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Is Thinkorswim a good Platform for Futures Trading?


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Is Thinkorswim a good Platform for Futures Trading?

  #181 (permalink)
 thw333333 
Jupiter Island, FL
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: TOS
Broker: TOS
Posts: 37 since Jan 2015
Thanks Given: 67
Thanks Received: 75


WilleeMac View Post
I cal bull shit ...

... for those that say they have not had major problems with ToS

Why?

When several folks are bitching and moaning at the same time on a website that is dedicated to ToS ONLY and NOTHING else

Especially the head PooBah who has more ToS knowledge than all of us combined ...

You might just have something



-Bill_M

Bill, I do not understand your obsession with TOS. Yesterday I read this entire thread and you have post after post campaigning against TOS. It seems to go beyond mere preference...more of an evangelistic zeal against TOS. I've traded the /TF 4 hours each day for 3 years with TOS. In my experience (something you can know nothing about) it has been as reliable as other platforms I've used and offers functionality I cannot get elsewhere. I think we get it: you hate TOS...to you, it's bad... therefore, don't use it and move on. But don't argue that there is a consensus out there about TOS being an inferior platform. I'm trading 200 contracts a day with TOS and I assure you, no such consensus exists.

I do have "major problems" with the boiler room tactics of one of TOS main competitors' rep breathlessly telling my nephew on a recent sales call that he can trade futures with $800 and that he should fill out papers to get "up and running" and how much "money is being left on the table" and all that ripoff, high pressure garbage. I suspect these paragons of virtue might be the source of some negative reviews on certain sites about TOS.

TOS has weaknesses and strengths. Other platforms have different weaknesses and strengths.

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  #182 (permalink)
anthony667
Franklin Lakes NJ
 
Posts: 16 since Feb 2015
Thanks Given: 7
Thanks Received: 5


thw333333 View Post
Bill, I do not understand your obsession with TOS. Yesterday I read this entire thread and you have post after post campaigning against TOS. It seems to go beyond mere preference...more of an evangelistic zeal against TOS. I've traded the /TF 4 hours each day for 3 years with TOS. In my experience (something you can know nothing about) it has been as reliable as other platforms I've used and offers functionality I cannot get elsewhere. I think we get it: you hate TOS...to you, it's bad... therefore, don't use it and move on. But don't argue that there is a consensus out there about TOS being an inferior platform. I'm trading 200 contracts a day with TOS and I assure you, no such consensus exists.

I do have "major problems" with the boiler room tactics of one of TOS main competitors' rep breathlessly telling my nephew on a recent sales call that he can trade futures with $800 and that he should fill out papers to get "up and running" and how much "money is being left on the table" and all that ripoff, high pressure garbage. I suspect these paragons of virtue might be the source of some negative reviews on certain sites about TOS.

TOS has weaknesses and strengths. Other platforms have different weaknesses and strengths.

This may be slightly off topic: since TOS is exclusive now to TD Ameritrade, are there any disadvantages tax wise when having an account that trades both stocks and futures? (Wash sales, Trading restrictions from stocks applying to your money when trading futures etc?). Does it matter or do people that trade both have seperate accounts?

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  #183 (permalink)
 
SMCJB's Avatar
 SMCJB 
Houston TX
Legendary Market Wizard
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: TT and Stellar
Broker: Advantage Futures
Trading: Primarily Energy but also a little Equities, Fixed Income, Metals and Crypto.
Frequency: Many times daily
Duration: Never
Posts: 5,041 since Dec 2013
Thanks Given: 4,375
Thanks Received: 10,192



anthony667 View Post
are there any disadvantages tax wise when having an account that trades both stocks and futures? (Wash sales, Trading restrictions from stocks applying to your money when trading futures etc?). Does it matter or do people that trade both have seperate accounts?

I do not believe there are any tax disadvantages to trading both in the same account. Each instrument will recieve the same tax treatment whatever account they are in. *
The big advantage to having both in one account is that you don't have to maintain two accounts with two separate balances.

* Just to clarify futures and equities are taxed differently but that has nothing to do with the account they are in.

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  #184 (permalink)
piptek
atlanta, Ga
 
Posts: 2 since May 2011
Thanks Given: 2
Thanks Received: 4

Pros :TOS platform is easy to work, scripting is fairly easy, menu's and platform not too complicated, and buffet all in one(equity, options, forex, futures) platform. I have written several TOS scripts trade only futures using tick charts. Very rarely slippage speed compared with TTnet slight difference doesn't bother me much. Customer support is excellent, well mannered.
Cons : Commission is the highest in the market, OnDemand is a joke, sometime chart candles doubles up, see two candles in each time, Messes up daily candles and pivot points right next day after every uneven holiday trading hours(such as thanksgiving, memorial day etc...), Resource hog application.
Moved from IB to TOS, because in IB/Interactive brokers futures, forex slippage and account messed up .
Thinking of moving out most funds out of TOS to Amp futures. That way I can follow TOS charts and execute trades in AMP because of Commission. AMP also has several free platforms like motivewave, sierra marketdelta just for quick execution.

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  #185 (permalink)
wal111
Compton Ca. United States
 
Posts: 10 since Sep 2014
Thanks Given: 0
Thanks Received: 5

I have been using TOS for about 3 years now sure you pay a few dollars more on commission, but what I like about it is the flexibility you have with your account, and to me it's worth paying a few dollars more.
Trading is all about mindset I figure commission is part of the cost to do business my main concern is mindset and money management.
If the mindset is not right I don't care what the commission cost is you will blow have big (draw downs) on your account.

Thank You
God Bless

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  #186 (permalink)
 jz166 
NY, USA
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT/IB TWS
Broker: IB
Trading: ES
Posts: 951 since Sep 2009
Thanks Given: 813
Thanks Received: 444

tos is pretty good charting package, better than anything else

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  #187 (permalink)
 
DougN's Avatar
 DougN 
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA and Puerto Penasco, Mx
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: Ninja 7, TOS
Trading: YM, ES, GC, CL
Posts: 42 since Nov 2013
Thanks Given: 35
Thanks Received: 33

Although I like the TOS futures platform and charts their pricing is ridiculous. How they can justify charging twice as much then other mainstream brokers is confusing to me.

Recently I have become re-accustomed to Ninja mainly due to their 3 bracket OCO trade capability. Also the pricing is competitive and coders seem to love building new indicators for Ninja. This helps keep things interesting for me. Although I know theirs no "holy grail" in trading/scalping it doesn't stop me from having fun looking at others ideas and creations.

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  #188 (permalink)
 
suko's Avatar
 suko 
Kyoto, Japan
Market Wizard
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: TW TOS LiveVol
Broker: TD, TW, IB, Saxo
Trading: VXX, VIX, SPY
Posts: 1,326 since Oct 2013
Thanks Given: 844
Thanks Received: 1,416

It's probably been mentioned here before, but if you sign up for TD through the dough.com referral you get half price on TOS commissions (at least for options and equities, not sure about futures). With options that amounts to a very serious savings.

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  #189 (permalink)
 
CenFlo's Avatar
 CenFlo 
Tampa FL
 
Experience: None
Platform: TOS/TradingView
Broker: TDA
Trading: Equities/Cryptos
Posts: 642 since Apr 2016
Thanks Given: 830
Thanks Received: 960

I've read through this entire thread and I'm curious to know how many of you all have switched from TOS to a different platform?

I've been with TDA since 2001 and they refuse to come down on futures commissions, so I'm considering moving my account to a different broker, which means a different platform.

I do like TDA/TOS, but TOS is a memory hog and as we all know it stinks in a fast market.

I currently use Sierra Charts for my main charting platform and can utilize more functions of SC, but to see all of the futures that I trade (/ES /NQ /CL /GC /ZB /VX) I'd have to spend even more on data feeds (Exchanges) than I do already with SC.

I trade futures, equity options, options on futures, equities (rarely as I have a ML Edge account with lots of free equities trades per month) everything except Forex.

I'm checking out Interactive Brokers, Tradestation, Ninja Trader, etc. If anyone else has made the switch from TDA/TOS to a different broker, I'd like to know what you went to and how you like it.

TIA.

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. - Wayne Gretsky
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  #190 (permalink)
 Hguru 
New York City New York USA
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: Think or Swim, Infinity Futures
Broker: Thinkor Swim for Charts an Infinity Futures for Trading Dom
Trading: Oil
Posts: 54 since Jul 2012
Thanks Given: 449
Thanks Received: 48



CenFlo View Post
I've read through this entire thread and I'm curious to know how many of you all have switched from TOS to a different platform?

I've been with TDA since 2001 and they refuse to come down on futures commissions, so I'm considering moving my account to a different broker, which means a different platform.

I do like TDA/TOS, but TOS is a memory hog and as we all know it stinks in a fast market.

I currently use Sierra Charts for my main charting platform and can utilize more functions of SC, but to see all of the futures that I trade (/ES /NQ /CL /GC /ZB /VX) I'd have to spend even more on data feeds (Exchanges) than I do already with SC.

I trade futures, equity options, options on futures, equities (rarely as I have a ML Edge account with lots of free equities trades per month) everything except Forex.

I'm checking out Interactive Brokers, Tradestation, Ninja Trader, etc. If anyone else has made the switch from TDA/TOS to a different broker, I'd like to know what you went to and how you like it.

TIA.



I currently use TOS for charts because I have way to many custom studies and Infinity Futures DOM to trade with. It does come with their version of the Sierra charts included as long as you make 10 round trips trades a month for free. I also pay a data feed of $6 per market or 3 markets for $15. Plus a substantially lower commission then TOS so check them out. They only trade futures no stocks or anything else. You can check out there sim charts and Dom 30 day trail without even talking with anyone by going to their site. It is as close to real I have found.


Sent from my iPhone using futures.io

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