Best Low Spread Forex Brokers Reviewed for 2024 – Cheapest Brokers Compared

Inexperienced forex traders will often focus on the commission when assessing fees. But the spread is equally as important, as this is an indirect fee charged on both buy and sell orders.

In this guide, we reveal the twelve best low spread brokers for 2024. Not only do we rank brokers based on average spreads, but also commissions, payment types, supported markets, leverage limits, and much more.

Best Low Spread Forex Brokers Reviewed

Read on to discover what the best lowest spread forex brokers offer in 2024. Our reviews not only cover spreads but also other important metrics. For instance, supported markets, minimum deposit requirements, and regulations.

1. eToro – Best Low-spread Broker with Trading Fees from 1.0 Pips

eToro is a popular low-spread forex broker offering forex trading fees starting at only 1.0 pip for the popular EUR/USD trading pair. It backs up these low spreads with overnight fees starting at only $0.00000227 per sell and $-0.00008473 per buy. 

There are no deposit fees for bank transfers, debit cards, or e-wallets making it one of the most competitive platforms on the market.

Beyond just offering low fees, there’s a lot more for forex traders to like about eToro. This forex broker has its own powerful trading platform that makes it easy to monitor a wide range of trading pairs at once. You can set up alerts, save custom chart layouts, and find trading opportunities using dozens of built-in technical indicators.

On top of that, eToro helps you track market sentiment for each forex pair it offers. You can see at a glance whether other traders on eToro are buying or selling and incorporate that information into your trading strategy.

You can also mimic the moves of experienced forex traders on eToro thanks to its copy trading feature. This is a great way to implement different forex trading strategies in your portfolio without having to watch the market all day. Regulated by leading bodies in the UK and Europe, eToro is the perfect platform for beginner and investor alike.

76% of retail CFD accounts lose money – your capital is at risk.

2. XTB – Low Spread Broker Offers 48 Currency Pairs

XTB is one of the best low spread brokers for day traders. Not only does it offer competitive spreads but there are no commissions to pay. This is the case for all supported markets. EUR/USD, for example, starts from just 1.3 pips.  Moreover, XTB is suitable for beginners, as there is no minimum deposit requirement.

It is important to note that XTB spreads are variable. This means that spreads will change throughout the day, depending on broader trading commissions. For example, GBP/USD is currently trading with spreads of 1.6 pips, because the markets are closed. However, this is reduced to 1.3 pips during standard market hours. XTB is also one of the best low spread brokers for obtaining high-leverage limits.

Eligible traders can buy and sell forex pairs with leverage of up to 1:500. This translates to a margin requirement of just 0.2%. In addition to forex, XTB supports thousands of other financial instruments. This includes everything from stocks and indices to cryptocurrencies and commodities. XTB has its own native trading platform – xStation 5. This offers plenty of advanced trading tools, including technical indicators.

Forex and CFDs are leveraged products and can result in losses that exceed your deposits. Please make sure you fully understand all risks.

3. AvaTrade – Established Forex Broker With EUR/USD Spreads Starting at 0.9 Pips        

AvaTrade is an established forex broker that also supports other leveraged markets, including stocks, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and options. When trading EUR/USD, AvaTrade offers spreads of just 0.9 pips. USD/JPY and AUD/USD can be traded with spreads of 1 pip and 1.1 pip, respectively. GBP/USD is slightly less competitive at 1.5 pips.

Nonetheless, AvaTrade doesn’t charge trading commissions on any of its supported markets, making it one of the best forex brokers with low spread. In addition, AvaTrade offers eligible clients leverage of up to 1:400 on major and minor forex pairs. Exotics can be traded with leverage of up to 1:100. AvaTrade supports multiple trading platforms, including MT4 and MT5. It also offers a native web trading platform.

Users can also trade via the AvaTrade mobile app for iOS and Android. AvaTrade is also popular for its regulatory framework. It is authorized and licensed in nine different countries. We also like that AvaTrade offers fee-free deposits and withdrawals. Accepted payment methods include debit/credit cards and bank wires. The minimum deposit is $100, or the currency equivalent.

4. FP Markets: Low commission Forex Broker Featuring Spreads Starting from 0.0 Pips

FP Markets stands out as one of the premier forex trading platforms, offering exceptionally low spreads that begin at 0.0 pips. It supports an extensive range of over 70 currency pairs, providing robust trading options in major pairs such as GBP/USD, EUR/USD, and USD/JPY. The platform operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, catering to the global forex market.

The platform boasts fast trade execution, largely due to the integration of Equinix servers. This high-speed capability is complemented by features such as margin and leverage trading facilities, which allow for swift investment actions. FP Markets operates through cTrader and MetaTrader 4, renowned for its power and versatility, and features a customizable interface to enhance user experience.

Security is a top priority at FP Markets, with robust measures like 128-bit encryption to protect trader data. Additionally, the platform offers Expert Advisors to aid traders in making informed decisions. Multilingual customer support further enhances accessibility, making FP Markets a highly recommended choice for forex traders worldwide.

5. Pepperstone – 0.0 Pip Spread Accounts With Deep Liquidity     

Pepperstone, used by more than 400,000 traders globally, offers some of the lowest spreads in the market. Those opening a Razor account will secure minimum spreads of 0.0 pips on many pairs. This includes EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, AUD/USD, and USD/CHF. To get the best spreads possible, users will need to trade during peak market hours.

The Razor account comes with commissions of $3.50 per traded lot. On pairs denominated in GBP and EUR, the commission amounts to £2.25 and €2.60 respectively. Pepperstone also offers Standard accounts that come without commissions. But the spread will be much higher. For instance, EUR/USD and GBP/USD start at 0.7 and 0.9 pips. This is still very competitive nonetheless.

We also like that Pepperstone allows traders to deposit any amount of their choosing – no minimums apply. No deposit fees are charged either. Accepted payment types include debit/credit cards, PayPal, and bank wires. All deposit methods are processed instantly apart from bank wires.

Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

6. Admiral Markets: Offers Competitive Fees with Spreads as Low as 0.1 Pips for EURUSD And Commission from 1.8 USD Per Lot

Admiral Markets is one of the best low-spread forex brokers with competitive trading costs. It offers more than 8,000 trading instruments with spreads as low as 0 ( Zero.MT4 and Zero.MT5 accounts) and from 0.5 (Trade.MT4 and Trade.MT5 accounts). However, apart from spreads, commissions can be charged depending on the account type and the trading instrument. 

Their fees are built into tight spreads, such as 0.1 pips for EURUSD and a low commission of 1,8 USD per lot, making it quite an economical choice for active traders. The platform is run by Admiral Markets UK Ltd and is regulated by the FCA.

It gives users access to thousands of CFDs and spot trading choices. There are more than 80 forex pairs, 40 indices, and many bonds and commodities that investors can trade. These include metals, energy, crops, and more. Admiral Markets also lets you trade more than 3,400 share CFDs and spot shares, which makes it a flexible tool for traders of all levels.

It’s worth noting that the platform has a low minimum deposit of just £25, and buyers can buy fractional shares starting from just £1. Admiral Markets also accepts a number of payment methods, such as MasterCard, VISA, and bank transfers, and it allows you to make one free withdrawal per month.

The platform integrates with MetaTrader accounts and gives users powerful trade tools and learning materials, like webinars, to help them learn more about CFDs and other investment strategies. Admiral Markets is a good choice for buyers because it has great customer service and an easy-to-use dashboard.

Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

7. Plus500 – Regulated Futures Broker With Low Commission

Plus500 offers some of the lowest commissions on the platform. Moreover, Plus500 waives deposit and withdrawal fees, and there are no fees for routing as well as no platform fees, which are often charged by other brokers.

This makes Plus500 an excellent choice for active future traders. There are 13 forex futures to trade, from Micro AUD/USD and Micro GBP/USD to Mexican Peso and Euro FX, with leverage that depends on the margin.

If you want to take a more cautious approach and diversify your investments, choose from over 50 future contracts. Add popular Equity Indices like E-mini S&P MidCap 400 or Micro E-mini S&P 500 to your portfolio or trade crypto futures and metals such as gold, silver, and more. You can also trade agriculture futures and interest rates as well.

To keep your mind at ease, Plus500 is one of the futures brokers that is regulated by multiple financial authorities. Because of that, there are over 25 million users from 50 countries that use the platform daily.

Trading with leverage comes with a high risk and may not be suitable for everyone.

8. IUX – One of the Lowest Spread Forex Brokers with Zero Commissio

IUX is a market-leading, low-spread digital trading platform that focuses primarily on forex trading. Alongside forex trading, the platform also offers CFD trading on a variety of international markets including stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, and commodities.

The platform is renowned for its low-spread forex trading, which provides users with access to over 60 currency markets and spreads starting from as low as 0.0 PIPs. Such a diverse mix of proprietary liquidity ensures that tight spreads are always available.

More than $1.5 billion worth of CFD trades are processed every day showcasing IUX’s institutional-grade platform which has uninterrupted access to deep levels of liquidity.

IUX boasts some of the fastest order execution on the market today thanks to the use of low latency fiber optic and an in-house Equinix LD4 server. This ensures that the average trade execution speed remains under 30ms. For those who want even faster trade execution speeds, IUX also provides access to Low Latency Collocated VPS free of charge.

You can access the IUX platform via desktop or mobile application and with support for over 10 languages and 35,000 global installations to date, it is easy to see why IUX has become so popular in a relatively short space of time.

9. Libertex – Minimum Deposit of $10 and Leverage of up to 1:999     

Libertex is a popular CFD broker that supports forex, stocks, indices, and commodities. It also supports some of the best cryptocurrencies to trade, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, Litecoin, and Dogecoin. Forex traders have dozens of currency pairs to choose from across the majors, minors, and exotics. There are no trading commissions to pay.

Moreover, Libertex offers spreads of just 0.2 pips on EUR/USD. One of the best features of Libertex is that it offers leverage of up to 1:999 on major forex pairs. This means for every $999 traded, a margin balance of just $1 is required. Limitations will apply depending on the location of the trader.

In terms of trading platforms, Libertex supports MT4 and MT5. It also has its own native platform for web browsers and smartphones. First-time users can test Libertex via its free demo account, which comes with $50,000 in virtual trading funds. Real money accounts require a minimum deposit of just $10.

10. Skilling – Premium Forex Accounts Come With Minimum Spreads of 0.1 Pips        

Skilling is the final option to consider on this list of the best low spread brokers. It offers two account types to choose from. Its Premium account offers minimum spreads of just 0.1 pips on EUR/USD. This comes with a commission of $35 for every $1 million traded. Moreover, the Premium account has a minimum deposit requirement of €5,000.

As such, the Premium account likely won’t be suitable for beginners. That said, Skilling also offers a Standard account. Not only does it come with a minimum deposit of €100 but no trading commissions are charged. But the minimum spread on EUR/USD has increased to 0.7 pips.

Both Skilling accounts offer access to 73 forex pairs, alongside indices, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and commodities. Retail clients can trade major pairs with leverage of 1:30. This is increased to 1:200 for professional traders. We like that Skilling supports multiple trading platforms. This includes MT4 and cTrader. Skilling also offers a native trading suite, available on web browsers and a mobile app for iOS and Android.

79% of the retail investors lose money when trading with this CFD provider.

11. IG – Trusted Low Spread Broker for US-Based Clients       

IG is one of the best low spread brokers for US-based clients. It is registered with the CFTC and NFA and supports more than 80 currency pairs. Moreover, IG is popular for its super-fast execution speeds and high-level trading dashboard. The latter supports dozens of technical indicators, chart drawing tools, and customer order types.

The IG trading suite also supports breaking news, direct from Reuters. In terms of fees, EUR/USD spreads can be traded from 0.8 pips. There are no commissions to pay when trading forex. US clients can also trade forex with leverage. EUR/USD requires a minimum margin requirement of just 2%. GBP/USD and USD/CHF require a slightly higher margin at 5%.

IG offers a fast account opening process. In most cases, US clients are verified instantly. The main drawback is that US clients cannot trade other assets on IG. Those based in other countries will have access to thousands of stocks, funds, commodities, indices, and other popular markets.

12. Forex.com – Low Spread Currency Broker with Over 80 Pairs   

Forex.com is a regulated forex broker that was founded in 2001. It supports more than 80 currency pairs and offers competitive pricing. That said, spreads often depend on the trader’s location and account type. For instance, US clients looking for low spread forex brokers can open a Direct Market Access (DMA) account, which offers institutional-grade spreads alongside a small commission.

While non-US clients are limited to Standard accounts, which come with higher spreads but without commissions. On the Standard account, EUR/USD can be traded with spreads of just 0.7 pips. But spreads are variable, so expect volatility. Nonetheless, we like that Forex.com supports MT5, which comes packed with trading and analysis tools.

Forex.com also has its own trading platform, accessible via browsers, desktop software, and an app for iOS and Android. Non-US clients have access to thousands of other assets, backed by leveraged CFDs. This includes commodities, stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies.

13. Capital.com – 0% Commission Forex Trading on 125 Currency Pairs         

Capital.com is one of the best FX low spread brokers for diversification. 125 forex pairs are supported, which is more than most brokers in this industry. This includes dozens of exotic pairs, which will appeal to high-risk traders. All markets supported by Capital.com can be traded at 0% commission. Moreover, spreads on EUR/USD start from just 0.6 pips. Spreads are variable, so will change as per market conditions.

Capital.com has its own web trading platform and a native app for iOS and Android.  Its trading suite supports over 70 technical indicators, economic news, multi-chart toggling, and personalized watchlists. Capital.com supports leverage of up to 1:30 when trading major currency pairs. This is reduced to 1:20 when trading minors and exotics. Traders might wish to start with the Capital.com demo account.

This comes pre-loaded with $1,000 in virtual funds and it tracks live market conditions. Real money accounts require a minimum deposit of just $20. Debit/credit cards and e-wallets are supported. But bank wire deposits require a minimum of $500. There are no deposit or withdrawal fees. We also like that Capital.com supports other leveraged markets. This includes more than 2,800 stocks from multiple international exchanges. In addition, Capital.com supports cryptocurrencies, commodities, and indices.

Best Low Spread Brokers Compared

Comparing spreads, commissions, and other important metrics can be a daunting task.

Therefore, the best low spread brokers are summarized in the table below.

What is a Spread in Trading?

In simple terms, the spread is the difference between the ‘bid’ and ‘ask’ prices of a forex pair. Some brokers will display this as the ‘buy’ and ‘sell’ price. Either way, this is an indirect fee that is charged when entering and exiting a position.

Crucially, this is one of the most common ways that forex brokers make money. Irrespective of which way the market moves, the broker will make a small profit on each buy and sell order.

In forex, spreads are priced in PIPs (percentage in point). The reason for this is that currency prices – especially majors, move by micro-fractions.

For instance:

• Let’s suppose that EUR/USD has a bid price of 1.0922
• Simultaneously, the ask price of EUR/USD is 1.0923
• The difference between the two is 0.0001
• So that’s a spread of 1 pip

This means that traders will pay 1 pip when opening a position. And if the spread remains the same when cashing out, they will again pay 1 pip.

It is important to note that most forex brokers highlight the ‘minimum’ spread that traders can access. But spreads are usually variable, meaning they change as each second passes. The minimum spread is usually available during peak market hours for the respective pair.

How are Forex Spreads Calculated?

To calculate the spread, traders first need to know what the bid and ask prices are for the forex pair. In most cases, forex brokers quote prices with four decimal places. For instance, the bid price of GBP/USD might be 1.2801. The only exception here is pairs that contain the Japanese yen, which have two decimal places.

Nonetheless, after the bid and ask prices are known, traders can calculate the spread in pips.

For example:

• Pair: EUR/USD
• Bid Price: 1.1005
• Ask Price: 1.1000

In the above example, the difference between the bid and ask prices is 0.0005. Now, to convert this into pips, the decimal place needs to be moved four digits to the right. So, in this example, the spread is 5 pips.

However, some brokers with the lowest spreads use five decimal places (and three on JPY pairs). The good news is that the fourth decimal place still represents the pip.

For example:

• Pair: EUR/USD
• Bid Price: 1.10015
• Ask Price: 1.10005

In the above example, the difference between the bid and ask prices is 0.00010. As such, the spread is 1 pip. If the difference was 0.00015, the spread would be 1.5 pips, and so on.

What Factors Affect Forex Spreads?

Forex spreads are affected by a large number of variables, including market conditions and trading volume. Spread can also vary between brokers. Some factors that affect forex spreads are:

• Market Liquidity: Popular pairs like EUR/USD normally have tighter spreads as they have deeper liquidity.
• Market conditions and volatility: Increased market volatility can result in wider spreads as brokers and traders demand higher compensation to manage risk.
• Time: Spreads can be wider during hours where trading volume is lowers. For example, trading AUD/JAP during the night time in Australia may incur a wider spread.
• Economic News: Central bank decisions or announcements from governments may impact spreads.
• Broker rates: Each broker can impose their own spreads, and some will be higher than others.

What is Considered a Low Forex Spread?

The competitiveness of a forex spread varies depending on the pair. A good starting point is to assess EUR/USD, as this is the most traded currency pair globally. Moreover, forex brokers usually offer their most competitive spreads on EUR/USD. This is because EUR/USD attracts the most liquidity and lowest volatility levels.

In most cases, an EUR/USD spread of under 1 pip would be considered competitive. That said, traders also need to factor in another trading fee – commissions.

For example, some tight spread forex brokers offer spreads of 0.0 pips on EUR/USD. However, traders will need to pay a commission to access spreads this low. This is usually about $3.50 for each currency lot traded ($100,000). At the other end of the scale, some forex brokers offer 0% commission trading. But equally, spreads will be less competitive.

Forex Pairs with Lowest Spreads

The forex pairs with the lowest spread are usually those that are the most commonly traded worldwide. This includes pairs such as EUR/USD, USD/JPY, and GBP/USD. They have more liquidity, which results in tighter spreads.

Are There Any Zero Spread Forex Brokers?

Some forex brokers do offer zero spreads, but will then charge a commission instead – every broker will charge some type of fee to ensure they make money.

So if you’re looking at a zero spread forex broker, make sure to check the other fees involved, as you could end up paying more in commission than at a low spread broker.

Best Times to Trade Forex for Low Spreads

We mentioned earlier that forex brokers usually quote the ‘minimum’ spread that they can offer. But this won’t always be available, as spreads are variable. This means that outside of market hours, traders should expect less competitive spreads.

The most competitive spreads can be accessed during peak market hours. But this will depend on the pair being traded.

• For example, the best time to trade GBP/USD is between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (EST).
• During these hours, both the UK and US markets are open.

Other Fees to Consider When Trading Forex

While the spread is an important trading fee to assess, other charges should also be considered if you are trying to find the cheapest forex broker.

This includes:

Commissions

Many forex brokers charge commissions on forex trades. A minimum spread forex broker usually covers its costs with a commission, which can be charged in many different ways.

Other forex brokers charge a percentage-based fee. For example, suppose the broker charges 0.5% per slide. The trader enters a $10,000 position, so they pay a commission of $50. When they exit the position, it’s worth $12,000. In this instance, the trader pays a commission of $60.

Overnight Financing

Forex traders also need to pay overnight financing fees when positions are kept open past standard market hours. This is otherwise known as a swap fee.

Overnight financing represents the cost of borrowing capital from the forex broker. After all, currency pairs are traded in lots. So, if the trader doesn’t trade an entire lot (e.g. $100,000), part of the position is being funded.

Fortunately, overnight financing won’t apply to day traders. This is because day trades close positions before the market closes.

Payment Fees

Some forex brokers charge payment fees. This might be on deposits and/or withdrawals. Fees can also depend on the payment method.

For example, Skilling charges up to 2.9% when depositing or withdrawing funds with an e-wallet. But debit/credit card payments are fee-free.

Inactivity Fees

Even the best low spread brokers charge inactivity fees. This is usually charged if the trader doesn’t place any orders for a certain number of months.

For instance:

• AvaTrade charges $50/quarter after three months of inactivity.
• Forex.com charges $10/month after 12 months of inactivity.

The best way to avoid inactivity fees is to withdraw the account balance in full. The broker won’t be able to charge anything if there isn’t an active balance.

Forex Account Types Spreads

Some forex brokers offer multiple accounts to choose from. This will determine the spread and commission.

In most cases, the trade can choose from the following:

• A forex account that offers 0% commission trading, but higher spreads.
• A forex account that offers low or even zero spreads, but a flat commission.

For example, Pepperstone offers both of the above account types. Its Standard account offers 0% commission trading, with a minimum spread of 0.7 pips. Its Razor account offers spreads from 0.0 pips, with a commission of $3.50 for each lot traded.

As we briefly mentioned earlier, the best account type will depend on the trader’s profile. For example, those trading with large amounts will be better suited to a low spread account with a small commission. After all, even a slight change in the spread can have a major impact when trading large amounts.

On the flip side, those trading smaller amounts will be better off with a 0% commission account, and slightly higher spreads. This is because even a small commission can make the trade unviable. In this instance, XTB is the best low spread broker. This low spread no commission forex broker has a spread of 1.3 pip on EUR/USD.

Conclusion

In choosing the best broker with low spread, traders can reduce their trading fees when buying and selling forex pairs. Importantly, traders should strike the perfect balance between low spreads and competitive commissions.

eToro fits the bill perfectly – it offers 1.0 pips on EUR/USD, charges low overnight fees, and supports forex copy trading. You can apply up to 400x leverage on your trades and use a powerful charting platform to execute trades.

76% of retail CFD accounts lose money – your capital is at risk.

References 

https://www.fidelity.com/insights/investing-ideas/glossary-large-cap

https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin/

https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/EURUSD:CUR

https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/GBP=

https://markets.ft.com/data/currencies/tearsheet/summary?s=audjpy

https://www.ig.com/en/help-and-support/cfds/fees-and-charges/why-is-overnight-funding-charged-and-how-is-it-calculated-

FAQs