Glossary · Prop Firms
Tradovate
Tradovate is a cloud-based futures trading platform accessible through web, desktop, and mobile apps, widely used by futures prop firms to host evaluation and funded accounts. It supplies order entry through a SuperDOM module, charting, and risk monitoring, and connects to third-party platforms including NinjaTrader and TradingView.
Why it matters
Most futures prop firms don't build their own trading software; they issue dashboard credentials that log a trader into Tradovate instead. That means execution speed, order types, and the drawdown widget a trader watches during a challenge are Tradovate's design, not the firm's. Contract rollover handling also matters directly: how expiring futures positions are managed on Tradovate affects whether a funded account stays within a firm's rules.
Live data
Example
A trader on a futures evaluation logs into Tradovate with credentials from their firm's dashboard, activates the TradingView add-on under Application Settings so charts can route orders back to Tradovate, and places a bracket order (entry, stop, target) through the SuperDOM. Depth of Market data, where subscribed, shows resting size at each price level to help gauge liquidity before the order fills.
Common misconception
Tradovate is not a prop firm. It is the execution platform several firms plug into, so having a Tradovate login says nothing about who funded the account or what its rules are; that's set by the firm, not the platform. A second, riskier misconception: traders often assume an expiring futures contract closes itself automatically. In practice, Tradovate expires the contract at a set time, but an open position tied to that contract can remain in the account until market close, leaving unmonitored exposure if the rollover isn't handled manually or through platform settings ahead of time.
Related terms
NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Front Month, Depth of Market, Data Feed
See also
For firms that run evaluations on futures platforms like Tradovate, see the Futures Prop Firms category page.
Sources
Platform setup and rollover mechanics are described in broadly similar terms across the futures prop firms that offer Tradovate access.
Risk disclaimer: Trading carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. Prop-firm evaluations charge fees and most traders do not pass. Nothing here is financial advice; figures can change, so verify current terms with the firm before purchasing.
Next step
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