Tradovate API limits

If you are running into Tradovate rate limiting, please enable "Use Market Orders for Followers" feature. This is the most effective way to reduce the impact of their limits.

Please note that these limits are outside of FutuCopy’s control, and any copier or application is subject to the same Tradovate-imposed limits.

API Rate Limits

Tradovate enforces a rate limit on API requests to prevent overloading their servers. Every action FutuCopy performs on your behalf - placing, canceling, or modifying orders - requires an API request.

What is the limit?

Tradovate applies a dynamic rate limit to API requests. Rather than a single fixed cap, the limit adjusts based on their server traffic.

FutuCopy displays the API request count for informational purposes only - this count cannot predict when Tradovate will decide to limit requests.

Explanation by a Tradovate engineer:

What happens when Tradovate starts limiting API requests?

When the rate limit is in effect, Tradovate issues a penalty ticket (also known as a "p-ticket"). During the penalty period:

• Order placements, modifications, and cancellations will fail
• Copy trading orders will not be placed on follower accounts
• After the penalty expires, normal operation can resume automatically

This means if you are actively copy trading and the rate limit is in effect, your leader account's orders will still be placed (they go directly to Tradovate), but the follower copies will fail until the penalty clears. This can leave your accounts out of sync.

Tips to reduce API usage

• Enable "Use Market Orders for Followers" feature.
• Avoid order modifications - adjusting stop losses or take profits will spike API calls.  
• Use Market orders instead of Limit orders - Limit orders that are frequently placed, modified, and canceled generate significantly more API requests than a single market order.
• Switch to Rithmic - use Rithmic accounts as your followers if your prop firm offers them. Rithmic does not have these limits and is more suitable for traders with many follower accounts.