Backtesting software

Ben

I posted this question before but, likely, in the wrong place. I'll try here.
Can anyone recommend backtesting software that has the breadth of customizable indicators offered by StockCharts and split and dividend adjusted data? I've looked at lots of software and services and found none that meet these criteria.

Cush

Ben, could you elaborate a little more? Are you looking for other software that would have some backtesting features that aren't provided through the StockCharts' scan engine? Or just other software that provides the same thing?

Ben

Outside SCAN features. A really simple example would be testing a dual moving average system against a specific asset.

Cush

Ok, still trying to understand. For your simple example - "Against a specific asset" - so, for example you want to run a backtest on a specific stock, say Microsoft, and you want to know when the 20MA had a positive cross of the 50MA, and what happened afterwards. If that is not close to what you mean, please explain a little more, perhaps with an example.

Ben

Here's a very simple example. Let's say you believe the Golden Cross theory in trading and you want to test it against the SPX. What is good software to test that theory (long when the 50 crosses above, short when the 50 crosses below). Now, please refer to my initial question regarding qualities of the software. Lots of products are available, I've found none that meet those criteria.

markd

Not a user myself, so not a recommendation, but have you looked at Tradestation or Metastock?

Cush

Ben, I am always interested in what other people are doing with trading strategies. My own system hasn't changed much over the years. I have less than a dozen favourite indicators, and six or so that I use regularly. I keep everything pretty simple.
With both of our simple examples, I would simply look at the charts in whatever time frame I was interested in, but I suspect there is more to your question than I am seeing.
If there is a system that would allow me to backtest a specific stock or index to locate specific sets of indicator criteria whenever they occurred, I am not familiar with it. Obviously, StockCharts SCAN engine allows us to backtest to specific dates. Perhaps it does more that I have not yet used.
Good luck. I will keep reading the thread to see what replies your question generates.

Ben

Thanks. For perspective, Bloodhound, Backtest Broker, Tradestation, Multicharts and Metastock don't meet the above criteria.

taxpayer

If you're only backtesting one stock at a time, why not just download the data (from SC or Yahoo) to a spreadsheet and enter the necessary formulas?

morganj71

Ami Broker has great back testing software. You have to pay a one fee though.

Kevo

wealth-lab.com has backtesting

mastercharts

Here is a cheap Excel spreadsheet with lots of functionality for backtesting various strategies. https://www.tradinformed.com/

Julius_RRG

"Can anyone recommend backtesting software that has the breadth of customizable indicators offered by StockCharts and split and dividend adjusted data? I've looked at lots of software and services and found none that meet these criteria."

@Ben I think that probably all the software packages mentioned above will offer the customizable indicators but they do not offer the split and dividend adjusted data ..?

StockCharts.com is an online system that offers both,indicators and data, at the same time. Most, if not all, of the packages mentioned are capable of using different data-feeds so my guess is that your quest lies more in looking for the right data-vendor than looking for a specific software package ...

ikm4

Stockcharts supports backtesting in this particular way:
In the sharp chart, in section of "chart attributes", in "predefined range" dropdowns, you can choose "start/end dates" to go to previous days.

Or on the scan workbench, you can choose a different starting date (default 0), then you are scanning the history data instead of the current day. The charts coming back will show you the data from that starting day to the current day, and you can see how your scan fares. It is kind of neat

Pete

VectorVest does backtesting and forward very well.