Trading Platforms for Mac?

[jason_e 10]

Hey guys, I've been trading equities and options and am now looking to start trading e-mini futures. I was wondering if anyone can recommend a broker with software that runs on a mac and will also allow me a demo/papertrade account to learn with. Thanks

[jonbig04 10]

Hey guys, I've been trading equities and options and am now looking to start trading e-mini futures. I was wondering if anyone can recommend a broker with software that runs on a mac and will also allow me a demo/papertrade account to learn with. Thanks

 

I use ninja via parallels on my mac. It works for me, but I have to deal with windows and all its BS.

[jason_e 10]

I use ninja via parallels on my mac. It works for me, but I have to deal with windows and all its BS.

 

yea thats my last resort, I'd like to find something native though if there is

[Kiwi 16]

.

One thing you could consider if you really want to trade on a Mac is using Windows (Mac) 7 instead.

 

Personally I'll stick with XP for another 5 or 10 years. Virus proof and a nice clean trading platform (1.5 second boot time each morning and no superfluous frills).

.

[jason_e 10]

OK, I'm just going to virtualize XP and use ninjatrader

[jonbig04 10]

OK, I'm just going to virtualize XP and use ninjatrader

 

Not much choice really. I run windows on a separate monitor so I can do everything else in OSX.

[BrianNC 10]

You can also use Boot Camp and install Windows on a partition and just boot up into that for your trading.

[thariman 10]

I use IB for the brokers and TOS for the chart natively on my Mac. But I also run Multicharts w esignal datafeed on my Windows Laptop for backtesting stuff.

[MikeTradr 10]

yes. I used Investor/RT by LinnSoftwre, for many years. It is on mac osx and pc.

 

They are adding direct broker trading now. IB, Transact, and others I forgot.

 

It also has simulated trading. And many other features like playback etc...

 

trading from charts, trade lines for stop, target move line then order adjusts!

 

if need more info I be glad to try.

 

Mike

 

Investor/RT: The Trader's Ultimate Toolbox

[strtedat22 10]

Trash the mac and use a PC. You dont have to worry about software issues. Falcon trading computers have some bang for your buck desktops. I purchased my desktop from them 8 months ago and im very satisfied. FYI: i dont work for them.

 

strtedat22

[amartinod 10]

To trade on a Mac without Windows virtual machine (Parallels, VMWare, Bootcamp),

the only and best solution I know is Investor RT :

 

Investor/RT - Pricing Summary

 

but it's a monthly fee, and it's expensive....

[eurotrader 10]

I definitely wouldn't trash my Mac as strtedat22 recommends. Mac OSX beats the pants off Windows any day with none of Windows inherent problems. Unfortunately very very few of the brokers/charting software providers are bothered enough to provide software versions for the growing number of Mac users. The only exception, as mention by Tradr Mike, is IB and Investor RT by Linnsoft. Linnsoft is also in the process of adding additional brokers over the coming months. This is what I am currently using and I can say the IRT software for Mac us very good.

[WCMcKee87 10]

No dude Think or Swim is where its at!!! There very MAC compatible and its the sickest broker out there

[wmlweb 10]

Interactive Brokers works well. I have used them for over 5 years

[v101 10]

I have been usin g a multi monitor mac for over 2 years now, with great success. It works fine, no issue, no reboots, and the most stable trading machine I have had to date...

 

I have been running with VMWARE Fusion, and run a windows XP workstation.

 

I can have my charts on the screens, and then switch to a different workspace, and have other applications up, very nice, very tricked out.

 

My question to other traders that use MAC's are have you found it to function with running VMWARE with up to 8 monitors?

 

How does it run?

[WCMcKee87 10]

Not sure, I have a 13" aluminum Mac Pro and just got the 24" LED & its friggin nuts, between those 2 screens & spaces, thats all I'll need for a few years

[eurotrader 10]

You have been very fortunate v101. I am curious, what video cards do you have in your Mac and how old is it? I have a Mac Pro with 8gb of ram and dual Radeon X1900XT video cards which is around 21/2 years old now . I also run VMWare with Windows XP Pro. Unfortunately my experience has been less than satisfactory. I have 4 monitors and run the charting software on the Mac side on 3 with no problems. Unfortunately the performance on the remaining monitor running in Windows XP has been crap. After much research it appears that there is a driver issue with the Radeon X1900XT cards which basically aren't supported by either VMWare or Parallels. No drivers have been provided to correct the problem. None of this is a problem if you have Nvidea cards installed. I also have the exact same problem on my Mac Book Pro laptop which unfortunately also has a Radeon video card. If anyone has a solution to this I would certain be interested to hear.

[sevensa 10]

You have been very fortunate v101. I am curious, what video cards do you have in your Mac and how old is it? I have a Mac Pro with 8gb of ram and dual Radeon X1900XT video cards which is around 21/2 years old now . I also run VMWare with Windows XP Pro. Unfortunately my experience has been less than satisfactory. I have 4 monitors and run the charting software on the Mac side on 3 with no problems. Unfortunately the performance on the remaining monitor running in Windows XP has been crap. After much research it appears that there is a driver issue with the Radeon X1900XT cards which basically aren't supported by either VMWare or Parallels. No drivers have been provided to correct the problem. None of this is a problem if you have Nvidea cards installed. I also have the exact same problem on my Mac Book Pro laptop which unfortunately also has a Radeon video card. If anyone has a solution to this I would certain be interested to hear.

 

Can't you replace graphics cards on Macs? If the problem is with Radeon and they don't have a solution, but there are no issues with Nvidea, why don't you get a Nvidea card?

[eurotrader 10]

Hi Sevensa. Yep thought of that. Unfortunately upon researching this idea I found that I can not use the new Nvidea cards in a Mac Pro over 2 years old - bummer. So, that leaves me with a Mac which is sub-standard in running either VMWare or Parallels. So, I've decided to trade in the old MacPro for a new i7 iMac to everything with the exception of trading. For trading I have a built a new Windows PC, as much as I hate Windows!

[sunilrohira 10]

eurotrader -

I have a newer imac which doesn't have the Radeon graphics card, I have the one screen with the imac, and then have a 23" in addition, no issues, no problems, but running out of real - estate on my screens, Need additional room for charts, as I like to have various time frames and follow them. My mac-book pro is has NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, as well as a 9600GT with 512 MB of ram, and I can run 2 displays on this just fine, and trade from this as well. I have been running with a total of 4 screens, 2 with the iMAC, and 2 with the mac pro. But the setup is annoying me, as I have to keep switching computers, etc. etc.

 

I have heard of problems with running the Radeon cards, and unfortunately not sure what can be done about this.

 

I emailed VMWARE asking them if they have any reports, or performance docs showing a mac pro running with 8 monitors. I have been hearing a few guys running with thinkorswim for the mac, and one trader i know has a mac pro with 8 30" displays running, talk about a sweet setup, but very $$$ each 30" display is like 1800.00

 

Also ATI Radeon HD 5970, was released last month, and supports up to 6 monitors from one card!! They are looking to get it for the mac also, but not sure of the time line.

 

 

My thoughts at this point are to see what VMWARE says, as I like to run winblows this way... I mean windows.. and if they support this, I was going to pick up a newer/used mac-pro and load it up to support 8 monitors.

 

I will post the progress

[eurotrader 10]

Thanks Sunilrohira. Yes, unfortunately if you have a Mac Pro older than 2 years and made the mistake of kitting it out with the Radeon cards at the time you are basically stuck. Newer model Macs (younger than 24-18 months) seem not to have the video card driver issues which only seemed to affect the Radeon cards anyway. Interesting to note that there are no video card options on the latest iMacs; its either Radeon or Radeon. Since it will probably be a long time into the future before the software writers get off their butts and start writing Mac/Universal code for trading software, maybe having a dedicated PC for trading isn't so bad (as much as it sticks in my throat to say it). I've loaded Windows 7 onto this one so will be interesting to see if Microsoft has actually learned anything when it comes to OS stability, etc. The Macs are dedicated to everything else.

[charles1 10]

I would say to consider a windows machine. I personally use TOS on my Mac Powerbook for the whole shabang, but TOS is the only front end that I found to be Mac friendly. Windows has the upper hand when it comes to trading in terms of variety and flexibility. As for what OS I would stick to XP just for stability sake and ease of use. On a personal level I really like TOS, but I know there's more out there I'm just new to trading, but old school to technology. Hope that was helpful. Good luck.

[sunilrohira 10]

I dont own a Mac and the above post was from someone else under my name.

[mattz 10]

This platform should work on MAC for both the down-loadable version and the web version.

The name of the platform is QST (quick screen trading)

[es49 10]

Think or Swim for Mac. But waiting for Ninjatrader for Mac

 

http://www.thinkorswim.com

 

E.