NinjaTrader

Setting up NinjaTrader 8

Install NinjaTrader and get a free simulation account

Before you can run the NinjaScript that HorizonAI writes for you, you need NinjaTrader 8 installed. This guide covers the free download, creating an account, setting up a simulation (paper-trading) account, and connecting market data: everything you need before opening the NinjaScript Editor.

You only need NinjaTrader at the very end. Build, backtest and stress test in the Horizon platform first. NinjaScript can't be backtested in-app, so the Horizon platform is where a NinjaTrader strategy gets proven. Set up NinjaTrader when you're ready to export the finished strategy as NinjaScript.

NinjaTrader is free to use for charting, simulation, and backtesting. You only pay if you decide to trade a live funded account. A simulation account is all you need to test HorizonAI-generated scripts.

Install NinjaTrader 8

  1. Go to the official NinjaTrader website and download NinjaTrader 8 (the installer is roughly 500 MB).
  2. Run the downloaded installer and follow the prompts. Accepting the defaults is fine for most people.
  3. Launch NinjaTrader when the install finishes. The first window you see is the Control Center, the hub for everything in the platform.

NinjaTrader 8 runs on Windows. On macOS you can run it inside a Windows virtual machine or a hosted trading VPS, but Windows is the native, supported environment.

Create your free account

The first time you open NinjaTrader, it prompts you to create a free account or log in. Creating one is free and requires no credit card. With it you can trade in simulation and, after signing up, get a short free trial of real-time market data.

Add a simulation account

A simulation account lets you run strategies and indicators against market data without risking real money. NinjaTrader ships with a built-in Sim101 account, and you can add more:

  1. In the Control Center, open the Accounts tab.
  2. Right-click anywhere in the empty area and choose Add Simulation Account.
  3. Set your starting balance and any other options, then confirm. The defaults are fine to start.

Your simulation account doesn't expire: there's no time limit. It's tied to your NinjaTrader installation, so it stays available as long as the platform is installed.

Connect market data

To see live prices and run strategies in real time, connect a data feed:

  1. In the Control Center, go to Connections → Configure.
  2. In the Available list on the left, double-click a provider (for example NinjaTrader / the bundled data connection) to move it to the Configured list on the right.
  3. Follow the prompts to finish setting it up, then use Connections to connect.

New accounts get a free trial of real-time data. For backtesting on historical data you don't strictly need a live connection; NinjaTrader can download historical data for the instruments you test.

Next steps

Now that NinjaTrader is installed and you have a simulation account: