Paper Trading at TradeZero
Key takeaways:
• TradeZero provides free paper trading for 30 days.
• The free paper-trading trial comes with $1,000,000 in virtual funds and free real-time NASDAQ Basic market data.
• Schwab offers free demo trading.
If you want to test trading strategies without putting real money at risk, TradeZero is one brokerage firm that provides this feature. However, because TradeZero’s free guest access runs for 30 days and continued access requires a funded account, Charles Schwab may be the better choice for some traders.
Demo Trading at TradeZero
TradeZero makes simulated trading available to both guests and clients. Guests can register for a free paper-trading account, while clients with funded accounts can keep using paper trading once the first trial period is over.
TradeZero does not currently assess a separate $59 monthly charge for paper trading. The free paper-trading account is available for 30 days. After that, ongoing access requires a funded live account with at least $250 to keep paper trading active from month to month.
With a practice account, you can test TradeZero’s software without taking on real risk. Most of the tools offered in live mode are also available in simulated mode, allowing you to try different features without being concerned about costly mistakes.
Signing up for Paper Trading
To register for simulated trading, go to TradeZero’s paper-trading page and sign up for a free paper account. The signup process takes about a minute, and no live-account funding is needed during the first 30 days. TradeZero’s live chat is available 24/7, and phone support is available on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. You can call (877-4-TRADE-0), use online chat, or email support at support@tradezero.us.
Schwab as an Alternative
If you do not want to open a live brokerage account, Charles Schwab offers a Guest Pass. With this free pass, no actual Schwab account is required to practice trading on its advanced thinkorswim platform. The Guest Pass provides free access to thinkorswim desktop, mobile, and web.
Signing up for the Guest Pass is easy. Just go to the
Guest Pass signup page and click the blue button. Enter the required information, and you will receive login credentials for all three thinkorswim platforms.
The mode used with a Guest Pass is called paperMoney®. This simulator is also available to Schwab clients (they do not need a Guest Pass because paperMoney is included in thinkorswim). Keep in mind that paperMoney for Schwab customers does not expire, while Guest Pass login credentials expire after 30 days.
Both guests and Schwab clients can use many of the same tools in thinkorswim’s practice mode. The order ticket, charting tools, Level II window, and other features are available for practice. You can practice trading options, stocks, ETFs, closed-end funds, futures, and forex on thinkorswim. The last two are not available on TradeZero America, which gives traders a way to try them without risk.
Schwab clients who want to use thinkorswim in demo mode can access paperMoney on the thinkorswim platforms. On the desktop version, this option is selected from the login screen. On the mobile and web versions, paperMoney can be selected from inside the platform.
Guests using the 30-day Guest Pass must log in with the credentials they receive during registration. The thinkorswim desktop and mobile apps must be downloaded, and the web version can be tried at the
Guest Pass Login page.
Learn more about Schwab Paper Trading
Free Charles Schwab Paper Trading
Visit Schwab Website
TradeZero Paper Trading Judgment
TradeZero now gives users free paper trading for 30 days, while Schwab provides free simulated trading for both customers and guests. Schwab’s Guest Pass is also limited to 30 days, but Schwab clients can continue using paperMoney without the Guest Pass time limit. Choose the service that best matches your trading needs.
Updated on 9/19/2026.
Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.
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