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Good point. Although, I find TD Ameritrade a much better platform, much easier to use than IB, and none of the restrictive nonsense and regulatory messages. I live in Ireland so choice of brokers is limited here, but since IB is too much of a headache I reckon that is out of the question to...

So this begs the question then, if options trading is so challenging and deliberately cumbersome on IB, why does anyone trade with them?

And do you ever receive a message saying 'Gross position value must be no more than account equity times 30' or 'Your order is too large to accept for a non-algorithmic order'. Because it seems to me, IB don't like big orders for whatever reason.

For reference, exact same trade with same number of contracts on TD Thinkorswim platform...

To which there is no issue with TD and many other brokers. One can trade as many contracts as their balance allows, without these 'extra' checks in place. I now don't think I'll stay with IB after all.

Yes, and the margin wouldn't be that anyway, it would be lower. So who knows where IB is getting these figures from...

I'm referring to the message itself. Which also shows when the market is open. And trades still won't go though when market is open. IB's risk management is preventing retail traders from progressing beyond a few contracts at a time.

The frustration with IB continues. I think I'm nearly done. I have mentioned in a previous threads about IB's restrictive trading policies, and this also relates yet again to that. As in screenshot, I am trying to open 10 option combo contracts, having 20k as my account balance. An error message...

You're right. However I can trade more of these on other brokers, as they allow the trade to go through. So ten of these contracts with TD etc will be 3k. Whereas with IB it's 100k. Nonsensical.

Yes. I often trade these spreads and capture small moves to make money.

Because it's $10,000 -9,700 (Limit price of 97) thus $300..

That screenshot is for the November 22nd 3000/3100 SPX strikes. So only a few days out. As you can see the margin required here is only $300, a far cry from what IB demands as collateral.

Apologies, I made a mistake in my calculations during previous post. Here is a screenshot of a 3000/3100 strikes spread from my Thinkorswim paper money account. I know the market is closed, but I have an example of a limit order set at 97. So the same concept still applies.

Hi Robert. I can give you an example now if you like. Take the SPX for instance. Vertical credit spread, strikes 3000/3100, width 100 points. On IB margin required is 10k for one spread(difference in strikes times 100). On TD Ameritrade (Thinkorswim), Tastytrade, Tradestation etc, basically any...

I mean that IB do not apply credit received in the case of vertical credit spreads etc to margin required. The difference in strikes requires full margin. Also, the order quantities I can trade are severely restricted. When paper trading with TD Ameritrade, I never had such problems. So clearly...

And I presume in the case of Tastytrade, they apply credit received to margin requirements for options Spreads? That is my biggest issue with IB. Also I believe the maximum quantity of contracts on Tastytrade is 500 contracts. That could be an issue when it comes to scaling..

In the case of IB, I have had this same issue with both European style and American stock options. IB seems to just make up their own trading rules.

This is the message I receive when trying to open an account with Charles Schwab international. Tastytrade is perhaps a better option, I don't believe they have the ridiculous restrictive trading that IB has..

Strategy builder, I know legging in would initially cost more because each leg is treated individually before being recognised as a spread.

I have recently begun trading with IB using options trades such as Vertical spreads, Calendar spreads, Butterfly spreads etc. I have noticed that unlike other brokers, IB does not apply the credit received upon opening for example, a credit spread. Therefore full margin is required. Example on...