There are dozens of stock market games out in the market today, so it can be hard to find the best one for what you need. An individual looking to practice buying and selling before risking their own money will need a completely different kind of stock game than a teacher using it as part of a personal finance class.
That’s why we did the legwork – we love stock games, and we try out new ones every month to find the best one for each type of trader.
Best Stock Games For High Schools (Updated August 2018)
| Rank | Game | Features | Cost | How Accurate? |
| 1 |  PersonalFinanceLab.com |
The Best Stock Game for High Schools! Teachers customize both a stock game for their class and built-in lessons. Real-time trading of U.S. stocks and real-time portfolio updates and class rankings. Over 300 built-in lessons aligned to Personal Finance, Business and Economics standards. Live Support for teachers and students.
Also includes cryptos, options and futures if you want them. |
$649 per year, but worth it because of the extra curriculum and no ads | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 2 | 
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US stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, about 40 built-in lessons, live customer support for teachers, integrated tutorials for teachers and students | Free, supported by ads | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 3 | 
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International stocks, ETFs, and currencies, about 30 built-in lessons, integrated tutorials for students | Free, supported by ads | Real-time prices for US stocks, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 4 | 
Investopedia |
US stocks, all other features behind a paywall | Free, supported by ads, and constant pushes to buy premium features | Prices had 15 minute delay. Some (but not all) my dividends were accounted for |
| 5 | 
Marketwatch |
US stocks and mutual funds. No customer support responses | Free, heavy ads | Prices had 15 minute delay. No dividends were accounted for |
Best Stock Simulations For Colleges and Universities (Updated August 2018)
| Rank | Game | Features | Cost | How Accurate? |
| 1 |  StockTrak.com |
International stocks, ETFs, options, futures, future options, forex, cryptocurrencies, built-in lessons, extensive reports, professor resource center, class project ideas, career center with internship postings | $27 per student, lower with textbook code | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 2 | 
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US stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies, some built-in lessons for a fee | Free, supported by ads | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 3 |
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US stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, about 40 built-in lessons, live customer support for teachers, integrated tutorials for teachers and students | Free, supported by ads | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 4 |
Investopedia |
US stocks, all other features behind a paywall | Free, supported by ads, and constant pushes to buy premium features | Prices had 15 minute delay. Some (but not all) my dividends were accounted for |
| 5 |
Marketwatch |
US stocks and mutual funds. No customer support responses | Free, heavy ads | Prices had 15 minute delay. No dividends were accounted for |
Best Stock Simulations For Individuals Who Want To Learn To Trade (Updated August 2018)
| Rank | Game | Features | Cost | How Accurate? |
| 1 |
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US stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies, built-in courses | Free, supported by ads. Some lessons have a fee | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 2 |
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International stocks, ETFs, options, futures, future options, forex, cryptocurrencies, built-in lessons, exportable portfolio reports, built-in investing course | $16.95 per month | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 3 |
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US stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, about 40 built-in lessons, live customer support, integrated tutorials | Free, supported by ads | Real-time prices, all splits and dividends were paid |
| 4 |
Investopedia |
US stocks, all other features behind a paywall | Free, supported by ads, and constant pushes to buy premium features | Prices had 15 minute delay. Some (but not all) my dividends were accounted for |
| 5 |
Marketwatch |
US stocks and mutual funds. No customer support responses | Free, heavy ads | Prices had 15 minute delay. No dividends were accounted for |
What Makes the Best Stock Market Simulator?
There are some features that a great stock game absolutely must have to be worth using:
- A smooth, easy-to-understand interface
- Plenty of “Getting Started” resources for newbies
- Real-time prices, so I know my contest rankings are legitimate
- Excellent support team that can answer both my general and technical questions
We test out dozens of free stock games every month – so we are also looking for which games tend to roll out new features and updates quicker and stay ahead of the curve.
See All Reviews
Stock Market Games for Schools
The biggest users of stock games are schools, usually in personal finance and economics classes. If you are a teacher trying to decide what will be the best stock game for your classroom, you will probably add in a few more criteria. When we make our reviews, we also look at:
- How easy is it to get a class stock game up and running?
- Can teacher see reports detailing student progress?
- How much educational content is available, and is it catered to a younger audience?
- Do they offer webinars, lesson plans, or other school-specific resources?
- Are they COPPA and ADA compliant?
Stock Market Games for Individuals
If you are looking for a stock game to use on your own, the main concern is how well it can get you off and running on your own, and how much it has to keep you engaged. So many new traders open up their virtual portfolio, place one or two trades, and completely forget about it just because the simulation is not engaging!
When we search for the best stock market simulator, we look for:
- Glossary of investing terms
- Embedded investing news to keep us updated on our portfolio
- Public contests where we have the chance to win cash or prizes
- Educational content that we can use to build our investing acumen