I need some help comparing TradeStation brokerage and J-Trader. I'd like to hear from someone using TradeStation brokerage to trade the e-minis. My experience has been with J-Trader. I found execution to be very fast (.5-2 seconds) with a market order. What type of execution speed might I expect from TradeStation. Somewhere I heard TS brokerage had trouble with execution speed and slippage. My experience with J-Trader has been that if I sold at the market, I was filled at the market 90% of the time. Might I expect something similar with TS? BTW, the above execution speeds relate to trading 1-3 contracts. Cheer, kp
the tradestation (market) fills are not very good when compared to IB. and the new integrated emini trading still seems to a bit experimental
I have used both. I can only think of one time that I have had problems with TS. The fill was delayed by a very long time (30+ minutes) and I was unsure of my position. Other than that my fills have been good with no slippage and have been reported as quick as J-trader. I generally don't use market orders, so my experience mostly relates to limit and stop-limit orders. But in the few cases where I have used market orders the executions have been as fast as J-trader with no slippage. The current platform with TS6 can not be used for scalping. It is not well designed and requires a lot of key strokes to enter an order. The new integrated platform with TS7 looks like it will be much better, but I have no experience using it since I have still not been able to upgrade yet.
Has anyone actually updated to the newer TS7 and can fill us in ....is it browser based like J or direct like X. I know it's not like X in other areas, not a fair comparison, just wondering if its more like J or X in this particular one. (RT open p&l would be nice too) Would be nice if a former or current X user has used/is using TS7 and a gave a comparison of some sort. Thanks.
TS7 order entry is embedded within the platform, so its direct like X. As you know the functionality is a fraction of what J/X offers, but I believe what most TS users like is the integrated platform where you can get order entry, charts, historical data, automation all on one screen. Yes, you can also see p&l, open, filled, pending orders and any other account information you can imagine on that one screen if you wish. Here is what the order entry screen looks like, they did screw up and put equities picture for futures, but the futures just less less buttons - buy-sell-cancell http://www.tradestation.com/directaccess/fut_order_hotkeys.shtm btw, I have never used X or J, but have seen them at trade shows. Hope this helps...
I have heard you can try out an online demo of J Trader. Anyone have an idea where that might be? Thanks
Go to Global Futures' website (www.daytrade4less.com) or E-Local (www.elocaltrading.com). They both can give you a trial of J-Trainer. Prosper! kp
abishiai - I use J-Trader to scalp Es and NQ and am just now getting on their Tradestation 6 platform and have been looking at the execution platform in 6. I prefer J-Trader and your results on execution is consistent with what I have been experiencing. So far I have to say the TS execution platform is <in TS6> leaves something to be desired, and I agree with a previous commentary it looks la little more complicated and tedious. NOW I have not upgraded to TS7 so I will report back when I have looked at that. J-
Thank you. After seeing the above comments on how TS 6 handles ES orders, I decided to stay with J-Trader. My biggest complaint about J-Trader is how akward it is to set a stop, but I love the speed of execution, 1-click orders and the market depth. I understand TS7 has streamlined the order process, but that still doesn't address the speed issue. It seems that TS is not directly tied into the Globex system like J-Trader and some of the other platforms, but the orders are routed from TS to some sort of Globex system. That's the only thing I can think of that would cause a delay. Cheer, kp
So what is better than TS for futures and commodities? I'm on TS 6. Is there anything where you can put the stop in the same order? TS seems to need a second order for a stop. How about trailing stops?