Finding the best UK forex brokers in 2021 can be challenging. In our list of top forex brokers for UK traders, we do a comparison of key platform features, from low ECN spreads and high leverage to the best MT4 mobile trading apps. We also explain how to separate the regulated forex brokers from the online scams.
Of course, what is a good forex broker or platform also varies depending on individual needs, for example, access to major currency pairs, low minimum account deposits, or sign up bonuses for beginners. Even some of the best forex brokers in the world won’t be suitable for everyone. With that said, good forex brokers share similar features, and here we explain what those are so you can open an account with a forex broker that’s right for you.
For a detailed breakdown of individual providers, see our list of broker-specific reviews. Some established names you may already recognise, but new firms are constantly emerging, both in the UK and globally, offering enticing new account features and promos.
Multi-Award winning broker. Specialising in Forex but also offering stocks and tight spreads on CFDs and Spread betting across a huge range of markets.
Multi-Award winning broker. Specialising in Forex but also offering stocks and tight spreads on CFDs and Spread betting across a huge range of markets.
BDSwiss offer 250+ Shares, Indices, Forex, Commodities and Cryptocurrencies markets via CFDs. With spreads from 1 pip and an award winning app, they offer a great package.
BDSwiss offer 250+ Shares, Indices, Forex, Commodities and Cryptocurrencies markets via CFDs. With spreads from 1 pip and an award winning app, they offer a great package.
NinjaTrader offer Traders Futures and Forex trading. Use Auto-trade algorithmic strategies and configure your own trading platform, and trade at the lowest costs.
NinjaTrader offer Traders Futures and Forex trading. Use Auto-trade algorithmic strategies and configure your own trading platform, and trade at the lowest costs.
Trading 212 Offer a truly mobile trading experience. With tight spreads and a huge range of markets, they offer a dynamic and detailed trading environment.
Trading 212 Offer a truly mobile trading experience. With tight spreads and a huge range of markets, they offer a dynamic and detailed trading environment.
XM.com deliver ultra low spreads across a huge range of Forex markets. Flexible lot sizes, and Micro and XM Zero accounts accommodate every level of trader.
XM.com deliver ultra low spreads across a huge range of Forex markets. Flexible lot sizes, and Micro and XM Zero accounts accommodate every level of trader.
XTB is one of the largest stock exchange-listed FX & CFD brokers in the world, offering access to over 2000 instruments from two platforms: its own award-winning xStation 5 and the traditional MT4.
XTB is one of the largest stock exchange-listed FX & CFD brokers in the world, offering access to over 2000 instruments from two platforms: its own award-winning xStation 5 and the traditional MT4.
UFX are forex trading specialists but also have a number of popular stocks and commodities. Offering tight spreads and one of the best ranges of major and minor pairs on offer, they are a great option for forex traders.
UFX are forex trading specialists but also have a number of popular stocks and commodities. Offering tight spreads and one of the best ranges of major and minor pairs on offer, they are a great option for forex traders.
IG offer spread betting, CFD and Forex trading across a range of markets. They are FCA regulated, boast a great trading app and have a 40 year track record of excellence.
IG offer spread betting, CFD and Forex trading across a range of markets. They are FCA regulated, boast a great trading app and have a 40 year track record of excellence.
Vantage FX are a Raw ECN Forex broker, regulated by ASIC is Australia. Boasting MT4, MT5 and Webtrader platforms, a range of account types and a deposit bonus of up to 50%
Vantage FX are a Raw ECN Forex broker, regulated by ASIC is Australia. Boasting MT4, MT5 and Webtrader platforms, a range of account types and a deposit bonus of up to 50%
Offering a range of Accounts, including ECN, Instaforex can reduce average spreads to just 0.8 pips. The range of pairs offered is also among the largest of any broker.
Offering a range of Accounts, including ECN, Instaforex can reduce average spreads to just 0.8 pips. The range of pairs offered is also among the largest of any broker.
Alpari International offer forex over a huge range of pairs including Major, minor and exotic pairs. All with competitive spreads and laddered leverage.
Alpari International offer forex over a huge range of pairs including Major, minor and exotic pairs. All with competitive spreads and laddered leverage.
ETX Capital are a London based, FCA regulated broker offering tight spreads across a wide range of markets. They offer professional client services to Pro clients. ETX are offering a FREE trading course to new clients, and free guaranteed stops on the TraderPro platform.
ETX Capital are a London based, FCA regulated broker offering tight spreads across a wide range of markets. They offer professional client services to Pro clients. ETX are offering a FREE trading course to new clients, and free guaranteed stops on the TraderPro platform.
London Capital Group provide trading on 7000+ markets over 9 asset classes. Spreads are competitive but active traders may have better broker options elsewhere.
London Capital Group provide trading on 7000+ markets over 9 asset classes. Spreads are competitive but active traders may have better broker options elsewhere.
There are two key reasons why finding a good forex broker is important:
Competitive trading conditions – forex is the largest financial market in the world with over $6.6 trillion traded daily. As a result, brands are constantly competing for your business, offering competitive spreads, flexible leverage, greater analysis tools and powerful trading platforms, such as MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
Trader safety – transparency is key when determining how safe your funds will be. This ultimately refers to regulation, reputation and security, all of which will be covered later. Numerous trading scams are operating in the market today, so you must find a reliable forex broker that you can trust.
We’ve put together a guide with the key factors to consider below. These should help you determine what your priorities are when looking for the best forex broker to open an account with.
Trading Platforms
As your gateway into the forex market, the platform offered will have a huge impact on your trading experience. Trading platforms vary in style, usability and additional features offered. The number of charts, order types, drawing tools and automated trading features can help ensure your forex trading strategy is successful.
Many of the best forex brokers today use MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). But whilst MetaTrader is a reliable choice, it may not be the best choice for you. There is a range of other good platforms out there, such as cTrader, as well as social and copy trading platforms such as ZuluTrade and DupliTrade.
MetaTrader 5 Platform
Mobile Apps
Traders who wish to monitor the markets whilst on the move should also consider the best forex brokers for mobile trading. Mobile apps allow you to manage your money, open positions and keep up with the financial markets from your iOS or Android smart device.
Some of the best forex brokers using MetaTrader also provide the user-friendly mobile application. Other top forex brokers also offer their own proprietary app.
MT4 Mobile App
Trade Execution
There are several operating models that the best forex brokers in the UK use. These models determine how customer orders are executed. The key models are Dealing Desk, No Dealing Desk (NDD), Electronic Communication Network (ECN) and Straight Through Processing (STP).
Dealing Desk brokers (also known as market makers) will fill both the buy and sell orders and will often sit on the other side of a client’s trade. Market makers therefore control prices and often set fixed spreads.
Conversely, No Dealing Desk (NDD) brokers do not pass orders on to a dealing desk and therefore provide direct access to the interbank market. NDD brokers typically offer variable spreads and can be subdivided into ECN and STP models:
Electronic Communication Network (ECN) – ECN brokers offer Depth of Market, where client orders can interact with the other participants in the network (such as banks and hedge funds).
Straight Through Processing (STP) – STP brokers route orders directly to liquidity providers, with each quoting its own bid and ask prices.
Trading Costs
Another key consideration should be the spreads and fees that the forex broker charges. These are the costs of trading and vary among online providers.
Spreads & Commission
The spread is the difference in the bid and ask price of a currency pair, which is how the broker makes money. Forex spreads can be fixed or variable and are usually presented as 4-digit or 5-digit pricing. A commission is usually charged on a per volume basis and typically varies depending on the account type.
The best forex brokers often provide spread or commission calculators so you can easily establish the cost of trading before you execute positions.
cTrader Commission Calculator
Choosing forex brokers with the lowest spreads does not necessarily guarantee you the best deal, as low spreads might be compensated elsewhere. Conversely, choosing a no commission forex broker is likely to mean higher spreads. Some ECN brokers may also offer attractive zero spread accounts, but these aren’t the best for everyone as there will often be costs elsewhere.
In fact, the main pricing structures that brokers typically use will either involve charging the spread only (with commissions rolled into the spread) or charging a lower spread with the commission on top.
Identifying the most cost-effective option for each broker will require some comparison. You can quickly compare the best forex brokers’ spreads using our individual reviews.
Additional Fees
As well as forex trading spreads, some of the best forex brokers charge additional fees that can impact returns:
Swaps & rollover fees – A swap is interest that is either charged or paid to you when you hold a position overnight. It is best to gain a fair understanding of forex swap rates with your broker, as they are subject to change depending on market volatility.
Payment fees – Each forex broker will have their own funding policies that determine how accounts can be funded, as well as any charges levied on deposits and withdrawals. Make sure to find out what fees are charged, as these can have a significant impact on your overall trading costs.
Inactivity fees – Some brokers charge a monthly inactivity fee on accounts that have had no trading activity for a certain period. Again, the size of this fee will vary between the best forex brokers, so make sure you check this before you open an account.
Getting to know all the different costs can be overwhelming. A good thing to do is to note down any fees from brokers’ websites or see our breakdowns in individual brand reviews. The best forex brokers will be transparent with their costs and some even publish a comprehensive PDF with contract specifications.
If basic pricing details are not readily available on a forex broker’s website, and the customer support team is reluctant to provide details, then this is a red flag and may indicate a possible scam.
Leverage & Margin
Leverage allows you to put down a small amount of cash in order to take larger positions. The margin is how much money is required to open the leveraged position.
Whilst leveraged forex trading can lead to potential profits, it can also amplify losses. This has proven harmful when trading with unregulated forex brokers and high leverage ratios. Some brokerages even offer leverage rates as high as 1:3000.
It is for this reason that some legislators have capped retail leverage at 1:30 on major forex pairs. This is the maximum rate offered if you choose an FCA-regulated broker. Professional traders can leverage up to 1:500.
The best forex brokers usually provide a straightforward margin calculator on their website.
XM Forex Margin Calculator
Note, if you wish to compare the best forex brokers with higher leverage, there are plenty of resources online.
Trading Accounts
Account types vary from broker to broker and differ depending on various factors, including spreads, pricing and access to additional tools. The best combination of factors will therefore largely depend on a trader’s level of experience.
Many of the best forex brokers are now offering cent accounts for beginners, as well as trading in micro lots with micro accounts. Zero spread or ECN forex brokers provide direct access to other market participants and typically charge a premium commission.
XM Forex Trading Accounts
PAMM brokers offer investor accounts that allow you to allocate funds to other traders’ accounts. Halal or Islamic accounts are also provided by some of the best forex brokers and have no swap or rollover interest fees, complying with Sharia law.
Most of the best forex brokers also offer a risk-free demo account which allows both beginners and experts to test out the service and place virtual trades in the trading platforms. Clients can then open a live, real-money trading account when they’re ready.
Forex Products
Beginners may want to start trading with stable and liquid pairs such as the EUR/USD and EUR/JPY. Putting these at the top of your list will help you choose good FX brokers with low spreads for these pairs. You may even find top forex brokers offering zero pip spreads on some majors.
IG Group Major Forex Pairs
For the best trading experience, you should also look for currency exchange brokers in the UK that offer a variety of other instruments to trade in the forex market. Top brokers usually offer a mix of major, minor and exotic currency pairs on spot contracts, as well as other day trading assets such as binary options or futures. Brokers that allow you to trade cryptocurrency pairs, stock market instruments or indices, such as NASDAQ, are also popular.
Deposits & Withdrawals
The best forex brokers are those accepting and offering a range of deposit and withdrawal methods, including debit cards, bank wire transfers, e-wallets, PayPal, WebMoney, Sofort, plus mobile money. Making a deposit will be the first thing you do once you open an account, so it’s important that your broker facilitates prompt and hassle-free payments. The best forex brokers also cover any processing fees so your trading capital and profits are unaffected.
Note, the best forex brokers offer close to instant deposits and process withdrawals within several working days.
Minimum Deposits
Traders usually need to pay an initial deposit when they open an account. Some top forex brokers offer a low minimum deposit (typically under £100) and some even offer no minimum payment. For beginners in particular, a low minimum account deposit can be appealing.
Customer Support
The importance of customer support can easily be overlooked, but should you encounter any urgent issues with your account or trading platform, it’s important you can get help quickly.
The best forex brokers provide good quality customer support through live chat services and 24-hour telephone hotlines, which are the best options for immediate response times. Many UK-based forex brokers have customer support offices in locations like London.
Additional Tools
Any additional tools and features offered by forex brokers are a bonus, as these can often be tailored to beginners and experts alike. Educational resources are particularly important to new traders who need to understand the basics of forex trading. Access to tutorials, webinars, economic calendars, financial news feeds or forex calculators, for example, can help to boost efficiency and enrich trading knowledge. The best forex brokers also offer more comprehensive tools for experienced traders, such as a VPS or custom add-ons to support automated trading.
FXGrow economic calendar
It’s also worth considering trading styles or strategies that you might want to implement. For example, you could check out the best forex brokers that allow hedging and scalping.
Security At The Best Forex Brokers
The level of security provided by the best forex brokers is high, helping to ensure your funds and personal information are kept safe. If the broker uses a proprietary trading platform, they should be transparent around any measures they have in place, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), or one-time passwords (OTP). Most well-known third-party trading platforms such as MetaTrader 4 or 5 use such measures.
MetaTrader One-Time Password
The best forex brokers should also have fraud prevention measures in place, which will verify a new client’s identity upon registration. Traders should be cautious of forex brokers that don’t need verification at the registration stage, as this could be a sign of a scam.
The best forex brokers in several jurisdictions, including the UK, are required to use Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures. KYC is part of the wider Anti-Money Laundering (AML) financial policy and consists of several protective features, such as requesting two forms of identification from each customer.
Customer Reviews
The reputation and success of a top forex broker can easily be gleaned by the volume of daily trades executed. For example, some of the best forex brokers by transaction volume over the last few years have included popular names such as eToro, FXPro, IG, Oanda and HotForex.
Another way to get an idea of a broker’s reputation is by checking out customer feedback online, as these provide insight into other traders’ experiences. Many of the best forex brokers received a good ranking in 2021 for this reason. Bear in mind, though, that traders are more likely to post a review and a poor rating if they have had a bad experience.
In addition, there are professional best forex broker reviews and ranking tables online which can help with your comparison. Again, these shouldn’t be the basis for your decision and should not take precedence over the other key considerations.
It’s also worth checking out any community forums or social media pages that the broker offers. Being active on social media can be a good indicator of how much they value the modern customer experience. Some of the best forex brokers are on Instagram and other popular channels, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Welcome Bonuses
The best forex brokers for traders in England are prohibited from offering no deposit welcome bonuses or heavily incentivised promotions. These regulations are designed to protect traders from harmful incentives that promise an attractive bonus on the condition of a hefty deposit or unreasonable trading terms.
If you do want to find the best rebate or bonus-giving brokers, be aware that these are unlikely to be licensed by a top regulator, such as the FCA.
Final Word On The Best Forex Brokers
There are multiple factors to take into account when looking for the best forex brokers in the UK. Whilst we can provide insights and recommendations, the decision is ultimately down to individual requirements. So whether you’re looking for the best forex brokers with low spreads, for small accounts, or for MT4, the first step in your comparison should be listing your top priorities. From there, you can check out our individual brand reviews or our ranking list of the best forex brokers of 2021.
