Apex NinjaTrader setup: how to connect via Rithmic and start trading your evaluation.

Before you start: what you need

Before beginning the setup process, confirm you have the following ready. Attempting setup without these in place is the most common source of avoidable errors.

Apex includes a free NinjaTrader 8 license with all evaluations. You do not need to purchase a NinjaTrader license separately. The free license gives full access to the platform for use with your Apex Rithmic connection.

Phase 1: Create your NinjaTrader account and download the platform

NinjaTrader requires a free account before you can download or use the platform. This account is separate from your Apex account. Your NinjaTrader login credentials are used to launch the desktop application each time. They are not the same as your Rithmic credentials.

• 1

  Go to account.ninjatrader.com/register

  Enter your email address and click Sign Up. Do not use Sign Up with Google or Sign Up with Apple. You must manually enter your email to receive the setup link correctly.

  ⚠ Disable any ad blockers or pop-up blockers before registering. If you encounter issues, try Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
• 2

  Verify your email address

  A confirmation screen appears. Check your inbox for the confirmation email and click Confirm Email Address.

• 3

  Create your username and password

  Enter a username and password, read and agree to the required documents, then click Create User. Save these credentials somewhere accessible. You will need to enter them every time you launch NinjaTrader.

  ⓘ These are your NinjaTrader login credentials, not your Rithmic credentials. The two sets of credentials are different and used at different stages.
• 4

  Click "Try Risk-Free Simulated Trading" on the Get Started page

  After account creation you are redirected to the Get Started page. Click Try Risk-Free Simulated Trading to proceed to the NinjaTrader dashboard.

• 5

  Enter your name and phone number, then continue

  Fill in your First Name, Last Name, and Phone Number, then click Continue. You arrive at the NinjaTrader Dashboard. If a Choose Your Platform window appears, close it with the X button.

• 6

  Set Numeric Symbol Format in Preferences

  Before downloading, click the user icon in the top right corner and select Settings. In the settings menu click Preferences and choose Numeric as your format. This prevents a chart error that affects users of certain trading tools.

• 7

  Download and install the Most Recent Release of NinjaTrader

  From the NinjaTrader dashboard, download the Most Recent Release. Run the installer and complete the installation. NinjaTrader is free to download and use with your Apex evaluation.

Phase 2: Install and configure RTrader Pro

RTrader Pro is Rithmic's standalone application. It must be installed and logged in before NinjaTrader can connect to your Apex account. If you have any previous version of RTrader on your computer, uninstall it completely and delete the Rithmic folder before proceeding.

Where to find your Rithmic credentials

Your Rithmic username and password are in two places: your Apex welcome email sent after purchase, or inside your Apex dashboard at dashboard.apextraderfunding.com under the section labelled "Rithmic and NinjaTrader Setup." Copy and paste them exactly with no extra spaces before or after the credentials. Extra spaces are the most common cause of login failures.

• 1

  Download RTrader Pro from rithmic.com/products/r-trader-pro

  Install the application. If you had a previous RTrader version, it must be fully uninstalled and the Rithmic folder deleted before installing the new version.

• 2

  Open RTrader Pro and click "Skip Settings" in the top right

  When RTrader Pro opens, click Skip Settings. Do not configure any additional settings at this stage.

• 3

  Leave Selective Load turned OFF

  Ensure Selective Load is disabled. Leave it in the off position.

• 4

  Enter your Rithmic ID and password

  Copy and paste your Rithmic credentials from your Apex dashboard or welcome email. Confirm there are no accidental spaces before or after the credentials.

• 5

  Under System, select APEX

  In the System dropdown, select APEX. This is required to route the connection to the correct Apex trading environment.

  ⚠ Selecting the wrong System will prevent your Apex account from appearing. Always select APEX, not Rithmic Paper Trading or any other option.
• 6

  Under Gateway, choose the area closest to you

  Select the geographic gateway nearest to your location for the best connection performance.

• 7

  Leave Market Data set to OFF

  Rithmic allows only one Market Data session at a time. If you are connected via NinjaTrader, that counts as your session. Leave Market Data OFF in RTrader Pro unless you have purchased the Rithmic 2nd Login Session add-on.

• 8

  Click LOGIN and sign the two mandatory agreements

  All new users must sign two agreements on first login. When prompted, select NON-PROFESSIONAL for data classification, unless you are a licensed financial professional, work in brokerage or investment, or trade on behalf of a third party.

Phase 3: Connect NinjaTrader to your Apex account

With RTrader Pro installed and your Rithmic credentials confirmed, you are ready to connect NinjaTrader to your Apex evaluation account.

• 1

  Open NinjaTrader and log in with your NinjaTrader credentials

  Enter the username and password you created at account.ninjatrader.com. These are not your Rithmic credentials. You will need to enter these each time you launch NinjaTrader.

• 2

  If a Live or Simulation dialog appears, select Simulation

  Apex accounts operate exclusively in simulation mode. Always select Simulation if this dialog appears.

  ⚠ Never select Live for an Apex account. Selecting Live will not connect to your Apex evaluation and may cause connection errors.
• 3

  Enable Multi-Provider: Tools → Settings → General

  Go to Tools, then Settings, then General. Check the Multi-Provider checkbox, click Apply then OK. Restart NinjaTrader. This is required to allow simultaneous connections to Rithmic and any other providers you may use.

  ⓘ Multi-Provider must be enabled before adding the Rithmic connection. If you skip this step, the connection option may not appear in the list.
• 4

  After restarting: go to Connections → Configure

  In the NinjaTrader Console, click Connections in the top menu, then Configure.

• 5

  Click Add and select "My Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage"

  In the Configure window, click Add. From the list, select My Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage. Fill in your Rithmic username and password in the required fields. Click OK to save.

• 6

  Select "My Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage" to connect

  Back in the Connections menu, select My Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage. NinjaTrader will connect to your Apex Rithmic account. Your evaluation account should appear in the account selector when opening a chart or order window.

  ⓘ If you upgraded from a previous NinjaTrader installation, open Connections and confirm all connections are still visible. If new connections cannot be created, running through the full setup steps above resolves that issue.

Verifying your connection is working correctly

After completing all three phases, confirm the following before placing your first trade. A verified connection protects your 30-day evaluation window from wasted sessions on a misconfigured account.

Keep RTrader Pro open while trading. It monitors your balance and max drawdown and serves as a backup for closing trades if NinjaTrader disconnects. The auto-liquidation threshold in RTrader reflects your trailing drawdown limit and updates in real time.

Common setup issues and how to fix them

If you are connected but experiencing unexpected disconnections or platform errors, the NinjaTrader not connecting to Apex guide covers the most common ongoing connection issues and their fixes.

After connecting: opening your first chart and placing a test order

Being connected does not mean you are ready to trade. Before your first real evaluation session, run through the following steps to confirm the account is selected correctly and orders are routing as expected.

• 1

  Open a new chart: New → Chart

  In the NinjaTrader Control Center, go to New and select Chart. A chart configuration window opens. Type the instrument you want to trade (for example ES 03-26 for the front-month E-mini S&P 500 contract) and click OK.

• 2

  Confirm your Apex account is selected in the account dropdown

  In the chart window, locate the account dropdown near the order entry panel. It should show your Apex Rithmic account, not a Sim101 paper trading account or any personal live account. If Sim101 is showing, click the dropdown and switch to your Apex account. Every order you place must be confirmed against the correct account before submission.

  ⚠ Placing trades on Sim101 instead of your Apex account is a common and frustrating mistake. The trades execute but do not count toward your profit target. Always verify the account selector before placing any order.
• 3

  Enable the order entry panel on your chart

  Right-click on the chart and select Chart Trader, or press Ctrl+Alt+T to open the order entry panel directly on the chart. This allows you to place and manage orders from within the chart window.

• 4

  Set your order quantity and place a test order

  In the Chart Trader panel, set your quantity to 1 contract. Click Buy Market or Sell Market to place a market order. Confirm the order appears in your positions panel and the account balance changes. Then close the position immediately using the Flatten button or a market order in the opposite direction.

  ⓘ This test trade confirms your connection is live, your account is selected correctly, and order routing is working. The small slippage on a 1-contract market order is negligible and worth the confirmation.
• 5

  Verify the trade appears in your RTrader Pro dashboard

  Switch to RTrader Pro and confirm the test trade is visible in your account activity. This confirms both applications are connected to the same Apex account and that RTrader Pro is monitoring your positions in real time.

Contract limits in NinjaTrader: where to find your current tier and how limits are enforced

Your Apex Performance Account contract limit is determined by the scaling tier your account is currently on. Tiers update once daily at 4:59:59 PM ET based on your end-of-day closing balance. The limit for the next session is set at that point. You can check your current tier and contract limit inside your Apex dashboard at dashboard.apextraderfunding.com under your active PA.

Inside NinjaTrader, contract limits are enforced at the point of order entry in real time. When you attempt to place an order that would push your total open exposure above the current tier maximum, the order is automatically rejected before it reaches the market. NinjaTrader displays a rejection message in the log at the bottom of the Control Center. The account is not penalised. There is no negative consequence beyond the rejection itself. Reduce the order quantity and resubmit.

During the evaluation phase, contract limits are fixed and higher than PA Level 1 limits. A $50K evaluation allows 6 contracts. The $50K PA opens at Level 1 with a maximum of 2 contracts. On your first funded session, the limit drops from what you were used to during the challenge. The full tier table showing how limits increase with account growth is in the Apex scaling plan article.

Ten micro contracts count as one standard contract for position sizing purposes. If your tier allows 3 contracts, you can hold 30 micro contracts, or 2 standard contracts and 10 micros, or any combination that does not exceed the equivalent of 3 standard contracts total. NinjaTrader enforces this combined limit across all open instruments simultaneously.

Daily startup routine: what to open and in what order

Once setup is complete, the same startup sequence should be followed each session. Deviating from the order, particularly launching NinjaTrader before RTrader Pro is logged in, is a common cause of connection failures that are often misattributed to setup errors.

Keep RTrader Pro running throughout your trading session. It provides a real-time view of your trailing drawdown threshold and acts as a backup mechanism for closing trades if NinjaTrader experiences a disconnection. Do not close RTrader Pro while you have open positions. If NinjaTrader disconnects and your OCO orders were locally stored, they will not execute automatically while disconnected.

Using Tradovate with NinjaTrader instead of Rithmic

Rithmic is the primary and most widely used connection path for Apex NinjaTrader setups. Tradovate is an alternative that uses a different connection process. If you prefer Tradovate, a separate connection guide is available in the Apex help center at apextraderfunding.com/help-center/tradovate/tradovate-x-ninjatrader8-connection-guide/.

The choice of connection type has one significant difference beyond the setup process: Tradovate evaluations use a trailing drawdown that never locks, while Rithmic evaluations lock the trailing drawdown once it reaches the profit target balance. This mechanical difference is covered in the Apex profit target article.

Both Rithmic and Tradovate connections use the same Apex account rules, profit targets, drawdown amounts, and payout conditions. The setup process is the only material operational difference.

If you have not yet purchased an evaluation

The setup process above applies once you have a purchased Apex evaluation and your Rithmic credentials. If you have not yet selected an account size or trail type, the Apex account sizes guide covers all four sizes with full cost, contract limit, and payout cap comparisons. The Apex EOD vs Intraday guide covers which trail type fits which trading style.