For a trader, the right online platform can make all the difference. First, look for a user-friendly design that makes it easy to find what you need and move around. Also, check for the ability to customize instruments and indicators to your liking and access your account information and trade history.
If you want help making decisions, some platforms come with analytical tools like moving averages or Fibonacci retracements, which use math to identify potential support/resistance levels. Others might have features like Depth of Market or application programming interfaces (APIs) that let you create custom indicators.
Advanced order types
Some traders use advanced orders as part of their strategies. These may let you take more control of how trades are executed or create new ones based on certain conditions. For example, bracket orders let you set multiple exits; an execution occurs when price hits certain thresholds but doesn’t fill automatically.
Conditional orders and durational orders are two other types that may be useful in complex strategies. With these, activation is usually triggered by price, time or volume fluctuations and can be combined with other orders to form complex strategies.
Real-time quotes and market data
Make sure your platform offers real-time quotes and market data so you don’t miss any opportunities. Some will also provide analysis tools like different charting styles or technical indicators.
Also consider fees for accessing necessary services that could impact your trading profitability — brokers charge fees for things like commissions (the cost of executing trades), spreads (the difference between bid/ask prices) and swap rates (overnight interest charges).
These costs are typically seen as a part of the spread. That’s the difference between an ask price and bid price for a currency pair. They can add to execution costs, which can eat into any potential profits. Brokers may also charge fees for data feeds or quoting services – either a flat fee or as a percentage of trade sizes.
Trade on mobile
Investors who want to trade on-the-go should look towards brokers that offer mobile-friendly platforms. These apps usually have real-time market data, charts and news as well as offering backtesting, alerts and the ability to place trades from the phone. And when using it always use VPN or personal hotspot instead of public Wi-Fi networks so you don’t get hacked or suffer due to network outages.
Consistency and discipline separate successful traders from the losers. A good platform will help you set up robust trading strategies, but make sure they’re right for your style before signing up. After looking at all these advanced tools and comparing them with others in terms of fees and cost, take time to compare brokers on other factors like customer support and ease of use until there is one that suits your needs best.
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