Backtesting environment alternative to Mt4

Hello gents,

I have been looking to find an alternative software to Metatrader 4 for developing and testing strategies due some limitations.

At the actual stage, the idea is to recode strategies for Mt4 and the end of the validation process which is going to be done on another software platform.

The tool I think crucial to me are the followings:

Walk Forward Analyser

3D Chart Parameter Optimiser

Reliable data quality (tickdata from Dukascopy for intraday trading)

Portfolio optimization to evaluate trading strategies equity correlation and overall capital risk

Monte Carlo simulation (for single strategy and portfolio of strategies).

Since Multichart is quite expensive and I do not know if in 30 days trial I am gonna find the right feel with the tools and the platform. I have put on my list Amibroker as first software to give a try. Even though the support and the information around does not seem great as Multicharts.

So far I found the following tools:

Adaptrade.com: Adaptrade Builder, which uses genetic algo to find the best range of parameters, but misses other tools for portfolio. Instead has the advantage to export the strategy to be run straight away on Metatrader.

StrategyQuant: Similar to the previous software, very young project.

Multicharts: it seems to be the best so far and that's the price you pay for. (I should check if over 30 days I am happy with all the tools)

I would like to get comment from people that evaluate with quantitative methods their trading strategies. If it's worth to purchase any of the mentioned software.

I hope is not going to be considered spam, since I am not an affiliate to any of the above programs. It is just a genuine conversation amongst traders.

Best Regards, Francesco.

Nice posting
I add the links to the various tools below (makes it easier to find them, I hope the links are allowed, if not, pls. delete (@twee)) ...

link: http://adaptrade.com/

link: http://www.strategyquant.com/

link: http://www.multicharts.com/

NinjaTrader, the FREE version.
All sorts of chart time frames, tick, renko, range, seconds, etc.
Get FREE data from FXCM. Re-new the demo every 30 days or so.
Easy to code C#.
Good backtester.
Not sure about Monte Carlo and the other things you want, but this is a great start.
Cant beat the price.

Thank you Kenz, I will try to download it.

I forgot to mention Zorro platform which has a quite nice community.

www.zorro-trader.com (http://www.zorro-trader.com).

Thanks for laughing out loud!

Are you laughing because I am stingy or for another reason ?

No, I was laughing because MC is absolute crap.

Hi, I've been using NinjaTrader for a while now, and am quite happy with it. It has the walk forward, but no real portfolio analysis. It also does not have some if the items you report as crucial. Since you posted this, have you been using StrategyQuant? Their site looks interesting, and it seems to have most features you mention. I don't think 30 days trial is enough to really get some experience so I have not tried it yet. It's not really a young project, they just changed the name. (I think it was genetic builder or something).

AmiBroker does everything that is out of reach by other platforms. In fact many try to copy it like that piece of trash that is MC (after they had badmouthed those features they try to copy *ouch*).

AmiBroker is the most powerful one,
fastest and most flexible one,
it's no blackbox since it is open architecture,
and cheapest one

MT4 and Ninja are just kiddy stuff.

I have used multicharts a lot and haven't seen much lacking, if you are able to write sufficient code. There is also charts.io, but I haven't used them yet.

Because you have no comparison you are used to it. got nothing to do with sufficient code.

And do you? I mean AmiBroker is cool but it has no strategy generation... unlike things like Expert Advisor Studio, Forex Strategy Builder and StrategyQuant ... and if you don't use a generator how do you come up with profitable strategies on a backtest... change things by hand until you get results?! Sounds to me like a lot of wasted time

Can anyone please confirm if any of these named websites can let you backtest an EA and the EA behaves exactly the same on live forward test account? Now THAT would work for me. Becoz MT$ is hilarious.