None of this makes any sense to me. There are brokers and if you trade with them you get data. But these same brokers give you access to figures from Rithmic, CQG, and other things. What are those? Why would you need those when you get data from your broker? Can you get information from them without trading anywhere? What would be the point of that?
I pay few hundred dollars every month for charting software and data feed from the various exchanges. You can get free data but those might be from market maker. It is not totally free as you have to pay for it indirectly. I need quality data. I will not go for free data anymore. Free data is good for new traders to startup.
To run most software with a display, you need to get your MD from the software provider. They get their MD direct from the exchange.
I've recently changed from eSignal data to one offered by the broker..... so, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. The data provider (Rithmic, CQG, other) makes data available to customers through brokers. Their incentive is to earn "platform" fees... either/both fixed monthly use fee and/or "per contract traded" fee. Everybody in business needs to make money. As a trader you're going to pay the exchange, the broker (commission) and the platform/data provider... one way or another.
This thread has not cleared up anything for me. What is the difference between the multiple datafeeds? Why would you take one of those instead of whatever is provided by a broker?