Trading Sandbox Account - Overview
Unlike traditional broker-provided virtual accounts, the Sandbox is not bound by brokerage margin rules or limitations, giving you more freedom to practice and test strategies.
Trading Sandbox Account was built specifically to overcome these shortcomings, allowing traders to:
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Test advanced strategies without brokerage-imposed limits.
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Gain confidence in how options positions will behave through expiration and assignment.
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Track true results on completed trades for more effective learning and analysis.
As with other simulated trading systems, the Sandbox uses delayed market data. However, it goes beyond conventional paper trading platforms in several key areas:
Fast & Reliable Order Execution
Orders are processed quickly during market hours, creating a more realistic trading experience compared to laggy paper trading systems.
Supports Conditional Orders for Stocks
Effortlessly include Stop and Limit Orders when buying stock.
Options Handling That Works
Options are properly assigned and exercised as they would be in a real account, removing the gaps found in most brokerage simulators.
Accurate Trade Capture
The Sandbox records and captures gains/losses on completed trades, giving you a clear picture of how your strategies perform over time.
Full Journal Support
When auto-journaled (default setting) is set, all activity is captured. Track your progress to see what strategies work, what needs more practice, for important feedback.
How To Add:
Sandbox has been added as a drop-down selection in the Portfolio section of your trading platform
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Click the bottom left corner tab of the platform to display all account tabs
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Click the “+” icon appearing below these tabs
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Select “Sandbox” from the dropdown list. Check the “I agree…” box
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Name your account and select a color identifier, if desired.
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Start trading!
Platform Features Release: Trade from the Chart, Price Slices, Reset Virtual Account Options
Announcing the latest Release of feature and functionality enhancements to the trading platform to improve the position evaluation process, trade submitting process as well as offer additional practice account settings:
Price Slices: Evaluate theoretical outcomes of option positions when using the Strategy Templates.
Trade from the Chart: Use the control box or lines on Chart to adjust the entry point, Target Price and/or Stop Price.
Reset Virtual Account – Add ‘funds’ to an existing account OR reset everything and start fresh. You decide.
Price Slices (Premium Feature)
The 
Button appears on the right side of the screen when using the Strategy Templates.
Select one of the 22 Option Strategy Templates.
Build the position.
Click the Price Slices button to start your evaluation
Change the Date (default ‘today’), Price levels and/or % Offset
Add IV to view how this affects the theoretical P/L
Click the Go Big icon to view additional Greek data
Trade from the Chart
The 
button appears at the top of the chart for any symbol – whether there is an existing position or not.
Clicking this button activates an Order Window on the Chart, like this:
Note: Buy, Profit and Stop Loss line colors will match those displayed on the chart itself.
The values in the Order Window can be manually adjusted by $ or %
The values can also be dynamically adjusted by moving the corresponding line(s) on the Chart itself.
The Quantity value default is “1” to show the ‘per share’ dollar and percentage estimated risk, reward, as well as Position Total.
Click “Trade” for the prefilled Order Ticket to display.
The Order Ticket can be further adjusted, Staged or Reviewed to ensure it’s completed to your satisfaction, then Submitted.
Note: The brokerage selected must support Bracket Orders if the Stop/Stop Limit values are selected on the Order Window
Reset Tradier Virtual Account – 2 options
Tradier’s Virtual Account gives you the ability to add more “Cash” to your practice account – OR – completely start over:
On the account summary page, click “Reset Virtual Account”
Select “Balance Reset Only” – to keep your existing trade activity, but add more “cash” to your virtual account.
Select “Complete Reset” – if you want to remove all prior transactions, including Journal Entries, Gains, Orders, Positions, etc. Note: This selection cannot be undone once it’s processed.
Type RESET in the box provided, then click the “Confirm” button
Enhancements
- ATM Option Strikes are bolded for easier identification
Change Log
- Adjusted theme contrast
- Corrected Order Type Limit price entry
- Snapshot functionality restored
Trade from the Chart
Trade from the Chart
The button appears at the top of the chart for any symbol – whether there is an existing position or not.
Clicking this button activates an Order Window on the Chart, like this:
Note: Buy, Profit and Stop Loss line colors will match those displayed on the chart itself.
The values in the Order Window can be manually adjusted by $ or %
The values can also be dynamically adjusted by moving the corresponding line(s) on the Chart itself.
The Quantity value default is “1” to show the ‘per share’ dollar and percentage estimated risk, reward, as well as Position Total.
Click “Trade” for the prefilled Order Ticket to display.
The Order Ticket can be further adjusted, Staged or Reviewed to ensure it’s completed to your satisfaction, then Submitted.
Note: The brokerage selected must support Bracket Orders if the Stop/Stop Limit values are selected on the Order Window
Manual Account Overview
A Manual Account is versatile resource tool which can enhance your trading effectiveness. You can also use this to track trades from an outside brokerage account.
Use the Manual Account for educational purposes.
- It offers flexibility and control, while providing the Analytics and Journal to help you reinforce the “Learning to Earning” process. This allows you to focus on learning the strategies.
- Place trades any time of day or night – all get immediately executed at the price entered. No need for the market to be open.
- No Buying Power limits – no expensive spread margin requirements to adhere to, no limit on how much you can buy/sell
- Place trades in the past.
- Enter trades from Backtest Mode
Use to tracking external accounts
- Can be used to track trades placed at brokers not integrated into the platform
- You can enter the date and fill prices of your actual trades
- This enables portfolio management along with your other accounts
- You can use full Journal function for tracking your progress
Manual Accounts are identified by a narrow Red Bar and are, by default, Auto-Journaled.
Entering trades in a Manual Account takes only a few steps and is similar to a regular trade.
You can also bring up the ticket from any trade point. Simply start a trade and select the manual account just like you would select any other account.
(Bold indicates unique to Manual ticket):
1. Enter the Stock Symbol, or name of Company (Smart search will display potential matches)
2. If this is a past trade, use the calendar/date picker to select date
3. Click “Stock”, “Call” or “Put” to build trade, change quantity, Expiry and Strike (if applicable)
4. Bid/Ask will automatically populate if a specific price is not entered
5. Complete Order Type, Duration and Condition
6. Click “Review” to confirm information is correct, then ‘Submit” on next screen.
The order will appear in Order Status as “Executed” and operate the same way as other accounts.
Virtual Account Overview
Virtual Trading gives you the real trading experience without risking any money. It is a valuable “next step” learning tool – designed to mimic the trading experience as closely as possible.
Trades are executed during Market hours – 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Eastern Time, however there is a 15 minute delay after Market open for orders to begin executing.
As with Live Accounts, there are limits on trades if there is not sufficient Buying Power in your Virtual Account. There can be expensive Spread/Margin Requirements to adhere to.
Virtual Accounts do have limitations that Live Accounts do not have:
Virtual Accounts are not subject or responsive to Corporate actions such as buyouts, name or symbol changes, stock/option splits and strike price adjustments to name some examples.
Virtual Accounts are “Auto-Journaled”. This automatically keeps record of all trades for later analysis and reconciling.
These practice accounts are identified by a yellow bar on the left side of the account window.
Virtual Accounts are powered by Choice Trade to provide the real trading experience.
Positions Tab
The Positions Tab offers 4 table views of your current trades. You can access these by clicking on the drop-down box in the upper right of the screen. “All” combines the 4 views. 
Total Gains
This table view displays the Overall $ and % Gain/Loss and the Daily $ and % Gain/Loss based on the previous trading day’s results.
Share Performance
This table breaks down Total Gains by showing Entry Cost compared to Current Value per Share.
Total Performance
Similar to Share Performance, but shows Total Entry Cost and Total Current Value.
Greeks
Trade from the Options Tab
Trading from the Options Table is easy!
When a position is set up on the Option Chain or from one of the Strategy Templates, simply click the “Trade” button.
The Position will be sent to the Order Ticket where you can further edit:
- Adjust Price between “Mid” and “Nat”
- Change Duration: Day or Good Til Cancelled
- Change Order Type: Limit, Market, etc.
- Click “Review” to confirm Order Details and Account are correct
- Then “Submit” to send to brokerage.
Save Backtested Trades to Manual Account
Want to keep record of backtested trades?
Send them to the Manual Account. While in Backtest Mode, structure your trade as usual in the Options Chain or in a Strategy Template. Then click “Save”.
The “Trade” button becomes “Save” when in Backtest Mode.
You have the option of saving the Entry or Entry and Exit of the trade. Each tab has specific information such as Total Cost when opening the trade and Total Credit (Debit) when Exiting the Trade.
You’ll have the option to Save both the Entry and Exit positions on the “ticket”. You can also choose to save only the Entry OR Exit if you wish. So if you want to post an opening trade on a past date, but still have it open now, you can Save Entry Only on the Entry part of the Ticket.
Journal too
Once saved, you can see these trades in your Journal. You can add notes and tags. Simply click Journal in Order Status, or edit in the Journal.
Delete Journal Entries
Whether you entered a trade incorrectly, or want to remove Cancelled Orders from your Virtual or Manual Account, you have the ability to delete a Journal Entry.
Simply expand the Trade tab and click on the 
icon.
If you are deleting Cancelled or Expired orders, you’ll be prompted to confirm you want to delete the entry.
For trades that have a specific Open and/or a specific Close, you’ll be prompted to choose either Selected Trade or Selected and Related Trade, if applicable.
Prior to deleting your selection, you’ll be prompted to confirm the action. Once deleted, the trade cannot be restored.
Note: Deleting a Journal entry for a Manual Account will remove the trade completely from both the Journal and Manual Account.
Deleting a Journal entry for Real or Virtual Accounts only remove the Journal entry, and the trade will remain in the account.
Other Navigation
Icons = Navigation
The Action (Arrow) icon will provide different actions depending on where you are in the platform. For example if you are in the Market or Find tab, ‘Detail‘ will provide a Quote Popup. ‘Research‘ will take you to the Dashboard – overview – of the stock. ‘Options‘ will take you to that part of the platform etc.
When in a “Trade Finder Scan” (identified by the 
icon), the Action icon choices includes: ‘Analyze Position’ which will take you to the Options tables and/or ‘Trade’ which will lead you to the Order Ticket of the Brokerage Account from the menu.
The Action Icon is also found in the Journal. Under the “Positions” tab, clicking on the icon allows you to Expand/Collapse details of the trade, Analyze or Close the trade among other choices.
