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Compare Online Brokers 2024

Contents

Welcome to our online broker’s comparison page.

We make choosing the best online broker for your requirements fast and easy by offering detailed reviews of online brokers’ fees, spreads, platforms, regulations & safety, and a variety of tradable instruments. All brokers shown below are based on your location.

Time is money when online trading, so, we’ve spent many hours researching and reviewing many brokerages to provide you with the tools and information you need to make sure your online broker provides all the features necessary for success. In no time at all, below you can compare online brokers side-by-side in order to save time and money.

Online Brokers Available in United Kingdom for 2024

ActivTrades

4.9/5
Founded
2001
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, SCB & CSSF
Max. Leverage (PRO)
1:400
Headquarters
London, Luxembourg, Bahamas
Min. Deposit
$0
Average Execution
Under 0.004 sec
Platforms
ActivTrader, MT4, MT5
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (UK/EU) / 1:200
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.5 pips
GBP/USD Spread
From 0.8 pips
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.8 pips
Inactivity Fees
$10
Accounts
Demo, Pro, Standard, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, crypto, ETFs, Bonds
Free Demo Account
Open Account
83% of retail CFD accounts lose money

AvaTrade

4.8/5
Founded
2006 in Ireland
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
Central Bank Of Ireland, CySEC, FSC, ASIC, FSCA, FSA, and ADGM
Max. Leverage (PRO)
Headquarters
AVA Trade EU Ltd / Dublin (Ireland)
Min. Deposit
From $100
Average Execution
Fast
Platforms
MT4, MT5 ,Web Based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30(UK/EU/AU) / 1:400(FSC)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
0.5
GBP/USD Spread
1.2
EUR/USD Spread
1.5
Inactivity Fees
$50 per quarter
Accounts
Demo, Retail, Professional, and Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, Bonds, Indices, Commodities, Shares, Options and crypto(*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account
76% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Pepperstone

4.8/5
Founded
2010
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
ASIC, SCB, FCA, DFSA, CMA, CySEC
Max. Leverage (PRO)
1:500
Headquarters
Melbourne, Bahamas, London, Dubai, Cyprus
Min. Deposit
$0
Average Execution
under 0.03 sec
Platforms
MT4,MT5, Web based, desktop, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30(UK/EU/AU) / 1:200(SCB)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.10 pips
GBP/USD Spread
From 0.10 pips
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.10 pips
Inactivity Fees
$0
Accounts
Demo, Standard, Razor, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, crypto, ETFs
Free Demo Account
Open Account
Between 74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Trade Nation

4.7/5
Founded
2014
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, ASIC, FSA, FSCA and SCB
Max. Leverage (PRO)
N/A
Headquarters
London (UK)
Min. Deposit
$0
Average Execution
N/A
Platforms
MT4, Web based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (AU-UK) – 1:200 (SCB) – 1:500 (FSA)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.6
GBP/USD Spread
From 0.8
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.6
Inactivity Fees
No
Accounts
Demo, Standard, RAW, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs (indices, shares, commodities, bonds, futures, and crypto*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account
82.8% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Libertex

4.6/5
Founded
1997
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
CySEC
Max. Leverage (PRO)
1:600
Headquarters
Cyprus
Min. Deposit
€100
Average Execution
Fast
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Web Based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (UK/EU/AU)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
0.00000
GBP/USD Spread
0.00000
EUR/USD Spread
0.00005
Inactivity Fees
Yes
Accounts
Demo, Real, Invest
Instruments
Forex, and CFDs ( stocks, indices, ETFs, options, commodities, and crypto*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account
89.1% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Vantage

4.6/5
Founded
2009
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
ASIC, CIMA,FCA, and FSCA
Max. Leverage (PRO)
1:500 (UK-AU) / 1:1000
Headquarters
Australia
Min. Deposit
$50 (£200 UK)
Average Execution
Between 0.1 – 0.25 sec
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Web based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (UK-AU) / 1:1000
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.0
GBP/USD Spread
From 0.5
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.1
Inactivity Fees
No
Accounts
Demo, Standard STP, RAW ECN, Pro, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs (shares, commodities, indices, ETFs and crypto*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account
73.46% of retail CFD accounts lose money

HYCM

4.5/5
Founded
1998
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, CySEC, CIMA, DFSA
Max. Leverage (PRO)
N/A
Headquarters
Cyprus
Min. Deposit
$20
Average Execution
0.012 sec
Platforms
MT4, MT5
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (UK/EU) / 1:500
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
1.2
GBP/USD Spread
1.3
EUR/USD Spread
1.5
Inactivity Fees
Yes
Accounts
Demo, Fixed, Classic, Raw, and islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs (commodities, indices, stocks, crypto*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account
73% of retail CFD accounts lose money

eToro

4.4/5
Founded
2007
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, ASIC, CySEC and FSAS
Max. Leverage (PRO)
1:400
Headquarters
Israel
Min. Deposit
$50-$200
Average Execution
N/A
Platforms
Web based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (EU/AU/(UK)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 1 pip
GBP/USD Spread
From 2 pips
EUR/USD Spread
From 1.5 pips
Inactivity Fees
$10/month
Accounts
Demo, Retail, Professional, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs (stocks, commodities, indices, ETF, bonds) and crypto*
Free Demo Account
Open Account
81% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Forex.com

4.4/5
Founded
1999
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, CFTC-NFA, IIROC, CySEC, CIMA
Max. Leverage (PRO)
N/A
Headquarters
New Jersey (US)
Min. Deposit
$200
Average Execution
0.05 sec
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Web Based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (UK/EU/AU) / 1:50 ( US/International)
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
1.3
GBP/USD Spread
1.9
EUR/USD Spread
1.8
Inactivity Fees
Yes, $15/month
Accounts
Demo, MT4, Standard, Commission, STP Pro, DMA
Instruments
Forex, CFDs*(commodities, indices, shares, crypto*)
This broker is under review by our team
71.6% of retail CFD accounts lose money

XM Group

4.4/5
Founded
2009
Segregated Accounts
Yes
Regulation
FCA, CySEC, ASIC, DFSA and FSC
Max. Leverage (PRO)
N/A
Headquarters
Cyprus
Min. Deposit
$5
Average Execution
Less than 1 sec
Platforms
MT4, MT5, Web based, iOS and Android
Max. Leverage (Retail)*
1:30 (EU/AU/UK) – 1:1000
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.00016
GBP/USD Spread
From 0.00019
EUR/USD Spread
From 0.00018
Inactivity Fees
Yes
Accounts
Demo, Micro, Standard, Ultra Low, Islamic
Instruments
Forex, CFDs ( stocks, metals, energies, commodities, cryptocurrencies*)
Free Demo Account
Open Account

How do we do Research and Compare Brokers?

In the era of the Internet, it is easy to compare brokers based on the services and assistance they provide to each user. With this point, the BrokerTrending team conducts broker research and ranks based on the 9 following basic categories:

  1. Type of broker: We’ve classified in Forex, CFD, options, funds, and crypto platforms.
  2. Trust: Broker trust is an important factor to consider when choosing a broker. Our innovative Broker Confidence Score assigns each financial broker a score between 1 and 99 based on several criteria such as their legal regulations, the country of origin, the year they were founded, their balance protection policy and where deposits are held (e.g., banks). This helps you quickly identify reliable brokers that meet your individual needs.
  3. Platform & Tools: When it comes to trading, we make sure the brokers give you the best platforms and tools for success. We look for access to World leading Metatrader software, web options, and apps designed specifically with traders in mind on both iOS & Android devices; plus comprehensive charts that help analyze markets alongside free VPS services – so your trades perform optimally.
  4. Instruments: Our experienced team verifies all types of investments in the financial marketplace: from Forex to stocks, commodities and indices – not to mention metals, energies, shares and cryptocurrencies.
  5. Trading conditions: To evaluate the best brokerage, we delve into a comprehensive analysis of their commissions, spread types, maximum leverage and average execution speed. Furthermore, to ensure traders get optimal returns on their investments while exposed to minimal risks overnight interest rates are taken into consideration too.
  6. Accounts: When signing up with a broker, you’re presented with the daunting task of selecting an appropriate account type. From Demo to Islamic and everything in between – like Standard, Micro or RAW/PRO – With such varied choices available at your fingertips, it’s important to make sure you find one that best fits all of your trading needs.
  7. Deposit & Withdrawal: To open a trading account, we explore the minimum deposit required as well as all of the possible ways to fund it. At our comparison table, If you see a broker with “$0” as a minimum deposit, it does mean that the platform does not ask for any minimum initial deposit and this could be very suitable for beginners and novice traders.
  8. Education: Our team of experts delves deep into the broker’s educational arsenal to uncover all possible learning opportunities, from live webinars and market news to in-depth technical analysis tutorials and engaging video content.
  9. Promotions: To differentiate themselves from their competitors, some offer welcome bonuses to entice traders – adding extra funds into your trading account and providing free signals to give you the edge in today’s market.
  10. Support: The ideal broker understands that having quality customer service is just as important, if not more so, than competitive trading conditions. They prioritize their client’s needs and are always on hand to offer friendly help via live chat, phone or email.

If they cover these points, your trading pursuit is all but good to carry forward. However, not all brokers are suited for any type of trading. For this, let us look up to the next segment and read the points to consider while choosing an online broker.

How to Choose an Online Broker?

Irrespective of whatever the case may be, the main goal of investing in an online investment firm is to earn more. Therefore, your ultimate goal requires the brokerage firms to emphasize your investment goals and educate you under challenging segments. The standard investment brokers will frequently mail you the details of your account and explain different patterns with analytics to help you understand. Some agencies may also invite you to events where some of the top investors allow their input over investments as a whole. 

Investments in stocks, forex, and other similar financial agencies have no assured returns, with risk sitting at a paramount level. However, where there is a certain level of risk, the level of returns is also higher. With this said, here is a list of initial points you should keep on your checklist.

Trading is simple if you follow protocols and all the smaller avenues associated with the whole ordeal. Before you go any further, try questioning yourselves about the purpose or the goal. This can be both short-term equity trade (intraday trading) and even long-term (holding, forex, and mutual funds). 

If you are confident about what to trade, there are other important things to follow up on quickly. If you are not, then it is best to acquire the basic knowledge of what to and what not to trade. 

Irrespective of whatever your choices may be, it is best to familiarize yourself with different educational tools and crucial stuff that helps in better understanding. Almost all the major online trading platform offers workshops and online guides for traders, irrespective of experience levels. Now, the question of how much the staff is informative and offers you such services matters a lot. An online broker with an excellent service guarantee will commit themselves to educate you and keeping track to help you while trading. 

You might ask what an experienced trader needs when he or she can do things of their own. The answer is no one is a jack-of-all-trades in the sector, and even the most experienced ones may require high-level opinions. This is deduced using various ways and means.

If you have figured out your investment purposes, it becomes easier to compare trading brokers and the services that may be useful for you. Once these are resolved, question yourselves further with the,

  1. How much do you know about the subject and the types of trading?

Depending on the segments you are willing to invest in, ask yourselves about the range and opportunity. What are the security assurance of such investments, and if they provide fixed returns or not? These are the basic takeaways from the point.

  1. A timely Assistance guarantee from the trading platform is assured or not?

More often than not, you might face different issues, depending on your account and trading as a whole. You want your online broker to back your side and properly assist you.

  1. How active are you in committing to active trade? Or are you willing to be a passive investor?

Now comes the fun part, a large chunk of people take investments as a part-time measure and cannot commit to trading full-time. If you are deciding to invest on a full-time basis, there is a lot to look up, considering the finances and money going behind the segment are higher.

  1. Benefits of long-term trading and the type of earning you are focusing on.

Shares and mutual funds are subject to major risks. If you are looking at it as a long time goal, ensure to keep your savings funds safe. Once you are confident and stable, trading becomes easier and returns are on the higher side.

Online brokers, much like real-life brokers, do charge for a specific level of the transaction. Although this is extremely marginal, the segment is highly crucial for beginners. Investors should have an idea of the fees to pay on each segment with a deduction amount in the process. This will help newcomers with filtering out different online investment sites, who may charge more comparatively on segments. Here are the avenues to help you understand our brokerage comparison.

  1. Bank Account Fee: Generic investment trading is a lot different from regular savings bank accounts. It is exclusively designed for your investment needs and goals. Some online brokers may charge a basic fee for opening such accounts and thereby expect you to trade with that account. However, this opens up a few more questions alongside, such as,

a. What are the minimum deposit fees? 

This factor depends on different platforms, but on a generic count, 1000 USD is the minimum amount expected to retain for trading in Mutual Funds. The rate may differ for forex, equity, and other trading schemes.

b. What are the maintenance fees?

Like most banks, trading agencies charge annual fees depending on the account. Make sure to keep your points clear with this segment and on the monthly or yearly cycle. 

c. Charge for an advanced account

Unlike a generic trading account, there is an advance-trading platform, which has multiple advantages over a regular account. Therefore, the fees for maintaining or transaction charges are likely to be higher than the regular ones.

d. What are regular transaction charges?

Most online trading platforms charge a regular transaction fee on every single trade, right from regular equity to mutual funds. This depends on the amount traded, and the percentage slab depends on each of these slabs.

e. Interest rates for bigger investments

If we consider the overall charge in different e-trade accounts, most of the brokerage firms offer lesser interest rates for a higher amount.

2. Trading Fees: In this function, they will charge on how much you have invested all these while, say about a year and the amount you have traded. This determines the account upgrading for such users. Right from Mutual funds to Equities, each of these has a segment of trading deduction depending on quarters or half-yearly transactions.

a. Spreads (forex): When opening a position, it is important to consider spread costs. These are the fees incurred when buying or selling an asset and they manifest as price differences between buy/sell prices and current market values. An example of this can be seen with EURUSD where there exists a 3 pip spread – meaning that in order for one to break even on their trade they must make at least 1.5 pips profit.

b. Overnight Fees (forex): Trading with leverage can be a great way to amplify potential profits, but it also comes at a cost. For those keeping positions overnight, there is the additional fee of an ‘overnight funding’ or ‘swap’. This financial charge acts like daily interest and must be paid in order for traders to reap rewards from their leveraged investments.

5. Non-Trading Fees.

a: Inactivity fees: Trading in the markets can be an exciting and potentially profitable endeavour, but if you’re not actively trading there may be a price to pay. Online brokerages typically charge an inactivity fee after several months of no activity on your account – so make sure to check with them for details before taking any extended breaks from trading!

b. Maintenance fees: The cost of maintaining an investment account can often be a hidden hazard. Brokerages may employ certain thresholds to avoid incurring maintenance fees, such as minimum balance requirements that must be maintained throughout the year in order for clients to keep their accounts free from penalties.

Irrespective of trading accounts and services, the main game depends on the quality and usability of brokers’ trading platforms. Investors must look upon the segment as having easy usability and fast trading guarantee. Brokers are offering some of the best and most useful tools that play a big part in multiplying your money and even safeguarding them for a stipulated time. Most of these platforms, to date, have opened up their mobile apps. These are free to use and can be accessed by anyone. Signing up is easy, and full support from the firm comes with assurance. 

Some of the leading online brokers offer different tools to those with basic accounts versus the ones with pro-account. This is for obvious reasons, and there is nothing to sulk about as the valuation of such accounts is high, considering the money traded.

Checking with the real-time feature is an important part. Share markets run at every single pulse, and even a penny loss can make a huge difference. Check if the broker firm is up-to-date with the version and has a proper listing. 

More often than not, you are likely to consider the way of depositing and withdrawing funds added to the trading account. This point plays a big part if you are considering trading as a part of your income and transacting frequently. Despite if you be a harsh critic, you will still look to keep your financial trade points straight up. 

Look if the brokerage firm is offering the ways and means to include the payment gateway of your convenience. Although there is no fee for depositing charged by the agency, it is always wise to look up the payment terms and conditions for being 100% confident.

Look up the time taken by each of the methods to settle funds once a trade is complete. Some may take more time, while some do not. If you are fussy about the trade speed, this is important.

Ease of withdrawal is equally important. Points associated with looking forward include the settlement of funds charges acquired while trading, dividend, and interest. All these are crucial determining points while making sure there is no discrepancy.

Online brokerage firms are liable to be criticized in any aspect of the operation. Our Broker Confidence Score (BCS) is one of the most useful tools right now, which makes it easy to compare brokers and analyze the trust each one has. With our reviews, you can list out the pros and cons, brokerage charges, payment methods, account types, and even customer care segments.

All countries have a number of online brokerage firms that have to comply with different licenses. The respective government issues the license and the commission approves such a trading platform, based on various aspects. In short, if you do not find any such approval or license in your online brokerage firm, it is best to bunk that site for your safety.

Calling the customer care specialist with almost any issue is common with online brokerage firms. Look out for the number of customer service options alongside the time they are available for a conversation. The better ones have a round-a-clock service guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions about Online Brokers

What is a Broker?

Brokerages are the go-betweens for buyers and sellers, making deals happen with ease. They bring together people from all walks of life to come to beneficial agreements that benefit both parties involved. Broker firms serve as representatives who act on behalf of their customers in exchange for a commission – helping make sure each side gets what they need out of the deal!

What does a Broker do?

A brokerage helps you with all financial transactions about investment-related products and services.

How to open a trading account with an online broker?

Look out for this broker comparison page and compare the features and all the services offered by each brokerage. Based on your own research, choose a financial firm, and with all your original credentials, open a real or demo account with these sites alongside a separate trading account.

What are the three types of brokers?

There are 3 types of brokerage: Discount, online, and full-service brokerages.