TradeStation
Broker + platform. Stocks, futures, options. EasyLanguage for strategies.
Overview
TradeStation is a leading electronic trading platform founded in 1982 as Omega Research by brothers Ralph and Bill Cruz. Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, TradeStation has been a pioneer in strategy-based trading and is known for its powerful EasyLanguage programming environment that allows traders to create, backtest, and automate trading strategies.
TradeStation is regulated by the SEC and FINRA and is a member of SIPC. In 2011, the company was acquired by Monex Group, a Japanese financial services company. TradeStation offers trading in stocks, ETFs, options, futures, futures options, and cryptocurrency, catering primarily to active and algorithmic traders.
TradeStation stands out with its EasyLanguage strategy development platform, which has been an industry standard for decades. The platform provides institutional-grade charting, backtesting capabilities, and automated strategy execution — making it particularly attractive for systematic traders.
Key Features
- EasyLanguage: Proprietary programming language for strategy development and backtesting
- Strategy backtesting: Walk-forward optimization, Monte Carlo simulation, custom reports
- Automated trading: Deploy strategies for fully automated execution
- RadarScreen: Real-time market scanning with custom indicators across multiple symbols
- Matrix (DOM): Direct order entry with depth-of-market visualization
- OptionStation Pro: Options analysis with Greeks, probability, and strategy visualization
- TradeStation API: REST API and EasyLanguage for algo trading integration
- Commission-free stocks: $0 for US equity and ETF trades (TS Select plan)
Supported Markets
| Market Type | Details | |-------------|---------| | Stocks | US stocks on NYSE, NASDAQ | | ETFs | Commission-free ETF trading | | Options | US equity and index options | | Futures | CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, Eurex | | Futures Options | Options on futures contracts | | Crypto | BTC, ETH, LTC, and select tokens |
Fee Structure
| Type | Fee | |------|-----| | US Stocks (TS Select) | $0 commission | | US Stocks (TS Go) | $0 commission | | Options | $0.60 per contract | | Futures | $1.50 per contract per side | | Micro Futures | $0.50 per contract per side | | Account minimum (TS Select) | $2,000 | | Account minimum (TS Go) | $0 |
Platforms & Interfaces
- TradeStation Desktop: Full-featured platform with EasyLanguage, charting, backtesting
- TradeStation Mobile: iOS and Android trading apps
- TradeStation Web: Browser-based platform with core trading features
- TradeStation API: REST API for custom integrations and algo trading
Regulation
- SEC / FINRA (United States)
- SIPC member — up to $500,000 protection
- NFA member (futures)
- Owned by Monex Group (Japan)
Getting Started
- Open an account at tradestation.com — choose TS Select ($2,000 min) or TS Go ($0 min)
- Complete identity verification
- Fund via ACH, wire, or account transfer
- Download TradeStation Desktop or use web/mobile platform