Multi-Provider is a feature in NinjaTrader Desktop that allows you to connect to multiple accounts at the same time, including live and demo NinjaTrader Brokerage accounts, evaluation accounts, and third-party broker or data provider accounts.
Once enabled, the configure button will appear at the bottom of the Control Center > Connections dropdown, allowing you to manually create and manage your connections.
Please note: Multi-Provider is only available in NinjaTrader Desktop version 8.1 or later.
Table of Contents
Connecting to your NinjaTrader Account only?
If you’re only connecting to your NinjaTrader account in the NinjaTrader Desktop app, you can simplify the process by disabling Multi-Provider in the Tools > Settings window, and then follow these steps for a more streamlined connection: Connecting to Your Account
How to Enable Multi-Provider
To enable Multi-Provider, go to the Control Center, open the Tools dropdown, and select Settings.
In the Settings window, check the box next to "Multi-provider" in the General section, then click OK to save your changes. Be sure to restart the NinjaTrader Desktop platform for the change to take effect.
After restarting the platform, the configure button will appear in the Control Center > Connections dropdown. This will allow you to manually create and manage any of your account connections.
Creating A NinjaTrader Account Connection With Multi-Provider
To connect to your NinjaTrader account with Multi-provider enabled, click configure in the Control Center > Connections dropdown.
Next, double-click NinjaTrader from the list of Available connections, or highlight it and click add at the bottom of the window. Once "My NinjaTrader" appears in the Configured section, the Connection Properties will become editable on the right side of the window.
Enter the same Username and Password as your NinjaTrader Account Dashboard. If your NinjaTrader account is linked to your Google or Apple account, click the corresponding button to enter your Google / Apple login information.
Finally, select "Simulation" or "Live" from the Account Type dropdown.
Simulation will connect you to your Demo account for practice trading.
Live will connect you to your funded trading account.
Some additional settings available in the Connection Properties window include:
Connection name: Create a custom name to help you identify this connection.
Connect on start up: Enable this if you want NinjaTrader to automatically connect to this account when the platform starts.
Ask password on connect: Enable this if you prefer to enter your password each time you connect for added security.
5. Click "OK" to finish creating your NinjaTrader Account connection after configuring all your settings.
Looking to make multiple connections?
To connect to both your Live and Simulation accounts at the same time, create two separate "My NinjaTrader"connections—one with the Account Type set to Live, and the other set to Simulation.
Users with multiple NinjaTrader Brokerage account types (such as individual, joint, LLC, etc.) will have a separate username for each account. You can follow the same steps to create a connection for each username and connect to all account types simultaneously.
Connecting to your NinjaTrader Account Connection
To connect to your newly configured account, open the Control Center window, click the Connectionsdropdown, and select the custom Connection Name
you set during Step 4.
Once connected, your selected connection will be highlighted in green in the Connections dropdown. You’ll also see an aggregated connection status light in the bottom-left corner of the Control Center indicating overall connection status.
For more information, please visit this page: Connection Status Light
Additional Connection Types
Multi-provider must be enabled to connect to any supported third-party broker accounts, data providers, or evaluation accounts on the NinjaTrader Desktop app.
For setup and troubleshooting guides for these connections, please visit our full list of supported connections here: NinjaTrader Desktop Connection Guides
FAQ
"The configure button has disappeared from the Connections dropdown in the Control Center. I can't create or change connections?"
If the Configure button is missing from the Connections dropdown, it means Multi-Provider is not currently enabled.
By default, Multi-Provider is not enabled on new installations of NinjaTrader 8.1. However, if you upgraded from NinjaTrader 8.0 to 8.1, Multi-Provider is typically enabled automatically.
To create or manage connections in the NinjaTrader Desktop app, Multi-Provider must be turned on. You can enable it by going to Tools > Settings > General, checking the Multi-provider box, and restarting the platform.
"I do not see the Multi-provider setting in the Tools > Settings window."
The Multi-provider setting is only available in NinjaTrader Desktop version 8.1 or later. It is not included in NinjaTrader 8.0, and it is also not available on the NinjaTrader Web or Mobile platforms.
To access this feature, please ensure you're using the latest version of NinjaTrader Desktop.
"How do I connect to my live account and prop firm/evaluation account simultaneously?"
To connect to both a live NinjaTrader account and one or more evaluation accounts at the same time:
Go to Connections > Configure in the Control Center.
Create separate connections for your live and evaluation accounts.
After configuration, click on both connections in the Connections dropdown to connect them.
Once successfully connected, green lights will appear next to both connection names, and all of your accounts will be visible in the Control Center > Accounts tab.
"How do I remove a connection that I've already created?"
To remove a previously configured connection:
Open the Connections > Configure window in the Control Center.
In the Configured section, select the connection you want to remove.
Click remove at the bottom of the window.
This will delete the selected connection from your NinjaTrader Desktop platform.