Get Tradovate API Access & Generate a Key
Want to wire a bot or a third-party app into Tradovate? Here's exactly how to turn on API access and generate your key and secret, step by step.
Want to wire a bot or a third-party app into Tradovate? Maybe you're building your own strategy, hooking up a charting tool, or automating your entries with PickMyTrade. Either way, the first thing you need is API access and a set of credentials. Here's exactly how to turn it on and generate your key and secret, step by step.
What Is Tradovate API Access?
Tradovate API access is a paid add-on that opens up programmatic access to your account. With it, outside software can pull data and place orders through Tradovate's REST and WebSocket APIs. Once you switch it on, you generate a pair of credentials, a cid (client ID) and a secret, that identify your application when it logs in. You'll reach for these any time you connect a custom script, a bridge service, or a trading bot straight to your Tradovate account.
Get Tradovate API Access: Step-by-Step
Confirm You Have a Funded Live Account
API access only lives on a live, funded Tradovate account that clears Tradovate's current minimum balance. Demo accounts and unfunded accounts simply can't generate keys, there's no workaround. The minimum can shift over time, so check Tradovate's current number before you start rather than trusting an old figure.
Open Application Settings
Log in to the Tradovate web platform and open Application Settings, that's the settings/gear area, usually tucked into the top-right of the trading screen. This is where every account-level option lives, add-ons included.
Activate the API Access Add-On
Inside Application Settings, head to the Add-Ons section, find API Access, and click Activate. This is a paid monthly subscription, and the price moves, so check the current fee before you commit. Once it's active, a new API Access option shows up in your settings.
Generate Your API Key
Open the API Access tab and click Generate API Key. Give the key a clear nickname, something like "PMT-Bot" so you'll recognize it later, then work through the self-attestations that confirm you understand automated futures trading, sign the digital agreement, and pick the permissions the key should carry. If your app needs to place orders, give it full access. Then hit Generate.
Copy and Store Your cid and Secret
Tradovate shows your new credentials, the cid and the secret, one time only. Copy both right away and stash them somewhere safe, like a password manager, not a public repo. Lose the secret and there's no recovery; you'll have to generate a fresh key and update your app. Don't share these values or commit them to a shared codebase.
Why You'd Need This
- Run trading bots that place and manage orders programmatically.
- Connect third-party tools, charting, journaling, or risk apps, to your account.
- Build custom automation on top of Tradovate's REST and WebSocket APIs.
- Feed live data into your own dashboards and analytics.
- Bridge TradingView alerts to Tradovate through an automation service.
Automate This with PickMyTrade
Juggling your own API credentials, tokens, and device IDs is a lot of moving parts to keep straight. PickMyTrade wires your TradingView alerts directly to your Tradovate account and handles the connection for you, your signals turn into live orders automatically, with no custom code to babysit.
Skip the Custom API Code
Let PickMyTrade wire your TradingView alerts directly to your Tradovate account, no custom code, no tokens or device IDs to babysit.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
No. Tradovate requires a live, funded account that meets its current minimum balance before you can activate the API Access add-on and generate a key. Prop-firm evaluation accounts often can't self-enable it either, so check your firm's rules first.
When you generate a key you get a cid (client ID) and a secret. They're shown once, so copy and store them immediately, they're what your application uses to authenticate.
No. The secret only appears at generation time and can't be pulled up again later. Generate a new API key from the API Access tab and update your application with the new cid and secret.
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.