Bookmap vs NinjaTrader: Compare or Combine?

At a glance

What Bookmap is built for

Bookmap shows the order book itself changing over time: a heatmap of resting limit orders, with volume bubbles marking where and how much has traded. It's aimed at reading liquidity directly, not at replacing a charting setup. Cumulative volume delta is on every tier, Record & Replay lets you step back through a session tick by tick, and futures data can come from Rithmic, dxFeed, CQG Continuum, or Bookmap's own BookmapData. It runs natively on Windows and Mac.

Read the full Bookmap review →

What NinjaTrader is built for

NinjaTrader is a complete futures platform. Charting, backtesting, and simulation are described as always free to use; NinjaScript and the Strategy Analyzer handle custom indicators and strategy testing; and live trading runs through its affiliated brokerage, NinjaTrader Clearing. Its order-flow tools, Order Flow+, include Volumetric Bars, Cumulative Delta, Volume Profile, VWAP, and a Market Depth Map, and come included with a funded NinjaTrader brokerage account.

Read the full NinjaTrader review →

Using Bookmap with NinjaTrader

Bookmap documents a connection to NinjaTrader 7 and 8. For NinjaTrader 8, it requires Bookmap version 7.3 or higher, a NinjaTrader plugin installed in Bookmap, and a Bookmap NinjaScript imported into NinjaTrader. Market data arrives from a third-party vendor into NinjaTrader and is then passed on to Bookmap. For setup steps, see Bookmap's official NinjaTrader connection guide.

Why Bookmap calls it "not recommended"

Bookmap's knowledge base labels this connection "not recommended" and advises connecting Bookmap directly to the data provider instead, for better stability and data quality. It also says most NinjaTrader market data feeds don't contain full depth (Rithmic does, without MBO data), and that it doesn't guarantee, support, or update the integration. The connection isn't available on macOS. It remains a documented connection, listed in Bookmap's connectivity table with trading available.

Global vs Global Plus

Bookmap lists Global as the minimum license for the NinjaTrader connection. Trading futures or stocks from Bookmap requires Global Plus.

Level 1 vs Level 2 data

Bookmap says it can work with Level 1 data, but needs Level 2 data to show full market depth (up to 10 levels). A funded NinjaTrader account includes Level I CME Group and EUREX data, and NinjaTrader lists its CME Group Level II bundle at $48/month. Our reviews don't establish exactly what depth that bundle produces inside Bookmap, so confirm it before relying on it.

What each route costs

The costs are separate, and this page doesn't add them into one total because data depends on your provider and exchanges.

• Bookmap tier: Digital is free; Digital Plus is $19/month; Global is $49/month, $39/month billed yearly, or $990 lifetime; Global Plus is $99/month, $79/month billed yearly, or $1,990 lifetime.
• Bookmap data: not included in any package. Bookmap's example ranges include BookmapData at roughly $34–79/month, dxFeed futures at around $37/month per exchange, and Rithmic at around $40–101/month.
• NinjaTrader plan: Free ($0), Monthly ($99/month), or Lifetime ($1,499), which differ in commissions.
• NinjaTrader order flow and data: Order Flow+ is included with a funded account, otherwise $59/month; Level I CME Group and EUREX data is included once funded; the CME Group Level II bundle is $48/month.

For MotiveWave and TradingView alongside these two, see our order flow software cost comparison.

When one platform alone makes sense

Bookmap alone

• You mainly want to read liquidity. Bookmap's heatmap of resting orders and volume bubbles is its core product, rather than one tool among many.
• You want a native Mac desktop app. Bookmap runs natively on Windows and Mac. NinjaTrader Desktop is Windows-only; NinjaTrader also offers a web app.
• You will connect Bookmap directly to a supported data provider. Rithmic, dxFeed, CQG Continuum, and BookmapData are all documented for futures, and a direct connection is what Bookmap recommends.

NinjaTrader alone

• You want charting, strategy testing, and order flow in one platform. NinjaTrader's software is free for charting, backtesting, and simulation, and Order Flow+ includes footprint (Volumetric Bars) and a Market Depth Map.
• You will fund a NinjaTrader brokerage account. Order Flow+ is included, with Level I CME Group and EUREX data included once funded; deeper data such as Level II is a separate subscription.
• You want to build and test automated strategies. NinjaScript and the Strategy Analyzer cover backtesting, optimization, and walk-forward testing. Strategy backtesting isn’t established for Bookmap.

When using both could make sense

If you already run NinjaTrader and want Bookmap's liquidity heatmap alongside it, the connection is a documented way to do that, provided you accept Bookmap's caveats: Global or higher to connect, Global Plus to trade futures, Level 2 data for full depth, and no guarantee or support for the integration. Otherwise, Bookmap's recommended route is connecting it directly to a supported data provider.

What this comparison doesn't cover

This isn't a setup guide or a broker ranking, and it doesn't compare Bookmap's heatmap with NinjaTrader's Market Depth Map feature by feature. For what heatmaps, the DOM, and footprint charts show, see our Order Flow guide. If you're still choosing a charting platform, see MotiveWave vs NinjaTrader.