Tools

Free Tools for Futures Traders

The free sites we actually keep open while trading futures on prop accounts. News, charts, Fed odds and calculators, all in one list.

Next big US news

These move NQ, ES and gold the most. Many prop firms limit trading a few minutes before and after them.

Day	Release	Time

From the official BLS, BEA, Census and Federal Reserve schedules. Dates can move, so double check on the calendar below. The Vantrell journal also warns you on the day.

Prop firm calculators (ours)

Drawdown calculator

How much room you have left before a trailing or end-of-day drawdown blows the account.

Vantrell →

Position size calculator

How many contracts of NQ, ES, MNQ or MES fit your stop and your risk.

Vantrell →

Consistency calculator

Check the best-day rule before you ask for a payout.

Vantrell →

Economic calendar and news

Forex Factory calendar

The classic economic calendar. Red folders are the high-impact releases. Set the time zone to yours.

forexfactory.com ↗

FinancialJuice

Fast headlines and live squawk, so you hear the news the second it drops.

financialjuice.com ↗

Investing.com calendar

Second calendar with forecasts and previous numbers for each release.

investing.com ↗

CME FedWatch

What the market thinks the Fed will do with rates at the next meeting.

cmegroup.com ↗

Charts and market view

TradingView

Charts for every futures contract. The free plan is enough to mark your levels.

tradingview.com ↗

Finviz futures

One screen with every futures market and how it's moving today.

finviz.com ↗

CME contract specs

Tick size, tick value and trading hours for each contract, straight from the exchange.

cmegroup.com ↗

CNN Fear & Greed

A quick read on market mood before the open.

cnn.com ↗

Track how news days go for you

Some traders make their money on CPI days, others give it all back. Log your trades in Vantrell Ledger, tag news days, and see which group you're in. It's free and shows your max loss for every prop account before the open. Open the free journal →

FAQ

What is high-impact news?

Releases that can move futures hard in seconds: CPI and PPI (inflation), the jobs report (NFP), the Fed's rate decision (FOMC), GDP, PCE and retail sales.

Can I trade during news on a prop account?

It depends on the firm and the account type. Some ban trading a few minutes around big news, some only on funded accounts, some allow it. Always read your firm's current rules.

Are these tools free?

Yes, every tool on this page has a free version. Some offer paid plans with extra features.