Best Spread Betting Brokers

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In spread betting the trader places a bet if the market will go up or down. There is no acquiring done of any instrument or its contract for difference, rather simply betting on the market trends. The profits or losses are determined by the changes in value and not by the closing price.

Spread betting is a popular choice for active investors who would like to trade a range of different markets both short (sell) and long (buy), without actually owning the underlying asset. Spread betting can be suitable for scalping, day trading and swing trading on thousands of financial markets, including indices, shares, currencies, commodities and more.

When you open a spread bet, you’ll see two prices listed: the buy price and the sell price. Using this, you can choose whether you want to go long or short. If you think the value of your chosen market will go up, you click buy. If you think it will fall, you click sell. Then, to close a spread bet, you trade in the opposite direction to when you opened it. Therefore, if you bought at the outset, you would look sell to exit – and vice versa.

In order to start spread betting online, you will need an account with a broker and access to a spread bet platform. There isn’t a great deal of spread betting brokers out there, which is why we have compiled this handy guide to help you discover some of the more established spread betting companies.

Top 10 Spread Betting 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, FCA, MAS

$100

1983

Variable

Review Trade Trade

FCA

1999

1:30

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, FCA, FSCA, SCB

2014

1:200

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, FCA, FMA, IIROC, MAS

1989

1:500

Review Trade Trade

FCA

$100

1965

1:200

Review Trade Trade

ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA, ISA

$50

1999

1:400

Review Trade Trade

10.

FCA, CySEC, FSCA, SCB

$100

2006

1:30 - 1:500 (EU/UK 1:30)

Review Trade Trade

AvaTrade

AvaTrade is committed to providing its traders with the best trading platform and trading tools available. They offer spread betting on a wide range of financial instruments with rapid execution, powerful analytical tools, live interactive trading charts and tight spreads on the award winning MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading platform.

The MT4 platform is probably the world’s most popular and customizable spread betting platforms. There are hundreds of financial instruments available, live price trading charts tailored to your needs and technical and fundamental analysis tools. The MT4 platform is the most innovative and flexible trading terminal available to retail traders.

Pros

Spread bet with low fixed competitive spreads
Spread Betting in the UK on more than 200 instruments including forex, commodities and ETFs
Trade wherever you are using intuitive trading platforms and apps
Access a range of free trading tools for more efficient trading
Guardian angel can give you personalised feedback on your trades
Excellent customer service with multilingual live support
Fast and easy free deposits and withdrawals
Free demo trading accounts

Cons

High inactivity fees
CFD trading only
Instruments vary between platforms
Spread betting is for the UK only

Visit AvaTrade

IG

With IG, you can try and take advantage of rising or falling markets by spread betting. They offer seamless execution on a wide range of more than 18,000+ markets and around the clock phone support. They are considered to be one of the best brokers and are well regulated in multiple jurisdictions. IG actually invented financial spread betting in 1974 and I think they are a top choice for anyone in the UK who is looking to spread bet with industry leading conditions.

Pros

Enjoy flexible access to more than 18,000+ global markets, with reliable execution
Deal seamlessly, wherever you are and trade on the move with an intutive and award-winning trading app
Discover opportunities on forex, indices, shares, commodities and more
Go long or short with fast execution and the option to open positions on margin
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

Founded in 2010, Pepperstone have continued to deliver industry leading trading conditions. You can spread bet on thousands of different instruments like indices, commodities, forex and more. They provide you with industry leading platforms that come equipped with all of the tools you need to analyse the markets and manage your positions.

It’s quick and easy to open a spread betting account with Pepperstone. You can apply in minutes with a simple application process. It is worth mentioning that spread betting accounts are only available to traders in the UK and Ireland.

Pros

Access to industry leading platforms MT4, MT5 and cTrader.
Low latency, fast execution speeds
Consistently competitive spreads
Award-winning customer support, dedicated to providing you with an exceptional trading experience
Discover a wide range online resources, trading guides and expert webinars
No dealing desk execution
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
Spread betting is for the UK only
Minimum deposit of $200 is not the lowest

Visit Pepperstone

City Index

Spread betting with City Index provides a convenient way to trade on thousands of financial markets via powerful and versatile trading platforms for all of your devices. Not only do you get access to some of the best spread betting conditions but they also provide you with an excellent selection of dynamic and innovative trading tools that can help to navigate volatile markets.

City Index offers a fantastic choice of thousands of spread bet markets, including:

Indices such as the UK 100, Wall St and Germany 40
FX such as GBP/USD, GBP/EUR and JPY/USD currency pairs
Shares such as Rio Tinto, Amazon and General Electric
Commodities such as oil, gold and cocoa
Other markets including bonds, interest rates and options

Performance analytics lets you discover the strengths and weaknesses of your own trading history and discover the achievable changes you can make to improve your trading. With SMART signals, you can receive trade ideas that are based on current market conditions and tested against historical data for accuracy. Forex.com is another trading broker under the same umbrella which further emphasises the size of the company.

Pros

Get access to 8,500+ spread betting markets from one account
Take control of your trading with intuitive platforms and tools
Research portal highlights trade ideas using fundamental and technical analysis
Receive all the latest market news and expert commentary direct from Reuters in-app
Stay in control with transparent pricing and fast execution
Intuitive technology is designed to suit traders of all levels
Tight spreads, zero commissions
Award winning spread betting provider
Free demo trading accounts

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Inactivity fees if you do not trade for a sustained period of time
Limited digital wallet funding options
Product portfolio limited to forex and CFDs

Visit City Index

Spreadex

It couldn’t be a list of the brokers for spread betting without including Spreadex. Formed in 1999 and regulated by the FCA, Spreadex has a reputation for innovative products and excellent customer service. Financial spread betting with Spreadex offers a fast, reliable, simple and cost-effective means of trading the global markets.

The Spreadex trading platform gives investors access to trade on global shares, indices, FX, commodities and much more via spread bets, CFDs or options. You can access tight spreads, low margins, trade via charts, trailing stops, one-click dealing, market alerts and much more.

You can choose from a wide range of products with 24-hour trading and spreads from 0.6 points on our more popular markets. Trade via your choice of trading platforms including a customisable desktop platform, tablet app or mobile app. Alternatively you can trade by calling their team of friendly and knowledgeable traders.

Pros

Access over 10,000 global markets
Trade with flexible margin rates
Choose from financial spread betting or sports spread betting
You can also trade CFDs from the same account
Advanced charting platforms and trading tools
No joining fees, minimum deposit requirements or any obligation to trade
Award-winning customer service

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Could improve educational content
Lack of standalone research tools
Limited payment methods

Visit Spreadex

Trade Nation

Trade Nation is a multi-regulated broker where clients can buy and sell various financial instruments via easy to use platforms with extremely competitive trading conditions including fixed spreads.

Pros

Advanced trading platforms for all of your devices
A great range of markets and products to trade
Various funding options to choose from
No deposit or withdrawal fees
No minimum deposit required to start trading
Tight fixed spreads with no hidden extra fees
25% spread rebate if you trade enough volume
Educational resources to assist beginners
Trading signals available
Unique smart news to help inspire trade ideas
24/5 dedicated customer support
Free demo accounts to practice trading

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Cryptocurrency trading currently not supported
Could add some more tools for market analysis
No Islamic trading accounts for Muslim traders
Does not have managed accounts
No FIX API market access

Visit Trade Nation

CMC Markets

Established in 1989, CMC Markets offers a great selection of over 10,000 trading instruments on sophisticated and versatile trading platforms. They also provide comprehensive analysis, trading tools and educational materials.

Pros

Powerful platforms for trading on web, desktop and mobile
Fantastic selection of financial instruments
Innovative trading tools for comprehensive market analysis
Helpful educational content including guides and videos
No minimum account opening deposit
Free demo practice accounts
Excellent customer support

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Not the lowest spreads you will find
No MetaTrader 5 platforms

Visit CMC Markets

OvalX

OvalX is financial services company providing financial derivatives trading such as contracts for difference and financial spread betting along with corporate brokerage services for professional clients.

Pros

Large choice of more than 1,000 trading instruments
Trade on 60+ forex pairs with spreads from 0.8 pips
Invest in the world’s largest indices and more
Explore 1000s of European and US shares CFDs See zero-commission CFDs
Cutting edge platforms suitable for all types of traders
Choose from and trade a wide range of both soft and hard commodities
Good variety of quick and easy payment options
Social trading via OvalX Connect
Free demo accounts available to practice trading
Excellent customer support

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Incomprehensive daily market analysis to inspire trade ideas
Market maker broker means they don’t have the lowest spreads
Only provide support during office hours
No Islamic account options for Muslim traders
Inactivity fees apply
No FIX API connectivity

Visit OvalX

FXCM

FXCM is an established and well-regulated online broker with an excellent range of powerful trading platforms that are loaded with tools and market insights to help you discover trades and make informed decisions.

Pros

Fantastic choice of industry leading trading platforms
Hundreds of financial instruments to trade
Commission free trading accounts
Excellent selection of exclusive trading tools
Professional daily market analysis and insights
Social trading via ZuluTrade for copying signals
Advanced charting provided by TradingView
Robust FIX API connectivity
Convenient account funding options
Islamic swap-free accounts
Free demo practice accounts
24/5 customer support

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Limited tradable assets compared to some other brokers
Not the tightest spreads for scalping
Perhaps slightly overwhelming for beginners

Visit FXCM

FxPro

FxPro is a regulated online broker that offers hundreds of tradable assets on multiple sophisticated platforms; cTrader, MetaTrader and FxPro Edge. They also offer trading tools, third-party analysis and trader education. However, the spreads and fees are not the lowest.

Pros

Great choice of trading platforms for web, desktop and mobile devices
Good selection of forex currency pairs
Premium trader tools to assist in analysing the markets
Excellent Trading Central software for trading signals
VPS provided for eligible clients
Some educational resources for beginners
Convenient account funding methods
Free demo trading accounts to practice trading online

Cons

Spread betting is for the UK only
Minimum $100 deposit is not the lowest
Not the tightest spreads or lowest commission fees
Could improve non-FX instruments

Visit FxPro

Conclusion

Here you will find our best spread betting 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 spread betting online have been considered including things such as the available markets, other financial instruments, platforms, apps, tools, execution, liquidity, fees, education, funding options, regulation, customer service and more.

Each of our chosen spread bet brokers 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 spread betting broker. These brokers are well-established within the online trading industry, providing top trading conditions to traders and investors of all experience levels.

Having the best spread bet brokers according to our findings listed in one place, can help you save time when looking for the best spread bet broker for your own individual needs.