If you’re deciding between RealTest and Beyond Charts as your backtesting software, here’s the direct answer:

RealTest is the better choice for serious, systematic traders who want fast, realistic portfolio-level backtesting, a clean scripting workflow, and modern documentation.
Beyond Charts is more chart-centric and visually oriented, and can be useful for indicator research and discretionary workflows — but it is not designed primarily for rigorous system testing.

If your goal is consistency, confidence, and repeatability, RealTest gives you the strongest foundation.

RealTest runs on Windows 64-bit and works reliably on Mac using Parallels or other VMs.
It uses a one-time license (US$389) with an optional low-cost annual update plan.

This pricing model appeals to systematic traders who want predictable cost and lifetime ownership rather than ongoing subscriptions.

Beyond Charts is Windows-only, with Mac usage requiring emulation or virtualization.
The software uses a traditional paid license model (~AUD $595 including GST), with a 21-day trial available.

It’s positioned more as a charting and indicator development environment than as a full institutional-grade backtesting engine.

RealTest

• Works seamlessly with high-quality EOD data sources such as Norgate Data
  
• Accepts structured custom data
• Designed for research-first workflows

RealTest keeps data management simple and transparent — essential for traders who want reproducible system results.

Beyond Charts

• Supports internal data formats and user-imported data
• The platform architecture is designed around charts, panels, and formula-based indicator development

It’s suitable for discretionary or hybrid traders but does not position itself as a dedicated research engine.

RealTest offers:

• Fast backtesting
• Realistic execution modeling
• Portfolio-level simulations
• Native support for multi-system portfolios

The engine is designed to answer the only question that matters to systematic traders:

“What would my full portfolio have actually experienced?”

This realism is what helps traders finally break out of the discretionary loop and trust their system with confidence.

Beyond Charts focuses on:

• Indicator formula evaluation
• Chart-based exploration
• Panel-driven analysis

While it offers backtesting in the sense of formula testing, it lacks the deep portfolio simulation capabilities expected from dedicated backtesting software.

For serious systematic traders, RealTest’s engine is in a different category.

RealTest strengths:

• Offers simple charts for verifying trades
• Provides scanning via scripts
• Supports order export to Interactive Brokers

RealTest’s charts are intentionally minimal.
They prevent you from falling back into the discretionary trap.

Charting is where Beyond Charts excels:

• Strong, flexible charting system
• Panels and custom layouts
• BCFL-based indicator definitions
• Visual market exploration

   

If you need advanced charts, Beyond Charts can complement RealTest — similar to how some traders pair RealTest with AmiBroker or TradingView for visualization.

• Building systematic trading systems
• Running realistic portfolio-level backtests
• Reducing discretionary noise
• Speed, clarity, and clean scripting
• Becoming a consistent, rule-based trader

RealTest is the clear winner.

If your priority is:

• Beautiful charts
• Visual exploration
• Indicator experimentation

 Beyond Charts can be a useful secondary tool, but not your primary research engine.