Best brokers

Best forex brokers for beginners

A first account should be cheap to open, regulated by a strong authority and simple to use. These brokers stand out on those points, based on their published terms.

Terms checked on 3 Nov 2026 against each broker's own website and legal documents

What beginners should look for

A low minimum deposit, an account with the cost built into one spread, a tier-one regulator for the entity you join, negative balance protection and a demo account. High leverage is a risk for new traders, not a feature; see leverage and margin.

1. Pepperstone: no minimum deposit and tier-one regulation

Pepperstone
Minimum deposit
$0
Spread-only pricing
Standard from 1.0 pips (average 1.1), no commission
Platforms
Pepperstone platform, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView (Razor only)
Regulation
ASIC (AFSL 414530), FCA (FRN 684312), CySEC (388/20), SCB Bahamas (SIA-F217)

Watch for: Retail clients of the Bahamas entity get up to 1:200 leverage and fewer protections than at the UK, EU or Australian entities. Read our Pepperstone review.

2. Eightcap: low deposit with TradingView charts

Eightcap
Minimum deposit
$100
Spread-only pricing
Standard from 1.0 pips, no commission
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView, TradeLocker
Regulation
ASIC (AFSL 391441), FCA (FRN 921296), CySEC (246/14), SCB Bahamas (SIA-F220), FSA Seychelles (SD100)

Watch for: cTrader is not offered and swap-free accounts are at Eightcap's discretion. Read our Eightcap review.

3. XM: the smallest first deposit

XM
Minimum deposit
$5 (Standard and Ultra Low)
Spread-only pricing
"As low as 0.8 pips" per XM; not published per account
Platforms
MT4, MT5, XM App
Regulation
CySEC (120/10) for EU clients; most other clients join XM Global, regulated in Belize

Watch for: XM Global offers leverage up to 1:1000. Beginners should choose low leverage, and spreads are not published per account. Read our XM review.

Before you open your first account
✓Practise on a demo account first; see our demo guide.
✓Confirm the legal entity and its regulator.
✓Start with low leverage and a small position size.

How we chose. These shortlists use published terms only: costs, minimum deposit, platforms and the regulator of the entity you would join. We have not ranked brokers on scores, and the order is not a recommendation for your circumstances. Read our methodology and affiliate disclosure.

CFDs and leveraged forex are complex and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. Most retail accounts lose money. Only trade with money you can afford to lose.

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Written by the Forex Awards research desk

Guides are checked against current broker documents and regulator rules. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will re-check it.

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