Best Demo Trading Accounts For 2026

Author

Christian Harris

Christian is a UK-based investment writer who's been actively trading an array of financial instruments for over 10 years. Having used most of the major brokers in the UK, Christian provides valuable insights on all things investing for British traders.

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Editor

James Barra

James is a UK-based writer and investor with consultancy experience at some of Britain's largest financial organisations. James authors, edits and fact-checks content for a row of investing websites.

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Fact Checker

Michael MacKenzie

Michael is a UK-based investment writer with over 10 years of experience in the journalism industry. Michael has critically evaluated many of the largest investment brokers in the UK.

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Demo accounts act as virtual trading platforms, letting you practice buying and selling financial instruments without risking real money. They’re ideal for newcomers learning the ropes and also useful for seasoned traders experimenting with new techniques.

Browse our selection of the best demo trading accounts, reviewed by UK-based experts with hands-on experience executing countless paper trades on hundreds of demo platforms.

How Did Investing.co.uk Choose The Best Demo Accounts?

To identify the top brokers offering demo trading accounts, we followed a comprehensive evaluation process.

This method ensures our recommendations reflect both quantitative data and real-world usability:

What Is A Demo Trading Account?

A demo account is a free, interactive trading mode that most online brokers offer to help prospective clients explore their platforms and understand market mechanics before committing real capital.

These simulated accounts mirror live market conditions, allowing you to practise investing in UK and global financial instruments—such as FTSE 100 stocks, GBP/USD currency pairs, or UK government bonds (gilts)—in a risk-free environment.

Demo accounts are funded with virtual money, which varies by provider but typically ranges between £10,000 and £100,000 from our investigations.

This allows you to experiment with strategies and become familiar with order types, platform tools, and market behaviour without financial consequences.

IG’s powerful demo account lets you trade real market prices with virtual funds

While some demo accounts offer unlimited access, many are time-limited, usually expiring within 30 to 90 days. Still, this is often enough time to evaluate the platform and test basic strategies.

These practice accounts can be invaluable for investors, especially if you’re considering leveraged products like CFDs or spread betting.

Leveraged trading amplifies profits and losses, so gaining experience with virtual funds can help mitigate early mistakes and build confidence before entering the fundamental markets.

When I started, using a broker’s demo account was a game-changer for me, not just because I could test strategies risk-free but also because it revealed how I actually react under pressure.

Watching a simulated trade swing £1,000 in minutes showed me more about my emotions than any book ever could.

Christian Harris

Author

What To Look For In A Demo Trading Account

In recent years, we’ve watched online brokers in the UK significantly increase their spending on technology upgrades, educational content, and promotional deals to attract new traders.

Despite these advancements, demo trading accounts remain among the most effective and widely used methods for engaging potential clients.

However, after testing numerous demo platforms, it’s clear to use that not all trading simulators offer the same quality or user experience—some are far more realistic and functional than others.

To help you get started, here are the key factors to keep in mind when choosing a demo account for trading:

1. What To Trade

The first step is to decide which asset class—or combination of asset classes—you’re interested in trading. This matters because not all brokers we’ve evaluated support the same range of instruments, and some limit the assets available in their demo accounts compared to live trading.

For example, OKX is focused primarily on cryptocurrencies, which may suit those specifically interested in digital assets.

In contrast, multi-asset brokers like eToro give you access to a wide variety of markets, including UK and international stocks, commodities, indices, ETFs and even cryptocurrencies.

Choosing a broker that aligns with your trading interests will ensure your demo experience closely reflects the live trading environment you’re preparing for.

eToro offers an extensive range of assets that you can paper trade on one platform

2. Bankroll Size

Another key consideration is how much virtual capital the broker provides in the demo account. A larger simulated balance allows you to place bigger trades, test more complex strategies, and extend your practice period before exhausting the funds, helping to create a more realistic trading experience.

The amount of virtual money varies significantly between platforms from our tests. For instance, UK-regulated brokers like City Index and FOREX.com typically offer £10,000 to get started.

Plus500 provides a more generous £40,000, while XTB goes further with £100,000. IC Markets is one of the few that offer unlimited demo funds, which can be particularly useful for extended practice or high-volume strategies.

Some platforms also let you manually top up your demo account or through customer support. At eToro, for example, you can request to double your $100,000 demo balance by contacting the support team—ideal if you’re testing riskier or leveraged positions.

It’s also worth noting that demo funds can differ depending on the product type. IG provides a huge £20,000,000 in practice capital, split evenly between its spread betting and CFD demo accounts.

This reflects how real-money accounts are separated based on product type and regulation, which is especially important for UK investors navigating FCA rules.

IG’s £20m virtual funds is perfect for testing strategies across spread betting and CFDs

3. Trading Timeframe

Consider how long you’ll need access to a demo account, especially if you’re a beginner who may benefit from a more extended practice period.

An extended timeline allows you to explore different asset classes properly, learn to use trading tools, and test various strategies without pressure.

In our experience testing numerous demo platforms, we’ve found that many brokers impose time limits on their demo accounts. Once the trial period ends, you may lose access to the simulator unless you upgrade to a live account.

The duration of demo access varies widely. For example, XTB offers a 30-day trial, which may suit more experienced users. On the other hand, easyMarkets provides unlimited demo use, making it a more flexible choice for newer or more cautious traders.

You should also be aware of inactive policies. Some demo accounts are automatically closed if not used for a specific period. IC Markets, for instance, expires demo accounts after 30 days of inactivity.

Always check a broker’s terms before signing up, especially if you plan to take your time before transitioning to a live account.

4. Trading Platform

One of the most critical aspects of picking a demo account is the quality and usability of the available trading platforms—an essential factor that can impact everything from trade execution to analysis and risk management.

Most brokers offer access to the widely used MT4 and MT5 platforms in their demo accounts. These platforms are popular among more experienced traders for their custom indicators and automation features, but may feel outdated or overly complex for beginners.

Some brokers, however,  limit demo account access exclusively to MT4, which might not appeal to newer investors or those who prefer platforms with a more modern design.

Others, like CMC Markets, offer their own proprietary web-based and third-party platforms, which allow you to choose a platform that best suits your preferences and trading style.

Additionally, it is essential to be aware of potential restrictions within demo environments. For instance, FxPro caps the number of open demo positions at 70 on MetaTrader accounts, which may limit strategy testing for more active traders.

On a more positive note, many brokers now offer fully functional mobile demo platforms. This is particularly useful if you prefer managing your investments on the go.

Many brokers limit demo trading to MT4 only, which may not suit beginners

5. Time To Sign Up

Once you’ve selected a broker, registering for a demo account is typically quick and straightforward.

Most platforms require minimal details—such as your name, email address, and country of residence—making it easy to start paper trading in just a few minutes.

However, some brokers request more extensive personal information, even at the demo stage. For example, during testing, FxPro asked for my date of birth, nationality, employment status, and level of trading experience – information more commonly associated with setting up a live account.

A few brokers go even further, requiring full identity verification, including proof of address and official documentation such as a passport, ID card, or residence permit.

While this level of scrutiny may be understandable if you’re planning to transition to a real-money account, it can be unnecessarily time-consuming and frankly irritating if you simply want to try out the platform risk-free.

You should also be aware that while demo accounts aren’t subject to FCA regulation like live accounts, some firms still apply strict onboarding procedures regardless.

Be wary about handing over your phone number to many demo account providers – you can end up getting a lot of phone calls (we know from personal experience!)

Signing up for many demo trading accounts has taught me that not all brokers make it easy – some let you in with just an email, while others treat it like applying for a mortgage.

If you’re just trying to test the waters, that extra admin can kill the momentum.

Christian Harris

Author

Pros and Cons Of Using Demo Accounts For Trading

Pros

Cons

Bottom Line

Demo accounts are a valuable resource for investors at all levels. They allow beginners to build confidence by exploring the markets without risking real capital. They also allow more experienced traders to evaluate a broker’s platform, tools, and asset range before committing funds.

For UK investors, demo accounts can also help assess access to local markets—such as FTSE 100 stocks, GBP currency pairs, and FCA-compliant trading features.

That said, after opening hundreds of demo accounts and placing countless paper trades, we’ve learned they can vary widely in functionality, duration, available assets, and platform quality.

Explore our expert-reviewed list of the top-rated demo trading accounts for 2026 to find the best fit for your goals and trading style.

FAQ

Which Is The Best Demo Trading Account In The UK?

This will depend on the markets you want to trade, which platform you want to use, how much paper money you want to test strategies, how long you would like access to the paper trading mode, and how quickly you want to get started.

Use our ranking of the best demo accounts for UK investors to find the right provider for you.

What Is The Difference Between A Demo And Live Trading Account?

The main distinction between a demo and live trading account is that demo accounts operate in a simulated environment. While they mirror real market conditions—including live pricing and volatility—no actual money is involved, so there’s no financial risk or opportunity for real profit.

Unlike live accounts, demo platforms often come with certain restrictions. Most are available for a limited time, whereas live accounts can be used indefinitely as long as they’re funded and active.