Trader's Playbook

Research, analysis, and guides for funded traders. 102 articles.

Inside TraderVerdict: How We Test, Rate, and Rank Every Prop Firm

21 prop firms scored. 3 removed for non-payment. Affiliate revenue does not move scores. Here is how the methodology actually works.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

Best Charting Platforms for Futures Traders 2026: TradingView vs NinjaTrader vs Sierra Chart

TradingView 94. Sierra Chart 93. NinjaTrader 92. Three platforms separated by two points and very different trade-offs. Here is which one wins for you.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

IC Markets Review 2026: Best Broker for Futures and CFD Traders?

IC Markets is on every "best broker" list. We tested it on a live account for six months. Here is who it serves well and who should look elsewhere.

May 1, 20266 min read

Traders Playbook

Machine Learning in Futures Trading: What Works, What's Hype, and Where to Start

Most retail ML projects in futures fail in the same three places. We name them. Then we describe what actually works at retail scale.

May 1, 20268 min read

Traders Playbook

API Trading for Prop Firm Accounts: What's Allowed, What's Not, and How to Set It Up

Most prop firms ban API trading. A few allow it with restrictions. The wrong setup gets your account closed. Here is the firm-by-firm breakdown.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

Building a Trading Dashboard: Tracking Stats That Actually Improve Performance

Win rate, P&L, average winner. Most traders track the wrong things. Here are the seven metrics that actually move performance.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

Python for Traders: Backtesting Futures Strategies with Real Prop Firm Rules

Most backtesters lie. They assume free fills, no slippage, no prop firm rules. Here is the Python framework we use that does not.

May 1, 20268 min read

Traders Playbook

NinjaTrader Automated Strategies: Building Your First NinjaScript Bot

NinjaScript is the path most futures traders take to their first bot. Here is the working template, the four things that break first, and how to fix them.

May 1, 20268 min read

Traders Playbook

Using TradingView Alerts to Semi-Automate Futures Strategies

TradingView alerts plus a simple webhook bridge gets you 80% of full automation with none of the code. Here is the exact setup we run daily.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

From Discretionary to Systematic: How We Started Automating Our Futures Entries

Five years discretionary. Variance kept widening. Here is how we automated entries without losing the read on context that made us money.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

Prop Firm Consistency Rules Explained: The Silent Account Killer in 2026

Prop firm consistency rules have killed more funded accounts than drawdown limits in 2026.

May 1, 20267 min read

Traders Playbook

What Kind of Trader Are You? A Quiz to Find Your Futures Style and Best Prop Firm

Take our what kind of trader are you quiz to identify your futures trading style and find the prop firm that matches how you actually trade.

May 1, 20268 min read

Page 1 of 9Next →