Quantower: What It Is and How the Platform Works (Full Guide)

If you're looking for a futures platform that combines NinjaTrader's order flow power with Tradovate's cross-platform compatibility, Quantower is the answer many traders don't know about yet. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and browser, offers professional-grade footprint charts, and connects to the main prop firms through Rithmic or CQG. This guide explains what it is, how it works, how much it costs, and how to start using it step by step.

Quantower has quickly gained ground among futures traders who work with funded accounts, especially those trading order flow and volume. Unlike other platforms that force you to choose between ease of use and advanced tools, Quantower offers both. Let's look at why it's becoming one of the community's favorite options.

What Is Quantower and What Makes It Different?

Quantower is a multi-asset, multi-connection trading platform designed to trade futures, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and forex from a single interface. Its big difference from NinjaTrader or Tradovate is that it combines the best of both: professional analysis tools (order flow, footprint, volume profile) with full compatibility on Windows, Mac, Linux, and web.

Quantower's philosophy is modularity. Instead of a rigid interface, you build your own workspace by connecting panels: charts, DOM, watchlists, order flow, and account all sync with each other. You can have several charts of the same instrument with different timeframes and they all react at once when you trade.

Another key advantage is that it's multi-connection: a single Quantower installation can connect to several brokers and data feeds at the same time. For futures trading with prop firms, this means you connect through Rithmic or CQG, the same institutional-quality feeds used by the most advanced desktop platforms.

Order Flow and Footprint: Quantower's Biggest Strength

If you trade volume and order flow, this is where Quantower shines and leaves platforms like Tradovate behind. Its order flow analysis tools are among the best on the market:

• Footprint charts (cluster charts): see the volume traded at each price level within each candle, with detection of imbalances between buying and selling.
• Volume Profile: identify the areas of highest activity, the POC, and value areas.
• Advanced DOM with order flow: market depth with a volume histogram and detection of large orders.
• Dynamic VWAP, time statistics, and heatmaps: to read market aggression in real time.

One important detail to be clear about: these order flow and volume tools are paid features. Quantower's free version includes chart trading, the DOM Trader, Time & Sales, technical indicators, and the API, but footprint, volume profiles, and VWAP require a license (below I explain prices and how some firms unlock them for free).

If you're just getting started with this trading style, our order flow trading guide explains the concepts you'll then apply in Quantower.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, and Web

This is one of the main reasons to choose Quantower. While NinjaTrader only works on Windows, Quantower is truly cross-platform:

• Windows and Mac: native desktop apps.
• Linux: native desktop version (rare in this sector).
• Web: you can trade from the browser without installing anything.

For anyone who uses a Mac and doesn't want to rely on virtual machines or Windows, Quantower is—alongside Tradovate—one of the few serious options for order flow.

Which Prop Firms Support Quantower

More and more futures prop firms accept Quantower as a platform. Among the firms we work with, it's supported by:

• Apex Trader Funding
• Bulenox
• MyFundedFutures
• Tradeify
• TakeProfit Trader
• Alpha Futures
• Earn2Trade

Among those that don't officially support it is TradeDay (it uses Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, and Jigsaw). Since support can change, always confirm the platform list on your firm's website before subscribing.

How to Connect Quantower to Your Prop Firm (Rithmic and CQG)

To trade futures with a funded account you need to connect Quantower to the feed your firm uses. The general process is as follows:

Step 1: Get your credentials. Most futures prop firms connect via Rithmic and give you the access details (username, password, and server) directly when you activate your account. Some use CQG instead.

Step 2: Add the connection in Quantower. In the Connection Manager you choose Rithmic (or CQG), select the correct server—the one your firm tells you—and enter your credentials.

Step 3: Select your account and start. Once connected, your funded account will appear available and you can load your instruments (MNQ, MES, MGC, etc.) and trade.

Watch out for the license: Quantower's free version only covers the CQG connection. To connect via Rithmic—the route most prop firms use—you need a paid license, unless your firm or broker includes it. Connections like AMP Futures or Topstep unlock all pro features for free. Confirm with your firm before paying for a license yourself.

How to Set Up Quantower From Scratch (First Steps)

When you open Quantower for the first time it's worth spending a few minutes getting your workspace ready:

1. Create a workspace and add a chart of your main instrument.
2. Enable the footprint chart type if you'll trade order flow (requires a license), or normal candles if you prefer price action.
3. Add the DOM next to the chart to execute with one click.
4. Set up your risk management (default stop loss and take profit) to respect your account's limits.
5. Save the workspace so you don't have to reconfigure it each session.

If you're coming from another platform, the learning curve is gentle: the panel logic is intuitive and there are ready-made templates to get started.

Quantower vs NinjaTrader vs Tradovate: Which to Choose?

Each platform has its strength, and the best one depends on your style:

• Quantower: ideal if you want powerful order flow + Mac/Linux/web compatibility. The best balance for volume traders who don't use Windows.
• NinjaTrader: the most complete in customization and backtesting, but Windows only. Our NinjaTrader guide covers it in detail.
• Tradovate: the simplest and lightest, perfect to start, but with limited order flow.

For a technical comparison of data feeds, also check NinjaTrader vs Tradovate vs Rithmic.

Is Quantower Free? Prices and Licenses

Quantower has a free version with no time limit and no mandatory registration that includes the essential trading tools: charts, DOM Trader, Time & Sales, technical indicators, heatmap, and API. It's more than enough to trade with price action.

The advanced features—footprint, volume profiles, VWAP, market replay, simulator, multiple connections—come with the All-in-One license, which costs 70 USD/month, with prepayment discounts (-10% for 3 months, -20% for 6, and -30% annual) and a one-time (lifetime) option. Keep two things in mind: third-party market data is paid separately, and as we saw, some connections (AMP, Topstep…) give you the pro features for free. If your prop firm connects via Rithmic and doesn't cover the license, you'll have to get it to use order flow.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Professional-grade order flow and footprint
• Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and browser
• Multi-connection: several brokers and feeds at once
• Modular, customizable interface
• Multi-asset (futures, stocks, crypto, forex)
• Compatible with Rithmic and CQG, the feeds prop firms use
• Free version useful for price action

Cons:

• Order flow and volume analysis are paid (70 USD/month unless a connection covers it)
• Less known in the Spanish-speaking community than NinjaTrader or Tradovate
• Not all prop firms support it yet (e.g., TradeDay)
• With Rithmic you need a paid license if the firm doesn't include it
• Fewer tutorials available (for now)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Quantower free? It has a free version with no expiration with the essential tools (charts, DOM, indicators, API), enough for price action. Order flow, footprint, and volume profiles are paid: the All-in-One license costs 70 USD/month. Some connections like AMP Futures or Topstep unlock the pro features at no cost.

Does Quantower work on Mac? Yes. Quantower has a native desktop app for Mac, plus versions for Windows, Linux, and web browser. It's one of the best order flow options for those who don't use Windows.

Is Quantower good for futures prop firms? Yes, as long as your firm supports it. It's accepted by Apex, Bulenox, MyFundedFutures, Tradeify, TakeProfit, Alpha Futures, and Earn2Trade, among others. You connect with the Rithmic or CQG credentials your firm gives you. Confirm it in their documentation before starting.

What sets Quantower apart from NinjaTrader? The main difference is compatibility: NinjaTrader only works on Windows, while Quantower works on Mac, Linux, and web. Both offer advanced order flow, but Quantower brings it to more operating systems.

Do I need to pay for a license if I trade with a prop firm? It depends on the connection. The free version only covers CQG; for Rithmic (the route most firms use) you need a paid license, unless your firm or broker includes it. Connections like AMP or Topstep give the pro features for free. Check with your firm before paying.

Does Quantower have a simulation account? Yes, it includes a simulator and market replay (paid-license features) to practice with real data before risking your funded account. It's highly recommended to get familiar with the platform before starting your evaluation.