Hello ET! I am looking for a broker that will allow me to trade a wide range of options on futures with a decent/customizable platform. What I currently use: ThinkorSwim: I really like this platform and TDAmeritrade a ton, but it does have two major drawbacks. 1. TDAmeritrade has a really poor selection of trade-able options on futures contracts (11 total I think), many in markets I do not wish to trade options in. 2. In these 11 markets there are often only a 3 maybe 4 contract expiration's in which I can trade options. I like to trade options sometimes as far as a year out. What I am looking for (Ideally): 1. As many futures on options contracts as possible. 2. Something close to ToS if possible. Probability of touch + probability ITM are really handy figures I'd like to be able to add to my chains. I know I can figure these out from the Delta, but ToS automatically figures the premium cost into its calculations; doing that by hand for each strike is time consuming. 2. I also want the ability to trade futures spreads. I've heard Trade Station is comparable in style and performance to ToS, but I called them and they said that they use some extension for futures options that is not on their normal platform and they do no give out demos for this. If anyone has experience trading options on futures with Trade Station please let me know how it is, and maybe send me a picture of the layout if you would be so kind! I'm currently checking out Interactive Brokers, but I really am not liking their platform so far. If the commissions are a little more expensive than TD that is fine, but I don't want to pay more than $5 per side. I am open to all suggestions except for any broker related to Farr Financial or Ironbeam. Thanks in advance everyone.
Hi, I think IB is ur best bet..... whether you like the platform or not your profitability probably depends on it. IB always comes first on Barrons reviews. It sounds like ur trading over a longer period of time so fees might not be so much of an issue. Nothing comes close to matching IB's list of products. Unless you have a tonne of capital and can sign up with one of the investment banks. Why don't you like Ironbeam / Far Financial? If there is an issue you should let the rest of us know because people come on here and read reviews all the time. I try to steer people away from Gain Capital, so many issues there. False quotes been one. Which after some diggin around I found some threads here on ET about Gain.
Yeah I am warming up to IB's platform. I won't do business with them because their commissions/fee quotes are not accurate to what is actually charged. Their firetip platform is pretty decent for trading though.
Firetip? One of my most hated . Best is probably ninjatrader. However ninjatrader doesn't allow options. First for me for options would be CGQ q trader. Mainly for their DOM.... looks the best I recon. The options chains look kinda funny. U know Ironbeam's main platform is Firetip?
Yeah I do know that. I am curious to see what Trade Stations setup is like, I've heard good things, but no way to demo it.