Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025
As one of the most hands-off investing strategies, it’s clear why copy trading is popular – but does it work? We’ve created a comprehensive guide to copy trading in 2025. We review the pros and cons, explain how it works and the risks involved. We also share our tips to finding the best platforms and list the best copy trading brokers in the UK.
Copy Trading Brokers
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Pepperstone offers the replication of skilled traders' strategies via MetaTrader Signals, DupliTrade, and its new proprietary copy trading app, in collaboration with Pelican Trading. This service, available in select regions, grants access to numerous experienced traders and customized risk settings. However, it does not support cTrader Copy, which might discourage traders who prefer Spotware's platform.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto (only Pro clients), Spread Betting FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, BaFin, SCB MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade, Quantower Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) -
Introduced in February 2023, the IC Social app provides an easy platform for learning, sharing, and replicating the trades of other traders with minimal effort. The app also includes risk management features and supports specialised trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets offers access to Signal Start and popular third-party copy trading platforms like ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $200 0.01 Lots 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) -
eToro consistently provides an outstanding proprietary trading platform for clients, free of charge. The web-based system is both intuitive and engaging, complemented by a community chat that appeals to novice traders. The recent 'Live Trades' feature grants immediate access to real-time insights on securities purchased by top investors on the platform.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, ETFs, Smart Portfolios, Commodities, Futures, Crypto, NFTs FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSA, FSRA, MFSA, CNMV, AMF eToro Web, CopyTrader, TradingCentral Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $50 $10 1:30 -
Fusion+, the broker's in-house trading platform, provides access to seasoned traders with minimal fees and an easy following process. Alternatively, investors can use DupliTrade, a third-party service that links them with professional traders, offering various automated solutions to suit diverse preferences.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto ASIC, VFSC, FSA MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, DupliTrade Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:500 -
Trade Nation Seychelles provides signals and copy trading, appealing to novices and those preferring a passive trading strategy. Capitalise on experienced traders' insights to engage in popular financial markets like forex, stocks, and commodities.
Instruments Regulator Platforms Forex, CFDs, Indices, Shares, Commodities, Futures, Bonds, Spread Betting, Cryptos (Bahamas Entity Only) FCA, ASIC, FSCA, SCB, FSA MT4 Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.1 Lots 1:500 (entity dependent) -
Blackbull excels with its extensive array of trading solutions, featuring options like CopyTrader, HokoCloud, DupliTrade, and Myfxbook. User-friendly dashboards display detailed metrics to evaluate strategy providers, including annual and percentage returns. This contributes to its reputation as a leading provider of inclusive trading packages available today.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Crypto FMA, FSA BlackBull Invest, BlackBull CopyTrader, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:500 -
Traders benefit from social and copy trading at Vantage through MetaTrader, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, and Myfxbook. ZuluTrade stands out as a leading social trading network. It employs an advanced algorithm to rank top signal providers.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Spread betting FCA, ASIC, FSCA, VFSC ProTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $50 0.01 Lots 1:30
Pepperstone
IC Markets
eToro
Fusion Markets
Trade Nation
BlackBull Markets
Vantage FXSafety Comparison
Compare how safe the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025 are and what features they offer to protect traders.
| Broker | Trust Rating | FCA Regulated | Negative Balance Protection | Guaranteed Stop Loss | Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IC Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| eToro | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Fusion Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Trade Nation | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| BlackBull Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
Payments Comparison
Compare which popular payment methods the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025 support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).
| Broker | GBP Account | Debit Card | Credit Card | Neteller | Skrill | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| IC Markets | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| eToro | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Fusion Markets | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Trade Nation | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| BlackBull Markets | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Mobile Trading Comparison
How good are the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025 at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.
| Broker | Mobile Apps | iOS Rating | Android Rating | Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IC Markets | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| eToro | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Fusion Markets | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Trade Nation | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| BlackBull Markets | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Vantage FX | iOS & Android | ✘ |
Beginners Comparison
Are the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025 good for beginner traders, that might want an affordable setup to get started, along with good support and educational resources?
| Broker | Demo Account | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Trade | Support Rating | Education Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IC Markets | ✔ | $200 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| eToro | ✔ | $50 | $10 | ||
| Fusion Markets | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Trade Nation | ✔ | $0 | 0.1 Lots | ||
| BlackBull Markets | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Vantage FX | ✔ | $50 | 0.01 Lots |
Advanced Trading Comparison
Do the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025 offer features that allow for more advanced trading strategies?
| Broker | Automated Trading | Pro Account | Leverage | VPS | AI | Low Latency | Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IC Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade | ✘ | 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| eToro | Automate your trades via CopyTrader - follow profitable traders. Open and close trades automatically when they do. | ✘ | 1:30 | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
| Fusion Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader | ✘ | 1:500 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Trade Nation | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:500 (entity dependent) | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| BlackBull Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cTrader Automate | ✘ | 1:500 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | Myfxbook AutoTrade, Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the Copy Trading Platforms and Brokers 2025.
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Mobile | Assets | Fees | Accounts | Support | Research | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | |||||||||
| IC Markets | |||||||||
| eToro | |||||||||
| Fusion Markets | |||||||||
| Trade Nation | |||||||||
| BlackBull Markets | |||||||||
| Vantage FX |
Our Take On Pepperstone
"Pepperstone is a premier trading platform, providing tight spreads, swift execution, and sophisticated charting tools for seasoned traders. Beginners benefit from no minimum deposit, comprehensive learning materials, and outstanding 24/7 support."
Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- Pepperstone presents itself as an economical choice for traders, offering spreads as low as 0.0 in its Razor account. The Active Trader programme provides rebates up to 30% on indices and commodities, plus $3 per lot on forex.
- The award-winning customer support can be accessed through phone, email, or live chat. During tests, response times have consistently been under 5 minutes.
- Pepperstone offers rapid execution speeds of approximately 30ms, enabling swift order processing and execution, making it ideal for traders.
Cons
- Pepperstone doesn't offer cTrader Copy, a favoured feature for copying trades found in the cTrader platform, which is available on other platforms such as IC Markets. However, Pepperstone has launched its own user-friendly copy trading app.
- Although its market range has improved, its crypto offerings remain limited compared to brokers specialising in this sector, lacking real coin investment options.
- Pepperstone's demo accounts expire after 30 days, which may not provide sufficient time to explore various platforms and evaluate trading strategies.
Our Take On IC Markets
"IC Markets provides excellent pricing, swift execution, and easy deposits. With cutting-edge charting tools like TradingView and the Raw Trader Plus account, it continues to be a preferred option for intermediate and advanced traders."
Pros
- In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.
- IC Markets provides reliable 24/5 support, especially for account and funding queries, drawing from direct experience.
- IC Markets provides some of the industry's narrowest spreads, offering 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs. This makes it an extremely cost-effective choice for traders.
Cons
- Although there are four top-tier third-party platforms available, the absence of in-house software or a trading app tailored for novice traders is notable.
- Interest is not paid on idle cash, a feature gaining popularity with alternatives such as Interactive Brokers.
- Certain withdrawal methods incur fees, including a $20 charge for wire transfers. These costs can reduce profits, particularly with frequent withdrawals.
Our Take On eToro
"eToro's social trading platform excels with its outstanding user experience and lively community chat, aiding beginners in spotting opportunities. It offers competitive fees on numerous CFDs and real stocks, alongside exceptional rewards for seasoned strategists."
Pros
- The trading app offers an exceptional social platform, featuring an interactive feed and community chat.
- eToro has launched automated crypto staking, offering a pathway to passive income. However, Ethereum requires users to opt in.
- eToro is a globally recognised brand, operating under top-tier international regulations. It boasts a community of over 25 million users.
Cons
- There are no assured stop-loss orders, which could be a valuable risk management tool for novice traders.
- The only significant contact option, besides the in-platform live chat, is limited.
- The minimum withdrawal is set at $30, accompanied by a $5 fee. This may impact traders with limited funds, particularly those just starting out.
Our Take On Fusion Markets
"Fusion Markets offers forex traders competitive pricing with minimal spreads, low commissions, and new TradingView integration. It is an excellent choice, especially for Australian traders, given its base and regulation by ASIC."
Pros
- The selection of charting platforms and social trading features is outstanding. Options like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and the newer TradingView meet diverse trader preferences.
- With an average execution speed of approximately 37 milliseconds, traders can secure optimal prices more effectively, outpacing many competitors in rapidly changing markets.
- Fusion Markets provides algo traders with a sponsored VPS and offers a 25% discount for choosing the NYC Servers VPS for MT4 or cTrader.
Cons
- The demo account, lasting only 30 days, is limited in its effectiveness as a trading tool when used with a live account.
- Fusion Market falls short compared to competitors like IG in education, offering few guides and live video sessions for enhancing trader skills.
- Unlike AvaTrade, there is no specialised trading platform or app tailored for beginners, which is a significant disadvantage.
Our Take On Trade Nation
"Trade Nation is ideal for novice traders seeking diverse markets on an easy-to-use platform. It offers no minimum deposit, complimentary funding options, and robust educational resources."
Pros
- Trade Nation, a highly regarded and well-regulated broker, was formerly known as Core Spreads.
- A variety of trading platforms and apps, such as MT4, make the brand suitable for experienced traders.
- Access a comprehensive selection of investments through leveraged CFDs, enabling both long and short strategies.
Cons
- Reduced legal safeguards with an offshore entity.
Our Take On BlackBull Markets
"Following the upgrade to Equinix servers in New York, London, and Tokyo, BlackBull has reduced latency, making it a clear choice for stock CFD trading using ECN pricing."
Pros
- BlackBulls's research excels, particularly in the daily 'Trading Opportunities' articles. These publications simplify complex market dynamics into clear insights, enabling traders to effectively capitalise on emerging trends.
- After collaborating with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook and refining its CopyTrader, BlackBull now provides an exceptionally comprehensive trading experience.
- BlackBull provides everything a trader needs: execution speeds under 100ms, leverage as high as 1:500, and competitive spreads starting at 0.0 pips.
Cons
- Despite an expanding range of over 26,000 assets, including new additions to Asia Pacific indices, their offerings are primarily equities. The selection of currency pairs and indices remains average.
- BlackBull does not offer its own trading platform, instead utilising MetaTrader, cTrader, and TradingView. Although these platforms are highly regarded, some brokers, such as eToro, provide proprietary platforms with distinct features that cater well to novice traders.
- Unlike many leading brokers, BlackBull imposes a bothersome $5 fee for withdrawals. This charge can reduce the overall cost-effectiveness, particularly for traders who regularly transfer funds.
Our Take On Vantage FX
"Vantage is an ideal choice for CFD traders looking for a well-regulated broker with access to the dependable MetaTrader platforms. With a swift sign-up process and a minimum deposit of $50, starting trading is simple and fast."
Pros
- Opening a live account is both straightforward and swift, requiring under 5 minutes to complete.
- With a minimal deposit requirement of just $50 and no funding fees, this broker stands out as an excellent option for novice traders.
- Vantage addresses the needs of passive investors through user-friendly social trading on ZuluTrade and Myfxbook.
Cons
- It's unfortunate that some clients must register with the offshore firm, which provides reduced regulatory safeguards.
- Regrettably, cryptocurrencies are accessible solely to clients in Australia.
- Based on tests, average execution speeds of 100ms to 250ms are slower compared to other options.
What Is Copy Trading?
The definition of copy trading, also known as copycat trading, is simple: an investor selects an experienced trader with proven results who matches their risk profile, and copies their trades.
Trades can either be copied automatically using software from the multiple vendors on the market, or can be placed manually by communities of traders communicating their ‘signals’ via social platforms or forums.
Traders are either ‘Masters’ or ‘Followers’. Followers are essentially ‘making a copy’ of Master trading accounts.
This system requires minimal time and knowledge and could potentially bring hefty profits for those following the correct trader. This makes it great for beginners or those who are time poor. However, there is no upside without risk, meaning investors can experience losses if the Master trader is wrong.
Copy Trading Platforms
There are many copy trading platforms and applications that allow trades to be copied, making it an easy strategy to follow. Investors can choose between third-party software available at multiple providers and exclusive copy trading platforms.
MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
MT4 is offered by some of the best brokers in the business, including Pepperstone. Access the MetaTrader 4 copy trading function via the ‘Signals’ tab on webtrader, desktop or mobile apps.
- Master trader rankings make it easy to choose the best performers
- Available on both live and demo accounts
- Over 3,200 free and paid signals
- Chat function
- VPS service
MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
Copy trading on the MT5 system is also available through their ‘Signals’ service on web and mobile. MT5 offers the added benefit of copying trades executed at different brokerages. This is another popular platform with top companies, including Admirals.
- Fully automated trades, just set your signal parameters
- Ultra-fast and secure data transmission
- Fixed signal subscription price
cTrader
The cTrader Copy function is fully integrated into the cTrader platform and offers reliable trading with a defined fees system and transparent strategy history. Popular websites that use cTrader include OctaFX.
- Copy investing account is separate from trading account
- Strong cTrader community
- Equity-to-equity ratios
ZuluTrade
ZuluTrade has become a big player on the automated trading scene since its inception in 2007. Increasingly, brokers such as VantageFX are partnering with the firm.
- Over 10,000 traders resulting in a strong choice of strategies
- Feature-rich, including ZuluScript trading bot (i.e Expert Advisors or EA)
- No limit on the number of traders you can follow, allowing for diversification
DupliTrade
DupliTrade is a leading copy trading platform for forex, crypto and stock markets. Clients benefit from transparent fees, easy registration and copy trading in offline mode.
- Scale up and down options
- Minimum trading deposits from $2,000
- Tough review process for Master traders
eToro
eToro is one of the biggest brokers for social and copy trading.
- Free account, zero commission on stocks and no management fees
- Education centre with PDF guides and details of how it works
- Huge social community
Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro copy trading platform Past performance is not an indication of future results.
Coinbase began offering the service in 2019. And as of 2018, the nanotrading service XTrend also offers the feature. Other notable copy trading providers include MyFXBook (available on IC Markets) and FBS CopyTrade. Furthermore, Zignaly, a trading bot (EA) which specialises in crypto copy trading on notable exchanges such as Binance.
Copy Trading Vs Social Trading: What’s The difference?
Copy trading and social trading are different but closely linked. Copy trading usually refers to automated trades that are tied to a Master trader or manual trades that are made based on signals shared.
Social trading is when the trader still executes their own positions but communicates with and trusts in the signals provided by a network of more experienced traders. These interactions might be through a signals provider, the trading platform itself, or via a social network such as Telegram.
For example, eToro’s software allows you to tie your account to another trader’s (copy trading). But you can also review activity using their social news feed (social trading).
Further still, mirror trading involves the automated copying of trades, but a more complex version which lends itself to more frequent position movement. For this reason, it is mainly used by institutional investors with large capital that can take steeper losses.
Copy Trading Markets
You can copy trade on multiple popular financial markets:
- Stock and shares
- Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC)
- Forex pairs such as USD/GBP, EUR/USD and USD/CAD
- Commodities such as gold, platinum and crude oil
- Indices such as FTSE, NASDAQ and Dow Jones
- CFDs
Note depending on your broker and the software they use, copy trading may only be available on some instruments. For example, forex signals tend to be available on most of the best platforms, but for the stock market, signals are less common.
Copy Trading Strategies
Does copy trading work? The short answer is, yes. But there are several factors that can impact the systems you use.
Risk Profile
Do your research and select a Master trader with a risk profile and strategy that you’re comfortable with. Do they pursue day trading whilst you prefer a more long-term ‘buy and hold’ method? Do you trust in big, well thought through bets rather than small scalping trades? These are crucial decisions when choosing who to copy – trust is key.
Manual Or Automatic
Automatic copy trades are the ultimate hands-off investments. But there are downsides, as you’re not able to review the trade for yourself. Losses could rack up without your knowledge if you’re not considering a trade before you place it, so many traders prefer to take a signal and place the trade themselves.
MetaTrader copy trading
Services such as NinjaTrader enable automatic trades whereas others provides networking tools for traders to exchange strategies and research. The IQ Copy trading robot also receives popular reviews and is free to download.
Broker Specific Trading
Some platforms allow you to copy trades from a different broker to that which you trade with. This enables you to select from a wider pool of Master traders and could allow better diversification of your portfolio.
Stop Losses
Automatic trades can mean automatic losses. So, consider using strategic stop losses to minimise this. On the downside, this can oust you from a trading strategy just before it starts winning, so place stops carefully.
Benefits Of Copy Trading
Beat The Fees
Investing in a hedge fund can mean costly fees and commissions. Copy trading means you can reap the rewards of profitable traders without paying through the nose. A typical hedge fund charges 2% in fees plus 20% depending on fund performance.
Check out the fees leveraged by your broker to see what you’re saving.
For Beginners
Trading successfully relies on intricate knowledge and experience. If you’re a beginner, you don’t have this edge yet. So, you may want to copy trade until you understand what it takes to successfully and consistently make profits.
Time Saving
With bots automatically executing your trades, there’s all the benefit without the time commitment.
Disadvantages Of Copy Trading
Long Haul
Even the best traders won’t make a profit 100% of the time, so you’ll need to trust in the strategy of the Master you’ve chosen. If you’re likely to pivot between traders after a couple of losses believing their strategy doesn’t work – copy trading may not be suitable for you.
Market Psychology
Trading is all about psychology. While some assets have a physical presence, like gold or crude oil, most are traded on value. And value is determined by what people will pay.
Therefore, if a large community of social traders begin unloading shares in a company, this could push the value of the stock down, regardless of the firm’s underlying profits.
In reality, professional traders exchange millions of pounds of stocks and share each day, so retail trading activity has less influence on value.
However, for this reason top traders often keep their strategy top secret. Therefore you may consider why any Master traders would let you copy their positions.
Master Profits
So, why would a Master let you copy their trades? The answer is commission. And this means there could be a conflict of interest.
If a Master is making profit from commission on copy trades, they may not need to run their portfolio at a profit for them to be winning. They just need to tempt enough followers to copy them.
Of course, this is a cynical view. And clearly Masters make more money from trading profitably as well. But, it highlights the importance of making sure those you copy have equal skin in the game. If you lose, do they lose too?
There are some signal services out there that are scams and are just looking for the commission – so it’s crucial to research where your signals are coming from and consider whether you trust the source.
How To Open A Copy Trading Account
So now we’ve explained all you need to know, you may be wondering how to start trading?
Firstly, you’ll need to open an account with a trading broker, making sure to choose one with copying trading functionality enabled software. You can copy trade on both real and demo accounts. Real accounts will require a minimum deposit to begin.
Download the trading platform and log in using the credentials required by your broker. Alternatively, select one of the trading apps available on both Android (APK) and Apple (iOS) devices.
Wrapping Up
Copy trading has catapulted to popularity in the past 10 years. The range of software on the market makes it easy to choose a provider that suits you.
There are thousands of copy trading success stories. But, whether copy trading is good or bad for your profits depends on whose trades you copy and whether your capital allows you to follow a strategy in entirety. So, ensure you’ve done your research before you invest.
If you’re a beginner who is aware of the risks, copy trading could be a successful strategy compared to trading alone.
FAQ
Is Copy Trading Legal?
Yes, copy trading is legal and is supported by most regulatory boards including the FCA.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has assessed that copy trading software that automatically executes trades on behalf of an investor could be considered portfolio management and at the very least, signals can be considered investment advice and therefore such activities should be regulated.
Not all UK brokers that offer copy trading are regulated, so make sure you check before you trade.
Is Copy Trading Halal?
Copy trading can be halal as long as the trades being copied comply with Sharia law. Check with your broker whether halal copy trading is possible.
Where Can I Copy Trade?
Copy trading is available at many leading UK brokers or through special software platforms. See our list of the best UK copy trading brokers 2025 for further details.
Does Copy Trading Work?
Yes, copy trading can work. But you’re only as good as your signals, so be careful to select the right source. Look for copy trading tutorial videos on YouTube or check out our guide as a starting point.
Is Copy Trading Right For Me?
If you have very little time to spare, or you are just starting out with trading, replicating others’ trades might be the answer. Becoming a forex trading guru doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time and dedication – and copy trading can be a shortcut for beginners or those with precious little time. But note that it’s critical that you choose the right traders to copy, so be prepared to spend at least a little bit of time on researching this when setting things up.
Additional Resources
- We recommend reading the copy trading article on DayTrading.com for an in-depth tutorial on copy trading platforms, relevant for traders both in the UK and globally.
- “Copy Trading” – a research paper by Jose Apesteguia, Jörg Oechssler, and Simon Weidenholzer, September 17 2019. The conclusion of this paper is that the ability to directly or indirectly copy other traders can lead to excessive risk taking.
- “The Transparency-Revenue Conundrum in Social Trading: Implications for Platforms and Investors” by Mingwen Yang, Eric Zheng, and Vijay Mookerjee at Jindal School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas
Programming Your Own Copy Trading Software
Having the right software is crucial to implementing a long-term successful copy trading strategy. If you are unable to find an out-of-the-box copy trading software program that suits your needs and preferences, you can elect to create your own proprietary software.
Nowadays, nifty code editing tools have made it much easier to create your own software and learning a bit of coding to get the copy trading software solution that is 100% right for you can be well worth the investment. You should also take into account that freelancers with coding skills are available online, and hiring a professional for a small software project doesn’t have to cost big bucks.
Key points to remember
- Creating or ordering bespoke copy trading software will require an investment (time, energy and money) but it is an investment that can pay off big time if you get it right.
- In addition to making sure you get exactly the features needed for your specific trading strategy or strategies, you will also be able to forge the software in accordance with your interface preferences. This will make it easier for you to use the program, which in turn enhances the overall trading experience.
- A bespoke copy trading software application can work faster than one-size-fits-all software since it will not be weighed down by features you have no need for.
- For some copy traders, bespoke software is necessary to allow them to use highly complex algorithms.
Warnings
- You wouldn’t just hire a random carpenter for your house, hand them a blank check and hope for the best. You would ask for references, investigate them a bit, and negotiate the terms of the contract in advance. If you wish to hire a programmer to create software for you, you need to do the same.
- Untested software is prone to contain bugs (malfunctions). Popular commercial software has gone through hundreds or even thousands of hours of bug testing, troubleshooting and tweaking to get things right. Well-established commercial software has also been used by thousands of traders before you, who have stumbled upon issues here and there and reported them. With bespoke copy trading software made just for you, you get none of this. Get ready to do your own testing, and make sure you don´t risk big money during the trial and error period.
DIY: Programming your own copy trading software
You do not have to be an expert programmer to do this, but you do need at least some basic programming skills and know-how to code a trading algorithm.
Fortunately, there are software packages available nowadays that make the coding process easier than it used to be. With that said, they are intended for people with at least basic programming skills – they won’t do the job for you.
One example of a popular choice is for building copy trading bots (copy trading software) is Vim.
Using VIM to create your software
One of the best tools you can use to make it easier and more efficient to create your software is WIM. WIM is a universal text editor specifically designed to make it easy to develop your own software. It is used by a huge number of skilled programmers and coders from around the world.
Vin was first created in 1991 by Bram Moolenaar (Vim’s founder). It was based on Bill Joy’s vi text editor.
Bram Moolenaars goal was to create a universal text editor that was designed with coding in mind. Many other texts editors inject extra information in the files when you save them. This can create problems and corrupt code. VIM will therefore never add anything extra to your code. It will also automatically identify and colour code different elements in your code which makes it a lot easier to read and edit the code. You can quickly find the line that you want to find and edit. VIM is turning 40 years old this year but remains one of the best text editors for coding and one of the best tools to use if you want to create your own trading software.
One large benefit of using VIM is that vim is “charityware”. Any income that the software generates is used to help children. It will help you create your software and help make the world a better place at the same time.
Vim is not just a basic text editor. It can also help you create code by easily inserting different functions into your code. It is a command-based editor where you use text commands to activate and insert different functions. There are no menus for you to use. It is all text-based.
This might make it sound like the software is hard to use but nothing could be further from the truth. The command-based interface provides a very uncluttered clean interface that put the focus on the code above everything else. This makes it very easy to see and edit the code without having parts of the screen occupied by menus and other interfaces. This allows VIM to offer a very large selection of features while still keeping a very clean interface.
Vim will be suitable for your needs regardless of whether you are a novice or expert coder. Experts can use advanced functions while the novice can limit themselves to the functions they understand. The command-based interface means that you will never be overwhelmed by menus filled with functions you do not understand. You can find a very detailed guide on all the functions that VIM offers and how they function on VIMs official website VIM.org. You can find tips and tricks on a number of other websites.
VIM is very popular among freelance coders since it is easy to use and makes it easy to find bugs and errors. VIM is a very good choice if you want to try to create your own software but know that you might need to hire a freelance coder to perform part of the work. This is due to the fact that VIM makes it very easy for the freelancer to quickly familiarize himself with the work you have already done. It is possible to use VIM to edit software that has been created in another code editor but it is always good to use a popular editor like VIM right from the start since it makes it easier to cooperate with other workers since you know that the screen will look identical for both of you if you use the same editor. This makes it easier to communicate. Small differences between how different editors display things can increase the risk of miscommunications.
VIM supports hundreds of different programming languages and is a good code editor almost regardless of which programming language you want to use. There is a large selection of different plugins available that you can use to add extra functionality to VIM:
Hiring a programmer to create the software
Creating your own copy trading software can be a fun and rewarding process, but it does require an investment in both time and energy – especially if you need to start at the bottom rung by learning basic programming and algorithm coding skills.
An option to DIY is to hire a professional to create the copy trading software for you, in accordance with your specifications. Still, we advise you to at least learn the basics about copy trading software before you hire anyone since that will make it easier for you to understand (and communicate) what you actually want – and what you do not want.
There is an abundance of freelancing programmers available online that are willing and able to take on small projects, such as programming a bespoke copy trading software that will only include the specific features required by your trading strategy. Ideally, select a programmer that has programmed this type of software in the past and can provide you with some examples of previous work.
Since you will be risking your own hard-earned cash using the software for copy trading, simply going with the lowest bidder is not recommended since a poorly designed copy trading robot can cause enormous losses. On the other hand, paying for a high-priced programmer does not automatically mean that you will get a high-quality product, so you need to do your own research before picking a programmer instead of relying on price to guide you.
Important: Communication is essential. If you can´t explain what it is that you want, how will the programmer be able to know? You are asking for a bespoke product here, so you can´t simply order ”the usual stuff” from the menu. If you are having trouble communicating with your programmer, it might be because:
A.) You know too little about the subject to provide valuable and detailed input.
B.) Your ideas are still half-baked and you need some serious handholding to reach a conclusion about what kind of product you actually want to have built for you.
C.) There are communication issues between you and the programmer, and you would be better off selecting another programmer that finds it easier to connect with you.
Take the trading platform’s API into account
API is short for Application Programming Interface. When creating a copy trading robot, the API provided by the trading platform must be taken into account. Otherwise, the trading robot will not work on the trading platform.
This also means that the API will restrict your freedom a bit when it comes to programming a copy trading robot. If your robot can not communicate properly with the trading platform, automatic trades can not be carried out.
Also, remember that your copy trading robot can only make trades and other actions that are supported by the trading platform.
If a particular copy trading feature is essential to you, make sure you use a trading platform that will support that feature.