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.
The Best Stock Games In 2018
| Stock Game | Best For | What Can You Trade | Free or Paid | Special Features | |
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High School Classes | US Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds | Free | Includes a library of educational content tailored for high school classes, teachers create their own class contest | Read My Review |
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High School Classes | Global Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Options, Commodities, Currencies | Paid | No ads, over 10x the content of HTMW, includes built-in curriculum, teachers create their own contest with very detailed reporting tools | |
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Individuals | US Stocks, Options | Free | Frequent public contests with prizes, also includes “Course Packs” to help new investors learn the ropes | |
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High School Classes | Global Stocks, Forex | Free | Lets you create your own contest, allows trading stocks from over 30 countries | Read My Review |
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Universities | Global Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Options, Commodities, Forex | Paid | University-centered, with tons of detailed research tools for students, and extensive reporting tools for professors |
What Makes a Great Stock Market Game
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 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 user 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 rate stock games for individual use, 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