Hi, I would like to learn to do paper trading using a service (platform?) that allows us to begin doing actual money trading after we become somewhat familiar with how to use their programs by practicing with paper trading. I've heard of thinkorswim, webull and tradingview. What I'm hoping to do is set things up so it will automatically buy a certain stock when/if it reaches a prechosen price and then sell it when/if it reaches another prechosen price. Is that possible? If so what would you people suggest using? I imagine that what it costs to do each trade is a very significant aspect. Is there a separate charge for each buy and each sell? I would think so. Thank you for any help trying to learn about this! David Maine, USA
Platforms like Thinkorswim will allow you to set up templates/ATMs which let you set a limit buy order with a target and/or stop loss. Easy to do with TOS. There's no cost for trading stocks unless you're a professional trader.
He's right. If you have no skin in the game you wont trade correctly. Better a single share or micro. The only thing SIM is good for is getting familiar with the platform.
The problem with SIM is they are not real and do not reflect how the market works. It gives you a poor idea of bid/ask. Your fills will NOT be real...Which will give you false idea of how the markets function. Yes, find and run the sims if you wish...But study dark pools and market makers. Unless you understand how they work, it will be a waste of time to proceed to real trading.
I strongly believe the best 1st action you can take is actually to learn the game without trading (and losing) your savings. Paper trading is the best thing ever. I still paper trade long before trading a single penny on new ideas You can paper trade only by checking charts, technicals and fundamentals, with cheap services like finviz. If you think you already "know" and you could have an edge, then it make sense to use the sim trading of brokers. I like Tradestation and Tradovate (futures only) for their paper trading abilities. And learning how to win is actually learning first how not to loose: Even if you think you are a beginner, you actually are way ahead of so many traders, congrats
I really want to be able to pick a price and set a program to buy a certain amount when/if a chosen stock reaches that price and then to sell it when/if it reaches the selected sell price. If that is possible can you tell me a platform that can do it with paper trading and also with using actual money eventually? Can you tell me the correct terms for referring to those particular options if they do exist? Two reasons for wanting to do it that way are for one thing I certainly can't sit around hoping it will reach a desired price and then the same to sell it because I have a full time job. A second reason is something I read said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is to not stick to their original plan...they have a good idea to begin with but then as they watch the way things develop they get worried and make the wrong move where if they had stuck with the original idea they'd have been okay. I'm not a patient person and can see how that possibility is something to try very hard to avoid.
Some broker platforms let you enter simple buy and sell orders based on price and time, which continually need to be reset. But what you are envisioning is beyond that level. You'll need to engage with a trading platform (of which there are many), and to learn a programming language particular to that platform. You'll create entry and exit signals, and auto trade within a paper trading account. Or, the platform can simply display and list your completed orders, and you won't need to interface with an auto trading account. This will also give you to ability to backtest your system concepts. In any event, this can be a steep learning curve, depending on your background and available time.
If that is the case the first thing you need to learn ... is to have patience. Can't - find something else to do with your spare time.