Product access
Provides access to instruments, contracts, prices, and transaction mechanisms within its license scope.
Broker knowledge centerUnderstand brokers.
Understand brokers.
Compare with data.
A broker is an intermediary for market access or a trading contract provider. Product structure, execution method, fees, and user protection can differ drastically — even when the interface looks similar.
Quick definitionWhat is a broker?
A company or party that facilitates a user's transactions in a given instrument. A broker's legality should be checked based on legal entity, jurisdiction, license, and the products offered — not just the brand name.
See how we scoreWhat brokers do
What does a broker actually do?
Account management
Handles account opening, identity verification, deposits, statements, and withdrawal processing.
Execution & pricing
Routes orders to the market, matches counterparties, or acts as counterparty depending on its business model.
Risk controls
Applies margin, position limits, balance protection, or expiry mechanisms depending on the product.
Types of services
The word “broker” doesn't always mean the same thing.
Identify the product and transaction model before comparing features.
Leveraged trading broker
Offers currency pairs or CFDs with spread, commission, margin, leverage, and potential overnight fees.
- Positions can stay open longer
- Profit/loss follows price movement
- Leverage risk needs to be checked
Fixed-payout contract platform
The outcome is determined by a directional prediction at expiry, with a fixed payout if correct and loss of the full stake if wrong.
- Expiry time is fixed
- Payout is smaller than the potential loss
- Legality is very limited
Stock & securities broker
Facilitates securities transactions on a designated exchange or venue, with custody and protections that depend on jurisdiction.
- Ownership or exposure to securities
- Exchange and settlement rules
- Broker-dealer registration
Fee structure
A cheap price needs to be calculated in full.
Don't compare a single number without understanding when and how fees are charged.
ComponentHow it worksWhat to check
Spread
Difference between buy and sell price
Smaller isn't always cheaper if other commissions apply
Commission
Fee per transaction or volume
Check the unit — per lot, per contract, or per side
Payout
Fixed return for a winning contract
Relevant for fixed-time; compare against the full loss
Swap / overnight
Fee for holding a position overnight
Can vary by instrument and position direction
Non-trading
Deposit, withdrawal, conversion, dormancy
Often hidden in the account terms document
Legality & protection
An active domain isn't proof of a license.
In Indonesia, futures brokerage activity requires a Bappebti business license. Match the legal entity name, license number, address, domain, and product scope.
Check legality on Bappebti- 1Find the legal entity name
The marketing brand can differ from the company that actually holds the license.
- 2Check the product license
A company license doesn't automatically cover every product or country.
- 3Match official contacts
Watch for clone firms using another party's name or license number.
- 4Read customer protections
Check segregated accounts, dispute handling, and applicable compensation.
Broker selection checklist
Filter out risk before comparing promotions.
Fees
Calculate spread, commission, payout, swap, conversion, dormancy, and withdrawal costs.
Regulation
Verify directly with the regulator and confirm the license covers the product you'll use.
Terms
Read the KYC, bonus, withdrawal limits, account closure, and dispute-resolution terms.
Risk
Understand leverage, liquidity, counterparty, execution, and the potential for total loss.
Broker directoryEverything that matters.
Everything that matters.
In one view.
Filter by category, review key data, then pick up to three brokers to compare side by side.
Pepperstone
Pepperstone Group Limited — a private forex & CFD broker from Melbourne, Australia, founded in 2010 by Owen Kerr and Joe Davenport. Operates through subsidiaries in the UK, Germany, Cyprus, Kenya, the Bahamas, and the UAE.
Best for: Active traders/scalpers who prioritize low costs, fast execution, and platform choice
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) — a US multi-asset broker (Nasdaq: IBKR) founded in 1978, popular among professional & institutional traders for low costs and global market access.
Best for: Professional/active traders & multi-asset investors who prioritize low costs and global market access
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
IC Markets
A forex & CFD broker from Sydney, Australia, founded in 2007. Offers MetaTrader 4/5, cTrader, and TradingView with several account types (Raw Spread, Standard, Swap Free).
Best for: Scalpers/algo traders who prioritize raw spreads & platform completeness
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
IG
IG Group Holdings plc — a UK public company (LSE: IGG, FTSE 100 constituent), founded in 1974. One of the oldest and largest spread betting & CFD providers, with a market value of around £4.5 billion (2026).
Best for: Traders who prioritize regulatory safety and an established broker with broad market coverage
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank — a Danish investment bank & broker founded in 1992, offering thousands of instruments (forex, stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds) via SaxoTraderGO/PRO.
Best for: Serious traders/investors who want broad multi-asset access from a fully regulated bank with a pro platform
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
CMC Markets
CMC Markets plc — a UK public company (LSE: CMCX, FTSE 250 constituent), founded in 1989 by Peter Cruddas. One of the pioneers of online forex trading, now also a stockbroker.
Best for: Traders who want an advanced platform (Next Generation/TradingView) from an established public broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
OANDA
OANDA — a US forex & CFD broker founded in 1996, known for historical price data, execution quality, and strong trading APIs.
Best for: Traders who prioritize top-tier regulatory safety (including US market access) and data/API quality
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Dukascopy
Dukascopy — a Swiss bank & broker founded in 2004, known for the JForex platform and an ECN/marketplace model (SWFX).
Best for: Technical/volume traders who want a transparent ECN model from a FINMA-regulated Swiss bank
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Admirals (Admiral Markets)
Admirals (Admiral Markets) — an Estonian forex & CFD broker founded in 2001, operating in many countries.
Best for: Traders who want an established MT4/MT5 broker with tier-1 regulation & education
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Swissquote
Swissquote — a Swiss online bank (SIX: SQN) founded in 1996, offering forex/CFDs, stocks, ETFs, and crypto with a bank's prudential oversight.
Best for: Investors/traders who put institutional safety (a regulated Swiss bank) above low cost
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Fusion Markets
Fusion Markets — an Australian forex & CFD broker founded in 2019, focused on very low costs.
Best for: Cost-sensitive traders/scalpers who want the lowest possible commission from an ASIC broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Plus500
A public company (LSE: PLUS, FTSE 250 constituent) founded in 2008 in Israel, now based in London. Offers CFD trading, share dealing, and futures.
Best for: Beginners who want a simple platform from a regulated public broker, with no explicit commission
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
FP Markets
FP Markets — an Australian forex & CFD broker founded in 2005, offering MT4/MT5, cTrader, and IRESS.
Best for: Active traders who want raw ECN + stock access (IRESS) from an ASIC broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Tickmill
Tickmill — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2014 that highlights low costs and fast execution, popular for scalping.
Best for: Scalpers/active traders who prioritize the lowest possible cost
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Vantage Markets
Vantage Markets — an Australian forex & CFD broker founded in 2009, offering MT4/MT5 and the ProTrader platform.
Best for: Active traders who want MT4/MT5 + raw spreads from an ASIC/FCA broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Forex.com
Forex.com — a forex & CFD brand owned by StoneX Group (Nasdaq: SNEX), offering MT4/MT5, TradingView, and its own platform; one of the forex brokers licensed in the US market.
Best for: Traders who want an established, US-public-company-backed forex broker with a full platform selection
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
ThinkMarkets
ThinkMarkets — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2010 with the ThinkTrader platform and MT4/MT5.
Best for: Active traders who want competitive spreads + an in-house platform from an ASIC/FCA broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
FxPro
FxPro — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2006, offering MT4/MT5, cTrader, and its own platform.
Best for: Traders who want platform completeness (including cTrader) from an FCA/CySEC-regulated broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Eightcap
Eightcap — an Australian forex & CFD broker founded in 2009, offering MT4/MT5 with TradingView integration.
Best for: Traders who want MT4/MT5 + TradingView at competitive cost from an ASIC/FCA broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Trading 212
Trading 212 — a UK/Bulgarian broker founded in 2004, popular for commission-free stocks & ETFs plus CFDs.
Best for: Beginners/investors who want commission-free stocks & ETFs from an FCA-regulated broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Capital.com
Capital.com — a CFD broker founded in 2016 with an AI-powered platform and thousands of markets.
Best for: CFD traders who want a tier-1-regulated broker with a modern platform & education
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Nadex
Nadex (North American Derivatives Exchange) — a CFTC-regulated binary options & spreads exchange in the US with an exchange-traded model (not a dealer). Now part of the Crypto.com group.
Best for: US traders who want genuinely regulated binary/spread products (a CFTC exchange model), not an offshore platform
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
XM
A global forex & CFD broker (Trading Point group) founded in 2009, offering MetaTrader 4/5 with thousands of instruments.
Best for: Beginner/intermediate traders who want multilingual support & education with MT4/MT5
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Mitrade
A CFD & forex brokerage brand based in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian entity (Mitrade Global Pty Ltd) was created on 28 January 2011 and rebranded to Mitrade in 2019 when it launched its own web & mobile trading platform. Offers 100+ CFDs across forex, indices, commodities, crypto, ETFs, and shares.
Best for: Beginner-to-intermediate traders who want a simple, commission-free CFD platform from an ASIC/CySEC-licensed brand and don't need MetaTrader
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
eToro
eToro Group Ltd — an Israeli public company (Nasdaq: ETOR) founded in 2007, famous for its social/copy trading features. Offers stocks, ETFs, CFDs, and cryptoassets.
Best for: Beginners/social investors who want copy trading plus access to stocks, ETFs, & crypto in one app
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
AvaTrade
A private forex & CFD broker based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 2006 (originally Ava FX in the British Virgin Islands) by Emanuel Kronitz and Negev Nosatzki. Around 450 employees (2025).
Best for: Traders who want an established MT4/MT5 broker with Irish regulation & broad coverage
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
BlackBull Markets
BlackBull Markets — a New Zealand forex & CFD broker founded in 2014, focused on fast execution and low spreads.
Best for: Active traders who want fast ECN + many platform choices
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Skilling
Skilling — a Scandinavian forex & CFD broker founded in 2016 with its own platform, cTrader, and MT4.
Best for: Beginner/intermediate traders who want a modern platform + cTrader from a CySEC broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Stockity
An online platform with 140+ assets, a practice mode, a web version, and a mobile app.
Best for: Traders who want a wide variety of assets and multi-platform access (web + mobile)
- Min. deposit
- Not listed on the main page
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Support available
FXTM (ForexTime)
ForexTime (FXTM) — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2011 with a strong presence in Africa and Asia, offering MT4/MT5.
Best for: Traders in Africa/Asia who want MT4/MT5 with local education & support
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
HFM (HotForex)
HFM (formerly HotForex) — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2010 with many account types and MetaTrader 4/5.
Best for: Traders who want many account & instrument choices with MT4/MT5
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
FXCM
FXCM — a forex & CFD broker founded in 1999, offering Trading Station & MetaTrader 4; now part of the Jefferies/StoneX group. Has an important regulatory history you must know (see the risk note).
Best for: Non-US traders comfortable with Trading Station/MT4 who have weighed its regulatory history
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
GO Markets
GO Markets — an Australian forex & CFD broker founded in 2006, offering MT4/MT5 and a range of instruments.
Best for: MT4/MT5 traders who want an established ASIC broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
RoboForex
RoboForex — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2009 with many account types, MT4/MT5, and cTrader.
Best for: Technical traders who want many platforms/accounts & understand the entity differences
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
FXOpen
FXOpen — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2005, known as one of the pioneers of retail ECN accounts.
Best for: ECN traders who understand the entity differences & want raw spreads
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
easyMarkets
easyMarkets — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2001, known for its dealCancellation feature and fixed spreads.
Best for: Beginners who want protective features (dealCancellation/fixed spread) from a CySEC/ASIC broker
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
MultiBank
MultiBank Group — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2005 with a global presence through various entities.
Best for: Traders who want a large global group with some tier-1 licenses
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Windsor Brokers
Windsor Brokers — a Cypriot forex & CFD broker founded in 1988, one of the longer-running operators.
Best for: Traders who value a long track record + CySEC regulation
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Axi
Axi (formerly AxiTrader) — a private forex & CFD broker from Sydney, Australia, founded in 2007, operating under AxiCorp Financial Services Pty Ltd. Around 300+ employees.
Best for: ASIC traders who want raw spreads & have weighed its regulator-action history
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Deriv
Deriv — the successor to Binary.com (group founded 1999), offering CFDs, multipliers, and options via DTrader/DMT5.
Best for: Traders who understand the products & want variety (CFDs + synthetic indices) from an experienced group
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Quotex
A price-movement prediction platform with a USD 10,000 demo account and integrated indicators.
Best for: Beginners who want to try a fixed-time platform with small capital and a demo account
- Min. deposit
- USD 10
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- 24/7 (official claim)
FBS
A forex & CFD broker founded in 2009 with a strong focus on the Southeast Asian market and a range of account types.
Best for: Small-capital Southeast Asian traders who understand offshore regulatory risk
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
OctaFX (Octa)
A forex & CFD broker under the Octa brand, founded in 2011, providing MetaTrader 4/5 with a focus on emerging markets.
Best for: Experienced Southeast Asian traders who understand offshore regulatory risk
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Libertex
Libertex — a trading brand (Libertex group) founded in 1997, known for its own platform and multi-asset CFDs.
Best for: Beginners who want a simple multi-asset CFD platform from an established brand (CySEC entity)
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
LiteFinance
LiteFinance (formerly LiteForex) — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2005, offering MT4/MT5 and copy trading.
Best for: Traders interested in copy trading who understand offshore regulatory risk
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Alpari
Alpari — one of the oldest forex brands (founded 1998), offering MT4/MT5 and copy trading.
Best for: Traders familiar with the Alpari brand who understand its current offshore-entity status
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
IQ Option
A trading platform founded in 2013 by Dmitry Zaretsky, based in Limassol, Cyprus. Initially focused on binary options, since 2017 it has shifted toward CFDs and cryptocurrency, though binary options remain significant in some markets.
Best for: Hard to recommend — only for traders who deeply understand the risk & legality in their region
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
InstaForex
InstaForex — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2007 with a large client base across the CIS and Asia.
Best for: Experienced traders in the CIS/Asia who have weighed offshore regulatory risk
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
NordFX
NordFX — a forex & CFD broker founded in 2008 with a focus on the Asian market and a range of instruments.
Best for: Experienced traders who fully understand offshore broker risk
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat, email & phone (market hours)
Pocket Option
Pocket Option — a fixed-time/binary platform founded in 2017 with a simple interface and many payment methods.
Best for: Hard to recommend — only for those who fully understand binary risk & their local legality
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
Olymp Trade
Olymp Trade — a fixed-time & forex platform founded in 2014 focused on beginners and mobile apps.
Best for: Hard to recommend — only for those who fully understand the risk & legality
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
Binomo
Binomo — a fixed-time platform founded in 2014 with a demo account and a compact interface for beginners.
Best for: Hard to recommend — only for those who fully understand the risk & local legality
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
ExpertOption
ExpertOption — a fixed-time platform founded in 2014 with a mobile app and a simple interface.
Best for: Hard to recommend — only for those who fully understand the risk & legality
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
Binarycent
Binarycent — a fixed-time/binary platform with low deposits and many payment methods including crypto.
Best for: Not recommended for most people
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
IQcent
IQcent — a fixed-time/binary platform with copy trading and low deposits.
Best for: Not recommended for most people
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
Videforex
Videforex — a fixed-time/binary platform with video-call support and a demo account.
Best for: Not recommended for most people
- Min. deposit
- Varies by account type — check the official site
- Demo
- Available
- Support
- Live chat & email (official claim)
ActivTrades
ActivTrades — a UK forex & CFD broker founded in 2001, offering MT4/MT5 and its own ActivTrader platform with a focus on execution and client-fund protection.
- Min. deposit
- Not yet verified
- Demo
- No
- Support
- Not yet verified
City Index
City Index — a forex, CFD & spread betting broker founded in 1983, now part of StoneX Group, with a long track record in the UK and Australia.
- Min. deposit
- Not yet verified
- Demo
- No
- Support
- Not yet verified
Markets.com
Markets.com — a forex & CFD broker (Finalto/Playtech heritage) offering a proprietary platform plus MT4/MT5 across multiple regulated entities.
- Min. deposit
- Not yet verified
- Demo
- No
- Support
- Not yet verified
XTB
XTB — a publicly listed (WSE: XTB) Polish forex & CFD broker founded in 2002, one of the largest CFD brokers in Europe, known for its own xStation platform.
- Min. deposit
- Not yet verified
- Demo
- No
- Support
- Not yet verified
Broker screenerCompare without opening
Compare without opening
a dozen tabs.
Choose up to three brokers. Every feature is compared using the same labels and order.
2 brokers selectedScroll the table sideways on small screens
BrokerPROFILEProduct categoryEditorial statusEditorial scoreACCOUNT & ACCESSMinimum depositDemo accountMobile appPlatformInstrumentsUser supportRISK & FEESRegulation statusFee modelRisk noteTRANSPARENCYPrimary sourcesLast verifiedFull reviewOfficial site