ForexGetting started
Make the most of a demo account
A demo account lets you test a broker's platform with virtual money. Use it to check the tools and the way orders behave, not to predict how much you will make.
What a demo can tell you
A demo shows how the platform works, whether your order types and indicators are available, how easy it is to manage positions on mobile, and roughly what spreads look like during your trading hours.
What it cannot tell you
Demo fills can be faster and smoother than live ones, especially around news. A demo cannot test deposits, withdrawals or customer support under pressure, and trading without real money at risk feels different. Many demos also expire after about 30 days.
Demo checklist
✓Place every order type you plan to use: market, limit, stop and stop-loss / take-profit.
✓Note the spread on your main pairs at the times you trade, including before a news release.
✓Test the mobile app: open, modify and close a position.
✓Install any indicators or EAs you rely on and confirm they run.
✓Read the account's margin call and stop-out levels and find them in the platform.
✓Contact support with one real question and time the reply.
Common mistakes
✕Treating demo profits as a forecast. Live slippage, costs and emotions change results.
✕Using an unrealistic balance. Set the demo to the amount you would actually deposit.
Ready to compare the terms?
Put up to three brokers side by side: costs, platforms, leverage and award history.