Quantower takes the higher overall PlatformScore (80/100 vs 76/100), leading on order flow, broker/data, prop-firm and community. NinjaTrader counters with stronger automation. Both are built for futures traders, but they land in different spots. This page breaks down all seven scoring axes, then a plain answer on who should pick which.
Last updated: August 9, 2026
| Feature | Quantower | NinjaTrader |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing structure (lifetime vs monthly) | Free tier · Lifetime $1690 | Free tier · Lifetime $1499 |
| Supported data feeds | Rithmic, CQG, dxFeed, many | NinjaTrader/Rithmic, CQG, Kinetick |
| Prop firm support | Very High (Rithmic (broad)) | High (Rithmic (broad)) |
| Metric | Quantower | NinjaTrader |
|---|---|---|
| From | $0-70/mo | $0-99/mo |
| Prop-firm support | Very High | High |
| Connection | Rithmic (broad) | Rithmic (broad) |
| Value | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Order Flow | 8.0 | 6.0 |
| Automation | 6.0 | 8.0 |
| Ease of Use | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Broker/Data | 9.5 | 8.5 |
| Prop-Firm | 10.0 | 8.5 |
| Community | 8.6 | 8.0 |
| PlatformScore | 80 | 76 |
Visit Quantower → Referral code: PlatformscoreVisit NinjaTrader →
Price & value: Quantower and NinjaTrader are essentially tied here (9.0 vs 9.0/10). Quantower runs $0-70/mo with a free tier, NinjaTrader runs $0-99/mo with a free tier. Value here weighs subscription cost against the data feed you can't avoid, not just the sticker price.
Order flow: Quantower leads here at 8.0/10 (excellent) vs NinjaTrader's 6.0/10. This axis measures footprint charts, DOM/ladder tools, volume profile and liquidity heatmaps, the tools order-flow and tape-reading traders lean on most.
Automation & backtesting: NinjaTrader leads here at 8.0/10 (excellent) vs Quantower's 6.0/10. This axis measures scripting language depth and the strategy backtesting/optimization engine, what matters if you're coding and testing your own systems rather than trading discretionarily.
Ease of use: Quantower and NinjaTrader are essentially tied here (6.0 vs 6.0/10). This axis measures how quickly a new trader gets productive, the inverse of the learning curve. It matters most in the first few weeks, well before it affects your actual trading results.
Broker & data flexibility: Quantower leads here at 9.5/10 (elite) vs NinjaTrader's 8.5/10. Quantower connects via Rithmic (broad) across 4 data feed(s). NinjaTrader connects via Rithmic (broad) across 3 data feed(s). Broker lock-in matters if you ever want to switch brokers without switching platforms too.
Prop-firm support: Quantower leads here at 10.0/10 (elite) vs NinjaTrader's 8.5/10. Quantower rates Very High for prop-firm support (Rithmic (broad)). NinjaTrader rates High (Rithmic (broad)). Both are confirmed compatible with Apex, Bulenox, Earn2Trade.
Quantower wins 3 of these 6 head-to-head axes to 1, but the margins vary a lot, worth weighing which axes matter most for how you actually trade.
| Cost | Quantower | NinjaTrader |
|---|---|---|
| Platform price | Free | Free |
| Market-data feed | Rithmic/CQG (via broker) | bundled; or Rithmic/CQG |
Your real monthly cost is the platform price plus the market-data feed. That is why a cheap or free platform can still run more than a pricier all-in-one once you add data, and it is the single biggest thing a sticker price hides. Compare the totals, not the sticker prices.
Pick Quantower if prop-firm support and data-feed & broker flexibility matter most to you. It's the stronger fit for prop-firm and funded traders and multi-broker traders. One concrete edge: genuinely usable free tier.
Pick NinjaTrader if value for money and data-feed & broker flexibility matter most to you instead. It leans toward budget-conscious traders and multi-broker traders. One concrete edge: genuinely usable free tier.
Neither choice is permanent. Most traders eventually run more than one platform side by side once they know exactly which job each one is best at.
With either platform you subscribe to a market-data feed through your broker or prop firm, then enter those login details into the software (broker-locked platforms bundle the feed instead). The feed, not the platform, delivers real-time prices, and it is a separate recurring cost.
Prop-firm rules (daily loss, trailing drawdown, consistency) apply to your trading, not the software. What matters is compatibility: Quantower connects via Rithmic (broad) (Very High prop support), NinjaTrader via Rithmic (broad) (High). Confirm your firm supports the one you pick.
Quantower and NinjaTrader cost about the same to get started, $0-70/mo vs $0-99/mo. See the price & value breakdown above for what that actually buys you on each platform.
Quantower rates higher for prop-firm support here. Quantower is Very High (Rithmic (broad)), NinjaTrader is High (Rithmic (broad)). Always confirm your specific firm allows the platform before funding an account.
Quantower scores higher for order-flow and DOM depth, 8.0/10 vs 6.0/10. That's the axis footprint, DOM/ladder and volume-profile traders should weigh most heavily.
NinjaTrader scores higher for automation and backtesting, 6.0/10 vs 8.0/10, the axis that covers scripting depth and strategy testing.
They're evenly matched for ease of use, both rate 6.0/10 for how fast a new trader gets productive.
Quantower scores 80/100 overall, NinjaTrader scores 76/100. Quantower is the higher overall score, driven mainly by the axes where it leads above.
Yes. Plenty of traders run two platforms side by side, one for charting and order flow and another for automation or execution, rather than treating this as an exclusive choice.