Best stock market games

Stock market games are either exactly the same as existing trading platforms like Interactive Brokers or are similar to them. The only exception is that the games use virtual money instead of real money.
Almost every popular trading platform and brokerage offers a stock market game to help users familiarize themselves with the platform and learn how to trade. If you haven’t already signed up with a platform, start your journey by comparing them below.

5 popular stock market games

We selected the five most popular stock market games you could try right now. These games are mostly free and you can find all the stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) available on exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq. Some of these games even offer crypto trading as well if you’re looking to diversify.

1. MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange

Virtual Stock Exchange is a trading simulation game with real-time pricing. This is a cool feature because most games show a 10-minute delay in prices. Virtual Stock Exchange lets you create your own customized game where other people or friends can join you without limitations. You could also join another game to test your prowess against other players.
You’ll find more than a simple platform where you only buy and sell assets — it’s a robust platform that provides valuable information and tools to help you learn and test your strategies without risking your money. You can find analyst ratings and estimates, price charts, financials and more.

2. Investopedia Simulator

Investopedia Simulator lets you create or join someone else’s game. Each game has a set of rules such as enabling margin trading, short selling and options trading — which is a step up compared to most trading games that rarely allow for options trading. Plus, you can set the commission you pay to make it even more challenging and realistic.
Once you start a game, you have a set amount of virtual money to begin trading. As you trade, a performance history tab shows your transactions; a helpful tool to improve your skills. There’s also a leaderboard where you can compare your performance to other players.

3. How The Market Works

How The Market Works is similar to most stock trading games — you get to create a game, or join one. What makes it different, though, is that it’s designed for teachers to teach their students how to play the stock market.
The free version offers a similar experience to what all other games offer. To get the premium features, you’ll need to pay either $10 per student or $25. This provides certificates to students and reporting tools for teachers.

4. Wall Street Survivor

Wall Street Survivor is another free stock trading game that helps you learn and improve your trading skills. Unlike other stock trading games, Wall Street Survivor lets you earn if you win their monthly contests.
With this game, you get to trade stocks, ETFs, options and crypto. It offers multiple order types, including market and limit order types, as well as trailing stop orders. This alone makes it one of the best stock trading games.
But even though this is a solid platform with enough education resources to get you going and a robust trading platform — Wall Street Survivor can become frustrating at times with frequent ads.

5. Wealthbase

Wealthbase is one of the most fun and engaging stock trading games you can find. Aside from helping you learn how to trade, you get to socialize with other players and share ideas and trading setups.
However, you have to pay for this game. The free version lets you play with up to five players for up to 15 days per session. The next tier comes with a $20 game fee plus 5 cents per player per day. This will let you play with a maximum 1,000 players for up to a year.
Despite these limitations, Wealthbase can be fun to learn and test your prowess against other players in quick sessions of 15 days for free.

Compare online trading platforms

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Finder Score	Available asset types	Stock trade fee	Minimum deposit	Cash sweep APY	bullet point infobox
Promoted Finder score 8.2 Great Zacks Trade	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Bonds, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, CDs	$0.01	$250	2.83%	Leverage powerful trading tools and low margin rates to trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 9.4 Excellent Robinhood	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Event contracts, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.50%	Get a free stock when you successfully sign up and link your bank account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, options, crypto and more, with advanced trading tools, fractional shares and exclusive perks for Gold members.	Go to site More info	loading
Promoted Finder score 9 Excellent Public.com	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account	$0	$0	3.6%	Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public. T&Cs apply.	Build a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs and crypto, with a high-yield cash account and options contract rebates.	Important information *Yield as of 04/09/2025. Learn more.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent SoFi Active Invest	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives	$0	$0	0.01%	Get up to $1,000 in stock when you open and fund a new account. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs, and options with zero commissions, invest in IPOs or automate your portfolio, with exclusive perks available through SoFi Plus.	Important information INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and record keeping services separately. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.4 Excellent Webull	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Futures, Money market funds	$0	$0	3.60%	Deposit or transfer $100,000+ to earn a 4% Match Bonus, or $2,000+ to earn a 3% Match Bonus. Plus: Get a $100 transfer fee reimbursement on your first brokerage transfer of $2,000 or more. T&Cs apply.	Trade stocks, ETFs and equity options commission-free, with access to futures, advanced charting tools, a robo-advisor and event trading powered by Kalshi.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9.2 Excellent Interactive Brokers GlobalTrader	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$0	3.83% Lite 4.83% Pro	Trade in a simulated trading environment and access a wide range of tradable assets.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great eToro	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments	$0	$0	3.75%	No commission stock, ETF and options trades, with 3.9% interest on your options account balance and no options contract fees. See full disclosure.	Important information eToro securities trading offered by eToro USA Securities, Inc. (‘the BD”), member of FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Finder is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the BD.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 8 Great Acorns	Finder score 8 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	N/A	Get a $20 bonus when you set up an account and make your first recurring investment (min. $5). T&Cs apply.	Automate investing with recurring contributions starting at $5 and invest spare change from everyday purchases.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.4 Great Stash	Finder score 7.4 Great	Stocks, ETFs	$0	$0	0.1%	Get $5 when you sign up and deposit $5. T&Cs apply.	Bank, automate your portfolio or invest in individual stocks and ETFs for as low as $3 per month.	Important information Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investment LLC, a SEC registered investment advisor. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Holdings and performance are hypothetical. *Offer is subject to T&Cs	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 9 Excellent Wealthfront	Finder score 9 Excellent	Stocks, ETFs, High-yield cash account	$0	$500	3.75%	Get a $50 bonus when you sign up and fund a taxable automated investing account with at least $500. T&Cs apply.	Automate your stock and bond portfolio or trade individual stocks for as little as $1 apiece. Plus, earn 3.50% APY on your cash.	Go to site More info	loading
Finder score 7.2 Great J.P. Morgan Personal Advisors	Finder score 7.2 Great	Mutual funds, ETFs	$0	$25,000	N/A	Financial planning, advice and portfolio management. T&Cs apply.	Get ongoing access to an advisory team with personalized financial planning and expert-built portfolios. Provider terms & conditions apply	Important information INVESTMENT PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE.	More info	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great M1 Finance	Finder score 8.2 Great	Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	$0	$100	4.00%	Build a custom portfolio of stocks and ETFs with automatic rebalancing. Plus, earn 4.00% APY with a high-yield cash account.	Important information M1 Finance, LLC does not charge commission, trading, or management fees for self-directed brokerage accounts. You may still be charged other fees such as M1’s platform fee, regulatory fees, account closure fees, or ADR fees. For a complete list of fees M1 may charge visit M1 Fee Schedule. M1 is not a bank. M1 Spend is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of M1 Holdings Inc.. M1 High –Yield Savings Accounts are furnished by B2 Bank, NA, Member FDIC. Obtaining stated APY (annual percentage yield) with the M1 High-Yield Savings Account does not require a minimum account balance. Stated APY is accrued on account balance. APY is solely determined by M1 Spend LLC and its partner banks, and will include account fees that will reduce earnings. Rates are subject to change without notice. M1 High-Yield Savings Account is a separate offering from, and not linked to, the M1 High-Yield Cash Account offered by M1 Finance, LLC. M1 is not a bank.	More info	loading

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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.

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.

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Pros and cons of playing stock market trading games

Bottom line

• Stock market games are similar to real-life investing and trading except you use virtual money in simulated environments.
• Almost every popular brokerage platform offers trading with virtual cash.
• All stock market games offer stocks and ETFs, and some even offer options trading or crypto.

Frequently asked questions

• Are there rules about which stocks I can buy?

  Yes, but rules differ between games. For example, games may limit you to the NYSE or Nasdaq depending on the settings.

• Is there a game available for students?

  Yes. HowTheMarketWorks.com is designed to be easy to understand for high school and college-aged investors.

• How else can I get a taste of stock market investing?

  Some online share trading platforms offer a free demo account for a trial period, allowing you to test out the features of their platform without actually spending any money.

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Written by

Kliment Dukovski

Writer

Kliment Dukovski was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in investments and cryptocurrency. He's written more than 700 articles to help readers compare the best trading platforms, understand complex investment terms and find the best credit cards for their needs. His expert commentary has been featured in such digital publications as Fox Business, MSN Money and MediaFeed. He’s also well-versed in money transfers, home loans and more — breaking down these topics into simple concepts anyone can understand. In another life, Kliment ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies. See full bio

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Kliment has written 37 Finder guides across topics including:

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Co-written by

Kylie Purcell

Senior investments editor

Kylie Purcell is the senior investments editor at Finder. She has a background in business and finance news with previous roles at SBS, Your Money, TVNZ, Switzer Group and The Adviser magazine. Kylie has a Masters in International Journalism and a Graduate Diploma in Economics. When she's not writing about the markets you can find her bingeing on coffee. See full bio