The short answer
- Native Mac app
- No. Sierra Chart says it is “currently designed to run on Microsoft Windows operating systems.”
- Apple silicon
- Use
SierraChart_ARM64.exeinside Windows on Arm. Sierra Chart warns that the standard build causes “CPU exceptions” on M-series Macs. - Without Windows
- CrossOver or Wine, using the Zip installer and Sierra Chart’s network performance fix.
- Rithmic
- Supported for trading from Package 10. For data, Sierra Chart recommends its own Denali feed over Rithmic.
Three ways to run it on a Mac
Windows 11 on Arm, with the ARM64 build
On an Apple silicon Mac, install the Arm version of Windows 11 in a virtual machine and run SierraChart_ARM64.exe. Microsoft names Parallels Desktop 18, 19, and 20 as authorized for M1, M2, and M3 Macs. Sierra Chart’s documentation doesn’t cover Parallels itself, and its support team has said it has no experience installing there, so plan to solve virtual-machine issues yourself.
CrossOver or Wine, without Windows
Sierra Chart recommends the Zip installer for Mac users on CrossOver or Wine and says applying its fix for poor network performance under Wine is mandatory. There’s no Windows licence to buy, but you are running a Windows program through a compatibility layer, so test order entry carefully before trading with it.
Boot Camp, on an Intel Mac
Apple’s Boot Camp runs Windows natively, but only on Intel Macs. If your Mac has an M-series chip, use one of the routes above.
Choose the right package
Sierra Chart sells features as service packages. Two things decide yours: whether you need Numbers Bars and market-depth history, and whether you connect to an outside service such as Rithmic. Prices are from Sierra Chart’s packages page, billed monthly; longer terms cost less per month.
| Package | Numbers Bars and depth history | Rithmic and other connections |
|---|---|---|
| 5 · Base Advanced 36 USD | Yes | No |
| 10 · Integrated Standard 36 USD | No | Yes, plus the Denali data feed |
| 11 · Integrated Advanced 46 USD | Yes | Yes, plus the Denali data feed |
| 12 · Integrated Advanced MBO 56 USD | Yes, with market-by-order data | Yes, plus the Denali data feed |
Exchange fees for real-time Denali data are charged on top of the package.
Rithmic and prop firm accounts
Select Rithmic Direct - DTC [Trading] as the service and enter the credentials, system, and gateway your firm issued. Sierra Chart can route orders and read market depth this way, but its Rithmic page lists historical bid and ask volume as unsupported and says it “does not recommend using Rithmic historical or real-time data under any circumstances.” It points you to Denali instead.
That affects prop firm traders in particular. Sierra Chart notes that evaluation accounts from firms such as Apex, Topstep, and Earn2Trade “do not meet the requirement as a live and funded trading account according to CME policy,” so authorizing CME data at non-professional rates on Denali takes an extra step, which it calls the Easy Solution. Budget for both the package and the separate exchange data.
Before you sign up
Check that your firm still lists Sierra Chart as a supported platform. Firms change their platform lists, and a platform that connects to Rithmic is not automatically approved by every firm that uses Rithmic.
Where Lightwick fits
Lightwick is a native Mac app for Rithmic and TopstepX accounts, so there’s no virtual machine, compatibility layer, or second data feed to set up. Its footprint and DOM read the market data that comes with your Rithmic account, and footprint cells show bid × ask, delta, or total volume with imbalances and point of control.
Sierra Chart does far more in some areas. Its historical data service carries tick-by-tick history for popular CME futures going back more than a decade, and it adds market-by-order data, a large study library, and custom studies written in C++. Lightwick’s footprint history covers the current session, and it has no Time & Sales window. If those are central to how you trade, Sierra Chart through ARM64 Windows is worth the setup. If you want a footprint and DOM for your Rithmic account in an app built for macOS, read the footprint guide or try Lightwick free during beta.
Common questions
Which Sierra Chart package do I need for footprint charts with a Rithmic account?
Numbers Bars, Sierra Chart’s footprint, need Package 5 or higher, and connecting to Rithmic needs an Integrated package (10, 11, or 12). Package 11, Integrated Advanced, is the lowest package with both, at 46 USD a month on Sierra Chart’s packages page.
Do I still need R | Trader Pro?
Only to sign agreements. Sierra Chart connects to Rithmic directly through its Rithmic Direct - DTC service, but its documentation says a login to R | Trader is necessary to sign the agreements first. Some firms offer a browser route for that step.
Can I use Teton order routing with a prop firm account?
Teton is Sierra Chart’s own order routing for CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX, and it requires a live account at one of the clearing firms Sierra Chart lists. Prop firm evaluation accounts typically trade through Rithmic instead.
I already use Sierra Chart. Do I need to reinstall for Apple silicon?
No. Sierra Chart says to run SierraChart_ARM64.exe from your existing installation: there is nothing special to do, and you keep the same configuration. Add a shortcut to that file and use it from then on. If you rely on third-party custom studies, ask their authors whether they provide ARM64 builds.
Further reading
Try Lightwick on your Mac.
Try Lightwick free during beta. No credit card required.
Join the free beta