MarketPro from Merrill Edge, for example, doesn’t offer them.
Most other platforms have no futures or forex capability. Futures and forex price histories can also be displayed on a chart. The contract in a dealing window can be changed simply by typing in a new symbol. Forex and futures both have their own pre-populated trading areas on Thinkorswim. One great advantage of Thinkorswim is its ability to trade futures and forex, and even receive up-to-date news and market information on them.
This feature is a great opportunity to try out the software with no risk. This is a paper trading system that allows a user to practice buying and selling with a virtual currency. The broker has incorporated paperMoney into the software. $0 commissions + transfer fee reimbursement.Īlthough Thinkorswim is very sophisticated, TD Ameritrade hasn’t left novice traders out of the picture. Ally Invest LIVE has even less customizations. StreetSmart Edge from Schwab, for example, has 162 colors that canīe selected for each chart item, such as candlestick up and line. This level of customization is higher than what is available on other platforms. A candlestick’s outline can have one color and the fill can There are 279 colors for a graph’s display. There are several graph styles, includingĬandlesticks, monkey bars, area, and candle trend. The drawing tools include rectangles, channels, and FibonacciĪ chart can be detached and displayed in its own window, which really helps to see the graph in more detail. Some of the technical analysis tools on Thinkorswim include FastBeta, HaramiCross, and SwamiSwingWave. StreetSmart Edge, for example, only has about 40 technical studies. Most other platforms offer far fewer technical tools. There are 400 technical studies and 20 drawing tools. Because futures and forex can be traded on Thinkorswim, these products can also be added to watch lists.Ĭharting on the platform is highly advanced.
Live CNBC streaming in standard definition can be added to a small window, which can be expanded full screen. There are news feeds that come in both article and video format. These include color (black or white), quote speed (real-time or delayed), and default currency. Clicking on this will generate a pop-up window where many customizations can be made. In the top-right corner is a “Setup” link next to a gear icon. The default font size is very small, although this feature and many others can be changed. The software usually downloads updates, which causes it to be somewhat slow to begin. Starting the program sometimes takes over a minute. Schwab only requires a $1,000 account balance. Many other brokers, including Fidelity and Merrill Edge, do require certain activity in order to use their platforms. There are no account minimums or trading requirements to use Thinkorswim. The software will be available in both regular and paper trading versions. If you are a TD Ameritrade customer, just login with your normal credentials to gain access to
Open TD Ameritrade account free of charge and gainĪccess to the software. If you’re not a TD Ameritrade customer, you’ll need to Thankfully, the broker allows everyone to try it out.
This material can give you a synopsis of what the software has to offer, but the only way to really test the program is to download it and take it for a test drive.
The TD Ameritrade website has good information on Thinkorswim. $0 for cash account, $2,000 for margin account Thinkorswim minimum deposit to open account Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, ETFs, bonds, CDs, UITs, futures and forex