I've been with IB for about 15 years now and have all my RIA accounts under a single umbrella (pretty convenient but I don't have anything to compare it to because that's where I started). Customer service is horrible. They've been emailing one of my new clients for a week now about a missing trust cert and I finally called them yesterday only to find out it was actually received and still under review. Par for the course with them -  not good for newbies. And yes, the charting sucks. I do most of my charting and analysis with a TOS account and execute on IB.  Their API tools are good which I think is a pretty big edge for many these days who would prefer to customize their own platform. 

I have accounts on three platforms and they all have their pros and cons.  IB has great rates (esp for futures and options on futures) and easy execution of spreads and complex orders (once you get to know the platform) but mobile app is terrible as is their charting and risk analysis.  TOS is pretty user friendly, love their mobile app and charts, but futures commissions are high and every time its really busy they just happen to go down (like clockwork).  Tradestation is fantastic for programming and charts and is what matt uses for the systems but their trade execution and mobile app are horrendous.  Pus, you cant trade futures options and stock options in the same account and platform.  Hope this helps.

I use Interactive Brokers and I like it.  Execution is pretty good. Takes a little bit of practice initially.  But I use stockcharts for charting as IB's charting is not very good.

The I.B. platform could be used to make terrorists talk. Its that painful.