Independent reviews of UK brokers since 1996

FXOpen vs Pepperstone

FXOpen or Pepperstone – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare FXOpen and Pepperstone in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

FXOpen vs Pepperstone Comparison Table 2026
FXOpen Pepperstone
3.7
4.8
FXOpen is ranked #19 among CFD brokers. Pepperstone is ranked #1 among CFD brokers.
Visit FXOpen Visit Pepperstone
Founded in 2005, FXOpen is a well-regulated broker that has drawn over one million traders. Tailored for active trading, it offers a diverse range of over 700 markets. The platform facilitates high-frequency trading, scalping, and various algorithmic strategies through the use of expert advisors (EAs). Founded in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a leading forex and CFD broker serving over 830,000 clients globally. It provides access to 1,400+ instruments through MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, with low, transparent pricing. Regulated by the FCA, ASIC and CySEC, Pepperstone offers a secure trading environment for all experience levels.

CFDs and FX are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

Pros
  • In 2024, FXOpen simplified its account options. Traders now benefit from ECN accounts with raw spreads starting at 0.0 pips. The platform offers rapid execution and reduced commissions for those with high trading volumes, enhancing user experience.
  • FXOpen significantly cut FX spreads by over 40% in 2022. In 2023, they launched commission-free index trading. These changes make trading more economical for traders.
  • FXOpen integrated TradingView in 2022 and enhanced its TickTrader platform in 2024. This upgrade delivers Level 2 pricing, over 1,200 trading instruments, and sophisticated order options. The platform appeals to both seasoned and high-frequency traders.
  • In recent years, Pepperstone has significantly enhanced the deposit and withdrawal process. By 2025, clients can use Apple Pay and Google Pay, while 2024 saw the introduction of PIX and SPEI for customers in Brazil and Mexico.
  • By integrating spread betting via TradingView, Pepperstone offers a streamlined, tax-efficient trading platform with sophisticated analysis tools for financial spread bettors in eligible countries.
  • Pepperstone offers pre-IPO perpetual futures, adding Anthropic in October 2026, enabling 24/7 speculation on expected share prices through cash-settled CFDs.
  • Support for top-tier charting platforms such as MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. These tools accommodate different short-term trading methods, including algorithmic trading.
  • Recognised customer support is accessible through phone, email, or live chat, with response times under five minutes. Service agents are friendly and well-versed in products and trading tools.
  • 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.
  • Provides a specialised CopyTrading app for traders preferring a more passive strategy, available in select countries.
Cons
  • FXOpen's educational resources are quite limited, with a scarcity of courses and webinars commonly available at brokers such as IG. This deficiency may deter novice traders looking to enhance their understanding.
  • Though FXOpen remains a trusted broker with authorizations from the FCA and CySEC, it lost its ASIC license in 2024 due to 'serious concerns.' Consequently, it no longer accepts traders from Australia.
  • Even with an expanded asset portfolio, FXOpen provides a more limited selection of global stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies compared to the leading firm BlackBull. This results in fewer diverse trading opportunities for traders.
  • Although the market range has expanded, crypto CFD options remain somewhat restricted, especially when compared to specialised brokers like Eightcap. Additionally, there is no facility to invest in actual cryptocurrencies.
  • Pepperstone has withdrawn support for key tools enhancing the trading experience for active retail traders, including Autochartist, Capitalise.ai, and a free VPS, now limited to pro traders in certain countries.
  • Execution might not appear as dependable in rapid markets as headline speeds imply. Our tests showed swift execution at targeted prices. However, community feedback highlights concerns over slippage, stop-loss fills, and order triggers sensitive to spreads amid volatility.
  • Overnight holding fees exceed those of some Market Maker brokers (typically Benchmark + 2.5%). Pepperstone suits traders and forex scalpers well but is less ideal for swing traders who keep positions open overnight.
Awards
  • Best Overall Broker - DayTrading.com 2025
  • Best Forex Broker Runner Up - DayTrading.com 2025
  • Best Trading App Runner Up - DayTrading.com 2025
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker Runner Up - DayTrading.com 2025
  • Best TradingView Broker Runner Up - DayTrading.com 2025
  • Best Forex Broker - DayTrading.com 2024
  • Best Overall Broker - DayTrading.com 2023
  • Best Trading App - DayTrading.com 2022
  • Best Forex Broker - DayTrading.com 2021
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, ETFs CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto CFDs (only Pro clients), Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$100 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, FC FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, SCA, SCB, CMA-Kenya
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
The FXOpen Trading App offers a user-friendly experience for trading over 700 global markets. It provides real-time data, level 2 pricing, live charts, and financial news. Over the years, it has achieved one of the highest ratings on the Android app store, reflecting its superior user interface. Pepperstone shines with top-tier integration with MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, ideal for traders using these major platforms. They offer stable mobile trading, boosted by Pepperstone's rapid execution speeds and extensive asset variety. It recently achieved second place in DayTrading.com's 2025 'Best Trading App' award.
iOS App Rating
5 4.4
Android App Rating
5 4.1
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes Yes
cTrader
No Yes
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
Yes Yes
ECN Account
Yes Yes
DMA Account
Yes Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
Yes Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader
Copy Trading
Yes Yes
Copy Trading Platform
FXOpen's PAMM Copy Trading service enables investors to replicate the strategies of seasoned traders. It offers a clear, performance-focused system with flexibility, automated profit-sharing, and thorough account management. 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.
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
Yes No
Demo Competitions
Yes No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • AUD
  • CHF
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • RUB
  • SGD
  • USD
  • AUD
  • CAD
  • CHF
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • HKD
  • JPY
  • NZD
  • SGD
  • USD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Aluminium
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Cotton
  • Gasoline
  • Gold
  • Livestock
  • Natural Gas
  • Nickel
  • Oil
  • Orange Juice
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Precious Metals
  • Silver
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Zinc
CFD
FXOpen offers an impressive array of CFDs, including over 700 assets like stocks, indices, currencies, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and a wider selection of ETFs. Since 2022, the inclusion of TradingView and enhancements to the TickTrader platform have equipped traders with superior tools. FXOpen thus delivers a comprehensive trading experience. In our recent assessment, Pepperstone remains a top-tier CFD broker, renowned for its speed and reliability. With execution times averaging 30ms and a remarkable 99.90% fill rate, traders benefit from a smooth experience free from requotes and dealing desk disruptions. Additionally, it offers extensive opportunities with access to more than 1,300 assets.
Leverage
1:30 (EU, UK), 1:1000 (Global) 1:30 (Retail - UK, EU, Australia), 1:500 (Pro), 1:200 (Offshore), 1:400 (Kenya)
FTSE Spread
0.7 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
0.4 0.4
Oil Spread
0.04 0.02
Stocks Spread
0.40 (Apple) 0.02
Forex
Pepperstone provides forex spreads on the EUR/USD averaging just 0.12 pips with their Razor account. This is highly competitive. Their extensive portfolio includes over 100 currency pairs, which exceeds what most rivals offer. Furthermore, Pepperstone stands out by offering three unique currency indices: USDX, EURX, and JPYX, which are rare on other platforms. They have been recognised with our 'Best Forex Broker' award twice.
Assets
50+ 100+
GBPUSD Spread
0.4 0.4
EURUSD Spread
0.2 0.1
EURGBP Spread
0.5 0.4
Currency Indices
  • EUR
  • JPY
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
FXOpen provides more than 40 cryptocurrency CFDs, featuring both crypto-only pairs and those paired with traditional currencies like GBP, USD, and JPY. Traders can leverage their crypto CFD trades at a ratio of 1:2. There are three types of orders available: market, limit, and stop, and scripts are on hand for automated trading. Pepperstone remains a leading name among trusted crypto CFD brokers. While its range of digital tokens is modest, it offers trading on major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and altcoins such as Ripple with leverage up to 1:10. Its crypto indices offer a comprehensive market perspective, often absent from other trading platforms. Additionally, Pepperstone has introduced a specific crypto exchange in Australia, named Pepperstone Crypto.
Spread
9.0 (BTC) 30 (BTC)
Coins
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • DSH
  • EOS
  • ETC
  • ETH
  • IOT
  • LTC
  • NEO
  • XMR
  • XRP
  • ADA
  • BCH
  • BNB
  • BTC
  • DASH
  • DOGE
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LINK
  • LTC
  • UNI
  • XLM
  • XRP
  • XTZ
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
FXOpen Pepperstone
Visit FXOpen Visit Pepperstone
CFDs and FX are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.