Need Broker Recommendation

Requirements:

1) No more than $1000 minimum deposit (preferably $500 as I'm just starting out and want to test the waters before risking significant sums).

2) Trading platform has server-based Trailing Stops, so I don't have to have the platform client software running for a Trailing Stop to execute. (My PC is a notebook as I'm a Consultant that travels a lot.)

3) Associated OCO orders using Trailing Stops (per my other post, FXCM strangely does not let you do an Associated OCO order with a Trailing Stop and a Limit. So you have to manually take profit. (My timetable is weeks, I don't want to be worried if I don't look at my account for a day or two)

4) Weekly and monthly chart periods. (Oanda's goofy Java-based platform only goes as far as daily!)

5) Robust, easy to use platform. (I have MT4, but any brokerage using MT4 you can't have server-based trailing stops)

6) Notice I didn't say anything about small/fixed spreads, low slippage, etc. When you are on a weekly timeframe, I don't think those things are nearly as important than if you are a Scalper/Day Trader. (Correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's the ones I've tried:

FXCM - Love it. FXTrader platform is well designed, especially for beginners - problem no associated OCO orders with Trailing Stop! (They're 'working on it')

Oanda - Don't like their Java Platform. Not as intuitive as FXCM. Largest chart period is daily - no weekly or monthly! Leverage maximum is 1:50! Otherwise I've heard they are an excellent Broker (ECN not Bucket Shop too.)

FXSol - I haven't confirmed if their trailing stops are client or server triggered. In general I didn't like their software, not nearly as well designed as FXCM as the charting is a separate application from the trading - although the charting software is pretty good (but I plan on using MT4 if I'm unhappy with the platform's Charting capabilities).

I think I tried one or two others but can't remember them, yikes, should be keeping track of this, but they were not promising and I'd recognize them again if I saw them.

Just started demoing GFTForex Demo 360 Platform. Looks like they might fit the bill. Don't know their account limits/minimums yet though.

Any other suggestions is appreciated.

So far my experience with the GFTForex Demo account has been great. They're Dealbook 360 platform is the best I've tried so far, although the charting isn't as good as MT4, but what broker has a platform with charting better than MT4?

The fact they have a robust web platform for easy access from any connected PC anywhere, and a mobile platform are a big plus as I imagine as I first start out I'll want to trade a little more frequently (with less money) than I planned in order to speed up the learning curve so I may want to keep 'in-touch' with my positions more frequently using their web and/or mobile platform.

They're alerts work great - send to email and virtually instant SMS on my phone! One caveat, you can't associate alerts with execution of stop/limit orders. You have to set a price alert that corresponds with the price of the stop/limit order to get an alert to know when your order has been executed. You get price alerts even if the platform isn't loaded but you don't get indicator alerts which is not surprising. (And of course trailing stops are executed regardless of whether the platform is loaded or not - a big key for me.)

They're support is excellent. Instant chat response (no waiting) friendly and knowledgeable staff. Although as one other person noted somewhere I read, I can confirm they are a bit pushy on opening an account, but what broker isn't? You're tying up their staff using a demo account and they aren't making any money off you. But when they ask you 3 times in one chat session when you are going to make your deposit and how much it is going to be, it gets a little irritating. Then the phone rings 3 minutes later (didn't answer but it was a sales rep from GFT of course)

Here's the intersting thing. They have only two types of accounts.

Mini - Minimum $250 deposit, lot size is fixed at 100K and leverage is fixed at 1:400! That is really odd to offer a 100K lot size only on a mini account and force you to 1:400 leverage! Obviously they are trying to discourage people from using this type of account, or if you do, they are really stacking the deck in their favor of making money via spreads on 1:400 leverage and/or you easily blowing out your account!

Standard - Minimum $2500 deposit. Can set lots at various sizes from 10K to 100K. Can set leverage at 1:100, 1:200, 1:400.

So it makes more sense when starting out with these guys, as I see it, to deposit $2500, take leverage down to 1:100 and lot size to 10K and boom, you have a mini account just with surplus cash that you aren't going to use. And the account remains standard even if the balance is below 2500. They are obviously hoping you'll overtrade the account because the large $2500 balance will give you the illusion you have a lot to trade.

With the demo account, I had them set it to 1:100, 100K lots, and $5000 balance and I just divide everything by 10 to give me an idea what my performance would be opening an account with only $500, 1:100 and 10K lots.

Their spread on EUR/USD (if anyone is interested) is 2 pips - the standard big broker spread. USD/CAD is 5 pips! I assume that is the norm? I said I didn't care about spreads but 5 pips is a lot.

I think these guys are they way to go for me. Day-Traders/Scalpers may prefer someone else (an ECN instead of a bucket shop). If there was a broker that used an MT4 platform but had server based trailing stop triggers instead of client based, I'd go with them in a heartbeat.