All six platforms, compared side by side

Editorial desk: Priya Raman

These are the six trading and charting platforms we currently rank, in score order. The cards show what each one costs, who it suits and which devices it runs on. Open a review for the full 12-criterion breakdown, including the drawbacks that cost each platform points.

The 2026 ranking

#1Top 2026

NinjaTrader

Price
Free plan $0; Monthly $99/mo; Lifetime $1,499 one-time
Level
Advanced
Runs on
Windows desktop, web, iOS, Android (macOS through the web app)
Free plan or trial
Free plan with unlimited simulator; 14-day live data trial
Stand-out feature
SuperDOM order entry plus NinjaScript in C#
View NinjaTrader
#2

MotiveWave

Price
From $24/mo lease or $245 one-time (Standard)
Level
Advanced
Runs on
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Free plan or trial
14-day trial with no card; free Community edition after
Stand-out feature
Elliott Wave tools and Elliott Wave scanner (Ultimate)
View MotiveWave
#3

Tickeron

Price
Signals plan $240/yr regular; discounts are frequent
Level
Beginner
Runs on
Web, iOS, Android
Free plan or trial
Free Beginner membership; 14-day trial on selected tools
Stand-out feature
Pattern-recognition signals and ready-made trading robots
View Tickeron
#4

Quantower

Price
Free version; All-in-One $70/mo or $1,690 lifetime
Level
Advanced
Runs on
Windows only
Free plan or trial
Free version plus a 7-day full-featured trial
Stand-out feature
DOM Surface liquidity heatmap and cluster charts
View Quantower
#5

MultiCharts

Price
From $79/mo billed annually ($99 monthly); $1,499 lifetime
Level
Advanced
Runs on
Windows only
Free plan or trial
30-day trial with all features; free simulated plan
Stand-out feature
Walk-forward testing and genetic optimisation
View MultiCharts
#6

StockCharts

Price
From $19.95/mo; TSX real-time data +$9.95/mo
Level
Beginner
Runs on
Web, iOS, Android
Free plan or trial
Free level with ads; first month free on paid plans
Stand-out feature
Official real-time TSX and TSX-V data add-on
View StockCharts

Prices as listed on each vendor's site on October 9, 2026. Most vendors don't state the currency, so confirm it at checkout.

Which one fits how you trade

Scores average twelve criteria, so a lower-ranked platform can still be the right one for you. Start from your market and your operating system:

  • CME futures on Windows: NinjaTrader first, with Quantower if you live in the order book.
  • macOS or Linux: MotiveWave, the only one of the six with native builds for both.
  • Writing and testing systems: MultiCharts, but use the whole 30-day trial because sales are final.
  • TSX stocks and ETFs: StockCharts, with its $9.95/mo real-time Canadian feed.
  • Ready-made ideas instead of your own charts: Tickeron, priced at its regular rates, not the sale banner.

A note for Canadian traders

Four of the six are US companies, one is Ukrainian and one, MotiveWave, is based in Toronto. None of them is a Canadian broker. In practice most Canadians pair the software with an account at Interactive Brokers, which NinjaTrader, MotiveWave, Quantower and MultiCharts all support. NinjaTrader's own brokerage reportedly takes Ontario residents only. Check that your broker connects before you pay for any licence, and see our guide to market data fees for the data side of the bill.

The method behind the scores is on the home page, and every review repeats the full score table.

Trading stocks, options, futures, forex or crypto carries a high risk of losing money, and leveraged products such as futures and CFDs can lose more than you deposit. ChartCompass reviews software only; nothing on this site is investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.