Free order flow tools compared
Updated 2026-10-23. Facts read from official pages. Methodology.
Direct answer
Among the platforms we checked, ATAS Start is the free plan whose official page states that footprint charts, Market Profile and an Order Flow indicator are included, with real-time crypto and 15-minute delayed futures data. Bookmap Digital is free but shows one symbol at a time. Quantower has a limited free version whose limits its pricing page does not publish. NinjaTrader is free to use for simulated trading with no time limit, but real-time data needs a funded live account.
Comparison table
| Tool | Price model | Free plan | Paid pricing | Markets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATAS | Freemium | Start is free with no time limit: 3 indicators per chart, futures data delayed 15 minutes, no stock data, and one active crypto connection. | Plus €24.95/mo, Pro €69.95/mo and Ultra €89.95/mo (excluding VAT, monthly billing); cheaper yearly and lifetime options are listed. Paid plans have a 14-day trial that needs a linked card or PayPal. | Futures on all plans (real-time only on Pro and Ultra), crypto in real time on all plans, stocks only on Pro and Ultra. Forex is not mentioned. |
| Bookmap | Freemium | Digital is free: one symbol viewable at a time and a 1-hour crypto backfill. | Global $99/mo ($79/mo billed yearly, $1,990 lifetime) and Global Plus $199/mo ($158/mo billed yearly, $3,990 lifetime). Market data is sold separately; the page gives approximate data prices of $34 to $110 per month depending on the provider. | Delayed US stocks and futures, and real-time crypto (Binance, Bitfinex and 20+ more connections). Providers named: BookmapData, dxFeed, Rithmic. |
| Quantower | Freemium | A limited version that needs no registration. The pricing page does not list its limits and points to a license comparison page. | One All-in-One license that includes all features, connections and updates. Third-party market data is extra. A 7-day full-featured trial is offered with a registered account, and there is a 10-day money-back guarantee (not for lifetime licenses). The exact price and currency are not clear in the page text: check the page. | Not verified |
| NinjaTrader | Free with a broker account | The Free plan has no monthly fee but higher commissions. Simulated trading is free with no time limit and no funding required. | Free: $0 per month, commissions $0.39 per side (Micro and e-Nano) and $1.29 per side (Standard). Monthly: $99 per month with $0.29 and $0.99 per side. Lifetime: $1,499 once with $0.09 and $0.59 per side. | Not verified |
Who each one is best for
- ATAS: Learning footprint charts on crypto, or on delayed futures, with no card.
- Bookmap: Watching a liquidity heatmap on one crypto market for free.
- Quantower: Testing a full desktop platform with a one-week full trial, after checking the free limits.
- NinjaTrader: Practising futures on a free simulator before opening a live account.
Trade-offs and limits
- Real-time futures data is never free in these products: it is delayed (ATAS), a paid extra (Bookmap, Quantower) or needs a funded account (NinjaTrader).
- Free plans cut features. ATAS Start allows 3 indicators per chart and no Market Replay; Bookmap Digital shows one symbol and a 1-hour crypto backfill.
- Forex has no central order book, so true order flow data is mostly a futures and crypto topic.
- We did not test performance, stability or data quality ourselves. This comparison reflects what each company states on its own page.
What we could not verify
- ATAS: Supported operating systems; History depth; Broker and data-feed list.
- Bookmap: Whether there is a free trial or demo (the page does not mention one); Supported operating systems.
- Quantower: Exact price and currency; Free version limits; Supported markets, brokers and data feeds.
- NinjaTrader: Which markets the Free plan covers; Supported operating systems.
Official links and sources
Source: ATAS pricing. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Bookmap pricing. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: Quantower pricing. Checked 2026-10-23.
Source: NinjaTrader pricing. Checked 2026-10-23.
Methodology
We read each product's own public pricing or feature page and recorded what it states, with the date. We did not run performance, data-quality or stability tests. Where a page was silent or unclear we list it as not verified. ScaleEdge is an independent publisher that also makes its own free tools; they are labelled when they appear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free order flow software?
It depends on the market. For footprint charts on crypto, ATAS Start is free according to its pricing page. For a one-symbol order book heatmap, Bookmap Digital is free. Neither gives free real-time futures data.
Can I get real-time futures order flow for free?
Not from the pages we checked. Futures data is delayed on the free ATAS plan, sold separately by Bookmap and Quantower, and requires a funded live account with NinjaTrader.
Is footprint chart software free?
ATAS states that footprint (cluster) charts are included on all plans, including the free Start plan. Check the page for current limits.
Educational content, not financial advice.