I like the SIPC protection at IB and I prefer executing through a broker rather than have them trade with me in principal transactions. I currently trade currency and other futures contracts through smaller firms with much more leverage than I can get at IB. I find I am only comfortable using less than half the available leverage because even intraday 100 to 1 has no place in my trading plan. While I frequently open trades prior to the RTH open I'm flat by around 4 PM everyday. I never carry a trade overnight. I have a worldview that says at some point in the next few years chaos will reign and in that chaos the CME may boost day trade margins to 50% or more of the full margin to protect their clearinghouse. Under those conditions IB's balance sheet and SIPC have real value. If IB is competitive on total cost (all in ... commission, spread etc) or even close it is a place I will stay. I just don't want to pay a significant premium without asking if there are much better alternatives. I'm getting the sense that the differences between IB and the others are modest. Thanks to all for the advice. If my take is wrong please advise.