best option for new option trader.

[dil73]

thanks for the help guys. I've been researching for a few hours and the rabbit hole is deep!

Still not sure which direction to go... I think I'll just contact some of the choices directly and talk to someone. Mostly I just want info on cost, margin/account balance requirements, and if they actually have the markets that I'm looking to trade. Appreciate the responses!

 

[lawrence-lugar]

I'm just getting back into options trading after a few years on the side

I've been paper trading with success

Consider creating a trade journal here on ET,
I'd love to follow and monitor other option traders' successes/failures,

Since you're in Canada, or any other country for that better, IB is a sound choice and solution trader broker for you.

 

[Robert Morse]

Lightspeed looks the cheapest these days so long as they pass through rebates.

To get rebates on futures you need to be a member of the CME. I believe the question was about options on futures trading.

For equities we have both SMART-flat rate- and DMA where we pass through exchange rebates/fees. For options traders, we can offer both SMART and DMA on Sterling Trader Pro, RealTick and Silexx. LS trader and LS Web Trader are set up more for just Options SMART routing. When we can offer LVX that will be SMART option routing only. Our option SMART routes avoid maker/taker rebate/fees on most options orders. The exception would be cash settled indexes. Having that choice with each order helps to manage fees and still get quality executions as out SMART options orders are posted to an exchange and not held by us in an option dark pool.

Happy to provide a demo of any platfrom and discuss the needs of any trader privately. We can handle both small retail ($25,000 or more) and institutional accounts with our offering.