Both are serious platforms for building and automating trading strategies, and BreakoutOS exports strategies to both. MultiCharts gives you a choice of brokers and an EasyLanguage-style language; NinjaTrader is built around futures. Here's an honest side-by-side.
Checked against each platform's published information in November 2026. Prices and features change, so check their sites for the latest before you decide.
Connects to many brokers and data feeds, including Interactive Brokers, Rithmic, CQG and TradeStation. No brokerage of its own.
Its own futures brokerage, with more than 100 contracts including micros. Other brokers and data feeds can connect too.
PowerLanguage, which runs most EasyLanguage code. MultiCharts .NET uses C# or VB.NET instead.
NinjaScript (C#): a full programming language. Strategy Builder turns point-and-click conditions into NinjaScript.
Some firms that run on Rithmic or CQG support it, depending on the firm and the account.
Supported by most futures prop firms, usually through a Rithmic, Tradovate or CQG connection.
| Feature | MultiCharts | NinjaTrader |
|---|---|---|
| Best known for | Choosing your own broker and data feed, and portfolio backtesting | Futures trading and automated futures strategies |
| Brokerage | None. Connects to brokers such as Interactive Brokers, Rithmic, CQG and TradeStation | NinjaTrader's own futures brokerage, including micro and crypto futures |
| Platform cost | Free plan for simulated trading and backtesting. Standard and Advanced plans by subscription (from $99/month) or a lifetime license | Free for charting, backtesting and simulated trading. Live trading on three plans: Free ($0), Monthly ($99/month) or Lifetime ($1,499 once), with lower commissions on the paid plans |
| Strategy language | PowerLanguage (EasyLanguage-compatible), or C# and VB.NET in MultiCharts .NET | NinjaScript (C#) |
| Existing EasyLanguage code | Imports most EasyLanguage files | Not supported: strategies are written in NinjaScript |
| Backtesting and optimization | Strategy Performance Report, genetic optimization, Monte Carlo and Bar Magnifier. Walk-forward on the Advanced plan | Strategy Analyzer, with optimization, walk-forward and Monte Carlo |
| Testing different strategies as one portfolio | Portfolio Trader, on the Advanced plan | Not currently: backtests run one strategy at a time |
| Desktop | Windows only (Mac users run it in a Windows virtual machine) | NinjaTrader Desktop on Windows (Mac users run it in a Windows virtual machine), plus web and mobile apps |
| Prop firms | Some firms that run on Rithmic or CQG. Check with your firm | Supported by most futures prop firms |
| Try it free | 30-day free trial, plus a free plan for simulation | Free for charting, backtesting and simulation with no time limit |
Prices and features as of November 2026. Check MultiCharts' plans and NinjaTrader's pricing for current prices and commissions.
We built one breakout strategy in BreakoutOS, exported it as PowerLanguage and as NinjaScript, and backtested it on each platform. Both reproduced the BreakoutOS results closely.
NQ 60-min · Opening Gap · Jun 2011 to Jun 2026 · 1 contract
Hypothetical backtest
Hypothetical backtestBreakoutOS's own backtest had 409 trades and 57.5% winners. Small differences come from how each platform handles session times and holidays. Hypothetical backtest results, not live trading. Full results on the MultiCharts and NinjaTrader pages.
Click any screenshot to see it up closeMultiCharts and NinjaTrader both test and run the strategy you give them. BreakoutOS does the jobs around that, and the strategy you build moves with you if you ever switch.
Breakout Radar and Market Mapper show which markets and sessions break out cleanly, and Breakout Trading PRO builds and tests thousands of breakout strategies in minutes, then exports the one you pick as PowerLanguage or NinjaScript.
Screenshots show hypothetical backtests.
The Backtest Auditor checks whether a result beats a thousand strategies with the same DNA, MQ Portfolio Builder combines strategies into one portfolio, and the Strategy Health Monitor tells you when a live strategy drifts outside its normal range.
Screenshots show hypothetical backtests.
See everything BreakoutOS can do with MultiCharts or NinjaTrader.
BreakoutOS Build has the four tools you need to go from a market to a strategy, with PowerLanguage and NinjaScript export on every strategy you build.
BreakoutOS Scale has the tools to audit, improve, combine and monitor your MultiCharts or NinjaTrader strategies, plus every Build tool.
Disclosure: Breakout Trading Academy is a NinjaTrader Ecosystem vendor. We aren't affiliated with MultiCharts. Both platforms are compared on publicly available information as of November 2026.
MultiCharts and PowerLanguage are trademarks of MultiCharts, LLC. NinjaTrader and NinjaScript are trademarks of NinjaTrader, LLC.