I have just left a review of Deep Discount Trading. The bottom line is that this is a first class firm with great rates and very solid platform and data options. Check out the review. BTW, I have only left one other review in the years I have been here on ET and, given that I am a regular poster and a hard to pleases New Yorker I am the furthest thing from a shill for this fir. Bottom line -- try them ... you will like them!
I agree that Deep Discount Trading is great compared to paying twice as much for commissions elsewhere for inferior capabilities. However, do you find it to be a negative that you have to pre-specify the futures markets you want to trade and what quantities (for risk management purposes)? I realize that many/most brokers require this now, but Interactive Brokers does not require you to pre-specify anything. Which software platform did you decide to use? I started to open an account at DDT but held off over the pre-specification issue.
I can see where some would find it annoying to have to specify markets in advance. Since I trade so few markets -- 90% of my trades are ES -- it does not affect me. As far as their risk management procedures, I agree with them. It is simple enough to take your max trade according to your own playbook and double it to set an outside parameter. I pay them a premium price to use a Rithmic feed and my front end is Sierra Charts. Rithmic is a great spot on feed and worth the premium. Sierra, which I have used before, suits me just fine. I know I sound like a cheerleader but I wish these guys nothing but the best. When you buy the budget ticket and they then lead you into first class and open up the sleeper bed it is hard not to cheer!
i trade using speedtrader, which to me, sounds like a better deal. they only have 3 choices for their trading platform, so they are knowledgeable when you need support. something interesting i find with speedtrader is that all of their rates are negotiable and their software fees can be waived if you trade enough
How do you figure 3 choices? I was impressed that they had about 10 or more. See http://www.deepdiscounttrading.com/TradingPlatforms.html
speedtrader offers a web platform, das trader and sterling pro. if offers ten platforms, that means they have to be able to support 10 platforms. and also, for their back office management, it could be a nightmare using ten different platforms. however, i have not traded with deep discount trading, so i do not know how they handle it.
Actually SpeedTrader shows 9 futures platforms. And their quoted commissions ($1) are twice those of Deep Discount Trading (50 cents). I realize that you said they are negotiable. Actually even $1 is good compared to a lot of brokers.