Category: Data Feeds & Broker Connections | Last Updated: April 2026

What is Tradovate?

Tradovate is the cloud-based futures data and brokerage platform used by several prop firms (Apex, Elite Trader Funding, and others) as an alternative to Rithmic. Unlike Rithmic, Tradovate runs on both Windows and macOS.

Important: Your Vector Algorithmics strategies run inside NinjaTrader using the Tradovate account routed by your prop firm. This guide assumes you already have a NinjaTrader account from your onboarding.

Part 1 — Activate Your Tradovate Account (First Time Only)

Step 1: Log In to Tradovate on the Web

Your prop firm will issue your Tradovate credentials inside their member/Trader Dashboard. Before touching NinjaTrader, sign in to Tradovate's web platform so you can accept the required data agreement:

1. Go to https://trader.tradovate.com/welcome
2. Copy your Username and Password from your prop firm's Trader Dashboard and paste them directly into Tradovate (don't retype — copy/paste avoids typos)
3. Sign in

Step 2: Accept the Tradovate Data Agreement

On first login Tradovate will prompt you to: 1. Review the Terms of Use 2. Select Non-Professional status (this is what prop firm members qualify for — it's included in your account; Professional status is paid) 3. Click Access Simulation to enter the trading platform

After accepting the agreement, live market data can take 1–5 minutes to activate. If prices look stale or frozen, log out and log back in.

Part 2 — Connect NinjaTrader to Your Tradovate Account

Step 3: Open NinjaTrader on Your VPS

Log in to NinjaTrader Desktop with the NinjaTrader credentials provided during your onboarding.

If a Live / Simulation dialog appears, select Simulation — prop firm evaluation and funded accounts run in simulation mode on NinjaTrader.

Step 4: Enable Multi-Provider Mode

1. In the Control Center, go to Tools → Options → General
2. Check Multi-provider
3. Click Apply → OK
4. Restart NinjaTrader for the change to take effect

Step 5: Configure the Tradovate Connection

After restart: 1. Control Center → Connections → Configure (If "Configure" is missing, Multi-Provider isn't enabled — go back to Step 4.) 2. In the Available list, select NinjaTrader → click Add 3. In the Properties panel, enter: - Username: your Tradovate username (from your prop firm's Trader Dashboard) - Password: your Tradovate password 4. Click Apply → OK

Step 6: Connect

Control Center → Connections → click the entry you just created (usually shown as My NinjaTrader). Your Tradovate account(s) should load in the Accounts tab and data should start flowing on your charts.

Troubleshooting

"Login Failed" / wrong credentials - Remember the Control Center asks for NinjaTrader login, and the Connection asks for Tradovate login — don't mix them up - Copy/paste from your prop firm's Trader Dashboard — no extra spaces - Test by logging into trader.tradovate.com directly

Data Stale / Charts Not Updating - Log out and back in of the Tradovate web platform (this re-activates live data) - Wait 1–5 minutes after first agreement acceptance - Restart NinjaTrader

Can't Find a Connection to Add in Configure - Multi-Provider Mode wasn't enabled — Tools → Options → General → check Multi-provider → restart NinjaTrader

Key Points

• Always sign in to Tradovate on the web first to accept the data agreement
• Always select Non-Professional status (free data, included in your prop account)
• Multi-Provider Mode must be enabled in NinjaTrader before you can add the Tradovate connection
• Prop firm accounts live in Simulation mode inside NinjaTrader by design

Bottom Line

Setting up Tradovate for a prop firm is a two-part flow: activate and sign the data agreement on trader.tradovate.com, then add your Tradovate account inside NinjaTrader via Connections → Configure. Once the connection is green, you're ready to load Vector strategies.

For any additional questions — firm-specific login credentials, account-level permissions, or platform-specific issues — consult your prop firm's official website and support portal. They publish the most up-to-date Tradovate connection instructions for their members.

Video walkthrough

How to connect Tradovate to NinjaTrader