liviu25

If trading futures, you have more choice: Dorman, IB, PFG, Zaner, Mirus, AMP, Optimus if you are trading systems, etc. If trading forex, stick to an ECN like IB which trades in the interbank market, with 16 banks. All the others - you trade against your broker and that could be a smart webpage designer, taking the other side of your trades, from his garage! Even FXCM, which is the biggest bucket shop (they trade AGAINST you), does not have a lot of volume. If you trade forex, it is probably because of volume. But you won't find much volume with a bucket shop. Only if you trade in the interbank market. Most "brokers" in forex are not interbank. Stocks and options: also IB (Interactive Brokers). Interactive brokers incidentally has some of the lowest costs too. However, no tick data with them. Only from 1 minute up.

If your setups work on paper, the only reason they would not work for real would be if you cannot execute the trades properly. Resolve to execute properly and go for it. On paper the strategy will make nothing for you. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. You have already done the hard part, getting a workable strategy. Now all you have to do is apply it.