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Is anyone trading equity options utilizing the InterActive Brokers "Option Trader" Platform?

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 Bob von Halle, Options and Futures Trader at LightSpeed Trading

 Friday, September 27, 2013

I am interested in connecting with anyone who can share insight, or has current experience utilizing this cost effective platform.


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5 comments on article "Is anyone trading equity options utilizing the InterActive Brokers "Option Trader" Platform?"

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 tom mcginnis, Economist

 Sunday, September 29, 2013



Kenneth Ginsberg -- was your "2nd class" comment in reference to the new-ish "Options Strategy Lab", or were you being even more generous than that? It's only for equities at this point, but it looks like a Mosaic page for options analytics. (I've not checked it out in depth.) I'm pretty comfy with what I've got off-line (and much more comfortable given that I know the calculations/development explicitly), but I appreciate where they're trying to go. So, "Good for them!"

FWIW, to be a happy IB customer, you need to think of IB as a *trading* platform, and imagine that you have an IT department over one shoulder, and a Research/Analytics department over the other. If you can do that, then IB's $0.50 -- $2.00 commissions will be way good. If you're expecting hand-holding, silky-smooth operations, or a platform button to solve all of your entry/exit uncertainties, you need to go to something like $10 TOS.


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 Kenneth Ginsberg, Consultant at Self Employed

 Sunday, September 29, 2013



Tom:

I was comparing the extensive (IMO) option analytics available on TOS for the everyday (and then some) options trader. In my years with IB, I haven't seen anything in their platform that compares to TOS's ability to model potential or existing options strategies, certainly not in as easy and straightforward a manner as TOS. That being said, the execution capabilities of IB, the almost constant price improvement, and the low commissions, IMHO, override these analytic "shortcomings" since I can do almost any analytics I want on a separate platform. I absolutely agree, if you want hand holding IB is not the way to go. And their customer support team, although it has gotten significantly better than it was years ago when I first started with IB, still is at times problematic, although many of my friends tell me that since the TDA takeover, service at TOS has pretty much fallen down significantly.

I also have not yet seen or used their "options Strategy Lab", but your post is a nice reminder for me to put it on my todo list.

Best

Ken


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 tom mcginnis, Economist

 Sunday, September 29, 2013



KG -- totally agree -- point by point. Great post.


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 Terry Tran, Hedge Fund Manager - Helping individuals and families preserve and create wealth in all economic conditions.

 Sunday, September 29, 2013



Yes, we primarily utilize the IB platform for our option and stock strategies for the past several years now. Great execution with low cost. They also do have videos to help you get started.

Hope this helps.


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 Max Butti, Senior Adviser - Derivatives Markets at London Stock Exchange Group

 Monday, September 30, 2013



Bob, I have been using IB for options for 4 years now and in terms of market access, order types, combo functionality and execution fees it is the best around. The possibility of using the API to automate your order execution and your signal generation makes it one of the most powerful tools available. I can only recommend it.

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TRADING FUTURES AND OPTIONS INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF LOSS AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS
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