NinjaTrader

Overview

NinjaTrader is both a trading platform and a futures brokerage. Brokerage accounts are carried by NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC, the same futures commission merchant (FCM) that carries Tradovate accounts. The pricing model is built around three plans. You can trade on the Free plan, or pay a monthly fee or a one-time lifetime fee to lower your commission on every contract.

The headline numbers are a $0.39 per-side commission on micro contracts on the Free plan, $50 day-trade margin on the Micro E-mini S&P 500 (MES) and no account minimum. The trade-off is that exchange, clearing and NFA fees are added on top, and some extras such as CQG Desktop and third-party connections carry their own per-contract charges.

Commissions and fees

Commissions are charged per contract, per side. A round turn (buy and sell) is two sides.

Other fees NinjaTrader publishes (rates stated as accurate as of August 14, 2026):

• Clearing fee: $0.19 per contract on most contracts.
• CQG Desktop: $0.25 per futures contract.
• Third-party platform integrations: $0.05 to $0.25 per contract, plus a possible $10 monthly usage fee.
• Multi-broker add-on for the desktop platform: $99 per month.
• Minimum account activity fee: $35 for Free-plan accounts with no live trade in a 30-day period ($25 for legacy plans opened before June 20, 2025).
• Domestic wire withdrawal: $30. ACH deposits and withdrawals: no fee.
• Margin call: $50. Margin liquidation: $25 for a first violation, $50 after that.

All-in cost example

NinjaTrader publishes the exchange-plus-NFA fee and clearing fee for MES and ES, so we used its own figures. The combined exchange and NFA fee equals CME's non-member exchange fee ($0.35 for MES, $1.38 for ES) plus the NFA's $0.01 per-side assessment.

One round turn of MES (Free plan):

• Commission: $0.39
• Exchange and NFA fee: $0.36
• Clearing fee: $0.19
• Per side: $0.39 + $0.36 + $0.19 = $0.94
• Round turn: $0.94 × 2 = $1.88

On the Monthly plan the same round turn is ($0.29 + $0.36 + $0.19) × 2 = $1.68. On Lifetime it is ($0.09 + $0.36 + $0.19) × 2 = $1.28.

One round turn of ES (Free plan):

• Commission: $1.29
• Exchange and NFA fee: $1.39
• Clearing fee: $0.19
• Per side: $1.29 + $1.39 + $0.19 = $2.87
• Round turn: $2.87 × 2 = $5.74

On Monthly the ES round turn is $5.14, and on Lifetime it is $4.34. Using CQG Desktop or a third-party connection adds that platform's per-contract charge. Exchange fees change from time to time, so check the commission schedule before you trade.

A quick break-even check: at $1.88 a round turn, the Monthly plan saves $0.20 per MES round turn, so you need about 495 MES round turns a month to cover the $99 fee. You can test your own numbers with our tick value calculator.

Margins

NinjaTrader lists day-trade margin of $500 for the E-mini S&P 500 (ES) and $50 for MES. Day-trade margin only applies while you are flat by the end of the session. Positions held overnight need the full exchange-set initial margin, which is much higher. See our margin calculator to compare what each level means for position size.

Low day-trade margin is not a recommendation to use high leverage. With $50 of margin, a 10-point move against one MES contract costs $50, the entire margin.

Platforms

NinjaTrader's own desktop platform is free for charting, backtesting and simulated trading, and there are web and mobile versions. Funded brokerage accounts can also connect through CQG Desktop ($0.25 per contract) and third-party integrations at the per-contract rates above.

For market data, NinjaTrader states that funded brokerage accounts get Level 1 CME data at no charge, and its plans include top-of-book data once an account is funded. Level 2 depth costs $48 a month for the CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX bundle or $16 per exchange for non-professionals. Professional users pay $156 per CME exchange per month.

Account opening and minimums

NinjaTrader says it has no minimum deposit. Any amount above $0 activates plan benefits once funds settle. ACH and debit card deposits have a $5 minimum. A free 14-day streaming data trial is included when you open an account. Keep the $35 inactivity fee on the Free plan in mind if you plan to trade only occasionally.

Regulation

NinjaTrader states that NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC is registered with the CFTC as an FCM and is an NFA member, NFA ID 0309379. It is part of NinjaTrader Group, LLC, which also includes NinjaTrader, LLC (the platform company). Confirm the current registration and any disciplinary history in NFA BASIC before you fund an account.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Low per-side commissions, especially on the Lifetime plan.
• $50 MES and $500 ES day-trade margins.
• No account minimum.
• Fees are itemized per contract, so the all-in cost is easy to calculate.

Cons

• Exchange, NFA and clearing fees add $0.55 per side on MES and $1.58 on ES.
• The lowest rates need a $99 monthly plan or a $1,499 license.
• $35 minimum activity fee on inactive Free-plan accounts.
• CQG and third-party connections cost extra per contract.

Who it suits

NinjaTrader suits active day traders in micro contracts who want low margins and a full desktop platform, and who trade enough to justify a paid plan or at least one live trade a month. Occasional traders should weigh the inactivity fee. Traders who want to use many third-party platforms may find per-contract connection fees add up.

Frequently asked questions

Is NinjaTrader's commission per side or round turn?

Per side. A round turn is two sides, so the Free-plan micro rate of $0.39 becomes $0.78 per round turn before exchange, NFA and clearing fees.

What does one MES round turn cost on NinjaTrader?

Using NinjaTrader's published fees, $1.88 on Free, $1.68 on Monthly and $1.28 on Lifetime, including exchange, NFA and clearing fees.

Is there a minimum deposit?

No. NinjaTrader says any amount above $0 works, with a $5 minimum for ACH or debit card deposits.

Does NinjaTrader charge for market data?

NinjaTrader states funded brokerage accounts get Level 1 CME data at no charge. Level 2 data costs $48 a month for the four-exchange bundle for non-professionals.

Are NinjaTrader and Tradovate the same company?

Both are part of NinjaTrader Group. Brokerage accounts for both are carried by NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC, and the commission plans match.

• NinjaTrader pricing
• NinjaTrader: How much does NinjaTrader cost (fees as of Aug 14, 2026)
• NinjaTrader futures trading costs
• Tradovate pricing (NinjaTrader Clearing FCM status and NFA ID)
• NFA assessment fees FAQ
• CME Group exchange fees