The Bullish Gartley Strategy
The Bullish Gartley Strategy is based on the retracement strategies that were outlined by H.M. Gartley in his 1935 book. There are two versions of this strategy: bullish and bearish. In today’s article, we will talk about the bullish component of this strategy.
Top UK Forex Brokers
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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.
When we evaluated Pepperstone's MT4, execution was extremely swift with spreads starting at 0.1 pips, plus a $7 per lot commission on Razor accounts. The Smart Trader Tools plugin provided real benefits, including sentiment, mini-terminal, and trade management tools. EA automation operated seamlessly, and the mobile version replicated desktop performance in live trades.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.4 0.1 0.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 100+ Yes Pepperstone Trading Platform, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist -
Vantage offers over 55 currency pairs, exceeding industry standards, allowing seasoned traders numerous opportunities. Its extensive liquidity pool ensures forex spreads start at 0.0 pips in ECN accounts, with a competitive round-trip commission usually set at $6.00 per standard lot. Additionally, there are no deposit fees or concealed charges.
In our tests, Vantage's MT4 showed excellent performance, offering spreads as low as 0.0 pips on Raw/ECN and about 1.1 pips on Standard STP, with ECN commissions starting at around $3 per lot side and none for STP. Micro-lot trading and comprehensive EA automation were effective, complemented by robust mobile MT4 functionality.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.5 0.0 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 55+ Yes ProTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade -
FOREX.com remains a leading FX broker, providing 80 currency pairs with highly competitive fees. EUR/USD spreads can reach as low as 0.0, with a $7 commission per $100k, making it a standout choice.
In our tests, FOREX.com's MT4 excelled with quick execution and a comprehensive set of custom indicators. The platform supports micro lots, EAs automation, and mobile trading. Integrated Trading Central and real-time news add-ons ensured seamless strategy testing and analysis.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 1.3 1.2 1.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 84 Yes WebTrader, Mobile, MT4, MT5, TradingView -
Eightcap provides over 50 currency pairs, matching the industry norm but falling short of leaders like CMC Markets, which offers more than 300. Nonetheless, Eightcap distinguishes itself with institutional-quality spreads starting from 0.0 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD. The broker's competitively low commissions at $3.50 per side further enhance its appeal. Eightcap also equips traders with comprehensive forex data, including essential fundamentals, bullish and bearish signals, and a calendar monitoring significant foreign exchange market events.
During testing, Eightcap’s MT4 offered swift execution and spreads starting at 0.0 pips on the Raw account. The commission was $3.50 per side for each standard lot, with an all-in cost of roughly 0.76 pips. The platform supports micro lots and provides smooth EA automation. The mobile MT4 was fast, and Capitalise.ai integration allowed for algorithmic trading without coding.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.1 0.0 0.1 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 50+ Yes MT4, MT5, TradingView -
IG provides an extensive selection of over 80 currency pairs through its own web platform, mobile app, or MetaTrader 4. For advanced charting and forex analysis, the ProRealTime software is available. Testing shows forex spreads are competitive, beginning at 0.1 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD.
When we tested IG’s MT4, execution was stable but a bit slower than their proprietary platform. Spreads averaged 0.6 pips on major pairs without commissions, supporting micro lots and dependable EA automation. Although MT4 did not include IG's exclusive tools, it provided robust mobile functionality and a wide asset range, including CFDs and forex.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.9 0.8 0.9 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 80+ Yes Web, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime -
FxPro provides over 70 currency pairs, though minors are excluded, and is renowned for its rapid execution and tight spreads, averaging 0.45 pips on EUR/USD. Traders can design, evaluate, and implement short-term strategies using the top-tier MT4 platform with expert advisors for algorithmic trading.
In our tests, FxPro’s MT4 provided robust execution with options for market or instant execution accounts. The platform accommodates micro lots, dependable EA automation, and mobile trading. FxPro’s tailored MT4 plugin enhanced analytics and risk management tools beyond the standard suite.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.6 0.45 0.73 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ Yes FxPro Edge, MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower -
Axi excels with over 70 currency pairs, outpacing competitors such as AvaTrade, which provides just over 50. Coupled with the enhanced MT4 platform via the NextGen add-on, Axi stands out as a top choice for forex traders.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.5 0.2 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ Yes Axi Copy Trading, MT4, AutoChartist
Pepperstone
Vantage FX
Forex.com
Eightcap
IG
FXPro
AxiSafety Comparison
Compare how safe the The Bullish Gartley Strategy are and what features they offer to protect traders.
| Broker | Trust Rating | FCA Regulated | Negative Balance Protection | Guaranteed Stop Loss | Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Forex.com | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Eightcap | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IG | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| FXPro | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Axi | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
Payments Comparison
Compare which popular payment methods the The Bullish Gartley Strategy support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).
| Broker | GBP Account | Debit Card | Credit Card | Neteller | Skrill | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Forex.com | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Eightcap | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| FXPro | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Axi | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Mobile Trading Comparison
How good are the The Bullish Gartley Strategy at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.
| Broker | Mobile Apps | iOS Rating | Android Rating | Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Vantage FX | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Forex.com | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Eightcap | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IG | iOS & Android | ✔ | ||
| FXPro | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Axi | iOS & Android | ✘ |
Beginners Comparison
Are the The Bullish Gartley Strategy 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 | ||
| Vantage FX | ✔ | $50 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Forex.com | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Eightcap | ✔ | £100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IG | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| FXPro | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Axi | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots |
Advanced Trading Comparison
Do the The Bullish Gartley Strategy 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) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | Myfxbook AutoTrade, Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Forex.com | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Eightcap | TradingView Bots | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| FXPro | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Axi | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, Myfxbook | ✔ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the The Bullish Gartley Strategy.
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Mobile | Assets | Fees | Accounts | Support | Research | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | |||||||||
| Vantage FX | |||||||||
| Forex.com | |||||||||
| Eightcap | |||||||||
| IG | |||||||||
| FXPro | |||||||||
| Axi |
Our Take On Pepperstone
"Pepperstone excels in trading with tight spreads, swift execution, and advanced charting for seasoned traders. Beginners enjoy zero minimum deposit, comprehensive educational materials, and outstanding 24/5 support, including 18-hour weekend assistance."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- 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 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.
- Support for top-tier charting platforms such as MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. These tools accommodate different short-term trading methods, including algorithmic trading.
Cons
- 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.
- 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.
- Provides limited internal market analysis and collaborates with third-party firms like Autochartist to address this. This issue is minor, given the abundance of other sources offering comprehensive market insights.
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."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- ECN accounts offer competitive terms, featuring spreads starting at 0.0 pips and a commission of $1.50 per trade side.
- Hedging and scalping strategies are fully permitted without any short-term restrictions.
- Vantage upholds a high trust score through its solid reputation, backed by premier regulation from the FCA and ASIC.
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.
- To access optimal trading conditions, a substantial deposit of $10,000 is required. This includes a commission of $1.50 per transaction per side.
Our Take On Forex.com
"FOREX.com excels in serving traders of all levels, offering more than 80 currency pairs, spreads starting at 0.0 pips, and competitive commissions. Its robust charting platforms provide over 100 technical indicators and comprehensive research tools."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- The in-house Web Trader remains a top-tier platform for budding traders, featuring an elegant design and more than 80 technical indicators for market analysis.
- FOREX.com provides top-tier forex rates beginning at 0.0 pips, along with attractive cashback rebates up to 15% for dedicated traders.
- An abundance of educational resources is available, such as tutorials, webinars, and an extensive YouTube channel, designed to enhance your understanding of financial markets.
Cons
- US clients are not protected against negative balances, which means you could end up owing more than your initial deposit.
- Demo accounts are typically limited to 90 days, hindering effective strategy testing.
- FOREX.com's MT4 platform provides around 600 instruments, a notable reduction compared to the more than 5,500 options on its other platforms.
Our Take On Eightcap
"Eightcap excels for traders, offering diverse charting platforms, educational Labs, and AI tools. With over 120 crypto CFDs, it stands out in crypto trading and has won our 'Best Crypto Broker' award twice consecutively."William Berg
Reviewer
Pros
- Eightcap has excelled in all essential trading areas, surpassing all rivals to clinch our 'Best Overall Broker' award for 2024. It also earned the titles of 'Best Crypto Broker' and 'Best TradingView Broker' for 2025.
- In 2021, Eightcap enhanced its lineup, now providing an extensive range of cryptocurrency CFDs. It offers crypto/fiat and crypto/crypto pairs, along with crypto indices for comprehensive market exposure.
- In 2026, Eightcap integrated TradeLocker in select areas, establishing itself as the premier regulated broker for this platform. It continues to offer ultra-fast execution and competitive fees for active traders using the charting software.
Cons
- Despite a helpful array of educational guides and e-books in Labs, Eightcap lags behind IG's extensive resources for aspiring traders. IG boasts a dedicated Academy app and features 18 diverse course categories.
- The demo account is available for 30 days, after which it requires a request for extension. This is less convenient than XM's offering, which provides an unlimited demo mode.
- Despite the growing range of tools available, Eightcap lacks popular industry resources such as Autochartist and Trading Central. These provide advanced charting analytics, live news, and essential market insights for traders focused on short-term strategies.
Our Take On IG
"IG offers a complete package: an easy-to-use web platform, top-tier beginner education, enhanced charting via TradingView, up-to-date data, and strong trade execution for seasoned traders."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- As a seasoned broker, IG adheres to stringent regulatory standards across various regions, ensuring significant trust.
- IG secured a crypto asset license from the FCA, enabling its return to the UK market. It now offers buying, selling, and storage services for over 55 digital tokens with fees starting at 1.49%, all under FCA regulation.
- IG provides a wide range of professional and engaging educational materials, such as webinars, articles, and analyses, tailored for traders.
Cons
- IG imposes a monthly inactivity fee of $12 after two years, discouraging occasional traders.
- IG has ended its swap-free account, diminishing its attractiveness to Islamic traders.
- Beginners may find IG's fees complicated, as they vary depending on the trades or services. This could cause confusion and unexpected costs.
Our Take On FXPro
"FxPro is an excellent choice for traders, offering swift execution speeds under 12ms, reduced fees since 2022, and outstanding charting platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and FxPro Edge."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- FxPro provides four dependable charting platforms, including the user-friendly FxPro Edge. It features more than 50 indicators, 7 types of charts, and 15 different timeframes.
- FxPro's Wallet is a notable feature enabling traders to securely manage their funds. It ensures additional protection and ease by separating unused funds from active trading accounts.
- FxPro uses a 'No Dealing Desk' (NDD) model for swift and transparent order execution, usually within 12 milliseconds, making it well-suited for short-term trading strategies.
Cons
- FxPro offers customer support five days a week around the clock, accessible via various platforms, and the service quality is reliable based on tests. However, the absence of weekend support can be a drawback for traders requiring help beyond standard market times.
- FxPro, with its $10M funded demo account and expanding Knowledge Hub, mainly caters to experienced traders. Beginners might find its account and fee structure challenging to understand.
- There are no passive investment options such as copy trading or interest on cash. While traders might not find these essential, competitors like eToro, which accommodate both active and passive investors, offer more extensive services.
Our Take On Axi
"Axi excels for forex trading on MetaTrader 4 with over 70 currency pairs, MT4 NextGen features, and tight spreads starting at 0.2 pips on the Pro account."Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- Axi provides an excellent MT4 experience, enhanced by the NextGen plug-in for sophisticated order management and analytics, with low execution latency around 30ms.
- Experienced traders are invited to join the Axi Select funded trader programme via the broker's international branch. This scheme offers up to $1 million in capital with the benefit of a 90% profit share.
- Axi Academy offers a wealth of educational resources, from free eBooks and video tutorials to interactive quizzes. These are particularly beneficial for novice traders.
Cons
- Axi retains our confidence. However, recent issues with ASIC and FMA require it to maintain a secure environment and comply with licensing standards.
- Axi lags by solely providing MT4, while competitors have upgraded to MT5, cTrader, TradingView, and bespoke platforms, delivering a smoother user experience with enhanced tools.
- Even with the expansion of stock CFDs in the US, UK, and EU markets, its range still falls short compared to companies like BlackBull, which provide thousands of equities for varied trading opportunities.
The bullish Gartley pattern is a complex chart pattern that aims to use points of downward price retracement as a way of identifying a possible upward price reversal point. The bullish Gartley pattern is a bullish reversal chart pattern.
As is seen from the simplified sketch above, the bullish Gartley pattern resembles an inverted “W”. The pattern should be able to show an XABCD formation as shown above if correctly traced. The pattern is traced by connecting the points with trend lines as follows:
– It starts with a bullish move from point X to a point A.
– There is a short retracement from point A to point B.
– The uptrend resumes again to point C. Point C is not usually on the same level as point A).
– There is a downward move from point C to point D. This completes the bullish Gartley.
If a trader can correctly trace the bullish Gartley pattern on the charts, he can cash in on the full reversal that is sure to occur from the point D.
Rules for the Bullish Gartley Strategy
Central to the use of this strategy is the identification of the bullish Gartley pattern from the currency chart. There are rules that must be followed in order to identify a true bullish Gartley pattern, as it is very easy to get caught out by many fake outs or fake patterns that resemble a bullish Gartley but which are really something else.
These rules have to do with being able to detect a true XABCD pattern and are listed below:
1) The price move that is represented by the AB line must be a 61.8% retracement of the price movement represented by the XA line. The dotted line XB should therefore show the 61.8% reading (please refer to the diagram above).
2) The next move following AB is the resumption of the uptrend. This is represented by the line BC. The BC price movement should be an upward retracement of between 61.8% and 78.6% from the price movement AB. In other words, point C must be below point A on a horizontal plane. If point C is at the same horizontal plane as point A or even above point A, the chart pattern rule for the bullish Gartley is invalidated.
3) Next in line is the downward price retracement from point C, represented by the line CD. CD must be 127% to 161.8% retracement from line BC. This means that point D MUST be below point B, but remain above or at the same horizontal plane as point X.
It is only when the rules above have been clearly obeyed that a true bullish Gartley pattern has formed and we can truly say that the trader has a good basis for going long at point D.
Traders should be very alert to pattern failures. It is best to practice the identification of this pattern on a demo account before attempting it on a live account.
Indicators
This strategy uses a single indicator which is a customized indicator that helps the trader to plot the XABCD lines. This indicator is known as the . Once you have downloaded this indicator, attach it to the Indicators folder of your MT4 trading client, then attach it to the chart when you open your MT4 platform and it will automatically plot the lines as shown in the chart above. Click here to download the indicator.
Time Frames
This strategy can be used on any time frame and for any currency pair.
Setting Stop Loss and Profit Target
There are no hard and fast rules for setting the stop loss targets and the profit targets. For the stop loss, the key is in identifying when the point D has been reached so as not to get stopped out if prices are still retracing. Once the point D has been clearly identified, the stop loss can be set at a set number of pips beyond it, taking into cognisance the time frame used in doing the trade analysis. For instance, it is unrealistic to set a 40 pip stop loss if the analysis was done on a daily chart, seeing the wide difference in pips between the key points.
Profit targets will depend on using technical parameters like support/resistance levels, candlestick reversal points or even news trades that may counter the trade.