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NinjaTrader is one of the most popular brokers for futures trading, with robust desktop and web platforms that you can customize to fit your needs. It's also an affordable place to invest, with lower fees and margin requirements than many of its competitors. Keep reading our in-depth NinjaTrader review to learn how it works and its pros and cons.
On NinjaTrader's Secure Website.
A leading futures broker with all the tools you need for technical analysis, charting price movements, and placing trades. Since it's only designed for futures trading, you'll need to use a different broker for any other types of investments.
Commission fees vary based on plan chosen. Plans range from a $0 monthly fee, to $99 per month, to a one-time payment of $1,499.
$0
Fund an account and get up to $250*
On NinjaTrader's Secure Website.
We recommend comparing brokerage options to ensure the account you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of our best trading platforms of 2025.
| Broker | Best For | Commissions | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
4.5/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Low-cost investing with a full-featured platform | $0 stock, ETF, and Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource® trades. No fees to buy fractional shares. |
Learn More for Charles Schwab
On Charles Schwab's Secure Website. |
4.5/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Managing your finances under one roof | $0 for stocks, $0 for options contracts |
Learn More for SoFi Active Investing
On SoFi Active Investing's Secure Website. |
5.0/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor |
Full-service investing at every experience level | $0 commission for online U.S. stock and ETFs*. No account fees****. |
Learn More for Fidelity
On Fidelity's Secure Website. |
Here's a more detailed look at NinjaTrader and what it has to offer.
NinjaTrader is a futures brokerage. Unlike other popular stock brokers, it's built exclusively for buying and selling futures contracts.
It offers multiple trading platforms, including for desktop, web, and mobile, and you can trade futures with any of them. The most useful is NinjaTrader Desktop, which allows you to personalize your trading platform. You can install third-party indicators and apps designed for use with NinjaTrader and build automated trading strategies.
One of the main reasons to use NinjaTrader is the trading platform. It's fast, which is especially important with futures, which involve active trading and investing with leverage. It has useful charting tools for technical analysis, thousands of apps and add-ons, and it's fully customizable to fit your needs. For advanced futures traders looking for a platform that has it all, NinjaTrader is an excellent choice.
SEE MORE: Best Futures Trading Platforms
NinjaTrader's commissions are lower than what most brokers charge on futures contracts, although they do vary based on the pricing plan you choose. A lifetime plan requires a one-time payment of $1,499, but it gets you the lowest commissions NinjaTrader offers: $0.09 per side on micro contracts and $0.59 on standard contracts. Commissions are higher, but still reasonable, with NinjaTrader's $99-per-month and free plans.
If you're looking for an affordable place to start futures trading, NinjaTrader doesn't have any minimum deposit requirements. It also has lower margins than many futures brokers, starting at just $50 for intraday margins on micro contracts.
You can only trade futures contracts with NinjaTrader. It's not a typical stock broker where you can buy and sell individual stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other types of investments. Although it's an excellent futures broker, it's more limited than many competitors. There are plenty of brokers that offer futures trading and stock trading.
Both NinjaTrader and futures trading aren't recommended if you're an inexperienced investor. The NinjaTrader platform is designed with advanced users in mind and has a considerable learning curve. Because futures trading involves leverage, it's much riskier than your everyday stock investing. There's greater profit potential, which is why people do it. But you can also lose more money, and you can lose it quickly if you're not careful.
While NinjaTrader offers a mobile trading platform, it has mixed reviews in Google Play and the App Store. Users have complained about a clunky, frustrating user interface, as well as having difficulty placing trades and reviewing charts. You may be better off sticking with the web and desktop platforms, which get much higher marks from investors.
NinjaTrader offers three plans: A free plan, a plan with a monthly fee, and a lifetime plan with a one-time fee. The commissions you pay depend on the plan you choose. Here's NinjaTrader's fee and commission structure with each plan:
| Plan | Fixed Fee | Commissions Per Side (Micro) | Commissions Per Side (Standard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0.35 | $1.29 |
| Monthly | $99 per month | $0.25 | $0.99 |
| Lifetime | $1,499 one-time payment | $0.09 | $0.59 |
NinjaTrader doesn't offer mutual funds or ETFs. You'll need another broker for those. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available.
RELATED: Best Brokers for Mutual Funds
NinjaTrader doesn't charge any fees to deposit money. ACH deposits, incoming checks, and income wire transfers are all free. There is a $30 bounced check fee.
ACH withdrawals are also free. Withdrawals made by domestic wire transfer have a $30 fee, and international wire transfers have a fee of 30 units in the originating currency.
There are also a few more fees on NinjaTrader you should know about:
There are three versions of the NinjaTrader trading platform available:
NinjaTrader's margins vary based on the type of contract and the market. It has $50 intraday margins for micro contracts and $500 margins for many popular futures markets. In markets with less liquidity and more volatility, such as crude oil, NinjaTrader has $1,000 margins.
Here are NinjaTrader's margins for some of its most popular contracts:
| $50 Margins | $500 Margins | $1,000 Margins |
|---|---|---|
| Micro E-mini Dow | E-mini Dow | Crude oil |
| Micro E-mini Russell 2000 | E-mini Russell 2000 | Gold |
| Micro E-mini S&P | E-mini S&P | Natural gas |
NinjaTrader has robust research offerings, although it's worth mentioning that these are all focused on futures trading. Specifically, it has educational resources on the following topics:
One of the more useful offerings on NinjaTrader is its livestreams. It has livestreams before the markets open and close every weekday with commentary, analysis, and trading opportunities. Some livestreams also include futures trading in real time, so you can see how other investors prepare and analyze the market.
At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and account types; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and highly rated mobile apps. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.
See our full methodology here: Ratings Methodology
NinjaTrader has a free plan available where you pay as you trade. Commissions are higher on this plan than with its monthly and lifetime plans.
NinjaTrader isn't the best option for beginners. It has an advanced platform and only offers futures contracts, which carry much more risk than investing in stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds.
There's no account minimum or deposit minimum with NinjaTrader. Margin requirements vary depending on the market, starting at $50 for intraday margin on micro contracts.
NinjaTrader special offer disclosure
*Offer valid for a limited time only. Commission rebate will be applied to the account holder’s balance for trades placed within 30 days of fund date. Rebate will be based on trades linked to this promotion only, not any other funded account. Existing clients and inactive account holders are exempt and not eligible. Offer not combinable with other offers. Traders will receive a rebate for commissions up to $250. If applicable, a rebate will be applied by the middle of the
following month. Available for individual accounts only. Joint, IRA and professional accounts are not eligible for this offer. Credits may be subject to US withholding taxes & any associated taxes are the customer’s responsibility. Offer end date and program requirements are subject to change without notice.
Exchange, clearing fee and NFA fees still apply.
Fidelity disclosure
Investing involves risk, including risk of loss
* - $0.00 commission applies to online U.S. equity trades and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in a Fidelity retail account only for Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC retail clients. Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee (historically from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal). Other exclusions and conditions may apply. A limited number of ETFs are subject to a transaction-based service fee of $100. See full list at Fidelity.com/commissions. Employee equity compensation transactions and accounts managed by advisors or intermediaries through Fidelity Institutional® are subject to different commission schedules.
**Fidelity Crypto® is offered by Fidelity Digital Assets®. Investing involves risk, including risk of total loss. Crypto as an asset class is highly volatile, can become illiquid at any time, and is for investors with a high risk tolerance. Crypto may also be more susceptible to market manipulation than securities. Crypto is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Investors in crypto do not benefit from the same regulatory protections applicable to registered securities. Fidelity Crypto® accounts and custody and trading of crypto in such accounts are provided by Fidelity Digital Asset Services, LLC, which is chartered as a limited purpose trust company by the New York State Department of Financial Services to engage in virtual currency business (NMLS ID 1773897). Brokerage services in support of securities trading are provided by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (“FBS”), and related custody services are provided by National Financial Services LLC (“NFS”), each a registered broker-dealer and member NYSE and SIPC. Neither FBS nor NFS offer crypto as a direct investment nor provide trading or custody services for such assets. Fidelity Crypto and Fidelity Digital Assets are registered service marks of FMR LLC.
***Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.
****Zero account minimums and zero account fees apply to retail brokerage accounts only. Expenses charged by investments (e.g., funds, managed accounts, and certain HSAs) and commissions, interest charges, or other expenses for transactions may still apply. See Fidelity.com/commissions for further details.
