrader
You scan intraday and want paper orders from scans on real-time dataTrade Ideas Standard, if $127 a month fits
You want to check a strategy signal on a paper broker before it can touch real moneyTradersPost (7-day free trial) with your signal source
You want to review written reasoning and paper-track a short watchlistTradewink, alongside one simulator above

How this list was built

We started from current "best paper trading platforms" search results and kept simulators whose own pages state plan or account details we could read. Where a page did not say what the starting balance, data delay or account requirement is, the table says "not stated" instead of guessing. Two large brokers whose paper accounts rank on most lists, Interactive Brokers and tastytrade, could not be verified from their own pages and are listed under "not included". Entries are ordered by the job they do, not by a score. Paper results are practice: fills in a simulator can differ from live fills, so nothing here says a paper result predicts a live one.

Left out because we could not verify it

  • Interactive Brokers: its paper trading pages returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch on October 10, 2026, so we state no balance, data or account rule for it.
  • tastytrade: the page we could read did not describe paper trading, so we state nothing about its simulator.
  • thinkorswim and TradeStation: their pages returned authorization errors to automated fetch on October 10, 2026, so we state nothing about either.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best paper trading simulator?

It depends on what you want to practise. Moomoo lists free stocks, options and futures practice without a brokerage account, Webull lists resettable virtual funds and multi-leg options, TradingView puts practice orders on the charts you already use, Alpaca documents its simulation limits for code, and NinjaTrader gives futures traders free simulation without funding. Compare what each states about data and account requirements before choosing.

Is paper trading free?

Mostly. Moomoo, Webull, TradingView, Alpaca and NinjaTrader's Free plan each list paper or simulated trading at no cost on their own pages. Trade Ideas lists real-time paper trading on its Standard plan at $127 a month. Free simulators can still carry delayed data or require a funded account for real-time quotes, as NinjaTrader states.

Do I need a brokerage account to paper trade?

Not always. Moomoo states that paper trading does not require a brokerage account, and Alpaca's Paper Only Account needs only an email address. Webull and TradingView do not state the requirement on the pages we read, and NinjaTrader lists real-time data and Market Replay as needing a funded, approved account.

Is paper trading realistic?

Only partly. Alpaca's documentation says its simulator does not model market impact, slippage, regulatory fees or dividends and fills about 10% of eligible orders partially at random, and Webull says its paper accounts have no pattern day trader restrictions. Treat paper results as practice with your process, not as proof of what live trading would produce.

Is Tradewink a paper trading platform?

Not a general one. Tradewink publishes signals with entry, stop, target and written reasoning for currently enabled signal types, and Paper Autopilot follows them in a simulator or a connected paper or sandbox broker account. It is not a practice brokerage where you place any order by hand. Public subscriptions are paper-only; separately approved private beta accounts may submit live broker orders.

How current are the details on this page?

Every figure was read from the vendor's own pages on October 10, 2026, and each is linked under Sources. Simulators change balances, data terms and eligibility often, so confirm on the vendor's page before you rely on one. For a beginner walkthrough, see our guide to the best paper trading platforms.

Sources

Primary pages read on October 10, 2026. Prices and limits change; verify them on the vendor's page before you decide.

Independent roundup. Tradewink is not affiliated with the other vendors listed. Tradewink is not a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results; trading involves risk of loss. Public subscriptions are paper-only; separately approved private beta accounts may submit live broker orders.

Keep reading

Best paper trading platforms: beginner guidePaper trading guideWhat is paper trading?Tradewink vs WebullTradewink vs NinjaTraderBest automated trading platformsBest TradingView alternativesAll comparisons

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Important disclosures

Informational purposes only

Tradewink is published by Tradewink LLC, which is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, commodity trading advisor, or financial planner. All data, signals, and analytics on this page are general, impersonal, and for informational purposes only. They do not constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or other instrument.

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Past performance does not guarantee future results. Trading involves substantial risk of loss, including the possibility of losing more than your initial investment. You are solely responsible for your own trading decisions.