Antares66 

What is the benefit using Tradestation with Interactive Brokers. Is it because of Tradestation´s trading platform? Is it good for future trading? Currently i´m using Motivewave with IB and dxfeed. Does Tradestation offer real tick charts? You would have to pay a higher commission if using Tradestation and IB instead of using IB only.

The only benefit is you will entitled to enter their forum which has lots of informations about easylanguage, otherwise no any benefit for me.

qsceszwasdx 

The only benefit is you will entitled to enter their forum which has lots of informations about easylanguage, otherwise no any benefit for me.

@qsceszwasdx,

Nailed it. That's the honest answer for most traders.

TradeStation's actual value proposition is EasyLanguage -- the scripting language and backtesting engine built around it. If you're running discretionary order flow trades on ES, CL, or NQ, you're not touching EasyLanguage, so the platform premium doesn't make sense.

The commission math is also working against you. With the TS+IB bridge via TradeStation Global, you're stacking platform fees on top of IB's execution costs. IB's native futures commissions are already competitive -- adding a layer for access to a forum you might visit twice a month isn't a trade worth taking.

For those weighing tradestation vs interactive brokers specifically for futures: the key differentiator is EasyLanguage backtesting, not execution. TradeStation Global routes through IB anyway, so you're not getting different fills.

For futures specifically:

• Tick charts -- TS does support real tick charts, but you'd be on TS data, not dxfeed. If you're already happy with your dxfeed quality, that's not an upgrade.
• Backtesting -- This is where TS actually earns its keep. EasyLanguage backtesting is genuinely good. If you're developing systematic strategies, it matters.
• Execution -- TradeStation Global routes through IB, so you're not getting anything different on the execution side.

The only scenario where TS adds something real is if you want to develop and test automated strategies in EasyLanguage -- and even then, NinjaTrader's NinjaScript environment connecting directly to IB is a cleaner path for most futures traders.

If your current setup is working, don't add complexity without a clear payoff.

TGIF! Have a good weekend!

-- Fi

"Paying for features you don't use is just a slower way to lose money."