I've tried all of these programs in the poll. Why is ButtonTrader in there? It's an odd one out?!
ButtonTrader
by far beats the heck out of any of these - by miles! I used to use Futures-Trader last, which I consider the second best - but it's waaay behind ButtonTrader!
Anybody can try it in the sim version. The software even features realtime-market session recording and you can play it back and do after-hours training on a real recording - Even scalping!
You can even plug in Quotetracker to
chart recorded sessions!
You can program and fully test and automate
any kind of market strategy and multiple (i.e. contract group order) strategy you can even dream of.
You have visual volume pressure charts that tell you what the market looks like above and below you - it even shows prior supports & resistances!
You can optionally monitor either on-quote or cumulative volume, as you wish.
You can trade
any instrument you can even think of - not just futures, but anything - in any market, America, Eurex - You name it!
You get the most comprehensive manuals, best and most immediate support you could ever dream of - they're specialized European professionals.
It also is the most reliable software of all - It will be the last one that crashes. Even IB's TWS will go down before it.
You get full details on every trade taken during the day, on one page - It even 'knows' your commissions and deducts them immediately from PNL. It does this with more simplicity than you need.
It's got the most realistic simulator of all built-in and the simulator is free for a full 6 months! Then you pay 22 bucks a month for the lite version, which is all you'll need unless you're trading multiple contracts / are already pretty profitable.
And for the pro's: I think you can get the Standard version for only $30 or so right now... There's certainly nothing comparable out there in that price bracket.
If you want a comparable program, the next ones in a similar class cost $550+ per month, i.e. X-Trader and the like. But X-Trader has similar functions and isn't much different - Except for the price.
ButtonTrader was a discovery for me. I have extensively tested all the the other platforms in this poll and, in comparison, they are are Mickey Mouse in every aspect. Period.
It's the go. But what am I telling you, anyway? You can test it yourself - for free and no obligations:
www.buttontrader.com
Scientist.