Paper vs demo
Trade Desky paper mode never POSTs to Signal Trade App. Signal Trade App / Tradovate demo is a separate layer: orders leave Trade Desky and land in the demo brokerage account. Pick the combination that matches what you are validating.
Connect Tradovate via Signal Trade App
Use this path when you want cloud futures execution on Tradovate without a local NinjaTrader bridge. Paper mode in Trade Desky stays simulated; use a Tradovate demo account for live dry runs.
Create Signal Trade App and connect Tradovate
Sign up at signaltradeapp.com. Under Connections, add Tradovate and choose Live, Demo, or Eval. Prefer Demo until you have verified a full order path.
Generate a trade-scoped API key
Open Settings → API Keys and create a key that can place orders. Treat it like a password. If a key was ever pasted into chat or committed to git, rotate it immediately.
Paste the key in Trade Desky
Go to Connections→ Tradovate (Signal Trade App). Paste the key, click Load accounts, select the Tradovate account, then Connect. Arm it as a futures execution target.
Test safely
Use Test connection while Trade Desky is in paper mode — that path is simulated and does not hit Signal Trade App. For a real broker dry run, keep a Tradovate demo account selected and enable live mode only after you understand the risk.
Send a futures alert
Desktop watcher alerts or inbound JSON webhooks that parse as futures (ES, MES, NQ, and other supported roots) route to Signal Trade App when it is armed. You do not need to send dated contracts — front month is resolved for you.
Your next alert could be an order.
Start in paper, connect your broker, and go live when you’re ready.
Get started