Gordon,
One more thing that I do not like about IB is that it is just a buying and selling service. They really offer no trading tools. There level II is 79 dollars a month (free with Datek if you trade more than 20 times a month, which who trades less than 20 times a month?) So with IB you also need to use a real-time qoute server, esingle, realtick, ect... That could run you another 150-250 dollars a month. Plus if you like to have real-time news you can have this for free at Datek (again on more than 20 trades per month). With IB you will have to pay for a different service like this too. IB has very low commissions and it is a great online broker but for an active trader who uses IB you may have to pay for more then just commissions.
Might want to think about that as well.
One more thing that I do not like about IB is that it is just a buying and selling service. They really offer no trading tools. There level II is 79 dollars a month (free with Datek if you trade more than 20 times a month, which who trades less than 20 times a month?) So with IB you also need to use a real-time qoute server, esingle, realtick, ect... That could run you another 150-250 dollars a month. Plus if you like to have real-time news you can have this for free at Datek (again on more than 20 trades per month). With IB you will have to pay for a different service like this too. IB has very low commissions and it is a great online broker but for an active trader who uses IB you may have to pay for more then just commissions.
Might want to think about that as well.