Zipline Reloaded vs Forex Tester (2026)
Zipline Reloaded (maintained open-source fork of quantopian's event-driven python backtesting engine) and Forex Tester (windows bar-replay simulator for manual forex backtesting, sold as a one-time license) solve backtesting differently. The table below compares them on verified specs and pricing; full details are in each review.
Side by side
| Zipline Reloaded | Forex Tester | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 6.2 / 10 | 6.0 / 10 |
| Engine type | event-driven | bar-replay |
| Pricing model | open-source | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 | $149 one-time |
| Languages | Python (3.10+, wheels through Python 3.13 as of v3.1.1) | C++, Delphi, no-code (manual replay) |
| Asset classes | US equities, ETFs, futures (continuous futures support), crypto/other via custom bundles and calendars (community workarounds) | forex, crypto, stocks, indices, commodities, metals, ETFs, futures (Online version) |
| Bundled data | 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. | Free Basic Data covers 18 symbols with medium-quality 1-minute bars and monthly updates. The paid Super Data subscription covers 860+ symbols (131 forex pairs, 569 stocks, 111 indices, 22 commodities, 20 metals, crypto) with real tick data, floating spreads, up to 25 years of history, and daily updates. |
| Finest resolution | minute | tick |
| Live trading | No | No |
| Options support | No | No |
| Open source | Yes | No |
Zipline Reloaded
Maintained open-source fork of Quantopian's event-driven Python backtesting engine
Forex Tester
Windows bar-replay simulator for manual forex backtesting, sold as a one-time license
Frequently asked questions
Is Zipline Reloaded better than Forex Tester?
They target different users. 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. Forex Tester: discretionary forex (and cfd/futures) traders on windows who want realistic manual bar-replay practice and journaling rather than code-driven quantitative research. Our scores: Zipline Reloaded 6.2/10, Forex Tester 6.0/10.
Which is cheaper, Zipline Reloaded or Forex Tester?
Zipline Reloaded entry pricing: $0 (open-source). Forex Tester: $149 one-time (one-time). 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.