What is TradeStation?

Jeremy BiberdorfBy: Jeremy Biberdorf

April 18, 2023April 18, 2023

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TradeStation is a premier online brokerage platform that caters to active traders and investors seeking advanced trading tools, comprehensive market data, and a user-friendly interface. With a robust suite of features designed for various trading strategies, TradeStation has become a popular choice among professional traders, day traders, and experienced investors. In this article, we will provide an overview of TradeStation, highlighting its unique features, offerings, and key aspects that set it apart from other online brokers.

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Company Background: The TradeStation Story

Founded in 1982 as Omega Research, TradeStation has evolved into one of the leading online brokers for active traders and investors. Initially focused on providing advanced trading software for professional traders and institutional investors, the company rebranded to TradeStation in 1999 and expanded its services to include a comprehensive trading platform, desktop platform, and mobile trading platform.

TradeStation has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation, offering a wide range of advanced trading tools, historical market data, real-time market news, and technical and fundamental indicators for various asset classes. Its commitment to providing a seamless trading experience and top-notch customer service has earned TradeStation a loyal following among active investors and traders.

TradeStation’s Unique Features and Benefits: A Deeper Dive

To further emphasize the value of TradeStation for potential users, let’s take a closer look at some of the platform’s unique features and benefits that set it apart from other trading platforms in the market.

  • RadarScreen®: TradeStation’s proprietary market monitoring tool, RadarScreen®, allows traders to scan and rank up to 1,000 symbols in real-time, based on various technical, fundamental, and custom criteria. This powerful feature enables users to identify potential trading opportunities and monitor multiple assets simultaneously, helping them stay ahead of the market.
  • Matrix: The Matrix is a versatile order entry and management tool that allows traders to view and interact with the market depth, place orders, and track their positions, all within a single window. With its intuitive interface and real-time data, the Matrix can help traders make informed decisions and execute trades more efficiently.
  • Advanced Order Types: TradeStation supports a wide range of advanced order types, including bracket orders, trailing stops, and One-Cancels-Other (OCO) orders. These advanced order types give traders increased control over their trades and help them manage risk more effectively.
  • Strategy Backtesting: TradeStation’s platform allows users to backtest their trading strategies on historical market data, enabling them to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of their strategies before implementing them in live trading. This feature can be invaluable for traders looking to improve their strategies and optimize their trading performance.
  • Extensive Educational Resources: TradeStation’s commitment to trader education is evident in the wide range of resources available to users, including webinars, articles, video tutorials, and a dedicated learning center. These resources cover various topics, such as trading strategies, technical analysis, and risk management, making them valuable for traders at all skill levels.
  • Developer Center and API Access: TradeStation offers access to its API, allowing developers to create custom applications and integrate third-party tools with the TradeStation platform. This flexibility can help traders customize their trading experience and create a more efficient workflow.
  • Customer Support: TradeStation is known for its top-notch customer support, offering multiple channels for users to get assistance, including phone, email, and live chat. Additionally, the platform has a comprehensive knowledge base and an active online community where users can find answers to their questions and share ideas with fellow traders.

These unique features and benefits further demonstrate TradeStation’s commitment to providing a comprehensive, cutting-edge trading platform tailored to the needs of advanced traders and investors. By offering a wide range of powerful tools, customizable features, and valuable resources, TradeStation empowers its users to take control of their trading and achieve success in the financial markets.

Investment Accounts and Offerings

TradeStation offers a wide range of investment accounts, including individual and joint taxable accounts, retirement accounts, custodial accounts, and corporate accounts. The platform supports trading in various asset classes, such as stocks, options, futures contracts, options contracts, penny stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds.

Fees and Expenses

TradeStation offers competitive pricing, with commission-free trading on stocks and ETF trades, as well as competitive fees for options and futures trading. However, some fees apply to specific services, such as options trade fees and mutual fund trades. Additionally, certain account types may require a minimum month equity balance to access specific features or reduced commissions.

TradeStation is Best Suited For:

  • Advanced traders: TradeStation’s sophisticated platform, with its extensive range of advanced tools, charting capabilities, and technical indicators, is highly appealing to experienced traders looking to conduct in-depth analysis and optimize their trading strategies.
  • Day traders and active traders: TradeStation provides a comprehensive suite of tools and features specifically designed for day traders and active traders, such as direct market access, low-latency execution, and competitive commission rates.
  • Futures and options traders: TradeStation supports trading in futures and options on futures, making it an attractive choice for traders who want to diversify their portfolios and access these markets.
  • Algorithmic traders: TradeStation’s EasyLanguage programming language allows traders to create custom trading strategies, backtest them, and automate their trades. This makes it an ideal platform for algorithmic traders and those interested in developing their own trading systems.
  • Traders seeking educational resources: TradeStation offers various educational resources, such as webinars, articles, and video tutorials, to help traders improve their skills and knowledge.

However, TradeStation may not be the best choice for beginners or casual investors, as its advanced features and fee structure may be more complicated and costly than other platforms designed for this audience.

Mobile Trading Platform

TradeStation’s mobile trading platform allows users to access their accounts and execute trades on the go. With a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of features, the mobile platform ensures that active traders can stay connected to the markets and manage their portfolios from anywhere.

What is TradeStation: Final Thoughts

TradeStation is a powerful and sophisticated trading platform designed for active traders, experienced investors, and professional traders seeking advanced trading tools and a seamless trading experience. With its robust features, customizable interface, and competitive pricing, TradeStation has become a popular choice among options traders, technical traders, and day traders.

Whether you’re an active investor looking for a comprehensive trading platform or an experienced investor seeking advanced trading tools and a broad range of asset classes, TradeStation is definitely worth considering. Give it a try and see if it’s the right fit for your trading needs and preferences.

Click here to get started with Tradestation today.

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Jeremy Biberdorf
Jeremy Biberdorf

About the Author:

Jeremy Biberdorf is the founder of Modest Money. He's a father of 2 beautiful girls, a dog owner, a long-time online entrepreneur and an investing enthusiast.

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