Does TradeDay Allow Automated Trading?
The Simple Answer
Yes, but only your own system, and only on a supported platform. TradeDay allows automated trading systems provided you build or run them yourself on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw or Quantower. Algos and bots bought from a third party are forbidden, and TradeDay does not make platform APIs available to traders.
Below is how TradeDay classifies automated trading, and what that means in practice for the tools you may want to run.
Automation Policy Overview
What This Means In Practice
Your own system is allowed on a supported platform
TradeDay states plainly that to use an automated trading system you must use one of the platforms it supports: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw or Quantower. There is no separate approval process for running a strategy you have written yourself, but it still has to respect every other rule, so TradeDay asks you to read its prohibited trade practices article and confirm your system is not in breach before you switch it on.
Third-party bots are forbidden
Algos and bots purchased from a third party and used by the trader are not allowed. TradeDay enforces this by looking for identical trades across accounts: if multiple users are making the same trades, all of those accounts are shut down and the users are suspended. TradeDay also states it does not evaluate systems you have purchased from third parties.
No API access
TradeDay does not make platform APIs available to traders and specifically does not expose the Tradovate API, so you cannot connect an external automated system directly to your account. Automation has to run inside one of the supported platforms rather than through a custom API integration.
Final Comments
Automation rules are one of the fastest moving parts of any prop firm rulebook, and they are also one of the most expensive to get wrong. Before you connect anything to a TradeDay account, get your specific setup confirmed in writing by support rather than relying on a general policy line.
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FAQ
Does TradeDay allow automated trading?
Yes, but only your own system, and only on a supported platform. TradeDay allows automated trading systems provided you build or run them yourself on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw or Quantower. Algos and bots bought from a third party are forbidden, and TradeDay does not make platform APIs available to traders.
How does TradeDay classify automation?
As Flexible. In practice that means you can run your own automated systems to place trades. The sections above set out exactly where the boundary sits.
Your own system is allowed on a supported platform: what does TradeDay say?
TradeDay states plainly that to use an automated trading system you must use one of the platforms it supports: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Jigsaw or Quantower. There is no separate approval process for running a strategy you have written yourself, but it still has to respect every other rule, so TradeDay asks you to read its prohibited trade practices article and confirm your system is not in breach before you switch it on.
Third-party bots are forbidden: what does TradeDay say?
Algos and bots purchased from a third party and used by the trader are not allowed. TradeDay enforces this by looking for identical trades across accounts: if multiple users are making the same trades, all of those accounts are shut down and the users are suspended. TradeDay also states it does not evaluate systems you have purchased from third parties.
Do I still need to watch my TradeDay bot while it runs?
Assume yes unless the firm says otherwise in writing. Several firms that permit automation still expect a human at the desk, and unattended operation is where accounts get questioned.
