| Account Application and Information |  |
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Application Programming Interfaces
IB offers several alternatives for connecting directly to our trading system, including:
- A proprietary Application Program Interface (API) which operates through the Trader Workstation and does not require additional technical overhead such as a dedicated FIX server.
- An industry standard FIX solution for customers who can support a FIX Computer-to-Computer Interface (CTCI) infrastructure.
Our APIs are available for DDE for Excel, Java, C++, and ActiveX. For traders with little or no programming experience, we recommend the DDE for Excel platform, as Excel offers a familiar and user-friendly interface and the DDE API is seamlessly integrated into the Excel application. To help you get started with the TWS APIs, we invite you to attend our live API for Beginners webinar.
Our CTCI connection supports FIX versions 4.1 and 4.2, with support for selected 4.3, 4.4 and custom IB tags. See the CTCI FIX tab for more information.
Both solutions can connect through the internet, extranet, or a dedicated line. Click the Interface Comparison and Connection Comparision links above for more details.
Program traders may build their own add-on applications in Excel, C++, Java, and Visual Basic with our proprietary Application Program Interface (API), which requires TWS to be running in the background. We encourage API users to test API components with the TWS Demo System before actually implementing any new API systems.
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Windows Beta
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MAC
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Unix
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| Software | Download
latest version Downgrade to previous version |
Download beta version | Download latest version | Download latest version |
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| Special Notes | Includes the C++ Socket, Java Socket, DDE, Active X APIs, and sample code for each. | Includes the C++ Socket, Java Socket, DDE, Active X APIs, and sample code for each. | Includes the Java Socket API and sample Java client. | Includes the Java Socket API and sample Java client. |
| Support | TWS Users Guide or IB Discussion Forum. | |||
As a reminder, the use of the API as a means of disseminating information, including market data or any other licensed or copyrighted information, to third parties or non-registered IB customers is strictly prohibited without prior written approval of Interactive Brokers.
The IBGateway client allows for FIX CTCI connections to IB over the Internet. It is a piece of software that acts as a bridge between your FIX engine and IB. The software can also be used in place of TWS to deliver market data, using the same protocols as the Trader Workstation APIs. In this scenario, you do not need to have TWS running to get API market data. IBGateway Software and the Users' Guide can be found by clicking the buttons at the bottom of the page. To find the Request Market Data API method click here.
Individuals and Non-Pro advisors that require CTCI integration should send a request to tac@interactivebrokers.com. Professional Advisors, Funds, Trading Groups, and Brokers requiring integration should contact their sales representative. Integration can take up to a week.
Once integration has been completed, please follow the steps in order to load the IB Gateway Software that will allow you to receive market data through our API in conjunction with your CTCI order management connection.
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| Features | TWS | API (Proprietary) | CTCI (FIX) |
| Description of Application | A java-based electronic trading platform written by IB, available through a browser or as a standalone product. | An application programming interface that allows you to write custom applications that link to TWS using Java, C++, VB w/Active X, or DDE (Excel). | Computer-to-computer interface that uses FIX protocol, which allows you to use IB's order routing network to facilitate your own trading application or front-end. |
| Level of programming expertise required | None | Intermediate to Expert | Expert |
| Supported Platforms | Windows, MAC, UNIX/Linux |
Windows - All APIs MAC, UNIX/Linux - Java API |
Windows, MAC, UNIX/Linux |
| Customer Access | Internet with secure login. | Internet with secure login through an active TWS session. |
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| Supported Order Types | More than 40 different order types. Please refer to the Order Types page on our web site for a full list of all supported order types. |
Most of the TWS-supported order types. |
Most of the TWS-supported order types plus:
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| Message limit per second | Depends on speed of manual entry | 50 | 150 |
| Method for placing orders | Manual | Proprietary API message | FIX message |
| Receive real-time portfolio update data | Yes | Yes | No |
| Receive real-time market data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sample test application available | N/A | Yes | No |
| Accessible from multiple IP addresses? | Yes | Yes |
Internet - Yes Extranet and Dedicated Line - No |
| Built-in event/error logging | Yes | Yes | No, must program your own logging. |
| Advisor allocations | Yes | Yes |
Orders may only be sent to one account
at a time.
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| Support |
Release Notes Users' Guide Customer Service Email: tac@interactivebrokers.com |
Software Release Notes API Users' Guide Email: api@interactivebrokers.com |
Individuals and Non-pro Advisors should send an email
to tac@interactivebrokers.com in
order to request CTCI integration. Pro Advisors, Institutions and Brokers should contact their sales representative for integration information. Integration can take up to one week. |
| Monthly Minimum Commissions | Internet: $10.00 ($3 for age 25 and under) Extranet and Dedicated Line: $500.00 |
Same as TWS | Internet:
$100.00 $500.00 one time setup fee. Extranet and Dedicated Line: $1,500.00 (line1) $1,000.00 (line2) |
Only one type of connection
may be utilized for each account (account types with multiple
accounts, such as advisors, may only have one connection type for
all accounts). Switches in connection type can take up to a week.
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Internet
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Extranet
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Dedicated Line
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| Description of Connection | Standard connection through public internet. | A T1 line routed to one of IB's extranet providers, Radianz or Savvis. They route directly to IB over a secure private line. | Client pays for a T1 line that connects directly to one of IB's Data Centers, which are located throughout the world. A dedicated lease line connects users directly into the IB system and facilitates a quicker and more secure connection than a regular Internet line. |
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Same as Internet | Same as Internet |
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| TWS | $10.00 ($3 for age 25 and under) | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| API | $10.00 ($3 for age 25 and under) | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| CTCI |
$100.00 |
$1,500.00 (line 1) $1,000 (line 2) |
$1,500.00 (line 1) $1,000.00 (line 2) |
Individuals and Non-pro advisors that require Extranet, Dedicated Line, or CTCI integration should send a request to tac@interactivebrokers.com. Pro Advisors, Institutions, and Brokers requiring integration should contact their sales representative. Integration can take up to a week.
The API Beginners series provides an introduction to the TWS APIs, and is written for programmers who are interested in learning about the functions and features of our API platforms. These publications do not teach programming languages, but are designed to guide the programmer through the basics of the TWS API sample applications.
For information on the TWS API platforms, see the API Release Notes, the API Users’ Guide, and register for our live API webinar.
The TWS Excel API for Beginners book explores the most user-friendly of the API-supported platform. It is written for non-programmers who have some trading knowledge and are comfortable with Microsoft Excel®. TWS Excel API for Beginners walks you step-by-step through downloading the API software and sample spreadsheet, connecting to TWS, accessing the task-specific Excel tabs, and programming some basic VBA macros to customize your application. VBA samples for the book are also available below.
The DDE for Excel API Quick Reference provides an overview of the DDE for Excel API.
| Excel API for Beginners |  |
| VBA samples for Chapter 22 |  |
| DDE for Excel API Quick Reference | |
Getting Started with the TWS Java API walks you through our Java API and the Java API sample application. In order to get the most out of this book, you should have some experience with the Java programming language.
The Java API Quick Reference provides an overview of the TWS Java API.
| Java API Quick Reference | |
| Getting Started with the TWS Java API | |
Send us your feedback on the API for Beginners guide(s)
Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Java, and all Java-related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
API Users' Guide
Use the online version of the Users’ Guide to take advantage of the index and other navigational features, and to print individual topics. Use the printable version to print multiple topics or the complete API Users’ Guide.
Click on a build number or topic in the table to access the associated Release Notes. Notes for the most recent build are listed first.
The modification below is in build 9.51 of the TWS API. Please note that all the enhancements for release 9.5 require server version 40 (TWS 884), and are valid for the Socket/ActiveX based APIs.
For clarification on any of the items listed, refer to the appropriate section in the Users Guide, or send us an email at Beta Support.
Two new requests and a new callback have been added to support receiving Reuters global fundamental market data. Please note that you must set up a subscription to Reuters Fundamentals through the Market Data section of Account Management before you can receive data.
New requests are: reqFundamentalData (int reqId, String reportType) and cancelFundamentalData(int reqId).
The new callback is fundamentalData(int reqId, String data).
You can receive data via three reports: Estimates (estimates), Financial Statements (finstat) and Summary (snapshot). Reports are sent via XML.
You can also request fundamental ratios using the new tickType FUNDAMENTAL_RATIOS (Tick Value 47). Ratios will be sent as a form of TAG=VALUE;TAG2=VALUE2 ...." string using the tickGeneric() callback. TAGs include:
| Tag | Description |
| NPRICE | Closing Price This is the close price for the issue from the day it last traded. It is also referred to as the Current Price. Note that some issues may not trade every day, and therefore it is possible for this price to come from a date prior to the last business day. |
| Three_Year_TTM_Growth | 3 year trailing twelve months growth. |
| TTM_over_TTM | Trailing twelve months over trailing twelve months. |
| NHIG | High Price This price is the highest Price the stock traded at in the last 12 months. This could be an intra-day high. |
| NLOW | Low Price This price is the lowest Price the stock traded at in the last 12 months. This could be an intra-day low. |
| PDATE | Pricing date The Pricing Date is the date at which the issue was last priced. |
| VOL10DAVG | Volume This is the daily average of the cumulative trading volume for the last ten days. |
| MKTCAP | Market capitalization This value is calculated by multiplying the current Price by the current number of Shares Outstanding. |
| TTMEPSXCLX | EPS excluding extraordinary items This is the Adjusted Income Available to Common Stockholders for the trailing twelve months divided by the trailing twelve month Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding. |
| AEPSNORM | EPS Normalized This is the Normalized Income Available to Common Stockholders for the most recent annual period divided by the same period's Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding. |
| TTMREVPS | Revenue/share This value is the trailing twelve month Total Revenue divided by the Average Diluted Shares Outstanding for the trailing twelve months. NOTE: Most banks and insurance companies do not report revenues when they announce their preliminary quarterly financial results in the press. When this happens, the trailing twelve month values will not be available (NA). |
| QBVPS | Book value (Common Equity) per share This is defined as the Common Shareholder's Equity divided by the Shares Outstanding at the end of the most recent interim period. Book Value is the Total Shareholder's Equity minus Preferred Stock and Redeemable Preferred Stock. |
| QTANBVPS | Book value (tangible) per share This is the interim Tangible Book Value divided by the Shares Outstanding at the end of the most recent interim period. Tangible Book Value is the Book Value minus Goodwill and Intangible Assets for the same period. |
| QCSHPS | Cash per share This is the Total Cash plus Short Term Investments divided by the Shares Outstanding at the end of the most recent interim period. NOTE: This does NOT include cash equivalents that may be reported under long term assets. |
| TTMCFSHR | Cash Flow per share This value is the trailing twelve month Cash Flow divided by the trailing twelve month Average Shares Outstanding. Cash Flow is defined as the sum of Income After Taxes minus Preferred Dividends and General Partner Distributions plus Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization. |
| TTMDIVSHR | Dividends per share This is the sum of the Cash Dividends per share paid to common stockholders during the last trailing twelve month period. |
| IAD | Dividend rate This value is the total of the expected dividend payments over the next twelve months. It is generally the most recent cash dividend paid or declared multiplied by the dividend payment frequency, plus any recurring extra dividends. |
| PEEXCLXOR | P/E excluding extraordinary items This ratio is calculated by dividing the current Price by the sum of the Diluted Earnings Per Share from continuing operations BEFORE Extraordinary Items and Accounting Changes over the last four interim periods. |
| APENORM | P/E Normalized This is the Current Price divided by the latest annual Normalized Earnings Per Share value. |
| TMPR2REV | Price to sales This is the current Price divided by the Sales Per Share for the trailing twelve months. If there is a preliminary earnings announcement for an interim period that has recently ended, the revenue (sales) values from this announcement will be used in calculating the trailing twelve month revenue per share. NOTE: Most Banks and Finance companies do not report revenues when they announce their preliminary interim financial results in the press. When this happens, the trailing twelve month values will not be available (NA) until the complete interim filing is released. |
| PR2TANBK | Price to Tangible Book This is the Current Price divided by the latest annual Tangible Book Value Per Share. Tangible Book Value Per Share is defined as Book Value minus Goodwill and Intangible Assets divided by the Shares Outstanding at the end of the fiscal period. |
| TTMPRCFPS | Price to Cash Flow per share This is the current Price divided by Cash Flow Per Share for the trailing twelve months. Cash Flow is defined as Income After Taxes minus Preferred Dividends and General Partner Distributions plus Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization. |
| PRICE2BK | Price to Book This is the Current Price divided by the latest interim period Book Value Per Share. |
| QCURRATIO | Current ratio This is the ratio of Total Current Assets for the most recent interim period divided by Total Current Liabilities for the same period. NOTE: This item is Not Available (NA) for Banks, Insurance companies and other companies that do not distinguish between current and long term assets and liabilities. |
| QQUICKRATI | Quick ratio Also known as the Acid Test Ratio, this ratio is defined as Cash plus Short Term Investments plus Accounts Receivable for the most recent interim period divided by the Total Current Liabilities for the same period. NOTE: This item is Not Available (NA) for Banks, Insurance companies and other companies that do not distinguish between current and long term assets and liabilities. |
| QLTD2EQ | LT debt/equity This ratio is the Total Long Term Debt for the most recent interim period divided by Total Shareholder Equity for the same period. |
| QTOTD2EQ | Total debt/total equity This ratio is Total Debt for the most recent interim period divided by Total Shareholder Equity for the same period. NOTE: This is Not Meaningful (NM) for banks. |
| TTMPAYRAT | Payout ratio This ratio is the percentage of the Primary/Basic Earnings Per Share Excluding Extraordinary Items paid to common stockholders in the form of cash dividends during the trailing twelve months. |
| TTMREV | Revenue This is the sum of all revenue (sales) reported for all operating divisions for the most recent TTM period. NOTE: Most banks and Insurance companies do not report revenues when they announce their preliminary quarterly financial results in the press. When this happens, the quarterly value will not be available (NA). |
| TTMEBITD | EBITD Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) is EBIT for the trailing twelve months plus the same period's Depreciation and Amortization expenses (from the Statement of Cash Flows). NOTE: This item is only available for Industrial and Utility companies. |
| TTMEBT | Earnings before taxes Also known as Pretax Income and Earnings Before Taxes, this is Total Revenue for the most recent TTM period minus Total Expenses plus Non-operating Income (Expenses) for the same period. |
| TTMNIAC | Net Income available to common This is the trailing twelve month dollar amount accruing to common shareholders for dividends and retained earnings. Income Available to Common Shareholders is calculated as trailing twelve month Income After Taxes plus Minority Interest and Equity in Affiliates plus Preferred Dividends, General Partner Distributions and US GAAP Adjustments. NOTE: Any adjustment that is negative (ie. Preferred Stock Dividends) would be subtracted from Income After Taxes. |
| AEBTNORM | Earnings before taxes Normalized This is the Income Before Tax number excluding the impact of all unusual/one-time/special charges items for the most recent annual period. |
| ANIACNORM | Net Income Available to Common, Normalized This is the annual dollar amount accruing to common shareholders for dividends and retained earnings excluding the impact of all unusual/one-time/special charges items. |
| TTMGROSMGN | Gross Margin This value measures the percent of revenue left after paying all direct production expenses. It is calculated as the trailing 12 months Total Revenue minus the trailing 12 months Cost of Goods Sold divided by the trailing 12 months Total Revenue and multiplied by 100. NOTE: This item is only available for Industrial and Utility companies. |
| TTMNPMGN | Net Profit Margin % Also known as Return on Sales, this value is the Income After Taxes for the trailing twelve months divided by Total Revenue for the same period and is expressed as a percentage. NOTE: Most Banks and Finance companies do not report revenues when they announce their preliminary quarterly financial results in the press. When this happens, the trailing twelve month value will not be available (NA). |
| TTMOPMGN | Operating margin This value measures the percent of revenues remaining after paying all operating expenses. It is calculated as the trailing 12 months Operating Income divided by the trailing 12 months Total Revenue, multiplied by 100. Operating Income is defined as Total Revenue minus Total Operating Expenses. |
| APTMGNPCT | Pretax margin This value represents Income Before Taxes for the most recent fiscal year expressed as a percent of Total Revenue for the most recent fiscal year. |
| TTMROAPCT | Return on average assets This value is the Income After Taxes for the trailing twelve months divided by the Average Total Assets,expressed as a percentage. Average Total Assets is calculated by adding the Total Assets for the 5 most recent quarters and dividing by 5. |
| TTMROEPCT | Return on average equity This value is the Income Available to Common Stockholders for the trailing twelve months divided by the Average Common Equity and is expressed as a percentage. Average Common Equity is calculated by adding the Common Equity for the 5 most recent quarters and dividing by 5. |
| TTMROIPCT | Return on investment This value is the trailing twelve month Income After Taxes divided by the average Total Long Term Debt, Other Long Term Liabilities and Shareholders Equity, expressed as a percentage. |
| REVCHNGYR | Revenue Change % This value is calculated as the most recent interim period Sales minus the Sales for the same interim period 1 year ago divided by the Sales for the same interim period one year ago, multiplied by 100. |
| TTMREVCHG | Revenue Change % This is the percent change in the trailing twelve month Sales as compared to the same trailing twelve month period one year ago. It is calculated as the trailing twelve month Sales minus the trailing twelve month Sales one year ago divided by the trailing twelve month Sales one year ago, multiplied by 100. |
| REVTRENDGR | Revenue growth rate The Five Year Revenue Growth Rate is the annual compounded growth rate of Revenues over the last 5 years. |
| EPSCHNGYR | EPS Change % This value is calculated as the most recent interim period EPS minus the EPS for the same interim period 1 year ago divided by the EPS for the same interim period one year ago, multiplied by 100. NOTE: EPS must be positive for both periods. If either EPS value is negative, the result in Not Meaningful (NM). |
| TTMEPSCHG | EPS Change % This is the percent change in the trailing twelve month EPS as compared to the same trailing twelve month period one year ago. It is calculated as the trailing twelve month EPS minus the trailing twelve month EPS one year ago divided by the trailing twelve month EPS one year ago, multiplied by 100. NOTE: If either value has a negative value, the resulting value will be Not Meaningful (NM). |
| EPSTRENDGR | EPS growth rate This growth rate is the compound annual growth rate of Earnings Per Share Excluding Extraordinary Items and Discontinued Operations over the last 5 years. NOTE: If the value for either the most recent year or the oldest year is zero or negative, the growth rate cannot be calculated and a 'NA' (Not Available) code will be used. |
| DIVGRPCT | Growth rate % - dividend The Dividend Growth Rate is the compound annual growth rate in dividends per share. DIVGR% is calculated for 3 years whenever 4 years of dividends are available. |
You can now submit Delta-Neutral Combo Orders and RFQs, and request corresponding market data.
Such combos should be constructed as follows
a) OPT or FOP goes into the leg (e.g. comboLegs list contain 1 leg only)
b) Underlying (STK or FUT), delta and underlying price goes into newly
added "underComp" attribute of a Contract.
The cumQty and avgPrice fields were added to ExecutionDetails. They are reported for both regular trades as well as for combo trades and legs of the combo.
New parameter 'int: reqId' had been added to reqContractDetails() call and to contractDetails()/bondContractDetails() callbacks to allow matching responses with requests if several are "in fly".
Also, a new callback contractDetailsEnd(int: reqId) is called once all contract details for a given request are received. This, for example, helps to define the end of an option chain.
The "primaryExchange" and "multiplier" fields of the Contract object, which is passed into updatePortfolio() callback, are populated (if/when applicable).
The scaleNumComponent order attribute was removed, and the scaleComponentSize attribute was split in two: scaleInitLevelSize and scaleSubsLevelSize to match the way TWS defines Scale Orders.
The following issues have been addressed in API 9.51 release:
- The connect/disconnect logic for the Java API has been streamlined to prevent errors from being thrown when a disconnect is performed by request.
- Order prices were being truncated to only 6 significant digits when sent via the API. This has been fixed.
© 2001 Interactive Brokers LLC. All rights reserved. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun Logo and Java are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Excel is a trademark or registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.