Successful day trading requires a combination of quick decisions based on market analysis and disciplined financial management. This often means executing lots of trades in short periods of time. That can require a platform that can handle high volumes and a range of order types quickly. The best day trading platforms also offer powerful research tools, sophisticated charting and a wide range of educational resources.

Our top picks in this category combine the speed, power and functionality that day traders need with reasonable fees and a variety of other features that can be useful for this group of investors. These features may include a powerful desktop platform, paper trading simulator, strategy backtesting or automation capabilities. Some of our picks also offer a mobile app, good margin and leverage rates and short locate capability. Other key considerations for this group of investors might include the ability to access real-time Level 2 data for NASDAQ stocks, which is helpful for seeing how orders are being routed in the market.

Seize the Day: Exploring the Best Day Trading Platforms

Lightspeed Trading offers some of the fastest trades in the industry and provides a highly customizable platform that can be tailored to each investor’s specific needs. Their TSgo platform is free for US-based equities and OTCBB penny stocks, although options trades do have fees. The company offers a variety of tools for active day traders, including customizable hotkeys, window positioning and customization options. However, it’s important to remember that Lightspeed is not a program for beginners. This brokerage is geared toward frequent and professional day traders who need fast execution at reliable prices.