Futures paper trading platforms that don't require a broker account

"Free paper trading" usually still means installing software, applying for a brokerage account, or both. Here's what four of the most recommended free futures simulators actually require before you can place a practice trade, based on each platform's own setup docs.

NinjaTrader

No deposit or funded account is required — you register directly and get a simulated account (Sim101) with virtual funds and live simulated data for a 14-day trial. The catch: NinjaTrader is a desktop trading platform, so you need to download and install software before you can trade, even in simulation.

TradingView

The lowest-friction of the major platforms. Paper trading is available on TradingView's free tier with no broker required and no credit card — TradingView itself acts as the counterparty, and every paper account starts with a $100,000 virtual balance covering futures, stocks, and more. The tradeoff is that TradingView is a professional, multi-asset charting tool built for traders who already know what they're looking at, not a beginner-first environment.

thinkorswim (paperMoney)

paperMoney gives you $100,000 in virtual buying power with real-time data across equities, options, futures, and forex — but it's only available if you have an actual Charles Schwab brokerage account. That means a real account application before you can practice a single trade, even though you're never funding it.

Interactive Brokers

Every new IBKR client automatically gets a paper trading account with $1,000,000 in virtual equity — but only after opening a live IBKR account first. The paper account is provisioned within about 24 hours of your application being approved, so there's a real signup process and a wait before you can start.

Where a no-account simulator fits in

All four of these are capable, professional-grade tools once you're set up — the gap is what it takes to get there. Soku Trade skips the brokerage application and the software download entirely: sign up with an email and you're placing a practice trade on live-priced micro futures (MES, MJY, MGC) in the browser. It's not a replacement for a professional platform once you know what you're doing — it's built for the step before that, when you just want to see how a futures trade works without an application process standing in the way.