Tactfolio vs Collective2: copy traders or own your rules
Collective2 is a marketplace where you pay to follow trading strategies run by other people. Their trades are copied into your own broker account. Tactfolio is a builder where you write your own investing rules, test them on past prices, and run them in your own Alpaca account. Pick Collective2 to follow a manager with a live track record. Pick Tactfolio to own rules you can read, change, and test.
Key points#
- Collective2 copies trades from managers. Tactfolio runs rules that you build or copy and can change.
- Collective2 shows only results recorded after a strategy went live. It shows no backtests on purpose. Tactfolio shows a backtest for every strategy.
- Collective2 covers stocks, options, futures, and forex, traded in real time. Tactfolio’s stock and ETF strategies decide once a day.
- Collective2 works with brokers such as Interactive Brokers, Tradier, and Tradovate. Tactfolio works with Alpaca.
- Following on Collective2 costs a plan fee plus each strategy’s own fee. Tactfolio has a Free plan. Plus costs $12 a month and Pro costs $29 a month, and every feature is free until billing opens.
Tactfolio vs Collective2 at a glance#
Collective2 facts were checked on its own website on October 16, 2026. Links are in the sources at the end.
| Tactfolio | Collective2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Build, test, and run your own rules | Follow strategies run by other traders |
| Where strategies come from | You, an AI assistant, or 60+ classic strategies | Managers who sell subscriptions |
| Can you see the rules? | Yes, every rule | No, you see trades and results |
| Backtests | Yes, on daily prices | None shown, only results since going live |
| Markets | US-listed stocks and ETFs, plus crypto perps on Hyperliquid | Stocks, options, futures, and forex |
| Trade timing | Once a day for stocks and ETFs, near the close | In real time, when the manager trades |
| Brokers | Alpaca | More than 10, including Interactive Brokers, Tradier, and Tradovate |
| What it is legally | Software, not an adviser | An NFA member, registered with the CFTC |
| Price | Free, Plus $12 a month ($99 a year), Pro $29 a month ($249 a year). Everything is free until billing opens. See pricing | $49 to $299 a month, plus each strategy’s fee |
What is Collective2?#
Collective2 is a marketplace for trading strategies. Strategy managers publish their trades as they happen. You pick a strategy, pay its monthly fee, and Collective2’s “AutoTrade” places the same trades in your broker account. You set the size and can pause or stop at any time.
Collective2 LLC was founded in 2001 and is based in New York. Its founder and CEO is Matthew Klein. It says it is a member of the National Futures Association, and that it and an affiliate are registered with the CFTC. It does not hold your money. Your money stays at your broker.
What is Tactfolio?#
Tactfolio is a platform where you build rules-based investing strategies, backtest them on decades of real prices, share them, and run them automatically in your own Alpaca account. You can build by hand in a visual builder or by asking an AI assistant.
A Tactfolio strategy is a set of rules. Here is one: “Hold the S&P 500 while it is above its 10-month average. Else, hold Treasury bills.” It is Faber’s timing model, one of the classics you can open, test, and copy.
Track records vs backtests#
This is the main difference. Collective2 argues that a backtest can be tuned until it looks good. So it shows only results recorded after a strategy went live, and managers can’t delete trades. When subscribers copy a trade, the record uses their real average fill price. That is a strong way to keep a track record honest.
The catch is that you can’t see why a manager trades. You see results, not rules. A good record can still end, and Collective2’s own risk page says its results are hypothetical and real results will differ.
On Tactfolio, every strategy is a written rule. You can read it and see its backtest first. You can also copy a public strategy and run your own copy. A backtest is a test of rules on past prices. It can be fooled by luck and hindsight, so Tactfolio charges 0.05% on every trade and adds a next-day-open line. Public strategies are ranked by the Tactfolio Score, which tries to discount what a backtest owes to luck. Why past results mislead explains the limits.
Markets and timing#
Collective2 strategies can trade stocks, options on stocks and ETFs, futures, and forex. Trades are copied within seconds of the manager’s signal. What you can follow depends on your broker and account.
Tactfolio strategies hold US-listed stocks, ETFs, and cash, long only. Stock and ETF strategies decide once a day, at 3:45 PM Eastern time. Tactfolio can also backtest crypto perpetual futures on Hyperliquid, but those don’t trade real money yet.
Brokers#
Collective2’s broker list includes Interactive Brokers, Tradier, AMP Clearing, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, IG, and StoneX. Schwab, Fidelity, and Robinhood are not on it. Collective2 charges no fee per copied trade, but your broker’s commissions apply.
Tactfolio connects to Alpaca, paper or live, with your own API keys. Each strategy trades only the starting balance you give it. You can also use a Tactfolio paper account with pretend money first.
Pricing#
Following on Collective2 has two costs. First, an AutoTrade plan, as of October 16, 2026:
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Strategies you can follow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | $49 | $390 | 1 |
| Standard | $99 | $795 | Up to 3 |
| Portfolio | $199 | $1,599 | Up to 5 |
| Portfolio Plus | $299 | $2,399 | No limit |
Second, each strategy has its own monthly fee, set by its manager. Collective2 says most fall between $49 and $199 a month. A free account lets you browse strategies and records.
Tactfolio has three plans. Free costs $0. It includes unlimited building and backtests and 1 live strategy in your own Alpaca account. Plus costs $12 a month or $99 a year and runs 10 live strategies. Pro costs $29 a month or $249 a year and runs up to 100 at once. Paid plans are not open yet, so every feature is free until billing opens. See Tactfolio pricing.
Where Collective2 is the better pick#
- You want to follow an experienced trader instead of building anything.
- You want a live track record that can’t be edited.
- You trade futures, forex, or options.
- You use Interactive Brokers, Tradovate, or another broker on its list.
- You trade yourself and want to sell your signals to others.
Where Tactfolio is the better pick#
- You want to know the exact rule behind every trade.
- You want to test a strategy on past prices before you put money in.
- You want to change the rules, or build your own from blocks.
- You want to start from published research, like dual momentum or the All Weather Portfolio.
- You want to avoid monthly fees while you learn.
Who should pick which#
If you want someone else to trade and you follow along, Collective2 fits. If you want to understand and test your own strategy, Tactfolio fits. The two can sit side by side, in different accounts.
Try it on Tactfolio#
Open the builder and look at the starter patterns and their backtests. No account is needed to look. Or browse 60+ classic strategies, each with its rules and sources.
Common questions#
How much does Collective2 cost?#
As of October 16, 2026, AutoTrade plans cost $49 to $299 a month, or $390 to $2,399 a year. Each strategy you follow also charges its own monthly fee. Browsing is free.
Is Collective2 regulated?#
Collective2 LLC says it is a member of the National Futures Association and is registered with the CFTC. It does not hold your money. Being registered does not mean a regulator approves any strategy. Copied strategies can still lose money.
Why doesn’t Collective2 show backtests?#
It says a backtest can be tuned until it looks good. So it shows only results recorded after a strategy went live. Tactfolio does show backtests, with trading costs, a next-day-open line, and a score that discounts luck.
Can Tactfolio copy other traders?#
No. Tactfolio doesn’t copy people. You can copy a public strategy’s rules into your own account and run them there. You see every rule before you do.
Is there a Collective2 alternative where I can see the rules?#
Yes. Tactfolio is one. Every strategy shows its rules and its backtest, and you can run it in your own Alpaca account. It runs long-only strategies on US-listed stocks and ETFs.
Sources
- Collective2 homepage, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 about us, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 people, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2: about AutoTrading, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 supported brokers, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 AutoTrade plans, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 strategy manager plans, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 FAQ, accessed October 16, 2026
- Collective2 risk disclosure, accessed October 16, 2026