Virtual Trading FAQ

Is this system free?
Yes, this site is completely free! We are supported by advertising.

How do I sign up?
Click on “Create Account“. Fill out the registration page and then sign in with your password. If you need help, check out our tutorial video on how to sign up and make your first trade:

I forgot my password. What do I do?
At the top of the page, click Forgot Password, then enter your username or email address and we will send you password reset instructions.

Do you allow limit orders and trailing stops?
Yes, we fully support limit orders and trailing stops! If you want to see what these order types are, and how to use them, watch our great tutorial video:

How long can I use my account?
You may use your account for as long as you like! However, if you do not log in at least every 6 months we may delete your account in case someone else would like to use that username.

How do I change my cash level?
If you want to change the starting cash in your practice portfolio (outside of a contest) after registration, please Contact Support. However, if you create your own custom contest, you can create an additional portfolio with any cash balance, in any currency, that you would like.

How do I reset my account?
For your practice portfolio, and any contest portfolio where resets are allowed, there will be a link to reset your portfolio at the top of your “My Portfolio” page.

Does the system use real stock quotes?
Yes, all of the quotes are real. Some are real-time and some are delayed 15-20 minutes.

Is there any real cash involved?
No, it only uses virtual cash and there are no cash prizes if you do well.

What time are the markets open?
The markets are normally open 9:30am-4pm Eastern time Monday-Friday, except on market holidays.

Can I trade after the market closes?
You can place orders after the market closes, but they will not execute until 9:30 in the morning on the next business day (when the market opens).

Do you allow Short Selling?
Yes! If you want to see how Short Selling works, and see how to do it in our system, you can check out our Short Selling tutorial video:

How many portfolios can I have?
You may have as many portfolios as you like! Just create or join another contest to add an extra portfolio.

Do you have a special section for students and teachers?
No, but we plan on adding that later this year.

How do I change my password?
Click on your username at the top of the screen to open the Profile page. Here you can change your password, add details to your account, and even upload an avatar.

How do I log out?
Click on Log Out on the upper right section of any page.

What if my stock changes symbols?
We will update your stock’s symbol automatically within a couple days of the change.

Does my account accrue interest?
Yes, the interest rate set to 3% paid on cash balances. This can be changed on custom contests by clicking “Edit Contest” on the “My Contests” page.

How does this system handle dividends?
We post dividends every morning for the most commonly traded stocks. However, it is possible we miss some, so if you think you should have been paid one and we missed it, Contact Us with a news article stating the symbol and amount of the dividend.

Can I practice trading on margin?
Yes, our system now allows margin trading! Whether or not you can trade on margin is how decided in the Contest Creation rules, so ask your contest creator if it is allowed or not. Margin trading is enabled in your practice portfolio.

How close to real trading is your virtual stock exchange?
It is very similar but there are some important differences. For example, we pay interest on cash you hold in your account at a 3% interest rate, which is probably not the interest you would get in a savings account at any given year. However, since we fill all orders at the real-time bid ask prices (for US stocks), the actual trading mechanics are very similar to trading in the real world.

Where can we get some good trading ideas?
Our favorite source of up-to-date stock recommendations from major newsletters, brokerages and analysts can be found a this best stocks to buy now page.

Try our free stock market game  today!

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