Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Backtrader VS QuantConnect

Compare Backtrader VS QuantConnect and see what are their differences

Backtrader logo Backtrader

Backtrader is a complete and advanced python framework that is used for backtesting and trading.

QuantConnect logo QuantConnect

QuantConnect provides a free algorithm backtesting tool and financial data so engineers can design algorithmic trading strategies. We are democratizing algorithm trading technology to empower investors.
  • Backtrader Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-30
  • QuantConnect Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-15

Backtrader features and specs

  • Versatility
    Backtrader supports a wide variety of data sources and formats, as well as different types of financial instruments, allowing for extensive backtesting and live trading capabilities.
  • Community and Documentation
    The platform has a strong community and comprehensive documentation, making it easier for new users to get started and for experienced users to troubleshoot and optimize their strategies.
  • Python Integration
    Written in Python, Backtrader allows users to leverage Python's extensive ecosystem of libraries for data analysis, machine learning, and other financial computations.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, users can modify and extend the platform to meet their specific trading and testing needs without restrictions, and contribute to its development.
  • Flexibility in Strategy Design
    Backtrader offers a flexible and intuitive framework to design complex trading strategies, enabling users to test multiple strategies with different parameters efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of Backtrader

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Despite its flexibility, new users may find Backtrader's extensive features and options overwhelming, requiring a significant amount of time to learn and effectively utilize.
  • Performance Issues
    For very large datasets, Backtrader might experience performance bottlenecks or require additional optimization, as Python is not the fastest language for high-frequency backtesting.
  • Limited Technical Support
    As a community-driven open-source project, Backtrader might lack the formal technical support and customer service that comes with commercial trading platforms.
  • Complexity in Live Trading
    Transitioning from backtesting to live trading can require significant additional setup and potential custom development, especially in integrating broker APIs.
  • Outdated Resources
    Some educational materials and tutorials may be outdated, leading to confusion due to interface or feature updates that are not well-documented.

QuantConnect features and specs

  • Comprehensive Data Access
    QuantConnect provides access to a wide range of financial data which is crucial for developing and testing trading algorithms. This includes equities, futures, FOREX, and cryptocurrencies, which allows users to backtest strategies with historical data.
  • Cloud-Based Development
    The platform is cloud-based, which means users can access their projects from anywhere and don't need to worry about the computational resources required for large backtesting tasks. This also facilitates easy collaboration.
  • Wide Language Support
    QuantConnect supports multiple programming languages including C#, Python, and F#. This allows developers to choose from different languages they are comfortable with while coding algorithms.
  • Lean Algorithm Framework
    The open-source Lean Algorithm Framework is at the core of QuantConnect, providing a robust and flexible foundation for algorithmic trading strategies which can be customized to meet specific needs.
  • Community and Collaboration
    QuantConnect has an active community where users can share ideas, collaborate on projects, and seek help from others which enhances learning and innovation.

Possible disadvantages of QuantConnect

  • Complexity for Beginners
    The platform may be overwhelming for beginners due to the vast array of features and the requirement for programming skills, which can be a steep learning curve for some users.
  • Pricing Structure
    While QuantConnect offers free access with certain limitations, advanced features and higher data allowances come at a cost. This pricing may be a barrier for casual or small-scale users.
  • Limited Asset Classes for Free Users
    Free users may face limitations in terms of the number of asset classes and data sources available, which could restrict the range of strategies they are able to develop and test.
  • Dependence on Internet Connection
    As a cloud-based platform, an active internet connection is required to develop and execute algorithms, which could be a problem for users with unreliable internet access.
  • Execution Latency
    Running algorithms on a cloud platform might introduce latency issues which can be a disadvantage if executing strategies that require ultra-low latency transaction speeds.

Backtrader videos

Backtrader Python Review

More videos:

  • Review - Algorithmic Trading with Python and Backtrader (Part 1)
  • Review - Backtrader Live Forex Trading with Interactive Brokers (Part 1)

QuantConnect videos

Difference between Quantopian Quantiacs Quantconnect

More videos:

  • Review - Step by Step Algorithmic Trading Guide with QuantConnect

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Backtrader and QuantConnect)
Finance
41 41%
59% 59
Development
47 47%
53% 53
Tool
50 50%
50% 50
Investing
30 30%
70% 70

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Backtrader and QuantConnect

Backtrader Reviews

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QuantConnect Reviews

TradingView Alternatives For Budget Conscious Traders
QuantConnect is a quantitative trading platform where you can develop algorithms in Python. It’s gaining popularity for its collaborative environment and large data library that supports backtesting and live trading. QuantConnect is flexible and supports multiple asset classes so it’s good for algorithmic traders.
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, QuantConnect should be more popular than Backtrader. It has been mentiond 9 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Backtrader mentions (3)

  • My reality of trading and how i wish i had never started.
    I do like what I see and hear about backtrader.com. I would say they are a notable exception to my general rule of not trusting or using backtesting frameworks. However, I still think it is important to understand how the framework you are using works. So if you are using backtrader for backtesting you still need to put in the time to understand the backtesting engine. Source: about 2 years ago
  • My reality of trading and how i wish i had never started.
    What about backtrader.com? And I feel like it would be step 2 after you at least have something to backtrade and test haha. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I need to know what can go wrong with my 'masterplan'
    Backtesting is basically applying your strategy on historical price data to see if it makes money. I've used Backtrader it works decently well: https://backtrader.com/. Source: over 3 years ago

QuantConnect mentions (9)

  • I'm a dev, we're in 2023, what should i start with ?
    I use https://quantconnect.com/ to backtest new algos and discover new algos. They support C# and python. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Where can I Learn OOP for trading in python? I’ve been looking for some information, but I didn’t find anything, any help?
    Use quantconnect.com, their API forces you to use OOP there so it's a good practice. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Backtesting tools
    For stocks and crypto: QuantConnect and Backtrader For options: MesoSim and OptionNetExplorer. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • what do you guys think about Joel Greenblatt and his magic formula of investing? backtests of his formula return on average above 20% per annum
    Only you can teach you how to do it. quantconnect.com has a lot of tutorials and other documentation that should be enough for you to learn from. I'm still learning the process of backtesting and I'm not aware of an "easy" way to perform this type of work. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • What are some things you have automated, using python?
    Thanks for the pointer. quantconnect.com and interactive brokers. I have a little fantasy that I'll do this once I retire and hand over 1% of my nest egg to it; see how it does... Hand over some more, etc... Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Backtrader and QuantConnect, you can also consider the following products

quantra - A public API for quantitative finance made with Quantlib

Quantopian - Your algorithmic investing platform

CloudQuant - Crowd based algorithmic trading development and backtesing for stock market trading.

QuantRocket - QuantRocket is an all-in-one end-to-end data trading platform and is securing your connection to other trading applications that will be the key to query data and submit orders.

Intrinio - Intrinio is a trading platform, providing professionals with the best in class financial market data API and other tools.

MetaTrader5 - World-leading multi-asset platform that allows trading Forex, Stocks, Futures and CFDs.