I’ve been looking for good stock trading software lately and tried quite a few, and I found that these five each have their own strengths.

If you’re like me and enjoy viewing stocks on your computer, a large screen with clear data, it’s definitely more comfortable than on a phone when checking technical indicators. Plus, desktop software usually allows opening multiple windows at once, so you can watch Taiwan stocks, US stocks, and forex simultaneously—something a phone can’t do.

First, let’s talk about SanTzu Stock Market, which most Taiwanese investors should be familiar with. This software offers free access to Taiwan stock quotes, with 24 technical indicators and ten customizable charting modes. The downside is it doesn’t support order placement directly; you need to connect through one of three brokerages to trade, which is a bit inconvenient. However, for investors focused on Taiwan stocks, its stability and data accuracy are quite good.

I used Mitrade for a while; its interface is very simple and user-friendly for beginners. It mainly handles forex and CFD trading. If you want to trade US stocks, commodities, or cryptocurrencies, this platform covers a wide range. It also supports NTD deposits and withdrawals, which is convenient for Taiwanese users. The downside is that its leverage trading isn’t ideal for long-term holding.

Futu NiuNiu has become very popular in the Chinese-speaking world in recent years and is now listed on NASDAQ. The desktop interface is quite comprehensive: the left side shows price charts, the right side displays financial data, and the bottom provides options trading info. The options pricing calculator is especially helpful for options investors. However, deposit methods only support bank wire transfers and ACH; there’s no credit card option.

Interactive Brokers’ Trader Workstation is really powerful, allowing trading in over 120 markets worldwide. But because of its extensive features, the interface can look a bit complicated, and beginners might need some time to get familiar. If you’re an experienced trader or interested in high-frequency trading, this platform is very suitable.

Finally, TradingView’s charting capabilities are the best I’ve seen. It offers over 100 technical indicators and drawing tools, with a database covering Taiwan stocks, US stocks, forex, cryptocurrencies, and even Indian stocks. Its social features are also good—you can see analyses and discussions from other investors. The downside is it doesn’t support order placement directly; you need to connect to other brokerages.

Honestly, choosing which software depends on your trading habits. If you just want simple chart viewing, Mitrade or TradingView are good options. For comprehensive features and multi-market trading, Interactive Brokers or Futu are more suitable. For Taiwan stock investors, SanTzu’s stability and in-depth data definitely have an edge. I currently rotate among several platforms, using each for its strengths.