Freqtrade vs Zipline Reloaded (2026)
Freqtrade (free open-source python crypto trading bot with built-in backtesting, hyperopt and freqai) and Zipline Reloaded (maintained open-source fork of quantopian's event-driven python backtesting engine) solve backtesting differently. The table below compares them on verified specs and pricing; full details are in each review.
Side by side
| Freqtrade | Zipline Reloaded | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 6.2 / 10 | 6.2 / 10 |
| Engine type | candle-by-candle (event-driven over OHLCV bars) | event-driven |
| Pricing model | open-source | open-source |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 | $0 |
| Languages | Python | Python (3.10+, wheels through Python 3.13 as of v3.1.1) |
| Asset classes | crypto (spot), crypto (perpetual futures, exchange-dependent) | US equities, ETFs, futures (continuous futures support), crypto/other via custom bundles and calendars (community workarounds) |
| Bundled data | None. Data is downloaded on demand from whichever CCXT-supported exchange you configure, via the built-in `freqtrade download-data` command. That covers 100+ exchanges in principle, with Binance, BingX, Bitget, Bybit, Bybit EU, Gate.io, Gate.io EU, HTX, Hyperliquid, Kraken, OKX and OKX EEA (MyOKX) officially tested as of September 2026, plus Bitvavo and Kucoin confirmed by community testing. Bitmart no longer appears in the vendor's exchange documentation. No equities, forex or futures data of any kind; this is a crypto-only tool. | No usable current data ships with the library. The default Quandl/WIKI bundle (via NASDAQ Data Link) covers US equities only through March 2018, so you bring your own: either the csvdir bundle, which takes OHLCV CSVs with splits and dividends, or your own custom bundle ingest code. |
| Finest resolution | 1-minute candles (exchange-dependent; no tick or order-book data) | minute |
| Live trading | Yes | No |
| Options support | No | No |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
Freqtrade
Free open-source Python crypto trading bot with built-in backtesting, Hyperopt and FreqAI
Zipline Reloaded
Maintained open-source fork of Quantopian's event-driven Python backtesting engine
Frequently asked questions
Is Freqtrade better than Zipline Reloaded?
They target different users. Freqtrade: python-comfortable crypto traders who want a free, actively developed bot that backtests, optimizes and trades live across major exchanges from one codebase, and who will apply their own discipline against hyperopt overfitting. Zipline Reloaded: python-fluent quants doing us-equity, factor-based (cross-sectional) research who want a free, realistic event-driven engine and are willing to wire up their own data pipeline. Our scores: Freqtrade 6.2/10, Zipline Reloaded 6.2/10.
Which is cheaper, Freqtrade or Zipline Reloaded?
Freqtrade entry pricing: $0 (open-source). Zipline Reloaded: $0 (open-source). See each review for full verified pricing tables.
Educational content only, not investment advice. Specs and prices come from each platform's official pages; see the individual reviews for sources and last-verified dates.