AMP CQG vs Zen-Fire

[BobTN]

I am looking at CQG and Zen-Fire with AMP. It appears that the commissions are lower with CQG and I can get some index data so I am interested in using it if the performance is good.

How does CQG compare to Zen-Fire with NinjaTrader?

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hello Bob,

Thank you for your post.

I've seen good results with speed with both providers, but cannot recommend one over another. That said, we will leave this thread open for the comment of other NinjaTrader users.

[koganam]

I am looking at CQG and Zen-Fire with AMP. It appears that the commissions are lower with CQG and I can get some index data so I am interested in using it if the performance is good.

How does CQG compare to Zen-Fire with NinjaTrader?

If you search this forum, you will find many posts about connection problems with CQG, which, given their general reputation, is rather surprising. Unfortunately, every time that the problem starts, you will find the brokers trying to lay the problem on NinjaTrader, because they are just unwilling to accept that their vaunted CQG can ever have problems.

That having been said, I now use a CQG feed myself simply because I do not wish to pay ZenFire's multiple hidden fees (which accounts for their so much more expensive commissions). I even changed brokers just so that I could move to a CQG feed.

Apart from the lower fees, you also get much more. For example, I find it impossible to trade without the Market Internals, all of which I now get from my CGQ feed. I used to have TOS open for pretty much only that reason, as I only trade options on TOS, so would not need to keep the platform open if I did not need to see the Market Internals that ZenFire, and just about all other futures brokers, do not provide. In fact, when I called Velocity Futures to ask about the NYSE TICK, the one I spoke with claimed not to know what it even is!!! CQG provides the data that I needed to get form TOS before.

The one thing you need and must have in place is a BIG SHEET of paper posted over your desk with the number of your broker's trade desk, and multiple phones. (I have Magic Jack, a cell phone and a land line), so that you can get to the desk quickly once you lose your CQG feed, which happens too often. I cannot tell you how many times, it has saved my bacon, as I just dialed using all three, and responded to the first answerer to get me out instantly at market. No matter what, I refuse to trade blind.

Indeed just last Friday, I lost my CQG feed just before I managed to close my long position at the close of market. I called the trade desk to take me out, so that I would not be long over the weekend. Have you seen the market today? I would have lost my shirt, and maybe a little of the skin off my chest too. Whew!

[Radical]

If you search this forum, you will find many posts about connection problems with CQG, which, given their general reputation, is rather surprising. Unfortunately, every time that the problem starts, you will find the brokers trying to lay the problem on NinjaTrader, because they are just unwilling to accept that their vaunted CQG can ever have problems.

Maybe someone from NT can correct me on this if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the free CQG feed you get through certain IBs is not the same as the CQG feed you get if you pay for CQG's software.

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

Maybe someone from NT can correct me on this if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the free CQG feed you get through certain IBs is not the same as the CQG feed you get if you pay for CQG's software.

To clarify:

- NinjaTrader connects into the same global network that CQG Integrated Client Software connects into thus the real-time data feed is identical for both
- The historical data for CQG Software is of course delivered by CQG servers, for NinjaTrader CQG clients, it comes from NinjaTrader historical servers hosted in CQG data centers recorded from the real-time CQG feed

[Radical]

Thanks for clarifying, I didn't know the specifics.