IB Gateway vs TWS for Third-Party Apps (NeonChainX)
Compare IB Gateway and Trader Workstation for connecting NeonChainX and other API apps—ports, headless use, and which to choose for IBKR options trading.
Published: May 16, 2026
NeonChainX connects to Interactive Brokers through the TWS API. You can run either Trader Workstation (TWS) or IB Gateway on your machine. Both work; the best choice depends on how you trade.
Quick comparison
| TWS | IB Gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| UI | Full trading workstation | Minimal—connection only |
| Best for | Traders who already use TWS charts | Headless / dedicated API machine |
| Paper port | 7497 | 4002 |
| Live port | 7496 | 4001 |
When to use TWS
- You want charts, order tickets, and NeonChainX side by side
- You are learning IBKR and prefer the full desktop
- You already run TWS all day for options
Enable API under File → Global Configuration → API → Settings (see Getting Started).
When to use IB Gateway
- You want a lighter process without the full TWS UI
- You run NeonChainX on a machine used mainly for execution
- You automate login and keep a stable API socket open
Gateway uses the same API settings as TWS; only default ports differ.
Connecting NeonChainX
- Start TWS or IB Gateway and log in (paper or live).
- Enable ActiveX and Socket Clients; disable Read-Only API.
- In NeonChainX Configuration, set host
127.0.0.1and the port for your setup. - See TWS API ports for the full port reference.