Trade Stocks, Options & Futures
— Long or Short, Zero Risk
STKMRKT's free paper trading simulator gives you $100,000 in virtual cash to go long or short on stocks, trade options (calls & puts), and trade NQ/ES futures — all at today’s market prices, completely free.
What You Get Free
The simulator is free for every registered user. Investor and Pro add more room and research. See pricing.
Paper Stock Trading
Buy any US-listed stock at today’s market prices using your $100,000 virtual balance. Track unrealized and realized P&L in real time.
Short Selling
Short any US-listed stock at today’s prices — borrow, sell, and cover later to close. Practice betting on a decline with zero real risk.
Options Trading Simulator
Browse the options chain for any ticker. Buy call and put contracts at real bid/ask prices. Practice multi-leg strategies risk-free before using real money.
Futures Trading
Go long or short E-mini Nasdaq (NQ) and S&P 500 (ES) futures with real margin mechanics — same leverage, zero real money at risk.
Portfolio P&L Tracking
See your full virtual portfolio at a glance — open positions, cost basis, current value, unrealized gain/loss, and cash balance updated live.
Stock Lookup & Research
Research any ticker with analyst ratings from 10+ providers, technical ratings, price targets, short interest, moving averages, and news sentiment — all in one place.
Watchlist
Save the stocks you're following. Your watchlist syncs across sessions so you never lose track of a setup you're monitoring.
Daily Trading Plans
Every market day, our team publishes a free day trading plan — ranked watchlist, entry/exit levels, stop losses, and conviction scores. Use it to guide your paper trades.
Practice Options Trading — Free
Options trading is powerful but risky with real money. Our simulator lets you learn the mechanics first — options chains, realistic fill prices, and actual Greeks — without putting a dollar on the line.
- ✓ Buy calls and puts on any listed stock
- ✓ Options chain with real bid/ask spreads
- ✓ Track open options positions and P&L
- ✓ Close contracts at market price any time
- ✓ Zero real money risk
🎯
Options chain, calls & puts
Practice on today’s data. Pay nothing.
📊
NQ & ES, long or short
Real margin mechanics. Pay nothing.
Practice Futures Trading — Free
Futures add leverage most stock trading doesn't have. Our simulator lets you learn E-mini Nasdaq (NQ) and E-mini S&P 500 (ES) margin mechanics on today’s prices, long or short, before ever risking real money.
- ✓ Go long or short on NQ and ES futures
- ✓ Real margin requirements, same as a live broker
- ✓ Track open contracts and live P&L
- ✓ Close a position at market price any time
- ✓ Zero real money risk
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
Yes for the simulator itself: it is included with a free Starter account, with no credit card and no free trial that expires. A free account gives you paper trading with up to 10 open positions per account, a watchlist of up to 10 symbols and previews of the research tools. Investor removes the position cap and unlocks the full toolkit, and Pro adds custom starting balances and multiple portfolios; every plan is free while we launch. See pricing.
Can I trade options in the simulator?
Yes. You can browse an options chain for any ticker, buy call or put contracts at real market prices using virtual cash, and close your positions at any time. It uses real bid/ask spreads so your paper trades reflect realistic conditions.
Can I short sell stocks in the simulator?
Yes. Short a stock directly from the trade form — borrow and sell at the current price — then cover from your holdings at any time to close the position and lock in your virtual gain or loss.
Can I trade futures in the simulator?
Yes. Go long or short on E-mini Nasdaq (NQ) and E-mini S&P 500 (ES) futures at today’s prices, with the same margin mechanics a real futures broker uses — all with your virtual cash balance.
How much virtual money do I start with?
Every account starts with $100,000 in virtual cash. That balance is used across stock (long or short), options, and futures positions, and your portfolio value updates in real time as market prices move.
Does it use real market data?
Yes. Stock prices, options chains, analyst ratings, news sentiment, and technical indicators are all sourced from current market data. Your paper trades execute at real prices, so your results match what would have happened in the actual market.
What else do I get with a free account?
Your free account includes paper trading, the options simulator, stock lookup with a preview of the 10+ analyst ratings, a watchlist of up to 10 symbols, a personalized news feed, the earnings calendar, IPO tracker, today’s market movers and the daily trading plan. Investor and Pro add full analyst ratings, longer trend history and more.
How To Practice So It Actually Transfers
Paper trading only helps if you treat it like real money. Four habits that make the practice count.
1. Size positions as if the $100,000 were real
Putting the whole account into one idea teaches nothing you can use. Pick a rule, such as risking no more than 1–2% of the account on a single trade, and keep to it.
2. Write the plan before you click
Entry, stop and target, plus the reason. A trade without a stated exit is a guess, and you cannot review a guess later.
3. Review your P&L by strategy, not by day
After 20 or so trades, group them: longs vs. shorts, options vs. stocks, morning vs. afternoon. A small sample is noisy, but patterns in your own mistakes show up quickly.
4. Know what the simulator cannot teach
Fills in practice are cleaner than in a live market: there is no emotional pressure, and thin stocks can be harder to exit than the screen suggests. Expect real results to be somewhat worse and size accordingly.
Paper Trading vs. Real Trading
| Topic | Paper account | Real account |
|---|---|---|
| Capital at risk | None, $100,000 virtual | Your own money |
| Emotions | Muted, so it is easy to hold losers or take big size | Strong, and the main cause of rule-breaking |
| Order fills | Simulated at market prices | Subject to spread, slippage and partial fills |
| Best used for | Learning mechanics: shorting, options, margin | Executing a plan you have already tested |
Practising on penny stock setups or the daily day trading plan is a good way to test an idea before it costs anything. This is educational information, not investment advice.
New To Trading? Start Here
Read these free guides first, then practice what you learn in the simulator.
What Are Stock Options?
Calls, puts, strike prices, expiration — the complete beginner's foundation.
Read guide →How To Read An Options Chain
Bid, ask, volume, open interest, delta, and theta — every column explained.
Read guide →Options Strategies For Beginners
Long call, long put, covered call, protective put — the four to master first.
Read guide →What Is Short Selling?
How shorting works, short interest, short squeezes, and the risk of unlimited loss.
Read guide →What Are Futures Contracts?
Margin, leverage, and how NQ and ES contracts actually work — with a real example.
Read guide →Start Practicing Today — It's Free
No credit card. No expiry date. Just create an account and start trading.
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