How to Get Better Fills on Your Trades
Getting better fills means reducing the gap between the price you want and the price you actually get. The key is using the right order types, trading at the right times, choosing liquid instruments, and optimizing your execution setup. Small improvements in fill quality compound into meaningful profit differences over hundreds of trades.
Use Limit Orders Strategically
Market orders guarantee execution but not price. Limit orders guarantee price but not execution. For entries, limit orders let you specify the maximum price you will pay (or minimum you will accept when selling). You might miss a few trades, but every fill will be at your price or better.
A practical approach: place your limit order a tick or two inside the current spread. On liquid instruments like ES futures, this often gets you filled quickly while still improving your average entry by a tick.
Trade During Peak Liquidity Hours
Liquidity directly impacts fill quality. More buyers and sellers mean tighter spreads and less slippage. For US equities and futures, peak liquidity runs from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM Eastern and again from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Forex traders see the best liquidity during the London-New York overlap (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM Eastern).
Avoid the first 30 seconds after the opening bell. Spreads are widest and slippage is highest during this chaotic period.
Optimize Your Platform and Connection
Execution speed matters, especially for scalping strategies. A few things that help: use a wired internet connection instead of Wi-Fi, choose a platform with direct market access, and consider a VPS located near the exchange data center if you are trading remotely.
Check your platform’s order routing settings. Some brokers offer “smart routing” that finds the best price across multiple venues. Others default to a single route that may not give you the best fill.
Read the Order Book
The DOM (Depth of Market) shows you pending orders at each price level. Before placing your order, glance at the DOM to see where liquidity sits. If there is a large resting order at your target entry price, your limit order has a better chance of filling. If the book is thin, consider adjusting your price to a level with more depth.
Understanding order flow gives you an edge that most beginners overlook. It takes practice, but reading the DOM is one of the best skills you can develop for better execution.
Key Takeaways
- Limit orders protect your fill price; use them for entries whenever possible
- Trade during peak liquidity hours for tighter spreads and less slippage
- A fast, direct connection to the exchange improves execution quality
- Read the DOM to identify price levels with strong liquidity
- Small fill improvements compound into significant gains over time
Frequently Asked Questions
How much difference does fill quality actually make? Even one tick per trade adds up. On ES futures at $12.50 per tick, improving by one tick on 5 trades per day saves over $15,000 per year. Fill quality is a serious edge.
Should I always use limit orders? Not for exits. When you need to get out of a losing trade, a market order or stop loss guarantees you exit. Missing an exit to save a tick is a bad trade-off. Use limits for entries, market orders for emergency exits.
Does my broker affect fill quality? Absolutely. Brokers differ in order routing, execution speed, and the liquidity providers they access. If you trade actively, compare execution reports between brokers. Check our platform reviews for more details.
Risk Disclaimer: Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. See our full risk disclaimer.