Alpha Futures Quantower Setup: The Copy-Paste Connection Guide

Quantower is one of the most powerful platforms you can use with Alpha Futures—order flow tools, footprint charts, DOM trading, and volume profiles all in one place. But connecting it to your Alpha Futures account isn't as obvious as it should be.

This guide walks you through the exact steps. No guessing, no trial and error. Just follow the sequence and you'll be trading within 15 minutes.

Platform setup tested firsthand: I've traded Alpha Futures accounts on NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView—across evaluation and funded phases. The setup instructions here come from connecting these platforms to actual funded accounts, not from reading help docs.

If you're deciding which platform to use with Alpha Futures—or weighing NinjaTrader's order flow tools against Tradovate's simplicity and TradingView's charting—my full platform compatibility guide covers all three options with honest pros and cons, setup walkthroughs, and my recommended pick for evaluation through funded. For the absolute latest, check Alpha Futures' website.

Before You Start: What You Need

Make sure you have these three things ready:

1. An active Alpha Futures account (evaluation or qualified)
2. Your Alpha Futures dashboard credentials (username and password from your account)
3. A Windows PC (Quantower doesn't run natively on Mac—you'd need a VPS or Bootcamp)

One more thing: Alpha Futures connects through AlphaTicks, which uses ProjectX technology. The credentials are interchangeable between the web platform and Quantower, so you only need one login.

Step 1: Sign the Non-Professional Agreement

This is the step most people skip, then wonder why they can't connect. You must sign the data agreement before Quantower will let you log in.

Go to: https://alphaticks.projectx.com/

Login with: Your Alpha Futures credentials (found in your Alpha Futures dashboard under "Account Information")

What happens: You'll be prompted to sign a "Non-Professional Agreement" for market data. This is standard—it confirms you're trading for personal use, not on behalf of an institution.

Sign it. Without this, you'll get a "Login Blocked" error in Quantower every time.

Once signed, you can close the browser. The agreement is tied to your account now.

Step 2: Download Quantower

Go to: https://www.quantower.com/

Click the download button. The installer is small—Quantower extracts to a folder rather than installing to your system directories. This means you can run it from a USB drive if you want, or easily move it between computers.

System requirements: Windows 10 or 11, 16GB RAM recommended, SSD preferred for faster data loading. Most modern PCs handle it fine.

Important: When the download finishes, run the installer and let it extract. Quantower will launch automatically after extraction.

If your firewall asks about allowing connections, click "Allow" for both incoming and outgoing. Quantower needs network access to pull market data.

Step 3: Disconnect from Default Connection

When Quantower opens for the first time, it usually connects to DXFeed automatically. This is a demo data source—not your Alpha Futures account.

Here's how to disconnect:

1. Look at the top toolbar in Quantower
2. Find the "Connections" button (it might show "DXFeed" with a green dot if connected)
3. Click it to open the connection manager
4. If DXFeed shows as connected, right-click it and select "Disconnect"

You should now see no active connections. Good—you're ready to set up Alpha Futures.

Step 4: Add the AlphaTicks Connection

This is where the actual Alpha Futures connection happens.

Still in the Connections panel:

1. Look for "ProjectX" in the list of available connections (left side of the connection manager)
2. Click on ProjectX to select it
3. In the Server dropdown that appears, select "AlphaTicks"

If you don't see AlphaTicks in the server list, make sure you're using a recent version of Quantower (1.126.13 or newer). Older versions may not have the AlphaTicks server option.

Step 5: Enter Your Credentials

With AlphaTicks selected as the server:

Username: Your Alpha Futures username (from the dashboard)Password: Your Alpha Futures password (same one you use to log into the dashboard)

These are the same credentials you used to sign the agreement in Step 1. Alpha Futures doesn't give you separate platform credentials—one login works everywhere.

Click Connect.

If everything is set up correctly, you'll see a green connection indicator. Quantower is now linked to your Alpha Futures account.

Step 6: Load Your Workspace

Now that you're connected, you need to set up your trading workspace. Quantower won't automatically show charts or DOM panels—you build your own layout.

Quick setup for futures trading:

1. Click the "+" button in the top toolbar
2. Select "Chart" to add a chart panel
3. In the symbol search, type your instrument (e.g., NQ, ES, MNQ, MES)
4. Select the appropriate contract month (the one currently active)

To add DOM Trader:

1. Click "+" again
2. Select "DOM Trader"
3. Choose the same instrument
4. You can now place trades directly from the DOM

To add Volume Profile or Footprint:

Quantower includes these tools by default. Right-click on your chart, go to "Indicators" or "Analysis Tools," and add what you need.

Troubleshooting: Common Connection Issues

"Login Blocked" Error

Cause: You didn't sign the non-professional agreement on AlphaTicks.

Fix: Go to https://alphaticks.projectx.com/, log in with your Alpha Futures credentials, and sign the agreement. Then try connecting again in Quantower.

"Market Data Connection Failed"

Cause: Usually a server or credential issue.

Fix: Check these in order:

1. Verify you selected "AlphaTicks" as the server (not just ProjectX generic)
2. Confirm your username and password are correct—no extra spaces
3. Make sure your Alpha Futures account is active (not expired or breached)
4. Wait 30-60 minutes if your account was just created—activation takes time

No Price Data on Charts

Cause: Wrong symbol or connection not fully established.

Fix:

1. Confirm the connection shows green in the Connections panel
2. Search for the correct symbol format (e.g., "NQ" not "NQH26")
3. Try closing and reopening the chart panel

Quantower Won't Start

Cause: Usually firewall or antivirus blocking it.

Fix:

1. Add an exception for Quantower in your firewall settings
2. Make sure Starter.exe (in the Quantower folder) is allowed through
3. Try running Quantower as Administrator

Connection Drops Randomly

Cause: Internet instability or server-side issues.

Fix:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Quantower has auto-reconnect—it should reconnect on its own
3. If persistent, contact Alpha Futures support—could be account-specific

Platform-Specific Notes

What AlphaTicks Provides

When connected through AlphaTicks, you get:

• Real-time data for CME futures (ES, NQ, YM, RTY, GC, CL, etc.)
• All micro contracts (MES, MNQ, MGC, etc.)
• No separate data fees—included with your Alpha Futures subscription
• Commission-free execution (only regulatory/exchange fees apply)

What You Need to Know About Licensing

Quantower normally costs $70/month or $1,590 lifetime for the full version with Rithmic support. But when connecting via ProjectX/AlphaTicks, you don't need to pay Quantower separately—the connection is included through Alpha Futures.

However, some advanced features may be limited compared to a direct Rithmic connection. For most prop trading purposes, the AlphaTicks connection provides everything you need.

ProjectX Phase-Out Notice

ProjectX announced in late 2025 that they're ending partnerships with third-party firms (except Topstep) as of January 15, 2026, with full discontinuation by February 28, 2026.

Alpha Futures has responded by developing AlphaTicks as their successor platform. If you're reading this in early 2026, AlphaTicks should continue working through Quantower. But if you experience connection issues after February 2026, check Alpha Futures' help center for updated instructions.

Alternative platforms that will continue working: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView (via Tradovate integration).

Recommended Quantower Settings for Alpha Futures

Once you're connected, here are some settings that work well for prop trading:

Chart Settings

• Timeframe: 1-minute or 5-minute for active trading
• Chart type: Candlestick or Footprint (if you're doing order flow analysis)
• Volume Profile: Add it to see where the volume clusters—helpful for identifying support/resistance

DOM Trader Settings

• Show Depth: Set to at least 10 levels
• Size coloring: Enable to quickly spot large orders
• One-click trading: Enable for faster execution (be careful with this—easy to fat-finger)

Risk Settings

Quantower has built-in risk controls you can enable:

• Maximum position size
• Maximum daily loss
• Order confirmation dialogs

These work alongside Alpha Futures' own risk limits. I'd recommend enabling them as a backup—better to have two layers of protection than blow your account on a misclick.

Complete Setup Checklist

Run through this before your first trade:

• [ ] Signed non-professional agreement at alphaticks.projectx.com
• [ ] Downloaded and extracted Quantower
• [ ] Disconnected from DXFeed (or any default connection)
• [ ] Selected ProjectX → AlphaTicks as connection
• [ ] Entered Alpha Futures credentials
• [ ] Connection shows green/active
• [ ] Added chart panel with correct symbol
• [ ] Added DOM Trader panel
• [ ] Placed a demo order to confirm execution works (optional but smart)

Quick Reference: Connection Settings

For easy copy-paste when setting up:

Connection Type: ProjectXServer: AlphaTicksUsername: [Your Alpha Futures username]Password: [Your Alpha Futures password]

That's it. Everything else is handled automatically once these are correct.

When to Use Quantower vs Other Platforms

Quantower makes sense if you want:

• Advanced order flow tools (footprint, volume profile, DOM surface)
• Highly customizable workspace
• Multi-monitor setups with independent panels
• Detailed market analysis beyond basic charting

Stick with AlphaTicks web platform or Tradovate if you prefer:

• Simpler interface
• Faster setup (no software installation)
• Mobile trading capability
• Less configuration required

There's no wrong choice. I use Quantower when I'm doing serious analysis and want to see order flow. I use Tradovate when I'm traveling or just want to check positions quickly.

Final Notes

The connection process takes about 15 minutes the first time. After that, Quantower remembers your settings—just launch it and you're connected automatically.

If you run into issues Alpha Futures support can't solve, Quantower has their own support team. They're generally responsive and familiar with prop firm setups since so many traders use the platform.

One last tip: save your workspace after you've got everything arranged. Quantower doesn't auto-save layouts by default. Go to the workspace menu and save it so you don't have to rebuild next time.

Now go trade something.