Best Indices Brokers

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Indices trading is a popular choice for active investors who would like to trade some of the biggest companies grouped together rather than individual stocks. Usually, each stock is given a weighted average in the index in relation to their market capitalisation which determines their level of influence over the index price. The stock index price is calculated using the live prices of the enlisted stocks, and any fluctuations affect the index price according to the weighting.

An index price usually reflects the average performance of individual stocks that make up that index. When the price of an index goes up, it means that most of its constituent stocks have increased in value compared to a minority that has dragged it lower. The variety of indices means that there is ample opportunity to look for trades in different categories. Indices trading can be suitable for scalping, day trading and swing trading.

Because there is no underlying physical asset to exchange when trading indices, most indices trading is done with financial derivatives like CFDs. When you trade indices CFDs, you can speculate on the price the price of an index falling or rising without needing to take ownership of the underlying asset. This makes indices trading accessible to anyone with an internet connection. You just need an account with an indices broker.

However, it can seem like a daunting task to find a suitable broker with so many brokers offering indices trading. That is why we have compiled this indices trading broker guide, to help you discover some of the best brokers for trading indices online. Having the best indices brokers according to our findings listed in one place, can help you save time when looking for the best indices broker for your own individual needs.

Top 10 Indices Brokers

ADGM FRSA, ASIC, BVIFSC, CBI, FFAJ, FSCA, IIROC, JFSA

$100

2006

1:400

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, BaFin, CFTC, DFSA, FCA, FINMA, FMA, FSA, FSCA, JFSA, MAFF, MAS, METI, NFA

$250

1974

1:200

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, BaFin, CMA, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, SCB

$200

2010

1:400

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, CySEC, FSA, SCB

$200

2007

1:500

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, IFSC

2009

1:888

Review Trade Trade

CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FSCA, IFSC

2004

1:500

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, FCA, SVGFSA

2007

1:500

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, VFSC

2014

1:500

Review Trade Trade

BaFin

2015

N/A

Review Trade Trade

10.

ASIC, FCA

2005

1:500

Review Trade Trade

AvaTrade

AvaTrade offers one of the largest ranges of stock indices of any online broker, covering markets around the globe. You could consider using AvaTrade for online index trading with competitive spreads, leveraged trading and reliably fast execution. There are numerous eBooks and guides on indices trading strategies as well as market analysis videos and regularly updated blog posts. They also offer scheduled weekly webinars conducted by top industry professionals and investors as well as real-time stock market indices in-chart technical analysis updates by the fantastic Trading Central. AvaTrade have everything you need to trade indices CFDs with precision.

Pros

Trade the leading U.S., European & Asian stock indices
Go long or short – trade when indices value is rising or falling
Flexible leverage is available on index trading
Choose from a selection of powerful yet user-friendly trading platforms for desktop, web and mobile
Automated solutions available like cutting-edge AvaSocial and ZuluTrade
Powerful market analysis tools such as the excellent Autochartist
Enjoy the security of trading with a globally regulated broker
Speak to someone directly with multilingual customer support agents
Free demo trading account option

Cons

High inactivity fees
CFD trading only
Instruments vary between platforms
Cannot accept traders in the USA

Visit AvaTrade

IG

IG are one of the best brokers overall, and this is no exception when it comes to trading indices. You can take your position on an impressive selection of over 80 indices with more index trading hours than their nearest competitors. This means you can find more opportunities and open or close positions when other traders cannot. You can even hedge your weekday positions with a weekend one on the same market. You can act on breaking news, macroeconomic events and earnings reports as they happen.

Pros

Seize exclusive opportunities on more 24-hour indices than most other providers
Benefit from unique deep liquidity which increases the chance of your larger trades being accepted
Get fixed spreads from 1 point on the FTSE 100 and Australia 200, and 0.4 on the US 500
Trade on award-winning web platforms and mobile trading apps
Speculate or hedge 24/7, even on weekends, with unique round-the-clock markets
Go short or long, to capitalise on markets falling as well as rising
Accept USA traders
Free demo trading accounts

Cons

Could offer some more deposit and withdrawal methods
Minimum deposit of $250 is not the lowest
Limited instruments on MetaTrader 4
No MetaTrader 5 platforms
Inactivity fee after 2 years

Visit IG

Pepperstone

Pepperstone are one of the most established online brokers having been around since 2010 and are well regulated in multiple jurisdictions. With them, you can trade on the movement of major stock market indices around the world with no commission, low spreads and fast execution. You can also stay up to date with market news, analysis and insights on indices from the brokers inhouse team of expert analysts. It’s quick and easy to get started. You can apply in minutes with a simple application process and start trading indices right away.

Pros

Razor sharp pricing, from multiple Tier 1 banks and Liquidity Providers
Competitive fixed spreads as low as 1 point on UK100, 0.9 on GER30
No commission fees on indices trading
Top tier liquidity to get all of your indices trades filled in full
No partial execution or requotes on market orders
High fill rate, fast execution and no dealing desk intervention
Trade all opportunities with 24 hour pricing on major Indices like UK100, GER30 and US30 from Sunday night to Friday night
Quick and easy account opening takes just a few minutes
Free demo trading accounts are available

Cons

Primarily CFD trading instruments offered
Do not have a proprietary trading platform
Cannot accept traders in the USA
Minimum deposit of $200 is not the lowest
Limited non-FX instruments compared to some brokers

Visit Pepperstone

IC Markets

IC Markets has a large range of indices from around the world to choose from, including the Australian S&P 200 Index, UK FTSE 100 Index, US E-mini S&P 500 and US DJIA Index. The world’s most popular indices are available on all IC Markets trading platforms, including the user-friendly MetaTrader platforms and the powerful cTrader. You can gain exposure to the basket of instruments making up the index in just one trade. The broker offers competitive spreads across all of their cash indices, including the E-mini S&P 500 Index from 0.4 points, the FTSE 100 Index from 1 point, Xetra DAX Index from 1 point and S&P 200 Index from 1 point. In addition to equity indices, IC Markets also offers Futures Indices: ICE Dollar Index and VIX Index.

Pros

Great selection of around 25 indices to trade online
Leveraged indices trading available
Save on costs with spreads as low as 0.4 pips
Deep liquidity pools for top class pricing
No commission fees on indices trading
Good choice of platforms in MetaTrader 4, 5 and cTrader
Free demo trading accounts
Excellent 24/7 customer support

Cons

Do not have a proprietary trading platform
Available trading products can vary depending on your location
Minimum $200 deposit is not the lowest
Cannot accept traders in the USA

Visit IC Markets

XM Group

At XM, you can trade over 20 stock indices (equity indices) with them on the popular and user-friendly MT4 and MT5 platforms with no commissions and no hidden fees. XM offer cash and futures index CFDs. The cash index CFDs are undated transactions that aim to replicate the cash price of the underlying index, and so they are adjusted for interest and dividends. Index futures CFDs expire on specific future dates and are cash-settled on the expiry date. You can buy and sell a good selection of indices with lots of handy trading tools to assist with your market analysis and managing your positions. They have intuitive yet powerful platforms for desktop and mobile devices.

Pros

Cost-effective and direct access to the global equity markets
Instant access to global economies
Speculation on market uptrends/ downtrends
Going short/long according to market moves
Suits both short and long-term trading strategies
Zero Commissions with no extra fees
Low Margin Requirements
Free demo trading accounts

Cons

Cannot accept traders in the USA
Inactivity fees apply
Only provide the MetaTrader platforms
Standard accounts are more expensive
Primarily CFD trading instruments offered

Visit XM Group

XTB

XTB offer superior execution on a reliable, award-winning platform, being one of the largest stock exchange-listed Forex and CFD brokers in the world – dedicated to helping you at every stage of your trading journey.

Pros

Award-winning xStation trading platform
XTB is one of the largest stock exchange-listed FX brokers in the world
Trade over 2,100 global markets: Forex, Indices, Commodities and Shares
Tight spreads and rapid trade execution speeds
Commission free trading
Multiple deposit and withdrawal methods
Dedicated personal account manager
Excellent trading academy for beginners
Live market commentary
Powerful trading tools
Minimum $1 deposit
Fast and highly qualified support available 24/5
Islamic accounts
Free demo accounts

Cons

Cannot accept traders in the USA
Inactivity fees
Funding fees
No MetaTrader platforms
No support for crypto funding

Visit XTB

Axi

Axi is an award winning, regulated online broker created by traders for traders. They offer tight spreads, low commissions, rapid trade execution speeds and a range of different markets. Advanced platforms and trading tools ensure an excellent trading experience.

Pros

User-friendly and advanced trading platforms
Powerful trading tools for professional market analysis
Tight spreads, low commission fees and fast execution speeds
Commission free accounts
Various deposit and withdrawal methods
No account funding fees
Free access to the excellent Autochartist software
MetaTrader 4 NextGen loaded with trading tools
PsyQuation Premium
Free VPS hosting
Copy traders from signal providers
Axi trading academy to help educate beginners
Axi trading community to share ideas with like-minded individuals
24/5 support and multi-lingual customer service

Cons

Cannot accept traders in the USA
No MetaTrader 5 platforms
Do not have 24/7 support

Visit Axi

FXTRADING.com

FXTRADING.com is a regulated trading brokerage firm that provides traders around the globe with access to trade thousands of financial instruments with competitive trading conditions such as tight spreads, low fees, flexible payment options and easy to use platforms for multiple devices.

Pros

Powerful yet user-friendly trading platforms
Thousands of trading instruments to choose from
Tight spreads, low fees and rapid trade execution speeds
Various convenient account funding methods
No deposit and withdrawal fees
Copy trading service
MAM/PAMM accounts are available
FIX API trading available
Autochartist for professional market analysis
Large selection of educational resources to help beginners
No minimum deposit required to start trading
Excellent 24/5 customer support

Cons

Cannot accept traders in the USA
Demo accounts expire after 30 days
No Islamic accounts for Muslim traders

Visit FXTRADING.com

Trade Republic

Trade Republic Bank GmbH is a German online broker founded in Munich and based in Berlin. As a credit institution, the company offers its customers the opportunity to trade listed securities and cryptocurrencies via a modern and intuitive mobile trading app.

Pros

Modern intuitive trading platform for web and mobile
Large selection of 9,000+ trading assets to choose from
Save and invest with very competitive conditions
Zero commission fees
Market research and insights
Quick & easy signup process
No minimum deposit required
Excellent customer support

Cons

Not that many payment options
Limited accepted country list
Could add some standalone trading tools
No demo trading accounts

Visit Trade Republic

FXOpen

FXOpen were one of the first online brokers and remain one of the most established today. They are a regulated ECN broker offering some of the best possible trading conditions with low spreads, fast trade execution speeds and competitive commissions.

Pros

Easy to use trading platforms
Large range of trading instruments
Tight spreads and low commissions
Rapid trade execution speeds
Good range of trading tools
Free VPS for eligible clients
Managed account and copy trading
Various deposit and withdrawal options
Free demo trading accounts
Minimum $1 deposit
24/5 customer support

Cons

Cannot accept traders in the USA
Limited stock instruments compared to some competitors
Larger deposit required for best trading conditions
Could improve educational materials for beginners

Visit FXOpen

Conclusion

Here you will find our best indices brokers, based on thousands of hours of extensive research, testing and analysis across hundreds of brokers. Upon conclusion of each of our broker reviews, we have assigned each broker with a rating.

Some of the most important factors that contribute towards a good broker for trading indices online have been considered including things such as the available indices, other financial instruments, platforms, apps, tools, spreads, execution, liquidity, fees, education, funding options, regulation, customer service and more.

Each of our best brokers for trading indices have undergone and passed our stringent broker reviews with flying colours, based on what we consider to be amongst the most important considerations when choosing a indices broker for trading online. These brokers are well-established within the online trading industry, providing top indices trading conditions to traders and investors of all experience levels.