What makes a good online forex trading platform? This is a crucial question to ask if you are interested in forex currency trading: without FX trading platforms that give you the information you need at the right moments, you will be at a disadvantage when it comes to earning a profit. While nothing can replace a good Forex currency trading strategy, the right software to allow you to buy and sell currencies, read the latest market news, and analyse market trends and graphs can make all the difference. Your online forex trading platform is essentially having a computerized broker to enter and exit trades for you.

So how can you identify good FX trading platforms? A competent online forex trading platform will let you view and print all of your transaction statements quickly and easily, no questions asked. Needless to say, your online forex trading platform is your connection to your forex currency trading account and the forex market itself.

There is a FX trading platform called MetaTrader which many brokers adopt and many traders use. Others traders tend use standalone online forex trading platforms. Because MetaTrader has become so widely used, many brokers offer both MetaTrader and another unrelated online forex trading platform in order to give their clients a choice. Which one will you choose?

Here are some pointers to help you decide which to use for your forex currency trading:

• Good FX trading platforms will have a separate charting app, as opposed to an inbuilt one. If your internet connection is slow, logging into your platform may take some time. However, if your platform has no charts, it’ll load much faster. Giving yourself this option can help you when you need to enter and exit a trade at a moment’s notice.

• Agood online forex trading platform allow you to enter and exit trades with a click of the mouse. Some platforms make you go through confirmations before sealing the deal: don’t waste your time with such unnecessary bells and whistles unless you’re fickle and impulsive! A one-click trade is crucial if you’re a scalping trader or like to take advantage of quick opportunities when the market spikes or when news breaks. It can also help you avoid re-quotes, which many traders find annoying: after you’ve made a profit, it can be difficult to open positions because your FX trading platform re-quotes but never completes your order.

• A good online forex trading platform will be sophisticated enough to accept complicated orders. This is a great feature if you are or plan to become an advanced forex currency trader. You can load a large number of conditions for a buy or sell, and then let the platform do the work as market conditions change.

• One of the most powerful tools a good FX trading platform can have is automation. Automation allows you to input an algorithm and indicators so that the platform can enter and exit trades for you when these conditions are met without you having to be at the computer to physically put the order through.

If you are looking for a good trading platform, ask yourself the above questions. If the online trading platform has most of these features then you are onto a winner.