Market order
A market order is an order executed immediately at the best available price, prioritising certainty of execution over price control.
The market order is the simplest order type: you ask to buy or sell immediately, at the best price the market offers at that moment. Its strength is certainty of execution : as long as there is liquidity, the order will be filled. Its weakness is price uncertainty: between the moment you click and the execution, the price can move, and on an illiquid asset the order may sweep through several levels of the order book. This gap between expected and obtained price is called slippage.
When to use it
A market order makes sense when getting in or out fast matters more than saving a few cents: entering on a strong signal, an emergency exit, or highly liquid assets where slippage is negligible. On thin markets or during high volatility, a limit order is often preferred. In Screener.Trading's paper trading, MARKET is one of the three available order types alongside LIMIT and TRIGGER: it fills at the simulated market's current price, letting you practise execution mechanics without risking real capital.
Avoid market orders on illiquid assets or right at major announcements: the execution price can deviate noticeably from the last displayed quote.
Keep exploring
- FeaturePaper trading: learn in real conditions, without the riskPlace orders, manage positions and track your P&L on fully virtual accounts : real trading practice with zero real money at stake.
- GlossaryLimit orderA limit order is an order executed only at the price you set, or better, prioritising price control over certainty of execution.
- GlossaryTrigger orderA trigger order stays dormant until price reaches a defined threshold, then executes, making it the tool of choice for protective stops and breakout entries.
- GlossaryStop lossA stop loss is an automatic loss-taking exit level, set before entering a position, which caps each trade's risk at a predetermined amount.
- GuideThe complete beginner's guide to tradingEverything you need to understand before placing your first order: reading a chart, choosing your style, using the right indicators, managing risk, and practicing without risking a cent.