Trading Signals
Trading signals are notifications that help investors find the best time to open and close trades. Live signals are available for various trading markets including forex, stocks, commodities, and cryptos, with a range of providers to suit different budgets and experience levels. This review ranks the best UK brokers with trading signals, explaining how different types of services work, plus the benefits and risks.
Brokers With Trading Signals
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Founded in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a highly regarded broker specialising in forex and CFDs. Serving more than 400,000 clients globally, it provides access to over 1,300 financial instruments through popular platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. Its fee structure is both low and transparent. With regulation by reputable bodies such as the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, Pepperstone guarantees a safe trading environment for traders at every level.
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) -
Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, Bappebti xStation Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 -
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a reputable broker publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. It holds authorisation from top-tier regulators such as the FCA, ASIC, and CIRO. The brokerage, which has received multiple awards, boasts a global membership exceeding one million traders.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA Web, MT4, TradingView Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) -
FXCC, a well-established brokerage since 2010, offers cost-effective online trading. Registered in Nevis and regulated by CySEC, it is distinguished by its ECN conditions and absence of a minimum deposit requirement. The account opening process is efficient, taking under five minutes.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto CySEC MT4, MT5 Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:500 -
IC Markets is an internationally acclaimed forex and CFD broker, admired for its competitive pricing, diverse trading instruments, and superior technology. Established in 2007 and based in Australia, the firm is under the regulation of ASIC, CySEC, and FSA. It has successfully drawn over 180,000 clients from more than 200 nations.
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) -
Founded in 1974, IG is a part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly listed brokerage (LSE: IGG). The company provides spread betting, CFD, and forex trading, offering access to over 17,000 markets. Its platforms and investing apps are notably user-friendly. Over the past 50 years, IG has consistently been an industry leader, excelling in all essential areas for traders.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA, FINMA, CONSOB, AFM Web, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro) -
Eightcap, an acclaimed broker regulated by the FCA, offers exceptionally low trading costs. Recognised as the top-rated brand by TradingView's vast user base of 100 million, traders can directly access the platform. UK traders can open a live account with a minimum deposit of just £100.
Instruments Regulator Platforms CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities ASIC, FCA, CySEC, SCB MT4, MT5, TradingView Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage £100 0.01 Lots 1:30 -
eToro is a leading multi-asset platform, providing trading services in a vast array of CFDs, equities, and cryptocurrencies. Since its establishment in 2007, eToro has attracted millions of traders worldwide and holds licences from top regulators like the FCA and CySEC. Its social trading platform is especially favoured. Investing in cryptoassets is highly volatile and unregulated in the UK and certain EU nations, with no consumer protection. Tax obligations on profits may apply. 51% of retail CFD accounts incur losses.
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 -
Trade Nation is a leading FX and CFD broker regulated in the UK and Australia, among other places. The company provides competitively priced fixed and variable spreads on over 1,000 assets. Traders benefit from advanced platforms and comprehensive training materials. Additionally, the Signal Centre offers valuable trade ideas.
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, a New Zealand-based CFD broker, offers a wide range of trading options across more than 26,000 instruments. Following a 2023 rebrand, it boasts a contemporary design and provides advanced trading tools along with ultra-fast execution speeds, averaging 20ms.
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
Our experts have also listed the top independent providers of trading signals, operating via specialised software, platforms and apps:
Third-Party Signal Providers
What Is A Trading Signal?
Trading signals are alerts that are sent to investors to notify them of potential market opportunities. They include information that helps users plan a trade, such as entry price, take profit and stop loss. Traders can then decide whether to act on the signal.
Subscriptions for trading signals are available on a range of markets, such as forex, stocks, cryptocurrency and commodities. Additionally, you can find signals for different trading vehicles, for example, CFDs and binary options.
Trading signals can be issued by algorithms scanning the markets or by experienced traders conducting technical and fundamental analysis. Signals can also be sent through a variety of channels, from SMS and email to Telegram, Discord and WhatsApp groups.
Note that there is a degree of subjectivity to trading signals – you are reliant on the judgement and skill of the issuer. One expert or bot may interpret charts as indicating that the price of Bitcoin (BTC) will increase over the next few days, whereas another may disagree that there is enough data to suggest this. In other words, not all signal providers are the same, and some will have higher hit rates.
How Do Trading Signals Work?
Trading signals can convey information from both technical and fundamental analysis. With the former, experts or robots may use indicators such as the MACD, RSI and support and resistance lines to identify upcoming trends or trend reversals. Fundamental analysis signals can be based on key information related to certain companies or countries, such as earnings reports or central banks’ interest rate decisions.
The best trading signals typically include the following information to help set up trades:
- Asset: Gold
- Order Type: Buy Stop
- Current Price: £1,527
- Entry: £1,530
- Target: £1,540
- Stop Loss: £1,525
- Take Profit: £1,542
Using this signal, you would place a buy order on gold at a strike price of £1,530 to capitalise on an upcoming bullish trend. This means that if gold were to increase by £3, a buy order would be processed. You would then hold this position until the price reaches the take profit price, falls to the stop loss price, or you close it yourself.
Pros Of Trading With Signals
- Help find opportunities in multiple markets from oil to crypto
- A long list of trading signal services available in the UK
- Traders retain control over whether to act upon signals
- Signals can be fully automated with copy trading software
- Compatible with the best platforms like MT4, MT5 and TradingView
- The top services also have volume and volatility reasoning explained
Cons Of Trading With Signals
- Fees can eat into profits
- Scam providers operate online avoiding UK regulations
- Success is dependent on the quality and reliability of the issuer
- Past performance is not always an accurate indication of future results
How To Compare Trading Signal Providers
Fees
Fees for trading signals can be recurring payments for a subscription, a one-off fee, or the service could be offered free of charge at the best brokers. Subscription fees typically range from around £10 per month up to £150 per month.
You also need to consider these charges alongside the frequency of trades. For instance, if the provider charges a monthly fee of £40, but only provides two or three signals per week, you need these signals to generate a profit of above £10 each week. This is also before accounting for brokerage fees and any taxes.
In addition, consider bid-ask spreads, trading commissions, fees for deposits and withdrawals and any inactivity charges. These will need to be paid on top of the cost of the trading signals.
Payment Methods
Most brokers accept deposits made using bank transfers as well as credit and debit cards. Many leading firms with trading signals, including Pepperstone and CMC Markets, also allow clients to use e-wallets such as PayPal.
When comparing brokers with signals, also consider the time taken to process payments, the fees they charge for each method and any minimum/maximum deposit and withdrawal limits.
Frequency
The frequency that trading signals are sent is likely to be linked to the range of assets covered. For instance, if a provider covers all the stocks in the FTSE 100, you are likely to see receive more signals than you would for a provider covering a single forex pair.
Ultimately, make sure you choose brokers with signals or third-party providers that align with your strategy, whether that is day trading or long-term trading.
Notification Method
Signal providers may send notifications in a variety of ways. Common methods include text messages, email alerts and notifications via trading apps or smartwatches.
You can also find providers that post trading signals in online groups and communities. Some firms also use free social media apps such as Telegram, Twitter, Discord, Reddit and WhatsApp to share alerts for assets like crypto, forex and stocks.
Platform Integration
Certain providers integrate their services directly into your trading platform via an API. This makes it easier for you to view and then act on suggestions. Popular examples include MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5); clients can choose from over 3,200 providers through these terminals.
The software developer, MetaQuotes, also allows traders to compare providers with a snapshot of details such as growth and success since inception, number of subscribers, win percentage and costs.
An example of the MetaTrader 4 hub for choosing signal programs can be seen below. By clicking on a profile clients can access a more in-depth review with a strategy definition, gross profit and gross loss amongst other information.
Note, certain brokers, such as eToro, offer their own platform. Other firms, such as Pepperstone, offer third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. There are also brokers, including IG, that offer both proprietary platforms and third-party solutions.
Also check for mobile compatibility. This is key because if you receive a trading signal while away from your computer, you can still make the trade. The best brokers with trading signals offer an app that is available on iOS and Android devices.
Markets & Vehicles
Some brokers and platforms such as Coinbase specialise in cryptocurrency trading, investing in tokens like BTC, ETH, and XRP. Other brokers with trading signals, such as Pepperstone, offer stocks, forex, indices, ETFs, bonds and commodities.
You should also look a the different vehicles available, for example, trading on margin with derivatives such as CFDs, options, futures and spread betting.
Research
Selecting the wrong provider could hurt your portfolio – either by giving you bad signals or if its costs outweigh the returns. For this reason, completing research on different providers is key.
Read customer reviews by investors that already use their services to get an understanding of which providers are worth paying for. Alternatively, see our list of the best brokers with trading signals.
Use Several Sources
You do not need to limit yourself to one trading signals provider – you can use several to help increase your chances of finding good investment opportunities.
For instance, if two providers both send signals for the same asset and side, this could be a good sign that it could be a good trade to make.
Education
Top-rated signal programs and brokerages offer daily market insights and news updates. They may also provide copy trading tools, which are popular with beginners – offering a more automated approach to signals trading.
In addition, the best brokers help clients learn how to trade with signals today through free PDFs, books, and excel definitions etc.
Regulation
A key advantage of signing up with reputable brokers with trading signals over third-party platforms is increased regulatory oversight. The best firms for UK traders hold a license with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
FCA-licensed brokers have to implement protective measures such as negative balance protection, which helps clients to avoid becoming indebted to the company in the event of large losses.
Note, you can take the brokerage’s license number from the bottom of their official website and check it on the FCA’s register.
Bottom Line On Trading Signals
Trading forex, commodity and other markets using signals can be helpful, particularly for newer investors. They are easy to sign up for and many real providers are operating on a range of online platforms and in multiple asset classes. For this reason, there are trading signals that align with most strategies and trading styles.
With that said, be wary of relying solely on trading signals. Also with various scams online, only use trusted brokers with trading signals. Alternatively, choose independent providers with good reviews and ratings.
FAQ
Are Trading Signals Legit?
Many trading signals providers are legitimate, however, there are also scams so due diligence is required. Fortunately, with popular platforms like MT4 and MT5, you can review each provider, with metrics on their overall returns, reliability ratings, and the number of subscribers.
Are Trading Signals Legal?
Yes, it is legal for UK-based investors to follow trading signals. While you may be geo-blocked by certain providers outside of the country, many top-rated brokers in the UK will let you trade with signals. Alternatively, there are third-party providers of signals that accept British traders.
Are Trading Signals Worth It?
Trading with signals can be worthwhile, but it depends on your approach and risk tolerance. For instance, if you plan on day trading crypto using moving averages, you need a higher-risk provider that sends out signals daily. You should also consider the cost of trading signals, with average monthly fees coming in at around £100.
Do Trading Signals Work?
There are providers of trading signals that have generated decent profits in the long run. However, no platform can guarantee you will generate profits 100% of the time, so be wary of companies promising huge returns. Make sure you check the history of the signal provider, their approach to risk, and the number of subscribers.