Fixing "No Live Market Data" Error on TradeDay

Written by Paul

Published on

January 15, 2026

The "No Live Market Data" error on TradeDay is one of the most frustrating issues new traders encounter because it stops you from trading entirely. Your platform loads, your charts appear, but there's no price movement, no tick data, and no way to place orders. The error message might say "No Market Data," "Market Data Connection Lost," "Waiting for data feed," or simply show flat lines on your charts.

Here's the reality: 95% of these errors are caused by logging into your trading platform incorrectly—specifically, logging directly into Tradovate or another platform instead of accessing it through the TradeDay members area. TradeDay's market data feeds are tied to their authentication system, so if you bypass that system, you get no data.

The other 5% of errors are caused by unpaid market data subscriptions (for Funded Live traders), CME agreements not being signed, or actual technical issues with Tradovate's servers. This guide covers every possible cause and fix.

Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with TradeDay and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.

For the absolute latest, check TradeDay´s website or their faq page.

Most Common Cause: Wrong Login Method

The Problem: You're logging into Tradovate directly at tradovate.com instead of accessing Tradovate through members.tradeday.com.

Why This Causes "No Market Data": TradeDay provides market data as part of your membership, but only when you authenticate through their system. When you log directly into Tradovate using your TD_username and password, Tradovate sees your account but doesn't see a valid market data subscription—because that subscription is tied to your TradeDay membership, not your Tradovate account.

The Fix (Correct Login Process):

Go to members.tradeday.com
Log in with your credentials (email or TD_username + password)
Navigate to the "Trading Room" or click "Start Trading Now"
Click the Tradovate button/tile
Enter your TD_username (starts with TD_) and password when prompted
Accept any agreements (CME market data agreement on first login)

You must follow this exact path every single time. Bookmarking Tradovate directly or using saved Tradovate credentials bypasses TradeDay's authentication, which is what provides your market data access.

Visual Flow:

Wrong: tradovate.com → Login → NO DATA ❌ Correct: members.tradeday.com → Trading Room → Start Trading Now → Tradovate → DATA ✓

Market Data Subscription Requirements by Account Type

TradeDay's market data policy differs based on whether you're in evaluation, Funded Sim, or Funded Live. Understanding which accounts get free data versus which require payment is critical.

Account Type	Market Data Cost	Details
Evaluation	Free (Included)	Level 1 data included in monthly subscription
Funded Sim	Free (Included)	Level 1 data continues to be free
Funded Live	$140/month per exchange	You're classified as "Market Professional" and must pay CME fees

If You're on Funded Live: You must purchase market data subscriptions through your credit card. TradeDay doesn't cover this cost because CME exchange rules classify funded traders using firm capital as "professional" users, who pay higher data fees. You'll get the "No Live Market Data" error if you don't have an active paid subscription.

How to Purchase Market Data (Funded Live):

Log into Tradovate through the TradeDay members area
Go to Settings → Add-Ons
Purchase the Level 1 or Level 2 bundle for the exchanges you trade
CME: $140/month (covers ES, NQ, YM, RTY)
CBOT: $140/month (covers ZN, ZB)
NYMEX: $140/month (covers CL, NG)
COMEX: $140/month (covers GC, SI)

If you trade multiple exchanges, you need multiple subscriptions. Most futures traders only need CME (for indices), so $140/month is typical once you go Live.

CME Market Data Agreement Not Signed

First-time logins to Tradovate require you to sign the CME Market Data Subscriber Certification. If you skip this or close it accidentally, you won't get market data even if you're logging in correctly.

How to Check If This Is Your Issue:

You successfully logged in through members.tradeday.com
Tradovate loaded but shows no data
You don't remember seeing any agreement forms

The Fix:

Log out of Tradovate completely
Go back to members.tradeday.com
Access Tradovate through "Start Trading Now"
You should see the Market Data Subscriber Certification form
Read and scroll down, select "Non-Professional" (if you're in evaluation or Funded Sim)
Check the two checkboxes at the bottom
Enter your full legal name
Click "Accept"
You'll also need to accept the Tradovate End User License Agreement

If the form doesn't appear and you still have no data, contact TradeDay support at support@tradeday.com and ask them to reset your CME agreement status so you can re-sign it.

Tradovate Server Issues

Sometimes the problem isn't on your end—Tradovate's servers are actually down or experiencing connectivity issues. This is rare but does happen, usually during major market events or system maintenance.

How to Check Tradovate Status:

Go to the Tradovate status page (link usually at bottom of Tradovate login screen)
Check if "Market Data" or "Connection" shows as operational
Look for recent incidents or scheduled maintenance

If Tradovate shows system issues, there's nothing you can do except wait. TradeDay can't fix Tradovate's infrastructure problems. These outages typically resolve within 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Alternative During Tradovate Outages:

Use NinjaTrader (if you have it connected)
Use TradeDayX platform
Wait for Tradovate to restore service

TradeDay's infrastructure runs on multiple backends (Tradovate, NinjaTrader via CQG, TradeDayX via ProjectX), so if one platform is down, you usually have alternatives.

Browser and Connection Issues

If you're using Tradovate's web platform, browser issues can cause data connection problems. Tradovate is resource-intensive and requires modern browser versions.

Browser Requirements:

Chrome (recommended, version 90+)
Safari (macOS, latest version)
Firefox (version 88+)
Do NOT use Internet Explorer (not supported)

Common Browser Fixes:

1. Clear Cache and Cookies:

Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear Browsing Data → Cached Images and Cookies
Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data → Remove All
Firefox: Options → Privacy → Clear Data → Cookies and Cache

2. Update Your Browser: Old browser versions don't support WebSocket connections properly, which is how Tradovate streams market data. Update to the latest version.

3. Disable Browser Extensions: Ad blockers, privacy extensions, and VPNs can interfere with data connections. Disable extensions and test. If data appears, re-enable extensions one by one to find the culprit.

4. Try Incognito/Private Mode: Open Tradovate in an incognito window. If data works there, the issue is browser cache or extensions.

5. Use Tradovate Desktop App: The downloadable Tradovate desktop application is more stable than the web version. Download it from Tradovate's website and log in through TradeDay's system (still use the member area access point).

Internet Connection and Firewall Issues

Real-time market data requires a stable internet connection with low latency. If your connection is unstable or your firewall is blocking trading ports, you'll see "Market Data Connection Lost" errors.

Connection Requirements:

Minimum 5 Mbps download speed (10+ Mbps recommended)
Stable connection (WiFi can cause issues—wired ethernet is better)
Latency under 100ms to CME servers (lower is better)

Firewall/VPN Issues:Some corporate firewalls, public WiFi networks, or VPNs block WebSocket connections on non-standard ports. Tradovate needs these ports open:

Port 443 (HTTPS)
WebSocket connections
CME data feed ports

The Fix:

Switch to a different network (mobile hotspot, home network, etc.)
Disable VPN temporarily to test
If using corporate network, ask IT to whitelist Tradovate domains
Switch to wired ethernet connection if on WiFi

Platform-Specific Issues

Different platforms have different market data setup requirements. Here's troubleshooting specific to each:

NinjaTrader:

Ensure you're connecting through TradeDay's version of NinjaTrader (uses CQG data)
Connection wizard must select "TradeDay" as broker
If data fails, reconnect: Tools → Connections → Connect
Check that NinjaTrader license is active and hasn't expired

Jigsaw:

Jigsaw requires an active Jigsaw license (separate from TradeDay)
Must connect through Tradovate first, then connect Jigsaw to Tradovate
If Jigsaw won't connect, disconnect everything, restart Tradovate, then restart Jigsaw
Some traders need to connect Jigsaw through NinjaTrader platform bridge instead

TradeDayX:

Login through members.tradeday.com, click TradeDayX tile
TradeDayX uses ProjectX backend with CQG data feeds
If no data appears, check that you accepted all platform agreements
Contact support@tradeday.com if TradeDayX data feed fails

Quantower:

Requires Quantower version 1.142.20 or later
Must log into TradeDayX platform first to accept agreements
Connection must select "TradeDay" under Server dropdown
Uses ProjectX connection (not Tradovate)

The Nuclear Option: Complete Reset

If none of the above fixes work, do a complete authentication reset:

Step 1: Log Out Everywhere

Close all trading platforms
Log out of members.tradeday.com
Clear browser cache completely
Close browser

Step 2: Reset PasswordEven if you know your password, go through password reset process at members.tradeday.com (use "Forgot Password" link). This clears cached authentication tokens that might be causing issues.

Step 3: Fresh Login

Restart computer
Open fresh browser window
Go to members.tradeday.com
Log in with new password
Access trading platform through proper flow
Re-sign any agreements that appear

This process fixes about 80% of stubborn "No Market Data" errors that don't respond to standard troubleshooting.

When to Contact TradeDay Support

If you've tried everything above and still have no market data:

Contact support@tradeday.com with:

Your TD_username
Account type (Evaluation, Funded Sim, Funded Live)
Platform you're trying to use (Tradovate, NinjaTrader, etc.)
Exact error message or screenshot
Whether you're logging in through members.tradeday.com or directly
Whether you've signed the CME agreement
Whether this is first login or recurring issue

Support usually responds within 24 hours on business days. They can check your account configuration, verify your market data entitlements, and reset authentication if needed.

FAQ: TradeDay Market Data Errors

Why do I get "No Live Market Data" even though I'm logged in?

You're logging into Tradovate directly instead of through the TradeDay members area. Market data subscriptions are tied to authentication through members.tradeday.com. Always access your platform via the "Start Trading Now" button in the Trading Room.

Do I have to pay for market data during my evaluation?

No. Market data is included free during evaluation and Funded Sim phases. You only pay for market data once you graduate to Funded Live, where you're classified as a professional trader by CME rules.

How much does market data cost on Funded Live?

$140 per month per exchange. Most traders only need CME (covers ES, NQ, YM, RTY), so $140/month total. If you trade bonds (CBOT), oil (NYMEX), or metals (COMEX), you'll need additional subscriptions.

Can I use my own market data feed with TradeDay?

No. You must use TradeDay's provided data feeds. You cannot connect external data subscriptions to your TradeDay account.

What if Tradovate is down and I need to trade?

Switch to NinjaTrader or TradeDayX platform if you have them configured. These run on different infrastructure (CQG and ProjectX) and often remain operational when Tradovate has issues.

Will switching browsers fix market data issues?

Sometimes, yes. If your browser has extension conflicts, outdated WebSocket support, or cache corruption, switching to a fresh Chrome or Firefox install can resolve data connection problems.

How do I know if the problem is on my end or TradeDay's end?

Check the Tradovate status page (link at bottom of login screen). If it shows all systems operational but you still have no data, the problem is likely your login method or local connection. If it shows outages, wait for Tradovate to fix it.

What's the fastest way to fix this error?

Log out completely, go to members.tradeday.com, click "Start Trading Now" in the Trading Room, and access your platform through that flow. This fixes 90% of cases immediately.