Free. Instant demo. $100,000 virtual cash. The MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange is a contest-style stock market game, while JagSim is a personal paper-trading simulator you keep. Here is an honest side-by-side of the two free tools. JagSim is not affiliated with MarketWatch. Both use virtual money only.
Both are free browser tools for practicing with virtual money. The biggest practical difference is format: the MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange is built around games and contests that usually run for a set window, while JagSim gives you a permanent personal portfolio plus a public leaderboard and a free instant demo.
Also on JagSim, free on every plan: crypto 24/7 in the same account as your stocks, free leagues to race your friends, and Coach Jag, which explains each term as you trade. Market replay of the last five trading days is part of JagSim Pro, and its one-week free trial includes it, with no card.
| What matters | JagSim | MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, no credit card | Free |
| Signup required? | No for demo (/try). Free account optional to save | Yes, a MarketWatch account to join or create a game |
| Starting virtual cash | $100,000 | Set by the game or contest you join (organizer chooses) |
| Format | Permanent personal portfolio plus optional leaderboard | Contest and game based, often time-limited |
| Stocks & ETFs | Yes, real tickers on live charts | Yes, stocks (rules vary by game) |
| Crypto | Yes, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and other major coins, 24/7 including weekends | Not the focus of the stock game |
| Portfolio reset / seasons | Permanent for signed-in Paper Trading, no seasons | Games run for a set window; balances reset when a game ends |
| Platform | Browser, nothing to install | Browser |
| Best for | Personal risk-free practice you keep | Running or joining a class, club, or office contest |
| Real money / broker? | No, simulator only, not a broker | No, a virtual game, not a broker |
JagSim facts checked against the live product on November 6, 2026. MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange details, last checked in August 2026, describe the publicly known game and may change on their site.
Yes, both are free to play with virtual cash. JagSim also gives you a demo with no account and no card, then an optional free signup when you want a permanent portfolio and leaderboard rank.
Yes. Open the free demo, search a ticker, and place practice orders immediately. The MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange typically asks you to create a MarketWatch account and join or start a game first.
On JagSim, signed-in Paper Trading portfolios are permanent, no seasons and no forced reset. MarketWatch games usually run for a fixed period, so balances and rankings reset when a game ends.
JagSim uses real-time market prices and is not a broker. You cannot deposit, withdraw, or lose real cash. The MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange is also virtual money only, a game rather than brokerage.
Choose JagSim if you want a personal simulator with a portfolio that stays with you, plus stocks and crypto. Choose the MarketWatch game if you want a time-boxed contest to run with a class, club, or group of friends.
This page is an independent comparison published by JagInsights LLC (JagSim). It is not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with MarketWatch, Dow Jones & Company, or their affiliates. Product names, including Virtual Stock Exchange, are trademarks of their respective owners.
JagSim is a free paper-trading simulator by JagInsights LLC. Simulated trading with virtual money only, not real securities, not real money, and not investment advice. Always verify competitor features on the publisher’s own site before deciding.
Paper trading on JagSim is free forever: $100,000 in practice money, real-time prices, and no card to start. Pro adds portfolio performance analytics, key ratios and valuation on every company page, every chart indicator at once, 2 or 4 charts on one screen, unlimited market replay and unlimited Coach Jag. One-week free trial, no card. Plans shows the price.