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Best Paper Trading Apps to Practice Trading With Fake Money in 2024

Our picks of the best paper trading platforms for options traders, crypto traders, futures traders and more.

Paper trading apps offer a risk-free environment to practice and hone trading skills using virtual money.

These platforms simulate real market conditions, providing an invaluable opportunity to learn, experiment with strategies and gain confidence without the financial risk.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to understand the basics or an experienced trader testing new strategies, our picks of the best paper trading apps will help you compare and find the right paper trading platform for you. And they’re all free to use.

Here’s our list.

Our top picks for paper trading apps

Best for crypto paper trading

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  • Trade stocks, options and ETFs without commissions and no options contract fees
  • Innovative social trading features
  • FINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus when you sign up and deposit $100

Best overall

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  • Trade stocks, options, futures, currencies, crypto, precious metals and more
  • Mobile, browser and desktop trading platforms
  • Earn 3.83% APY on your uninvested cash

Best for futures paper trading

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  • Wide range of investment options
  • Free premium tools and trading platforms
  • User-friendly mobile app

7 best paper trading apps of 2024

Why trust Finder

  • 15+ online brokers reviewed and rated by our team of experts
  • Evaluated under our unbiased rating system covering eight categories
  • 20+ years of combined experience covering financial topics

We're big on editorial independence. That means our content, reviews and ratings are fair, accurate and trustworthy. We don't let advertisers or partners sway our opinions. Our financial experts put in the hard work, spending hours researching and analyzing hundreds of products based on data-driven methodologies to find the best accounts and providers for you. Explore our editorial guidelines to see how we work.

Best overall

Interactive Brokers

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusN/A

Best crypto paper trading platform

eToro

4
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusFINDER EXCLUSIVE: Get a guaranteed $15 bonus

Best futures paper trading platform

TradeStation

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

Go to site Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet $50 - $5,000

Best options trading simulator

E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to $1,000
terms apply

Best paper trading app

Webull

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

Earn up to 75 fractional shares and an extra 2% APY for 30 days when you open an account and make an initial deposit of the qualified amount. T&C apply.
Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusEarn up to 75 fractional shares and an extra 2% APY for 30 days

Best for paper trading education

Moomoo

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

Get 8.1% APY for 3 months on idle cash and up to 15 free stocks with qualified deposits. T&Cs apply.
Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet up to 15 free stocks

Best paper trading platform

Charles Schwab

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
Stock trade fee$0
Minimum deposit$0
Signup bonusGet a $101 bonus

Paid non-client promotion. Finder does not invest money with providers on this page. If a brand is a referral partner, we're paid when you click or tap through to, open an account with or provide your contact information to the provider. Partnerships are not a recommendation for you to invest with any one company. Learn more about how we make money.

Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.

Methodology: How we choose the best paper trading platforms

Finder’s investments experts review 18 brokers available on the market to narrow down the best brokerage accounts for paper trading.

We analyze each platform based on 147 key metrics we collect directly from brokers and assess each provider’s performance based on eight different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts.

We then score and rank each provider depending on how it performs in each category.

How we weigh the overall rating

CategoryWeighting
Investment options15%
Trading apps and technology35%
Trading costs5%
Account fees5%
Account types and minimums5%
Customer support5%
Mobile app ratings and security5%
Features and amenities25%

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

How do I open a brokerage account?

Complete the account opening process online in minutes.

Choose a broker or robo-advisor, and complete a brief application by providing personal information such as your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number. Completed applications are typically approved instantly, though the broker may take a couple days to verify your information. Then, connect a bank account to fund your account.

What to look for when choosing the best paper trading app

Finder’s picks for the best brokerage accounts are meant to provide you with a starting point for finding the right broker to practice trading and investing.

Consider the following factors when comparing your options:

  • Flexibility in asset classes. Ability to trade a wide range of asset classes such as stocks, options, ETFs, futures and forex to provide a comprehensive trading experience.
  • Comprehensive tools and features. Availability of advanced charting tools, technical indicators, and various order types to mimic live trading environments.
  • Educational resources. Integration with educational materials, tutorials, webinars and guides to help you understand trading concepts and strategies.
  • User-friendly interface. An intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that allows users to focus on learning and strategy development rather than struggling with platform complexity.
  • No risk. Completely risk-free environment where you can experiment without the fear of losing real money.
  • Customization. Options to customize the trading environment, such as setting initial virtual account balances and adjusting trading preferences.
  • Seamless transition to live trading. Easy transition from paper trading to live trading, often within the same platform, allowing you to apply what they’ve learned directly to real markets.

Compare and find the broker that's right for you

Match your experience level with your trading and investing goals to find the right broker for you.
If you're a And want to Consider this
Beginner investor Do most or all of your trading on your mobile device Best stock trading apps
Beginner investor Trade and invest with as few fees as possible Best discount stock brokers
Beginner investor Outsource portfolio management automatically and at a low cost Best robo-advisors
Beginner investor Gain exposure to multiple assets like stocks, bonds or gold through a single fund Best ETF brokers
Experienced investor Get an overall idea of providers on the market and what they're best for Best brokerage accounts
Experienced investor Invest internationally in stocks, ETFs and other assets Best international stock brokers
Retirement saver of any experience level Save for retirement with upfront tax benefits Best (traditional) IRA
Retirement saver of any experience level Save for retirement and enjoy tax-free withdrawals Best Roth IRA
Investor of any experience level Diversify with low-cost index funds Best brokerage accounts for index funds 2024

Frequently asked questions

Is paper trading worth it?

Yes, paper trading is worth it because it lets you learn and test strategies without risking real money, helping you build skills and confidence. It also provides an opportunity to familiarize yourself with trading platforms and understand the psychological aspects of trading.

Can you paper trade for free?

Yes, most brokerage that offer paper trading offer it for free. However, some brokers may not offer the platform’s full range of features when paper trading.

Matt Miczulski's headshot
Written by

Editor, Investments

Matt Miczulski is an investments editor at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio

Matt's expertise
Matt has written 213 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Trading and investing
  • Broker and trading platform reviews
  • Money management

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