The problem with TS at the moment is that it works with just two forex brokers, and neither are perfect.

It works with Gain Capital, but only Gain Capital demo accounts. Gain Capital allows API use for free, you see, so it's a good starting point. You can experiment for as long as you like until you find a system or systems which prove themselves to be profitable.

But for the reasons listed on the Gain Capital Quirks page, I have not made TS available for use in their live accounts. (One of their VPs got in contact with me a while ago and asked that I reconsider. No guarantees, but I might take another look sometime next year).

So once you've found your profitable trading systems, the only choice TS gives you at the moment is to use Oanda. And Oanda's API fee is really big. Really, very big. $600 to get your hands on it, and then $600 per month after that (discounted for usage though).

It's fairly prohibitive for people just starting out.

So TS connects to one free broker good for starting out, and one expensive broker which is fine if you have some money behind you. What TS really needs, is to connect to a broker or brokers who offer free API usage, and I would consider trustworthy and stable enough to let TS trade in their live accounts.

And I've said for a while now I am going to use Medved Quotetracker to connect to EFX Group, MB Trading, and Interactive Brokers. It's been in the Installation, Upgrading, Removal Guide for quite a few months.

What I'd like to tell you now is that I will have finished the connection to at least one of these brokers in very early 2008.

So, if you can hang back for a couple of months, perhaps test your system with Gain Capital until then, there should be no need to buy the Oanda API. Unless you really want to. That's your choice of course. For everyone else though, get excited about early next year.