What platform is better ?

hey guys
What would say is a better platform ib TWS or think or swim?

 

Hi. It depends on your needs. You may try our platform PTMC with IB.

 

Depends entirely on where you want to go.
thinkorswim is a fully-loaded Cadillac SUV.
TWS is a factory-fresh McLaren F1.

Where do you want to go?

 

you put it in a great way thanks

is there anyway i cam lower the margin requirements for one es future if i have a put against or something to protect it?

 

That would depend upon your broker/exchange rules, not your platform. By "platform" I am referring to the actual software, and not a "platform package" which some may refer to as a piece of software bundled with a particular broker&datafeed.

 

Margin requirements are increasingly a moving target. There are controlling-regulator requirements that will be consistent (SEC v SEC; CFTC v CFTC) but any broker can require more than that, and change those rules, and overlook offsetting positions, any ol' time. Having a handle on the general picture is a good idea for your own capital deployment, but you don't want to be in a position where you conflict with your broker, cuz they will always win that argument.

 

And more particularly, how much work do you want to put in?

The Cadillac is *literally* a turn-key prospect, ready to perform at it's highest level.

The McLaren is a tooth-rattling loud brutal cage, that must be torn down, rebuilt, measured, blue-printed, customized, re-jiggered, all to just get it *ready* to roll out onto the track for testing and further customization for weather, track conditions, etc.....
Faster than snot when done! A scalpel on wheels! but to take it out "factory fresh" is *not* wise.

 

Currently I have an IB account which I find that there TWS is amazing with all the options and more options they have that it really gives the trader amazing tools but a few small things that I made wrong or didn't understand to the fullest extant did not excute good enough, what brought to think orswim which was very intuitive and easy to learn and had all the options that I need , but maybe there brokerage itself is not as good as IB I DONT KNOW

 

It also depends if you are looking to short HTB securities or not.

 

No help, here. I've been "happy" at ib for 10+ years. As far as ToS/TDA goes, I can't even reply knowledgeably on the rumors, let alone facts. There are some who trade through both -- there's an ideal source.