Choosing the Right Trading Platform
October 11, 2017At Lightspeed, we know how much traders appreciate having options — pardon the pun. When it comes to fast and efficient software, we have a variety of platforms from which you can choose to conduct your daily trading. Whether you’re a relatively new investor or a hedge fund manager, we have the tools that you need to help you succeed in the market. Our selection of powerful platforms is just one of the reasons why we are frequently recognized as one of the best brokers for online stock trading.
Initially, the number of options available may seem daunting. In this blog, we give a brief overview of each platform, highlight key features, and identify which groups of traders would find the platform most beneficial.
Lightspeed Trader
Our flagship trading platform is a versatile software solution with consistently solid performance, even during periods of high volatility. The platform’s advanced order routing lets you choose from over 100 order routing destinations, including dark pools. We continuously make updates that incorporate feedback from our customers to provide the best possible user experience.
Key Features:
- Fully customizable – Change the position and appearance of each window to maximize visibility for the information you need the most.
- Hot keys – Completely customizable hot keys allow you to place a standard or custom order at the touch of a button (or the click of a mouse), allowing you to route your orders even faster.
- Advanced scanners and research – Search for the ideal trading opportunities with built-in tools like Lightscan and TipRanks.
Best for: Active and day traders who trade stocks, ETFs, and options.
Sterling Trader Pro
Geared to the professional trader, Sterling Trader Pro has an abundance of features for anyone who regularly works with fast-paced markets. With real-time profit and loss capabilities, level II data, programmable keys, and more, this platform offers pinpoint accuracy and advanced order entry.
Key Features:
- Level II order entry – View up-to-the-minute level II market data and seamlessly place customized orders to all major exchanges and ECNs.
- Real-time profit and loss – Never second-guess your profitability. The platform lets you view this information in real time.
- Advanced charting – See all of the information relevant to your trading strategy, including a VWAP indicator and other chart studies.
Best for: Professionals and trading groups.
Livevol X
Ideal for investors, Livevol X takes all of the best qualities of Livevol Pro and combines it with advanced risk analysis and exceptional trading capabilities. This platform also features a number of “what if” modeling tools.
Key Features:
- Risk analysis – For investors, risk analysis and monitoring are paramount. Livevol X allows you to model risk in 3D by using both price and volatility shocks.
- Advanced options data – View both live and historical options data, and charts with historical and implied volatility.
- Options scanners – Use the integrated scanner to see both pre and post earnings volume and compare earnings price changes. You can even customize your scans using a number of filters to identify potential trading strategies.
Best for: Investors.
Eze EMS (Formerly RealTick Pro)
This comprehensive software suite has everything that the professional trader needs. Multiple assets can be traded within the platform, including equities, options, and futures, all from a single login.
Key Features:
- Volatility-based orders – Using either a user-specified or pre-populated volatility, traders can capitalize on opportunities with automatic orders based on volatility.
- Futures symbology – The platform offers traders the convenience of working with several familiar symbologies for added convenience when calling quotes or entering orders.
- Advanced order entry – No matter what type of securities you’re trading, the Eze EMS platform allows you to easily customize your order entries. OCO, Bracket, and, Conditional orders to name a few.
Best for: Retail traders, options traders, and futures traders.
Can’t quite decide which platform will best suit your needs? We have you covered. You can request a demo of any of the platforms mentioned in this blog. Our customer service representatives would be happy to assist you with your decision to help you make the most of our low cost stock trading.
Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC is not affiliated with these third-party market commentators/educators or service providers. Data, information, and material (“content”) are provided for informational and educational purposes only. This content neither is, nor should be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any securities or contracts. Any investment decisions made by the user through the use of such content is solely based on the users independent analysis taking into consideration your financial circumstances, investment objectives, and risk tolerance. Lightspeed Financial Services Group LLC does not endorse, offer nor recommend any of the services or commentary provided by any of the market commentators/educators or service providers and any information used to execute any trading strategies are solely based on the independent analysis of the user.
