The Cost:

There’s an old saying in trading: it takes money to make money.

That’s true but only if you’re spending money where it actually matters.

And this is where NinjaTrader immediately stands out.

It costs zero dollars to open an account.

No account opening fee.

No platform fee just to get started.

And real-time data which usually costs money on most platforms is also free if you fund your NinjaTrader account.

With a funded account, you get Level 1 futures data at no cost.

That means real-time chart data for the most commonly traded futures markets is free.

Up until recently (Summer 2025), that data cost about twelve dollars per month. NinjaTrader removed that fee and credit where it’s due, that’s a meaningful improvement.

So far, so good.

But there is one unavoidable cost in futures trading, no matter where you trade.

Commissions.

This is where NinjaTrader is extremely competitive.

Commission rates can be as low as nine cents per side for micro contracts and fift...

Revenge trading nearly wiped out my account and it happened so fast I didn’t even realize what was happening until it was too late.

Six months into my trading journey, I was killing it. July had been my best month yet even in the middle of the slow summer markets. I was confident, consistent, and convinced I had cracked the code.

Then came August.

First trade: loss.
Second trade: loss.
Then a third… then a fifth.

Within three days, I was staring at a losing streak I’d never experienced before. It made no sense to me, and my brain started talking back:

“You’ve been wronged. This isn’t your fault. Remember July? You crushed it. You’re the king of the summer market. Go get your money back.”

So that’s exactly what I did.

By the end of the first week, I had lost nearly 25% of my account. I was angry, confused, and most of all, embarrassed. For the first time ever, I dreaded the next week of trading. 

What Is Revenge Trading (And Why It’s So Dangerous)

Revenge trading happens ...

The #1 Mistake Traders Make When Reading Charts

(And Why It’s Costing Them Real Money Without Them Realizing It)

Most traders don’t blow up their accounts because they’re reckless.

They blow them up because they’re confident… way too confident… way too early.

Here’s what I mean.

Imagine you want to cook a really good meal. You scour blogs for the perfect recipe, gather all the ingredients, follow each step, and nail it.

The food tastes amazing.

Now, is the next logical step to open a restaurant?

Of course not.

But that’s exactly how most new traders approach chart patterns and technical analysis.

When the Market Feels Easy, Skill Gets Confused With Luck

Back in late 2020, it felt like anyone could trade.

The panic sell-off was over, stimulus checks were flying, and trading apps were exploding in popularity. TikTok was full of people yelling “just buy the dip,” and honestly… it worked.

Because the market only had one direction to go.

When trading feels easy, new trader...