Compare the top 7 backtesting platforms for trading strategies. Detailed analysis of features, pricing, pros/cons to find your perfect fit.
🏆 Best Overall: BacktestMe (no coding, fast, affordable)
💰 Best Free: TradingView (limited features, requires coding)
🐍 Best for Python: QuantConnect (institutional-grade, complex)
💱 Best for Forex: MetaTrader 4/5 (industry standard)
📈 Best for US Stocks: TradeStation (powerful, expensive)
Modern no-code platform designed for traders who want professional results without programming. Best balance of features, ease of use, and price.
• Free: 3 strategies, basic backtesting
• Pro ($29/mo): Unlimited strategies, optimization, walk-forward
• Premium ($99/mo): Priority support, API access, portfolio backtesting
Popular charting platform with 50M+ users. Good for beginners with simple strategies, but requires Pine Script coding.
• Free: 3 indicators, 20K bars, ads
• Essential ($14.95/mo): 5 indicators, no ads
• Plus ($29.95/mo): 10 indicators, 40K bars
• Premium ($59.95/mo): 25 indicators, priority
Institutional-grade platform for algorithmic trading. Powerful for developers, but steep learning curve.
• Free: Limited backtesting, slow execution
• Quant Researcher ($39/mo): More resources
• Team ($250/mo): Full speed, live trading
| Feature | BacktestMe | TradingView | QuantConnect | MetaTrader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coding Required | No | Pine Script | Python/C# | MQL4/5 |
| Starting Price | Free / $29 | Free / $15 | Free / $39 | Free |
| Execution Speed | 2-10s | 30-120s | 5-30s | 5-20s |
| Data Quality | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Broker-dependent |
| Optimization | Genetic | Manual | Grid/Custom | Grid |
| Walk-Forward | Yes | No | Yes (custom) | No |
| Monte Carlo | Yes | No | Custom code | No |
| Live Trading | Coming Q2 | Yes (brokers) | Yes | Yes |
| Learning Curve | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Best For | Non-coders | Beginners | Developers | Forex |
Overall Winner: BacktestMe (9.2/10) - Best features-to-price ratio
Best Value: TradingView Free (7.8/10) - Can't beat free
Most Powerful: QuantConnect (8.5/10) - For pro developers
Easiest: BacktestMe - Zero coding required
The best backtesting software depends on your needs: BacktestMe (best for no-code ease), TradingView (best free option), QuantConnect (best for Python), MetaTrader (best for forex), and TradeStation (best for US stocks). BacktestMe offers the best balance of features, ease of use, and price for most traders.
Costs range from free (TradingView basic) to $300+/month (professional tools). Most traders pay $29-99/month. BacktestMe: $29-99/mo, TradingView: $0-60/mo, QuantConnect: $0-250/mo, TradeStation: $99-199/mo + trading fees, MetaTrader: Free (broker-provided). Consider features vs price.
Not always. No-code platforms like BacktestMe let you build strategies visually. TradingView requires Pine Script, QuantConnect needs Python/C#, MetaTrader uses MQL4/5. For beginners, no-code tools are best. Advanced users prefer coding for maximum flexibility.