TD Ameritrade Offers a Free Trading Platform Download Option For Investors

TD Ameritrade provides investors with a free trading platform download option that can be installed on any computer. This enables them to trade various financial assets such as stocks, ETFs and options.

TD Ameritrade also provides paper trading, which allows investors to experiment with strategies without risking real money. This is an ideal option for those unsure whether they want to open a real-money account yet.

Industryleading trading tools

For traders on the go, thinkorswim mobile is a great option; it provides many of the same tools found in its desktop counterpart. You can customize it with your preferred drawing and technical tools, create trade tickets, and backtest trading strategies without leaving home.

Thinkorswim's desktop and web versions provide streaming real-time data for over 400 technical studies, including automated pattern recognition that detects trends on charts as they unfold. Furthermore, the software includes advanced trading features like multi-leg options strategies and order routing.

Traders can utilize the stock screener to search stocks and ETFs based on multiple filters, then generate watch lists with pre-defined criteria that can be shared with colleagues. Furthermore, there's a mobile version of the app which offers additional filtering options such as price ranges, time periods, fundamentals like dividend yield and earnings.

Another useful feature is the Market Scanner, which can scan across time frames from one minute to a month. There are already several dozen scanners included, but you also have the option of designing your own.

This charting application is ideal for traders who need to analyze a range of markets, such as currencies and commodities. Plus, you can overlay price charts with custom technical indicators.

Lightspeed's flagship platform offers an intuitive live market scanner that lets users search stocks by over 100 criteria. Create as many scans as needed and store them for quick retrieval.

There are other tools available to help screen for trading opportunities. Market Gear, for instance, is a downloadable software program that connects via APIs with TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, ChoiceTrade and Ally Invest.

This program's stock screener is the most important feature, using both fundamental and technical criteria to identify potential investment opportunities in the market. It's also an effective tool for recognizing directional trends, and available across all platforms.

ESignal has long been a trusted name in technical analysis, and their latest offering, eSignal 12, is essential for any serious trader. This Windows-based software package offers technical analysis studies, customizable charting capabilities, backtesting of trading strategies and data from global exchanges - all at affordable prices of $56 per month for the Classic edition, $183 for Signature users and $378 for Elite subscribers.

$0 commissions on online stock, ETF and options trades

With many online brokers now offering commission-free stock, ETF and options trades, selecting the right one has never been simpler. But before you dive in to trading, it's essential to comprehend the potential hazards associated with investing in financial markets.

Options trades can be highly risky, particularly when using small amounts of capital. If you're wrong about the stock price, your option's value could plummet to zero - leaving you owing money that you simply cannot afford to lose.

TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim desktop trading platform is a comprehensive, customizable tool to help you master the options market. You can access it from any computer with internet access or even use its mobile app on your phone or tablet for even easier navigation.

The platform comes equipped with a range of trading tools, such as a probability analysis tool that helps you select stocks based on various variables. Furthermore, its integrated charting and alerting system keeps you abreast of market movements.

Additionally, the thinkorswim trading platform provides access to an impressive library of educational resources such as research from Credit Suisse and Morningstar. Furthermore, traders have the option to create custom studies and alerts using the thinkScript programming language.

However, for all its features and capabilities, this platform can be incredibly complex to use. It's full of layers of menus and hidden elements, making it difficult for new users to get acquainted with its user interface.

However, with the assistance of TD Ameritrade's professional support, you can use their platform to make profitable decisions that will keep you on track throughout the market cycle. Furthermore, their free market data subscriptions offer access to real-time news and trading reports from major exchanges.

TD Ameritrade is a brokerage and investment adviser registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as well as a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The firm requires a minimum deposit of $500,000 for both cash and securities, is FDIC-insured, and also offers supplement insurance plans from London insurers that protect customers against loss of their securities and cash.

Customizable trading experience

If you're searching for a customizable trading experience, thinkorswim can offer what you need. It offers various features tailored towards different types of traders and allows customization of your screen according to preferences - like setting a default account or sorting accounts alphabetically. Plus, thinkorswim provides charts and tools to analyze market movements as well as free Level 2 data so that you have all of the information needed to make informed decisions.

If your trades are based on fundamental analysis, a desktop client is ideal. Its range of widgets and customizable trading screens make it a pleasure to use. But if speedier, more macro-intensive trading experience is what you're after, other platforms may be more suitable.

It's worth noting that, while thinkorswim is an impressive trading platform, it can also be challenging to use. There are three layers of menus which may be hard to locate at times and even with a customized trading screen, it still requires far more clicks-per-action than many rival systems.

For mobile traders, the thinkorswim mobile app is an ideal option. It provides a range of tools for stock and option trading, and it works on both Android and iOS devices.

Investors with limited capital have plenty of choices, but it's essential to note that some of these apps only provide stocks and ETFs. If you're serious about investing in other asset classes, it is best to invest in a full-featured broker who provides more than just stocks and bonds.

24/7 customer support

Thinkorswim's award-winning desktop trading platform enables you to trade stocks, options, futures and forex from any internet connection. It includes an expansive suite of trading tools such as free Level 2 market data, fundamental and technical indicators, custom alerts and sentiment scores. Plus it provides access to live trading rooms, webinars and more educational resources - perfect for traders on-the-go!

TD Ameritrade's customer support team is available 24/7/365 through phone, email, live chat and social media. Plus, it operates 250 branches nationwide that offer in-person meetings with knowledgeable brokers who can answer questions and assist in making the right investment decisions.

Although the platform is tailored for advanced traders, even novices can benefit from its powerful charting tools. With more than 400 technical studies - the most in the industry - and each study customizable using thinkScript, an in-house coding language, users have plenty of options when it comes to investing in technical studies.

The thinkorswim desktop also features an array of cutting-edge news features, from CNBC US and Europe to industry conference calls and earnings projections. These tools are designed to give traders more insight into the markets so they can make better investing decisions. Plus, traders get free Level 2 market data which helps them assess stock liquidity and determine when it's a profitable time to trade.