Best broker to trade options emini futures

Welcome to Futures Broker - Pro Emini. Not all clients will receive 39ў commission rates. Accounts requiring broker assistance will be charged a higher rate. We offer both free platforms and platforms that have a monthly fee. Other brokerage fees may apply to certain platforms. Trade Grains, Currencies, Metals, Financials, Indexes, Softs, Energies, Livestock, and some Foreign Futures Markets. Free demos on the top trading software platforms. Most Popular Platform! New Features for 2017! Free verison, $19, and $49 monthly versions Real-time Quotes ALL US - markets Trade Futures 247 Reliable Trading Platforms Trade Foreign Futures Markets $500 E-mini daytrading margin for qualified accounts. Real-time Streaming Quotes 1 Click Order Executions Depth of Market (Level 2) Great for E-minis $500 E-mini daytrading margin for qualified accounts Free and $25 monthly versions. No monthly fee!

Real-time Futures Trade 24 Hours Reliable Trading Platforms Trade Foreign Futures Markets $500 E-mini daytrading margin for qualified accounts. Pro E-Mini is a commodity futures broker that provides discount and full service futures and options trading on almost all futures and commodities markets. The futures brokers at Pro E-Mini understand that selecting a capable futures broker is an important decision and strive to provide the best possible service at very low rates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact pro e-mini and speak to a commodities and futures broker. *Commission rates do not include standard exchange fee, and regulatory fee. Trade Emini S&P, Emini DOW, Emini Nasdaq 100, and Emini Nasdaq Composite. Pro E-Mini is a commodity futures broker that provides online discount and full trading services on almost all futures and commodities markets. Feel free to call us anytime and we will gladly assist you with any questions you may have regarding trading. Trading futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The risk of loss exists in futures trading.

Commission of 39 cents does not include standard exchange fee, and regulatory fee. Copyright © 2011 Pro Emini Futures Broker. All rights reserved. Best broker to trade options emini futures Trade electronic futures like the Emins and others, online at deep discount commission plus other fees that apply. $500 Daytrade Margins. Daytrade Emini index futures with as little as $500* contract anytime the futures markets are open. Trade Eminis, commodities, futures and options quickly and easily on our free ApexTrader trading platform. ApexTrader has NO data, platform, charting, maintenance or monthly fees, test drive the simulator now. Online trading has inherent risk due to system response and access times that may vary due to market conditions, system performance, volume and other factors. An investor should understand these and additional risks before trading. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Futures, options on Futures, and retail off-exchange foreign currency transactions involve substantial risk and are not appropriate for all investors. Please read Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to applying for an account.

*Low margins are a double edged sword, as lower margins mean you have higher leverage and therefore higher risk. All commissions quoted are not inclusive of exchange and NFA fees unless otherwise noted. Apex does not charge for futures data, but effective January 1, 2015 the CME charges $1-15 per month depending on the type of data you require. ApexFutures, 311 South Wacker Drive Chicago, Suite 2280, Illinois 60606. Best Online Brokers for Futures Trading and Commodities. Futures trading is complicated business, even for experienced investors, and so is shopping for a brokerage firm to use for futures and commodities trading. It’s not just about commissions and customer service (although both are important factors to consider). Trading in futures requires using a brokerage that offers certain kinds of investing tools, research and data that are different from those you’d seek in a company to house your IRA or roll over your 401(k). Here, you’re looking for the highest level of real-time data and quotes, an intuitive trading platform, an abundance of charting and screening tools, technical indicators and a wealth of research — plus the ability to leverage your account with reduced day-trading margin requirements. All of that, and you still want low costs and high-quality customer support. These are the features and services we focused on in our rankings, concentrating on the world of online discount brokers that serve self-directed traders (not pros) seeking to quickly execute their own futures strategies. Best Futures and Commodities Brokers. Low day-trading margin. One note before we dive into the top-ranked brokers for trading futures: Investing in futures is a method that earns a few caveats from NerdWallet. It comes with risk, as do all investing strategies.

But futures trading is even riskier: You’re making a bet on the direction a market is going to go, an outcome that is difficult for even professional analysts to forecast. In other words: You can do a lot of research, feel confident in your prediction and still lose a lot of money very quickly. If you’re new to futures trading and want to dabble in this method, you should understand how to trade futures, determine the risks involved, and have your financial bases covered. The best online brokers for trading futures overall. TradeStation and Generic Trade do a good job of serving two different types of futures traders. See our TradeStation review. Commission: $0.25 – $1.20 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% on select contracts none on most contracts Account minimum: $5,000 Futures products: 80+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 3:30 p. m. to Friday 6 p. m. Eastern Promotion: 20% off commissions: up to $500 for accounts under $100,000, to $1,500 for $250,000 or more. See our Generic Trade review. Commission: $0.59 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% Account minimum: $0 Futures products: 50+ Trader support: 247 phone support. The best futures broker should have the tools you need to research, test, customize and quickly execute your trades, round-the-clock customer service (access to a trading desk for after-hours support), reliable technology, and reasonable commissions and day-margin rates. That’s a tall order for any single broker to fill. Then again, the best futures broker for you may not need to check all the boxes as long as it excels in the areas of service that matter most to you.

In the sections below, we highlight the standout firms in various categories. It’s hard to crown one as the futures trading MVP of the bunch, but both Generic Trade and TradeStation come pretty close. Each excels in different ways: TradeStation is a strong choice for seasoned tech-savvy futures traders. It started out as a platform solely for use by professional traders as is clear by the breadth of markets covered, data offered, and the range of trading options, research and customizable tools at each client’s fingertips. That said, traders pay more to access such high-caliber offerings. Generic Trade — a futures - and options-only brokerage firm — stands out as a “nothing fancy” lower-cost entree into futures and options trading. To see if its bare-bones approach suits potential customers, the company offers a two-week demo account to fully test-drive the service before making a commitment. Generic Trade charges a flat $0.59 per-contract, per-side commission, has a $0 account minimum and no inactivity fees, and provides a decent futures trading platform and selection of tools and research. Also worth a closer look in the “Best Overall” category is E-Trade, which falls somewhere between the two on the low-endhigh-end spectrum. Low-cost brokers for futures trading. Based on commissions, fees and other costs that add to the futures trader’s bill, bargain shoppers should consider these brokers.

Commission: Tiered: Over 2,000 contractsmonth: $0.45 per contract, per side 251 to 2,000 contracts: $0.65 up to 250 contracts: $0.85 + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% Account minimum: $500 Futures products: 50+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 5 p. m. to Friday 8 p. m. Eastern. Commission: Tiered: 100,000+ contractsmonth: $0.25 per contract, per side over 50,000: $0.30 over 10,000: $0.35 over 2,000: $0.45 over 500: $0.50 less than 500: $0.60 + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% Account minimum: $10,000 Futures products: 60+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 8 p. m. to Friday midnight Eastern. Futures trading can become costly quickly. Investors can be subject to platform fees, data-feed fees, minimum-activity fees and fees to access premium reports and other research. Not even trading commissions — which all brokers charge “per side” (first when the contract is bought and again when it’s sold) — are easy to decipher. For example, what’s not included in most brokers’ advertised “per-contract” commission are two standard fees: An exchange fee (which varies depending on the futures exchange used to make the trade) and a $0.01 per-side assessment fee paid to the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry’s self-funded regulatory body. When companies cut costs for one service they often make up the difference elsewhere, typically by charging platform and data fees. Here’s where MB Trading (which was purchased by TradeKing last year) and Lightspeed Trading stand out by offering reasonably priced service all around. Both brokers have tiered commission schedules based on monthly volume. Lightspeed’s commissions (not including the aforementioned exchange and NFA fees) range from $0.25 for high-rollers with 100,000 monthly contracts to $0.60 for those dealing with less than 500 per month.

The range at MB Trading is $0.45 per contract for more than 2,000 contracts to $0.85 for 250 and fewer. Customers get free access to all the bells and whistles on the company’s desktop, web and mobile platforms. It charges extra for data, but that is a reasonable $10 to $15 a month, depending on the data selection. Lightspeed customers also have free access to its Livevol X and WebTrader platforms where Level 1 quotes are free. Best trading platform, research and tools. These brokers offer the highest level of real-time data and quotes, charting and screening tools, technical indicators and a wealth of free research. See our TradeStation review. Commission: $0.25 – $1.20 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% on select contracts none on most contracts Account minimum: $5,000 Futures products: 80+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 3:30 p. m. to Friday 6 p. m. Eastern Promotion: 20% off commissions: up to $500 for accounts under $100,000, to $1,500 for $250,000 or more. See our TD Ameritrade review. Commission: $2.25 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% with $15,000 minimum Account minimum: $1,500 Futures products: 60+ Trader support: 247 phone support. The only brokers that qualified for our best futures trading platform category were those offering advanced research, analytics, charting and screening tools, lots of technical indicators and free access to studies, a variety of streaming news and research as well as automated futures trades. Four brokers met all the criteria: Interactive Brokers, OptionsHouse, TradeStation and TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim platform. But the last two stand apart.

TradeStation’s desktop platform is aimed at tech-savvy retail and professional traders seeking a luxury-class experience. Its array of features includes one-click order entry, automated trading strategies, 24-hour global market analysis, 48 years of historical futures market data and the ability for investors to design their own trade-method customizations. Access comes at a price, however: $249.95 a month for a subscription to the software for nonprofessional traders. TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim platform is geared more toward the retail investor, but that doesn’t mean it is lacking. The platform is known for its deep bench of free technical studies and research, and reports (including ones offering insights from prominent investors in the futures trading industry) and access to live futures pit audio. Both firms offer one-click order entry, ample technical indicators (160-plus at TradeStation and 100-plus at thinkorswim) and access to trading specialists when you most likely will need to get in touch. Low day-trading margin requirements. Traders who want the most leverage will appreciate the low day-trade margins at these brokers. See our Generic Trade review. Commission: $0.59 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% Account minimum: $0 Futures products: 50+ Trader support: 247 phone support.

Commission: Tiered: Over 2,000 contractsmonth: $0.45 per contract, per side 251 to 2,000 contracts: $0.65 up to 250 contracts: $0.85 + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% Account minimum: $500 Futures products: 50+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 5 p. m. to Friday 8 p. m. Eastern. Futures contracts are highly leveraged: You can put down a small amount of money — generally 5% to 10% — on a large contract. That sounds like a good thing, and it is. But it also adds to the risk: Leverage can lead to bigger gains and bigger losses, and if your account dips below the maintenance-margin requirement, your broker may issue a margin call that requires you to add funds immediately. That means you need money available above and beyond any positions you hold. The initial overnight margin requirement will be set by the exchange and it doesn’t vary by broker. But futures contracts are often bought and sold within the same day, and some brokers offer a reduced margin requirement for day trades generally a percentage of the initial margin requirement. If leverage is important to you, Generic Trade and MB TradingTradeKing both offer 25% day-trade margins and some of the lowest minimum-balance requirements available for a futures trading account. Generic Trade also offers an Enhanced Intraday Margin System on request this is available during limited trading hours for seasoned traders who maintain a $1,000 balance and may reduce the margin requirement even further. (Lightspeed, mentioned above, also offers 25% margin, albeit with a higher account minimum.) The best futures brokers for trader support. These brokers offer phone support around the clock when futures markets are open, in addition to online educational resources. See our TD Ameritrade review. Commission: $2.25 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% with $15,000 minimum Account minimum: $1,500 Futures products: 60+ Trader support: 247 phone support.

See our Charles Schwab review. Commission: $3.50 per contract, per side + exchange and NFA fees Day-trade margin: 25% to 50% depending on contract Account minimum: Set on a case-by-case basis Futures products: 75+ Trader support: 24-hour phone support from Sunday 5:30 p. m. to Friday 5:00 p. m. Eastern Promotion: $100 cash bonus with a qualifying deposit. We’re assuming you’re an experienced trader if you’re not, click away because futures trading is not where you get your start. But even experienced traders need assistance: It can take time to adjust to a new trading platform, and many of the best ones are so advanced that even the most-active traders could use a road map. You also may want to call and speak to a trading desk, or place broker-assisted trades occasionally — either to transact when you’re away from your computer or discuss a method with a like-minded person. All of that means you may want a futures brokerage that has expert traders available during futures hours, which are different from standard trading hours: Look for 24-hour service from Sunday afternoon through Friday evening. Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade both excel in their trader support, with around-the-clock qualified brokers and lots of online education. The trade-off: You’ll pay more in commissions at both brokers, but data and trading platforms are free. Best brokers for trading futures and commodities: summary. Low day-trading margin. Low day-trading margin. Dayana Yochim and Arielle O’Shea are staff writers at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: dyochim@nerdwallet. com and aoshea@nerdwallet.

com. Twitter: @DayanaYochim and @arioshea. The Best Online Brokers for Stock Trading. Power Trader? See the Best Online Trading Platforms. Find the Best Online Brokers. New Investor? See the Best Brokers for Beginners. Disclaimer: NerdWallet has entered into referral and advertising arrangements with certain broker-dealers under which we receive compensation (in the form of flat fees per qualifying action) when you click on links to our partner broker-dealers andor submit an application or get approved for a brokerage account. At times, we may receive incentives (such as an increase in the flat fee) depending on how many users click on links to the broker-dealer and complete a qualifying action. Best Futures Contracts for Day Trading. Based on a number of criteria, here's where to focus your efforts.

Futures are an attractive market for day traders. To day trade stocks you need at least $25,000, but to day trade futures you can start with as little as $1,000. although starting with at least $3,500 is recommended. Another allure of futures trading is that big returns (and losses) are possible, since you only need a small amount of capital to control positions which can produce big profitslosses in seconds. The amount of capital you require to day trade will depend on the futures contract you trade. Futures contracts have different "day trading margin" requirements, meaning you need to have varying amounts of money in your account to trade various contracts. If you have a small account, you're limited to futures contracts which have low day trading margins. If you have a large account then you have more flexibility in what to day trade, and the guide below will help you decide. How to Pick a Futures Contract to Day Trade. In order to find the right day trading futures contract for you, consider volume, margins and movement. In terms of volume, day trade contracts that typically trade more than 300,000 contracts in a day.

This assures you can buy and sell at the levels you want and that there will be another trader there to sellbuy from you. According to the CME Leading Products Q4 2015 report, the following are the most heavily traded futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Eurodollar (GE) - 2,040,239 average daily volume E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - 1,690921 average daily volume 10-Year Treasury Note - 1,121,290 average daily volume Crude Oil WTI (CL) - 807,687 average daily volume. Based on volume, these are the top picks. Traders then need to look at margins and movement to determine which suits their finances and trading style. Day trading margins vary by broker. To provide an idea though, NinjaTrader brokerage offers the following day trading margins on these contracts. Eurodollar (GE) - $500 day trading margin per contract E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - $500 day trading margin per contract 10-Year Treasury Note (ZN) - $500 day trading margin per contract Crude Oil WTI (CL) - $1000 day trading margin per contract. Based on this, Crude Oil has higher margins than the other contracts. Therefore, it follows you need a larger account to trade it. Oil is also quite volatile. Therefore, price movement must also be considered. To establish movement, two things must be considered: point value, and how many points the futures contract typically moves in a day. The follow list provides the contract, the point value and daily average movement in points. Eurodollar (GE) - 1 Point = $2,500.

0.02 point average daily range. E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - 1 Point = $50. 36 point average daily range. 10-Year Treasury Note (ZN) - 1 Point = $1000. 0.74 point average daily range. Crude Oil WTI (CL) - 1 Point = $1000. 2.1 point average daily range. The above volatility is based on Average True Range (14) as of February 25, 2016. The daily range will fluctuate, with some days and weeks seeing higher volatility, and other days and weeks seeing lower volatility. But this provides a good estimate for comparison of volatility between futures contracts. Deciding Based On These Factors. E-Mini S&P 500 futures (ES) are an excellent middle ground and a good place for day traders to start. Margins are low at $500, and volume is also slightly higher than crude oil.

Holding a single contract through a typical trading day could see your profitloss take a $1,800 swing (36 points x $50point). Not that you should buy-and-hold a contract all day this is just an example to highlight volatility. New traders will typically find the E-Mini S&P 500 futures produce enough action to create consistent income, and they can start trading this contracts with $3,500 or more in their trading account. Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. Ready to start building wealth? Sign up today to learn how to save for an early retirement, tackle your debt, and grow your net worth. Crude oil (CL) provides decent volume, but it also requires the most margin and is the most volatile. If you held one contract during an average day your profitloss could swing $2100 (2.1 points x $1000point). This makes it an exciting market choice, but isn't recommended for new traders or traders with small accounts (under $5,000). Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. 10-Year Treasury Note futures (ZN) are another option for day traders. Volume is decent, but not has high as the S&P 500 futures. The 10-year is also less volatile in terms dollars at risk per contract.

For example, if you held a 10-year contract through a typical trading session, you could see your profitloss fluctuate up to $740 (0.74 points x $1000point). Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. Eurodollar futures (GE) can be ruled out as a day trading choice, unless you like very slow movement. During a typical trading session the price may only move once or twice, resulting in few opportunities for profit. This is a popular market for long-term traders and institutions, not day traders. View a 1-minute chart of this futures contract and you will see that it doesn't move much, thus not favoring day trades. Final Word on Best Futures Contract for Day Trading. Based on volume, margins and movement you now have a few choices to consider. If you are starting out, trade the E-Mini S&P 500, or the 10-Year Treasury note. Both produce lots of movement and volume each day, as well as low day trading margins. As you progress you may also consider Crude Oil futures. It has slightly lower volume than the prior two, is more volatile and has higher day trading margins. That means you should have a larger account to trade it. Eurodollar futures have high volume but are not a day trading market.

Now that you know where to look, pull up an intraday chart of each, and see which aligns with your strategies the best. Top 7 Best Futures Brokers for Futures Trading | 2017 Ranking | Best Futures Trading Platforms. 2017 RANKING & REVIEWS. TOP RANKING BEST FUTURES BROKERS. Intro &ndash 2017 Review of the Best Futures Brokers for Futures Trading. Identifying the top futures trading site or best futures broker can be a daunting undertaking, especially due to the wide-ranging landscape of the futures and commodity sectors. In addition, comparing the many different features offered by various futures brokers can add considerably to your challenge in finding the top futures broker that can best meet your needs. Essential Features to Look for When Searching for a Top Futures Broker. Some key features to consider when searching for the best futures broker to meet your futures trading needs include: Extremely fast trade execution An easy-to-use interface A transparent fee structure Low &ldquoper contract&rdquo commission fees 247 trading capabilities A highly advanced mobile app Cutting-edge technological platform Access to futures exchanges across the world. So, based on the wide-ranging spectrum of futures trading platforms and futures broker fees, how are you supposed to find time to conduct the detailed comparison research needed to identify the best futures brokers for futures trading?

Well, that&rsquos where AdvisoryHQ comes in. Award Emblem: Top 7 Best Futures Brokers for Futures Trading. AdvisoryHQ's List of the Top 7 Best Futures Brokers. List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that futures broker) Top 7 Best Futures Brokers | Brief Comparison & Ranking. Min. Deposit to Open Account. $1.50 per contract Futures fees & NFA fees apply. Simple fee structure: $0.59 commission for all trades. $10,000 for individual accounts, $5,000 for advisor and broker clients, $3,000 for age 25 and under. Fixed plan: $0.85 per contract Tiered plan: $0.25&ndash0.85 per contract, based on monthly trading volume. MB Trading (TradeKing) 1&ndash250 monthly contracts: $0.85 per contract 251&ndash2000: $0.65 per contract >2000: $0.45 per contract.

$3.50 fee per contract. $2.25 fee per contract. $1.20 fee per side (bundled). For unbundled fees, please see monthly rates below: Table: Top 7 Best Futures Brokers | Above list is sorted alphabetically. Although some futures trading firms might require $0 to open an account, they&rsquore still required to follow the requirements stipulated by most futures trading exchanges where futures are traded. As such, although you might see a $0 account opening requirement, note that you&rsquoll need to deposit $2000 in a margin account before you can trade most products. In addition to the fees listed above, each futures trading firm also charges fees that need to be paid to the futures trading exchanges and also to the National Futures Association (NFA). The NFA is the self-regulatory organization for the U. S. derivatives industry, including on-exchange traded futures. NFA regulatory fees are assessed as having a current average of $0.01 per side. Click the link below for a sample list of the futures trading fees charged by the respective futures exchanges. Generating This Year&rsquos List of Best Futures Trading Platforms. How did AdvisoryHQ determine this year&rsquos list of the top futures trading brokers? In finalizing the list of top futures brokers and best futures trading platforms presented below, the AdvisoryHQ research team started out with a much larger list of over 56 trading platforms. The team reviewed TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Interactive Brokers, MB Trading, Lightspeed, optionsXpress, TradeStation, Generic Trade, TradeMonster, Advantage Futures, CannonTrading, AMP Futures Trading Supercenter, Daniels Trading, NinjaTrader, and other futures brokerages.

We applied rating scores based on various selection criteria, including: Trading commission Account fees Analytical tools Simulators Tradable markets Access to global futures exchanges Fast execution Popularity & consumer reviews Level of customer support Ease of use Promotions Selection of investment products Highly graphical charts Reporting. In the process, we narrowed the list down to the 7 best futures brokers presented in this review publication. For more information on our selection methodology, see the section below. AdvisoryHQ&rsquos Selection Methodology. What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists? Please click here &ldquoAdvisoryHQ&rsquos Ranking Methodologies&rdquo for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ&rsquos selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services. Detailed Review &ndash Top Ranking Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a detailed review of each stock broker on our list of best futures brokers. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these top futures brokers to score so high in our selection ranking. E*TRADE is proud of having conducted the first-ever electronic trade by an individual investor over 30 years ago, and they have been a leading futures trading firm ever since. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers.

Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank E*TRADE as one of the top futures trading brokers. The benefits of using E*TRADE, one of the best futures trading platforms, include: Trade more than 200 futures products Advanced trading tools Flat, low commissions Get professional insights & advice Easy-to-use trading tools Live order status from order placement through confirmation Experienced futures support team available for assistance Reduced margin requirements by 50% per futures contract $1.50 per contract, no matter how often you trade. Futures Trading Firm Process. E*TRADE is well-known as a top rated online stock trading platform. In addition to this high rating, it is also one of the top firms on our best futures brokers list. E*TRADE provides highly advanced futures trading tools that allow you to trade over 200 futures trading products. You are provided with a live order status from the order placement through confirmation. E*TRADE has a highly-experienced futures support team on standby for any questions or assistance you may need. The platform offers you the ability to directly access every major futures market in the world. Accessibility & Informational Tools. Access all of your accounts, positions, and streaming quotes on one page (stocks, options, futures, etc.). E*TRADE offers a 25% day trading margin for indexes, currencies, and treasuries. Customer service is available 247 (call, Internet chat or email).

As one of the top futures brokers, E*TRADE is dedicated to empowering investors to make smart financial decisions while using futures trading exchanges. On the firm&rsquos website, you can find top-quality educational content, including analytical and research tools. Generic Trade applies a &ldquosimplicity approach&rdquo to futures trading, which is a refreshing difference from the complex futures trading rate structure, based on volume or account size, which you would find with other futures brokers. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank Generic Trade as one of the top futures trading brokers. This online futures broker is a true deep discount futures firm, charging only 59¢ commission for all trades (futures or options on futures). Additionally, Generic Trade offers the lowest possible margins allowed by futures exchanges, and it offers aggressive day trading margins as well. Impressive Range of Features. Based on the factors listed below, Generic Trade is rated as one of the &ldquotop best&rdquo futures brokers of the year. Highly advanced trading platform Blazing-fast execution speed Top reliability & functionality Cutting-edge & innovative trading infrastructure High-level safeguards & security 24-hour support Highly transparent fee disclosure structure Instantaneous combined futures account information Free real-time charts Trade markets around the globe Low cost + advanced trading capabilities = great value ​ Interactive Brokers Review.

Interactive Brokers provides two simple low-cost plans (fixed and tiered plan pricing) for trading futures and futures options. The firm&rsquos advanced trading applications provide specialized futures, like trading tools and a US futures market scanner. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank Interactive Brokers as one of the top futures trading brokers. At Interactive Brokers, futures trading margins are based on risk-based algorithms. You can quickly gain market insight by using Interactive Brokers&rsquo futures arbitrage and interest rates tables. Using Interactive Brokers&rsquo futures platform, you can trade a wide range of futures products, including agriculture, currency, energy, equity index, fixed-income, metals, and volatility futures. With Interactive Brokers&rsquo platform, you can trade futures, futures options, and commodities across over 100 global financial markets. As an integrated tool, the platform enables you to trade futures and futures options in combination with stocks, ETFs, and options worldwide, all from a single screen. In 2015, MB Trading was acquired by TradeKing, extending the investment product services available to both sets of investors. Now offered by TradeKing, MB Trading offers first-class futures trading exchanges at low cost to investos, making it one of the top futures brokers in 2017. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers.

Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank MB Trading as one of the top futures trading brokers. Competitive Pricing Structure. As one of the top futures brokers, MB Trading offers a competitive pricing structure for those interested in future trading. Their pricing structure includes: Trade at least 2,001 contracts and pay $0.45 per contract plus exchange and other fees Trade 251&ndash2000 contracts a month and pay $0.65 per contract plus exchange and other fees Trade 1&ndash250 contracts a month and pay $0.85 per contract plus exchange and other fees. Connect directly to the CME, NYMEX, CBOT, and COMEX exchanges with MD Trading&rsquos MBTX proprietary order routing and get the best available prices and venues to execute futures orders. With the acquisition by TradeKing, MD Trading offers a wide variety of futures order types, including Stop Limit, Stop Market, Market+TTO, Stop+TTO, and more. Futures account types serviced by MD Trading include individual, trust, custodial accounts, foreign classification, and more. Owned by Charles Schwab, optionsXpress is one of this year&rsquos most highly rated top futures trading platforms. Year after year, optionsXpress has been considered a &ldquobest futures broker&rdquo by numerous review journals and publications . In 2017, the popular financial publication NerdWallet ranked optionsXpress as a top futures trading firm with 4.55 stars. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank optionsXpress as one of the top futures trading brokers. Effective Trading Platform. With optionsXpress, you can trade around the clock (247) and react to market-moving news and events day or night.

Using optionsXpress&rsquos desktop or mobile futures trading platform, you can execute your ideas anywhere, with access to exchanges and products across the globe. For investors who are new to futures trading–or who simply want to learn a little more about the process–optionsXpress provides valuable educational tools and resources. Investors can access free webinars, method papers, and newsletters. With advanced orders, you can automatically lock in gains or help protect against losses with contingent orderstrailing stops No broker assistance fees Advanced trading futures tools allow you to get fast and accurate electronic executions in some of the world&rsquos most liquid markets Choose from dozens of technical studies to create fully customizable streaming charts Power browser-based tools or advanced mobile trading tools Receive real-time Dow Jones news and daily research insights. With over 40 years of experience, TD Ameritrade has been a leader among the best futures trading platforms. With TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim trading platform, you get a completely integrated set of tools that allows you to trade futures, options, stocks, fixed assets, and a wide range of investing products. Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank TD Ameritrade as one of the top futures trading brokers. Competitive Pricing Structure. TD Ameritrade futures trading fees (futures & options on futures) are $2.25 per contract. Exchange and regulatory fees are added afterwards, with fees depending on exchange and product. This transparent pricing structure includes commission and regulatory fees, creating hassle-free future trading. Unlike other futures trading firms, TD Ameritrade does not charge subscription fees for studies and insights, including insights from futures trading experts such as John Carter and John Person.

Powerful Trading Platforms. With TD Ameritrade apps, like Mobile Trader, you can trade futures directly from your mobile device. Ranked as the #1 trading app in 2016, Mobile Trader is one of the best futures trading platforms available. You can also paper trade with TD Ameritrade&rsquos paperMoney, download customized charts, and get live market news from CNBC. TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim futures trading platform is a top performing derivatives trading platform designed for serious futures traders. Get 247 customer service support and free education seminars and resources (speak to a trading specialist anytime). TD Ameritrade offers pairs trading integration, access to live futures pit audio, free futures trading platform support, and interactive education, such as weekly webcasts, online courses, and live workshops. Over the years, TradeStation has won numerous awards and accolades from Investor&rsquos Business Daily , Barron&rsquos , and other top publications as well as the award of best futures trading broker. With TradeStation's future trading platform, you get direct access to every US futures exchange, as well as Eurex and NYSE Liffe London products. ( Update : We&rsquove received a few notifications in which users have complained that they were not able to trade on every futures market as promised by TradeStation.) Key Factors That Led to Our Ranking of This as One of the Best Futures Brokers. Below, please find a list of the features that enabled us to rank TradeStation as one of the top futures trading brokers.

Advanced Futures Trading Platform. TradeStation's futures trading platform provides more data, speed, and analytical power than even the most advanced futures traders&rsquo demands. With the advanced futures trading platform offered through TradeStation, traders have the ability to create, back-test, optimize, and fully customize their trading strategies. See below for additional features that allowed TradeStation to rank as one of this year&rsquos top performing futures brokers for trading futures. Automate your trading &ndash automate virtually any futures trading method with EasyLanguage Backtest strategies with decades of custom, continuous contract data Trade futures with one-click trading directly from charts, the matrix, and more Futures trading fees: $1.20 per side, per contract for futures options and futures contract Unbundled monthly contract futures fees: 25¢ to $1.20 per side, per contract (<300 contracts: $1.20, 301&ndash1000 contracts: $1.00, 1001&ndash10,000 contracts: $0.65, 10,001&ndash20,000 contracts: $0.45, >20,000 contracts: $0.25) Scan all futures markets in one window Get lightning-fast executions of your orders Advance platform comes with advanced trade opportunity scanning Exchanges include CBOT, CFE, CME, EUREX, EURONEXT LIFFE, ICE, KCBT, NYMEX COMEX, and NYSE LIFFE U. S. _. Conclusion: How Did We Select the Best Futures Brokers for Future Trading? When professional futures traders conduct research to find the best futures trading site to meet their needs, they normally consider the seven variables below to determine the futures trading platform or online futures broker that fits their trading and investing requirements the best. When conducting our research to perform a futures trading platform comparison and review, which are presented in this article, we integrated the seven factors below as part of our due diligence methodology. While our review of the top futures brokers provides valuable information for investors looking for top futures trading brokers and the best futures trading platforms, you may want to do your own research. Take a look at the chart below to see these seven factors to ensure that you can find the best futures trading platforms for your future trading investments. ​Although AdvisoryHQ's research and editorial team cannot recommend the best futures broker for you , we believe that the futures trading platform comparison reviews presented in this article will go a long way in helping you make your decision.

When searching for the best futures trading software, you&rsquoll need to consider the fee (commission) per contract. The commission will be charged &ldquoper side&rdquo (buyingselling the contract) and will vary according to which online futures trading platform you trade with and sometimes according to your account balance. You&rsquoll need to consider the total in fees when selecting a futures trading broker to meet your needs. The total in fees will include commission and NFA (National Futures Association) and exchange fees. Exchange fees vary according to what the contract is for and the party you are trading with. In addition to fees, you&rsquoll also want to select a top futures broker that provides advanced computational capabilities for fast execution. When markets go into rapid overdrive (i. e., a major surge or plunge based on breaking news), slow execution could result in tremendous losses. Analysis Tools and Trading Platform. Other factors you&rsquoll want to consider before selecting one of these best brokers for your futures trading needs is a broker that provides advanced research, analytics, and trading tools. Trading can be stressful enough. If you have questions or concerns that need answering, you want fast access to friendly and well-experienced support.

The trading firms on our top futures brokers list are all renowned for having quality customer service. Ease of use is another top factor for ranking a top futures trading platform. A platform won&rsquot be highly effective if it is too complicated or nonintuitive. As part of our futures brokers commission comparison, we focused on the best futures trading platforms that provided the most efficient user interfaces. Lastly, conducting futures trading platform reviews require an extensive review of intangible elements. Such elements include the legitimacy and reputation of the broker, promotions, and any awardsaccolades received. Reasonable efforts have been made to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ&rsquos Terms for details. Also review each firm&rsquos site for the most updated data, rates and info. Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be our affiliates. Click to view our advertiser disclosures. LATEST RELATED ARTICLES.

Top 6 Best Forex Brokers & Trading Sites | 2017 Ranking & Reviews | Best Forex Trading Platforms. Top 6 Best Online Stock Brokers (Ranking of the Top Discount Brokerage Firms) Top 6 Best Options Trading Platforms. Top 6 Best Online Trading Platforms | 2017 Ranking | Best Online Trading Sites & Top Trading Platforms. Top 5 Best Forex Brokers – UK | Ranking | Top UK Forex Broker Trading Platforms. Top 6 Best Discount Brokers | 2017 Ranking | Best Discount Brokerage Firms for Trading Accounts. Top 6 Best Futures Trading Brokers (2017 Trading Platform Reviews) Top 5 Best Penny Stock Brokers | 2017 Ranking | Best Penny Stock Trading Platforms for Penny Trading. Follow AdvisoryHQ On: Copyright © 2016-2017. AdvisoryHQ (All Rights Reserved) Best Futures Contracts for Day Trading. Based on a number of criteria, here's where to focus your efforts. Futures are an attractive market for day traders. To day trade stocks you need at least $25,000, but to day trade futures you can start with as little as $1,000. although starting with at least $3,500 is recommended.

Another allure of futures trading is that big returns (and losses) are possible, since you only need a small amount of capital to control positions which can produce big profitslosses in seconds. The amount of capital you require to day trade will depend on the futures contract you trade. Futures contracts have different "day trading margin" requirements, meaning you need to have varying amounts of money in your account to trade various contracts. If you have a small account, you're limited to futures contracts which have low day trading margins. If you have a large account then you have more flexibility in what to day trade, and the guide below will help you decide. How to Pick a Futures Contract to Day Trade. In order to find the right day trading futures contract for you, consider volume, margins and movement. In terms of volume, day trade contracts that typically trade more than 300,000 contracts in a day. This assures you can buy and sell at the levels you want and that there will be another trader there to sellbuy from you. According to the CME Leading Products Q4 2015 report, the following are the most heavily traded futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Eurodollar (GE) - 2,040,239 average daily volume E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - 1,690921 average daily volume 10-Year Treasury Note - 1,121,290 average daily volume Crude Oil WTI (CL) - 807,687 average daily volume.

Based on volume, these are the top picks. Traders then need to look at margins and movement to determine which suits their finances and trading style. Day trading margins vary by broker. To provide an idea though, NinjaTrader brokerage offers the following day trading margins on these contracts. Eurodollar (GE) - $500 day trading margin per contract E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - $500 day trading margin per contract 10-Year Treasury Note (ZN) - $500 day trading margin per contract Crude Oil WTI (CL) - $1000 day trading margin per contract. Based on this, Crude Oil has higher margins than the other contracts. Therefore, it follows you need a larger account to trade it. Oil is also quite volatile. Therefore, price movement must also be considered. To establish movement, two things must be considered: point value, and how many points the futures contract typically moves in a day. The follow list provides the contract, the point value and daily average movement in points.

Eurodollar (GE) - 1 Point = $2,500. 0.02 point average daily range. E-Mini S&P 500 (ES) - 1 Point = $50. 36 point average daily range. 10-Year Treasury Note (ZN) - 1 Point = $1000. 0.74 point average daily range. Crude Oil WTI (CL) - 1 Point = $1000. 2.1 point average daily range. The above volatility is based on Average True Range (14) as of February 25, 2016. The daily range will fluctuate, with some days and weeks seeing higher volatility, and other days and weeks seeing lower volatility. But this provides a good estimate for comparison of volatility between futures contracts. Deciding Based On These Factors. E-Mini S&P 500 futures (ES) are an excellent middle ground and a good place for day traders to start. Margins are low at $500, and volume is also slightly higher than crude oil.

Holding a single contract through a typical trading day could see your profitloss take a $1,800 swing (36 points x $50point). Not that you should buy-and-hold a contract all day this is just an example to highlight volatility. New traders will typically find the E-Mini S&P 500 futures produce enough action to create consistent income, and they can start trading this contracts with $3,500 or more in their trading account. Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. Ready to start building wealth? Sign up today to learn how to save for an early retirement, tackle your debt, and grow your net worth. Crude oil (CL) provides decent volume, but it also requires the most margin and is the most volatile. If you held one contract during an average day your profitloss could swing $2100 (2.1 points x $1000point). This makes it an exciting market choice, but isn't recommended for new traders or traders with small accounts (under $5,000). Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. 10-Year Treasury Note futures (ZN) are another option for day traders. Volume is decent, but not has high as the S&P 500 futures. The 10-year is also less volatile in terms dollars at risk per contract.

For example, if you held a 10-year contract through a typical trading session, you could see your profitloss fluctuate up to $740 (0.74 points x $1000point). Viewing a 1-minute chart will show there is lots of opportunity to get into and out of trades as the price fluctuates throughout the day. Eurodollar futures (GE) can be ruled out as a day trading choice, unless you like very slow movement. During a typical trading session the price may only move once or twice, resulting in few opportunities for profit. This is a popular market for long-term traders and institutions, not day traders. View a 1-minute chart of this futures contract and you will see that it doesn't move much, thus not favoring day trades. Final Word on Best Futures Contract for Day Trading. Based on volume, margins and movement you now have a few choices to consider. If you are starting out, trade the E-Mini S&P 500, or the 10-Year Treasury note. Both produce lots of movement and volume each day, as well as low day trading margins. As you progress you may also consider Crude Oil futures. It has slightly lower volume than the prior two, is more volatile and has higher day trading margins.

That means you should have a larger account to trade it. Eurodollar futures have high volume but are not a day trading market. Now that you know where to look, pull up an intraday chart of each, and see which aligns with your strategies the best.