Broker Setup

Configure your brokers and trading accounts in TiltedTrades, including timezone settings, commission tiers, and account categorization.

Adding a Broker

Before you can import trades, you need to add a broker configuration:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Broker
  2. Click the "+ Add Broker" button
  3. Select your broker from the dropdown
  4. Enter an account name (e.g., "Live Account", "TopStep", "Sim Account")
  5. Configure timezone and commission settings (see below)
  6. Save your broker configuration

Timezone Settings

Timezone configuration is critical for accurate trade matching and calendar display.

Why Timezone Matters

Your broker's trade timestamps are typically in the exchange's local time or the broker's local time. TiltedTrades needs to know this timezone to:

  • Convert timestamps to UTC for consistent storage
  • Display trades on the correct calendar days
  • Match entries and exits correctly using FIFO
  • Calculate daily P&L accurately

Common Timezone Settings

Exchange/Broker Recommended Timezone
CME (ES, NQ, etc.) America/Chicago
NYMEX/COMEX (CL, GC, etc.) America/New_York
NinjaTrader America/Chicago (usually)
Tradovate America/Chicago
Rithmic America/Chicago
Important

If you're unsure of your broker's timezone, check a sample trade timestamp against the actual time the trade occurred. Or contact your broker's support.

Commission Tiers

TiltedTrades needs to know your commission structure to calculate accurate net P&L.

Commission Options

Option Description When to Use
From File Use commission data in the imported file When your broker includes accurate commission in exports
Preset Tier Select from common commission rates Standard retail or prop firm rates
Custom Rate Enter your specific per-contract rate When you have a non-standard commission structure

Common Commission Tiers

  • $0.59/contract: High-volume discount tier
  • $0.99/contract: Mid-volume tier
  • $1.29/contract: Standard retail tier
  • $2.50/RT: Round-turn pricing
  • $4.50/RT: Standard prop firm rate

Per-Contract vs Round-Turn

Understand the difference:

  • Per-contract: Charged on each execution (entry + exit = 2x commission)
  • Round-turn (RT): Charged once per complete trade (entry + exit = 1x commission)

TiltedTrades handles both automatically based on your selection.

Account Categories

Organize your brokers into categories for easier filtering and analysis:

Category Description Examples
Live Account Real money trading accounts Your personal brokerage accounts
Prop Firm Funded trader accounts TopStep, Earn2Trade, FTMO, etc.
Simulation Paper trading or sim accounts Practice accounts, backtesting
Custom Manually uploaded CSV data Historical data, custom imports

Categories help you:

  • Filter by account type in the sidebar
  • Separate live vs. sim performance
  • Compare different prop firm accounts
  • Keep data organized

Auto-Sync Configuration

For supported brokers, enable automatic trade syncing to eliminate manual uploads.

Enabling Auto-Sync

  1. In your broker settings, toggle "Enable Auto-Sync"
  2. Click "Authenticate" to connect your broker account
  3. Follow the OAuth or API key setup flow
  4. Select sync frequency (real-time, hourly, daily)
  5. Save settings

Supported Platforms

  • Rithmic: Direct connection via API credentials
  • Tradovate: OAuth connection to your Tradovate account

Sync Status

Once enabled, you'll see the last sync timestamp and any sync errors in the broker settings card.

Managing Multiple Accounts

Many traders have multiple accounts (live, sim, multiple prop firms). Here's how to manage them:

Best Practices

  • Use descriptive names: "NinjaTrader Live", "TopStep Combine", "Tradovate Sim"
  • Set correct categories: This makes filtering much easier
  • Configure timezone per account: Some brokers may use different timezones
  • Track commissions separately: Prop firms often have different commission structures than retail

Switching Between Accounts

Use the broker filters in the sidebar to view data from specific accounts or combinations of accounts.

Editing and Deleting Brokers

Edit a Broker

  1. Go to Settings > Broker
  2. Click the edit icon on the broker card
  3. Modify settings as needed
  4. Save changes

Delete a Broker

  1. Click the delete icon on the broker card
  2. Confirm deletion
Warning

Deleting a broker does NOT delete your trade data from that broker. Trades remain but will show "Unknown Broker" until reassigned.

Troubleshooting

Trades Appear on Wrong Dates

This usually indicates a timezone mismatch:

  1. Check your broker settings and verify the timezone
  2. If incorrect, update the timezone
  3. Delete and re-import affected trades

Commission Calculations Seem Wrong

Verify your commission settings:

  • Ensure you selected per-contract vs. round-turn correctly
  • Check if your file includes commissions (which may override settings)
  • Manually edit commission on specific trades if needed

Auto-Sync Not Working

Check the following:

  • Verify API credentials are still valid
  • Check sync status for error messages
  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting the broker
  • Contact support if issues persist