To do what? Under what circumstances? Speed of streaming data or placing orders? I could go on and on, you get the point.
Which is faster in getting ticks ? Also in placing an order ? Placing an order can be done thru the software if you choose a brokerage that works with one of these two quote makers. If you choose a brokerage that doesn't work with Esignal or realtick you'll have to use their API to place an order.
Best to sign-up for a trial for each service and compare the two for yourself. There are many factors that affect not only performance, but ones experience and opinion. eSignal has a 30-day risk-free trial available. If you'd like more information on this, please visit http://www.esignal.com/esignal/specials/default.asp
The one thing I like about Realtick is that they have phone support for their API and they answer their emails within a day. I can't say that the support is good. I think they hire people from McDonalds(flipping burgers) but if you call them and the guy they hired from McDonalds answers you can insist that he gives you the right answer and he'll go ask someone who is more knowledeable. Esignal Api support has been horrendous. There is no phone support for the API. There have been many unanswered threads on their API forum and when you send an email it takes 2 or 3 weeks to get a response and sometimes the response is gobbldigook. I have heard that Realtick has been slow lately but I've also heard that about Esignal. You're right. Probably the only way to find out is to get both and compare.
bpatrick, I can say that in the last few months the interest in our Desktop API has increased fairly dramatically, and as such the number of support inquiries we are recieving on that API has risen as well. In response to that, we have created the "Developer Support Group" and hired additional employees for that group. We are working on getting these new staff members up to speed with the variety of programming languages that the API supports to help with the response time. Please know that we are aware of this issue and are working to address it. If you have any further concerns, feel free to Private Message me.
heard bad things about eSignal... they reprice peoples accounts, going back months, and charge more for services... you have to watch those guys, like a hawk...
never had a problem with Esignal in all the years i have used them from a billing stand point --- and the data feed/charting has been very reliable for me --- no complaints here.
if you want to learn how make your own indicators (efs) or a mechanical trading system stay away from esignal. They have no training or support on their efs programing . We waited years for efs2 which is suppose to be for the non programmers and it was released with no training or support. Same BS . Its 2005 you think by now they would come up with an easier system. Their clients are traders not programmers.. I cant say anything about the other software but that is my experience with esignal.