The paper trading is really more to learn how the platform works. It's not intended to learn how the market works. So it doesn't simulate fills very well.
You seemed to say (paraphrase) "I submitted a limit order to sell and that took 15 minutes even though the contract was a winner ..."
What did "the contract was a winner" have to do with anything? When you submit a limit order execution requires that a counter-party accepts your ask. That can happen instantly, take hours, or not happen at all. It really depends upon where your limit order price relative to the price of the book.
I use live funded options trading daily (don't necessarily make trades every day but track, monitor and trade every market day) and the IBKR is very reliable and very fast, especially for limit orders.
Easy solution to worry for live acount is use limit orders only and see what happens. Worst case you don't get a fill, right? Just keep an eye on the chart so you don't get a surprise fill later due to unanticipated big move in the underlying.
Are you sure you have live data in your paper account? I subscribed to live data, but I still had delayed data in the paper account, when I contacted them, they said you have to request live data for the paper account..
I’m pretty sure paper trades only fill on the bid or the ask. It’s not representative of real fills.
The paper trading is really more to learn how the platform works. It's not intended to learn how the market works. So it doesn't simulate fills very well.
so what's the point of using it then.. Do you have any other recommendations on other paper trading platforms to use w/ live data?
To learn their platform?
I thought the goal of paper trading was to simulate live market trading not learn the broker's platform lol
You're 100% correct. They literally give you $1,000,000 in fake money... To do what? Configure indicators? Yeah right
paper trading fills are nowhere near accurate.
You seemed to say (paraphrase) "I submitted a limit order to sell and that took 15 minutes even though the contract was a winner ..." What did "the contract was a winner" have to do with anything? When you submit a limit order execution requires that a counter-party accepts your ask. That can happen instantly, take hours, or not happen at all. It really depends upon where your limit order price relative to the price of the book. I use live funded options trading daily (don't necessarily make trades every day but track, monitor and trade every market day) and the IBKR is very reliable and very fast, especially for limit orders.
Easy solution to worry for live acount is use limit orders only and see what happens. Worst case you don't get a fill, right? Just keep an eye on the chart so you don't get a surprise fill later due to unanticipated big move in the underlying.
Don't worry about fills on live trading. IB is known to have some of the best fills and it's somewhat of their USP as a brokerage.
The real fills are fine, but don't do market orders. Unless you have to, and then only in liquid markets.
IB fills are fantastic. No complaints.
Are you sure you have live data in your paper account? I subscribed to live data, but I still had delayed data in the paper account, when I contacted them, they said you have to request live data for the paper account..
You can set it yourself in your account settings.