Upcoming Enhancements to TradersPost’s Backtester

TradersPost users looking to optimize their trading strategies through backtesting can expect several potential improvements in the near future. These changes, aimed at providing a more accurate and realistic simulation environment, address features like stop-losses, take-profit orders, real-time prices, and options trading.

Current Limitations and Upcoming Backtester Features

The TradersPost backtester is an essential tool for testing strategies quickly. However, some limitations persist, especially in paper trading environments for futures data, real-time pricing, and options trading. Below are the areas where TradersPost is actively considering improvements:

1. Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Orders: These features are frequently requested by users and may soon become part of the backtester to allow more dynamic strategy testing.

2. Options and Futures Trading: Although live data is available for stocks, options, and crypto, there is currently no futures data on the TradersPost paper broker. Futures data access is costly, so any addition would need to align with the platform’s subscription cost.

3. Enhanced Simulation of Fills and Market Depth: Currently, some broker simulations (like those by TradeStation) account for market depth and bid-ask spreads, resulting in more realistic fill prices. TradersPost aims to enhance its backtester by incorporating similar elements, especially for high-volume assets, for improved accuracy.

Leveraging External Brokers for More Accurate Testing

TradersPost recommends using paper trading accounts from brokers like TradeStation for highly precise simulations. This is due to the advanced infrastructure some brokers provide, including market depth tracking and fill simulations based on order book size. For users testing with Binance or other exchanges that lack a paper trading environment, connecting directly to these brokers’ APIs and disabling auto-submit features can offer a workaround while preserving the integrity of the strategy.

Improvements for Crypto Trading Simulations

Previously, TradersPost’s paper broker did not support crypto assets, but this has recently changed. Users with older paper brokers might need to update their settings or create a new paper broker to access crypto functionality. This update supports a broader range of asset classes, making it easier for traders to test strategies across multiple markets.

Future Steps and Conclusion

These potential enhancements aim to give TradersPost users a backtesting environment closer to real market conditions, enabling more reliable strategy evaluations. By integrating these features, TradersPost seeks to make the transition from paper to live trading seamless, minimizing discrepancies between test results and real-world outcomes.