Setup guide · Mac

Run NinjaTrader on a VPS or VM (Mac users)

NinjaTrader only runs on Windows. Here's exactly how to give it a Windows home your Mac can control — and keep the algorithm running around the clock.

Why you need this

NinjaTrader is a Windows-only application — there is no Mac version. To run the Prop-Firm Scalper you give NinjaTrader a Windows machine and control it from your Mac. You have two ways to do that:

A Windows VPS (recommended). A always-on Windows computer in a data centre. It runs the algorithm 24/5 even when your Mac is asleep or off, and it's the most reliable option for live trading.
A local virtual machine (VM). Windows running in a window on your own Mac. Free/cheaper and fine for testing — but it only runs while your Mac is on.

Whichever you pick, remember the algorithm binds to the machine it's activated on. Set it up and enter your license key on the VPS or VM — not on the Mac itself.

VPS or VM — which should I use?

	Windows VPS	Local VM
Runs 24/5 with your Mac off	Yes	No
Best for live trading	Yes	Testing only
Cost	Monthly rental	One-off / free apps
Setup effort	Low	Medium

For running the algorithm live, use a VPS. Use a VM only if you just want to look around or test with your Mac on.

A · The Windows VPS route (recommended)

Rent a Windows VPS

Choose a VPS running Windows Server (or Windows 10/11). You don't need much power:

2+ vCPU, 4 GB+ RAM (8 GB comfortable), SSD storage.
Located in the US (near Chicago/New York) for low latency to CME futures.
Providers marketed as “trading VPS” are pre-tuned for this; a general Windows cloud VPS works too.

After you sign up, the provider gives you an IP address, a username (often Administrator) and a password.

Install Microsoft Remote Desktop on your Mac

From the Mac App Store, install Windows App (formerly “Microsoft Remote Desktop”) — it's free and made by Microsoft.

Connect to the VPS

Open it → Add PC → paste the VPS IP address → add the username & password under User account → double-click the PC to connect. A full Windows desktop opens in a window on your Mac.

Accept the certificate prompt if asked — that's normal for a fresh VPS.

Install NinjaTrader on the VPS

Inside that Windows desktop, open Edge, go to ninjatrader.com, download and install NinjaTrader 8 (free for sim/connection). Log in and connect your data feed or your prop firm's connection.

Install the algorithm & activate

Follow the algorithm setup guide: import the add-on, apply it to a 1-minute NQ/MNQ chart, paste your license key, set your contract size, enable it. Your key activates and binds to this VPS.

Leave it running

Just close the Remote Desktop window (don't shut the VPS down) — the VPS keeps running and so does the algorithm, 24/5. Reconnect anytime from your Mac to check on it.

Keep NinjaTrader and its connection running during the Mon–Thu sessions. That reliability is the whole point of a VPS.

B · The local VM route (testing)

Install a virtualization app

On your Mac, install one of: Parallels Desktop (easiest, paid), VMware Fusion (free for personal use), or VirtualBox (free).

Install Windows in the VM

Create a new virtual machine and install Windows 11. On Apple-Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4) you'll install Windows 11 on ARM, which runs NinjaTrader through built-in translation — it works, but a VPS is smoother for live use. Intel Macs run standard Windows directly.

Install NinjaTrader inside Windows

Boot the VM, open a browser inside Windows, and install NinjaTrader 8 from ninjatrader.com. Connect your feed/broker.

Install the algorithm & activate

Follow the algorithm setup guide inside the VM and paste your license key there. It binds to the VM.

The algorithm only runs while your Mac is on and the VM is running. For hands-off, always-on trading, use a VPS instead.

Activate on the machine that will run it

Enter your license key inside the VPS or VM — that's the machine the license binds to. Don't activate on the Mac host.
Pick your final home before you activate. Moving the key to a different machine later needs a reset — just contact support.
Once activated, brief connection drops are fine: it keeps running offline for up to 7 days between check-ins.

Support

Need a hand getting the VPS connected? Message @alexytrades or use the contact form.

No result is guaranteed. A high historical win rate does not guarantee a payout, a winning day, or the passing of any evaluation — but a consistency-first, negative-R model is designed to materially increase the odds of reaching payout versus high-R strategies. Past and back-tested performance is not indicative of future results. Read the full risk disclaimer.

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