Cumulative delta, footprint charts and backtests are only as good as the ticks underneath them. Two feeds can disagree on trade timestamps, bid/ask classification or how much history you can download, and a strategy tested on one may behave differently on the other. Before you choose a feed for NinjaTrader 8, compare what each one does for your specific workflow, then verify with your own data.
Four Feeds, Four Roles
Kinetick. NinjaTrader's own data service, integrated with NT8 so setup is minimal. It's a sensible starting point for learning the platform and chart-based analysis. Questions to check in current terms: how far back tick-level history goes, which products and exchanges are covered, and what the current cost and exchange fees are.
Rithmic. A connectivity provider for futures, typically reached through a broker or prop firm that offers it. Traders look at it for order routing and market data on CME products. What to check: whether your broker or firm supplies it, the data and exchange fees they pass through, how much tick history you can obtain, and how the connection is set up in NT8.
CQG. A data and trading infrastructure provider with broad market coverage, including markets outside CME. It tends to matter most for traders who need multiple exchanges or whose broker or firm already provides it. Cost and access vary a lot by arrangement, so ask what your account includes.
IQFeed. A data-only service from DTN. It doesn't route orders, so you pair it with a separate broker connection for execution. Traders consider it for historical depth in research. Confirm current symbol coverage, history length, and the add-on pricing before relying on it.
I'm not listing prices, history lengths or latency numbers here because they change with plan, broker and date, and old figures mislead more than they help. Use each provider's current published terms.
Questions That Decide the Choice
Your next step
Review the setup before you automate it.
Read the NinjaTrader setup and strategy limits, then test in SIM. YMI bot access belongs to Pro. Check your broker or prop firm's rules before enabling automation.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does my broker or prop firm dictate the feed? | Many evaluation platforms only offer specific connections. Your preference may not be available. |
| How much tick history can I get for the contracts I trade? | Short history limits how many market conditions your backtest can cover. |
| Do I need historical data for Market Replay? | Playback only has what has been downloaded or recorded. |
| Which exchange data fees apply to my account? | They are separate from software and broker costs and depend on subscriber classification. |
| Does one provider handle both data and execution? | Splitting them adds a second connection that can fail separately. |
| Do I rely on order flow tools? | Delta and footprint depend on how aggressor side is determined. |
A Test You Can Run in a Week
- Connect to both candidate feeds. In the NT8 Control Center, use the Connections menu to configure and connect each one. A Playback connection is separate and isn't a live feed.
- Open charts of the same contract on each feed with the same bar type.
- Run the same session on both. Save a screenshot of the volume, delta and last-price series at a few fast moments.
- Compare total volume per bar, delta at those moments, and any gaps or timestamp differences.
- Check whether history downloads through NT8's Tools menu, Historical Data window, and whether the range you need is present for your contract.
- Record your findings. If two feeds disagree materially on a signal you trade, that's a finding about your strategy's sensitivity.
Official NT8 documentation is at the NinjaTrader 8 help guide, and it is the authority on connection steps.
Why Data Quality Reaches Your Results
Order flow. Delta classifies trades as buyer or seller initiated. If a feed's classification or tick handling differs from another's, the same session can produce different delta lines. Before you trade a delta rule, check that your live feed and your history source agree.
Backtests. A strategy tested on a short or different history can look better or worse than it will on the feed you trade live. Ideally the backtest data source matches the live data source, or you've measured the difference. A few months of tick data covers fewer market conditions than several years, and no amount of history guarantees a result. A tested rule on thin data is a hypothesis.
Execution. Backtest and SIM fills are modeled. A simulated fill isn't validation of exchange queue position or slippage, and a feed that looks fine on SIM can behave differently when your live order meets real liquidity.
Picking Without Overthinking
If you're learning the platform and drawing levels, the simplest integrated feed is enough. If you automate or use order flow, compare candidates with the test above and make sure the feed you pick works with your broker or firm. If you need deep research history, confirm that you can get it for the exact contracts you trade. Revisit the choice when your workflow changes, not on a schedule.
About the Author
Founder, Young Money Investments · Quant Trader
Cameron trades ES, NQ, and futures across multiple market cycles. He founded Young Money Investments to teach systematic, data-driven trading and manages Magnum Opus Capital. His work emphasizes documented rules, risk controls, and review over outcome promises.
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Risk Disclosure & Disclaimer
Educational Purposes Only: The content provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Young Money Investments is not a registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, or financial analyst.
Risk Warning: Trading futures, forex, stocks, and cryptocurrencies involves a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. The valuation of futures, stocks, and options may fluctuate, and as a result, clients may lose more than their original investment.
CFTC Rule 4.41 - Hypothetical or Simulated Performance Results: Certain results (including backtests mentioned in these articles) are hypothetical. Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. In fact, there are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program.
Testimonials: Testimonials appearing on this website may not be representative of other clients or customers and is not a guarantee of future performance or success.
