Put some time and money into a few books instead of software or advice. All the software you need is provided by a decent broker. Also try your trades using a paper account before using real money.

Spreads are mostly on options and limit both risk and reward. There are also options on futures, or you can create spreads in futures by buying one month or strike while selling another. Futures move very fast and are not for beginners. You can lose hundreds literally in 2 minutes. Reading is a whole lot less expensive.