This is not an exhaustive list of offerings by our brokerage service. Nor it is a complete list of features, but this information is intended to streamline the basic overview to help traders simplify the process of narrowing down to the best fit for their individual needs. If you would like to learn more about choosing the right trading platform for your particular trading needs, click here to view "How to choose the right futures trading platform". 

 

 

Our most popular and recommended FREE platform is DeCarley Trader. It is a customized version of CQG Desktop or StoneX Futures. Designed by Carley Garner, this feature-rich application supports futures, options on futures, futures spreads, and options spreads. It offers several pre-built pages for a plug-and-play experience for traders of all types, while still letting each trader customize it to fit their needs. When designing this platform, we aimed to deliver an elevated trading experience with minimal effort. The application's vast, robust, and flexible widgets and tools offer limitless possibilities for traders of all types and sizes. If you don't love the preset pages, let us know what you need, and we can likely build it for you. Because it is web-based, this platform doesn't require a software download and runs on any computer or device; it is fully Mac-compatible.

Key Features of the DeCarley Trader Futures and options platform -

1. This platform is Mac-compatible (because it is web-based)
2. Option trading friendly (Exchange minimum margins for options and spread traders)
3. Highly discounted day trading margins for futures traders
4. Nine pre-built, plug-and-play pages for options trading, day trading, news feeds, quote streams, commodity charts, and more
5. Interactive charting with the ability to quickly and effortlessly toggle from market to market
6. Option chains with the Greeks and option prices in dollar value
7. Option spread builder
8. Futures spread matrix
9. Trade from the chart, depth of market panel, trade ticket, or quote board
10. Monitor and manage positions directly from the quote board
11. Clear account summary window with portfolio margin and day trading margin
12. News feed with Carley Garner's X feed, Cow Guy Close archives, RFD-TV ag news, and commodity market news
13. Pre-built quote list tabs linked to charts, DOM panels, option chains, and order tickets, allowing symbols to load automatically as you click.
14. Quote lists capable of automatically rolling expiring contracts so you never have to add/subtract quotes from your platform as contracts expire.
15. Fully Customizable
16. Bracket orders (OCO, OSO)
17. Timed release orders (MOO, MOC, and more)
18. Point-and-click trading
19. Futures time and sales
20. Heatmap

 

iBroker Web (Gain Futures/Stonex)

 

1. Similar to DeCarley Trader, but without customized pre-built pages: CQG product capable of executing futures and options on futures. 

2. Option-friendly margin policy (if using Gain Futures/Stonex for clearing). 

3. Includes a mobile application.

4. Place option orders directly from a futures chart.

5. Option spread capabilities.

6. Charting, trading, and market analytics in a single platform.

 

1. Desktop, low-end web platform, and nice mobile application.

2. Option trading friendly, but aggressive traders are charged higher than SPAN

3. No charts, not user-friendly

4. DOM panel (waterfall), sturdy

5. Time-consuming to enter option orders

6. Option trading friendly, but aggressive traders can expect a margin upcharge

7. High transaction costs

 

 

 

 

 

1. Ask us about the special monthly rate Gecko Software offers our clients.

2. High-end charting with unique features (seasonals, COT, autopilot trading, etc.).

3. Analytical tool with Greeks AND a platform.

4. Place futures and option orders directly from a futures chart.

5. Effortlessly place option spread trades with customizable pre-built templates

6. We can set up with option-friendly trading & margin policies.

7. Complimentary mobile iBroker application included.

8. Highly recommended in the "Affordable Upgrade" category.

 

 

1. Easy-to-use and popular charting software.

2. Trade futures using manual, automated and simulated trading.

3. Real-time and historical futures market charts. 

4. Excellent value with low pricing starting at $24 per month.

5. Lacks option trading capabilities (futures trading only).

 

 

1. Charged 25 cents per trade, $25 monthly minimum.

2. Feature-rich and server-saved settings.

3. Desktop, web-based, and mobile applications.

4. Option spreads, but Greeks and analytics require an expensive upgrade (hundreds $ per month).

5. Very convenient and affordable for low to moderate-volume traders, not appropriate for high-volume traders due per-trade fee.

6. Despite multiple clearing arrangements, difficult to find an option-friendly arrangement.

 

 

1. $40 per month.

2. A fully loaded platform, designed for professional traders beginning traders get frustrated with it. 

3. Not necessarily intuitive/user-friendly.

4. No web-based version, but there is a mobile application requiring an additional monthly fee or you can log in via the iBroker app (no monthly fee but 25 cents per trade).

 

TradingView 

 

 

 

 

1. Starts at $50 per month, goes up to $300 per month ($200 per month sufficient for retail trading).

2. Not necessarily well-known, but it is top-of-the-line.

3. High-end option chains, option charts, Greeks, option spreads (somewhat challenged), and analytics.

4. Mac-compatible.

5. Mobile app $60 per month (or iBroker)

6. Can be set up to use option trading-friendly clearing.

7. Expensive, but highly recommended for serious traders.

 

 

1. $129 per month.

2. Web-based.

3. High-end charting and user-friendly interface.

4. Option Greeks, spread builder, and analytics.

5. Mac-compatible.

6. Can be set up to use option trading-friendly clearing.

7. Complimentary mobile application.

8. Settings synced to the server, convenient.

 

 

 

1. $70 per month for the standard version, or $130 per month w/options package (one-time cost of $495 to $1495 for upgraded packages).

2. Massive charting and historical data package.

3. High-end features and plugins (seasonals, replay, market profile…).

4. iBroker app is available depending on the data feed provider.

5. Can be set up to use option trading-friendly clearing.

 

 

 

1. $152 per month ($61 for stock indices only, or $416 for the elite version)

2. Advanced charting

3. Complimentary mobile application and web platform

4. Market screener, data export, market data, and volume analyzer, etc.

5. Can be set up to use option-trading-friendly clearing.