The best free stock market simulators and games for students and teachers in 2026 — classroom contests, school programs, and apps students can use on their phone.
Recommended Broker: Start trading with Exness - our trusted partner for reliable and secure trading.
Open Account →A stock market simulator is one of the best ways for students to learn how investing works: they pick real companies, build a portfolio with virtual money, and watch the results play out in the real market — without risking a cent. Here are the best free options for 2026, whether you're a teacher planning a class competition or a student who wants to learn on your own.
Quick picks
Most people never learn how the stock market works until they have real money on the line — and the first lessons can be expensive. A simulator flips that order. Students get to:
HowTheMarketWorks is a free, ad-supported virtual trading platform aimed at K–12 classrooms. Teachers can create a private contest for their class, set the contest dates, choose the starting cash and adjust trading rules, then assign from a library of more than 50 investing and personal finance lessons. Teacher reports make it easy to track how each student is doing.
According to HowTheMarketWorks, it is used by more than 10,000 teachers and 475,000 students every year.
Run by the SIFMA Foundation since 1977, The Stock Market Game is the classic school investing program. Students usually work in teams, managing a virtual $100,000 portfolio and researching real stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Sessions can run from several weeks to a full school year, and the program comes with standards-aligned lessons for teachers.
Three Investeers is a free stock market simulator app for iOS, Android and the web that pairs virtual trading with an interactive trading school. Instead of only placing trades, students work through a 39-chapter trading crash course, practice chart patterns with quizzes, and then apply what they learned in the simulator.
Wall Street Survivor combines investing courses with a free paper-trading account. It offers a wider range of assets than most classroom tools, which suits high school seniors and college students who want to explore options or crypto. Anyone can create a stock contest and invite friends to compete.
Investopedia Simulator is one of the most recognized free stock simulators. It covers more than 6,000 stocks on the NYSE and Nasdaq, plus ETFs and options, and students can trade solo or join games to compete. The main drawback for students is that there is no mobile app — it runs in a web browser. We cover its strengths and weaknesses in detail in our Investopedia Simulator review.
Want to learn how the stock market works before the next class contest? Try the free Three Investeers stock market simulator on your phone or in the browser. New to simulators? Read our complete guide to stock market simulators or compare more options in our best stock market simulator apps roundup.
It depends on how it will be used. For a teacher-run class contest, HowTheMarketWorks and The Stock Market Game are built for classrooms. For students learning on their own on a phone, Three Investeers combines a free simulator with bite-sized trading lessons and quizzes.
Yes. HowTheMarketWorks, Wall Street Survivor, Investopedia Simulator and Three Investeers are free to use. The Stock Market Game from the SIFMA Foundation is available at no cost or low cost depending on your region.
The Stock Market Game is designed for grades 4 through 12 as well as post-secondary learners. Most other simulators work well for middle school, high school and college students.
Yes. HowTheMarketWorks lets teachers create private contests with custom dates, starting cash and trading rules, and The Stock Market Game runs team-based sessions lasting from several weeks to a full school year.
No. Every simulator in this guide uses virtual money, so students can practice buying and selling investments with zero financial risk.
Practice trading strategies without risking real money. Our Trading Simulator helps you build confidence and skills in a realistic market environment.
Financial Education Team
Our team of experienced traders and financial educators is dedicated to making investing accessible to everyone. With decades of combined market experience, we provide research-backed insights and unbiased reviews.
Fact-checked by Three Investeers Editorial · Fact-Checking & Review
All content published by Three Investeers is created by experienced financial professionals and undergoes a rigorous editorial process. Our articles are fact-checked for accuracy, reviewed for clarity, and updated regularly to reflect the latest market developments.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
Looking for a stock market simulator game for PC? Here's how to play free on desktop, download options for Windows and Mac, and the best online simulators to practice trading risk-free.
Investopedia's Stock Simulator is free but has no mobile app. How to sign up and log in, what it does well, its biggest limits, and the best app alternative for 2026.
Curious what politicians are buying and selling? Here's how congressional stock trading works, where to find the public disclosures for free, and how to practice the strategies risk-free.
Confronto completo delle 11 migliori app di simulazione del mercato azionario. Scopri quale simulatore di trading è ideale per principianti, day trading e apprendimento.