Broker Account Type Comparison
June 2026 Edition
Standard, ECN, Raw, Pro, Islamic, Micro, and Professional accounts across 30 forex brokers, 22 of them accessible to EU/EEA retail clients. Every account type mapped with its spread structure, commission model, minimum deposit, and execution type.
30
Brokers Compared
22
Offer Standard
73%
11
Offer ECN/Raw
37%
8
Offer Pro/Premium
27%
18
Swap-Free Available
60%
3
Micro/Cent Accounts
10%
12
Zero Min Deposit
40%
Quick Answer
Beginners and casual traders: Standard accounts with no commission and moderate spreads (0.6-1.6 pips). Pepperstone Standard and XTB Standard both have zero minimum deposit. Active and professional traders: ECN/Raw accounts with interbank spreads and a fixed commission. Axi Pro ($4.50/lot round turn), Admirals Zero ($1.80-$3.00 per side) and Tickmill Raw ($6.00/lot round turn) carry the lowest published commissions among EU-accessible raw-spread options; BlackBull ECN Prime matches Tickmill’s price but does not accept EU or UK residents. Volume break-even: at 20+ lots per month, ECN/Raw accounts save approximately $60/month vs a 1.0-pip Standard account (modelled).
Account Type Availability Matrix
Download CSV30 brokers sorted by number of account types offered (descending). EU-ineligible brokers marked with a dagger (†).
| Broker | Account Types | Standard | ECN/Raw | Pro | Islamic | Micro | Professional | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admirals | Trade.MT4, Trade.MT5, Zero.MT4, Zero.MT5, Invest.MT5 | EUR 25 | ||||||
| Exness† | Standard, Standard Cent, Pro, Raw Spread, Zero | USD 10 | ||||||
| FXTM† | Micro, Rewards Plus, Rewards, Advantage, Advantage Stocks | USD 30 | ||||||
| Interactive Brokers | Individual, Joint, Trust, Family, Institutional | None | ||||||
| OANDA | Standard (UK/international), Basic (EU), Premium, Elite (EU), Core Pricing (international) | None | ||||||
| RoboForex† | Pro-Standard, Pro-Cent, Prime, ECN, R StocksTrader | USD 10 | ||||||
| AvaTrade | Retail, Professional, Islamic, Options | EUR 100 | ||||||
| IG | CFD, Spread Betting (UK), Share Dealing, Professional | None | ||||||
| Swissquote | Standard (EU/international), Premium, Prime, Elite (UK only) | CHF 1000 | ||||||
| Axi | Standard, Pro, Elite (international only) | None | ||||||
| BlackBull Markets† | ECN Standard, ECN Prime, Prime+ | None | ||||||
| CMC Markets† | CFD, Spread Betting (UK), Stockbroking | None | ||||||
| Equiti† | Standard, Premier, Classic | None | ||||||
| eToro | Retail, Professional, Corporate | USD 50 | ||||||
| Forex.com | Standard, MetaTrader, RAW Spread (not UK) | USD 100 | ||||||
| Fusion Markets† | Zero, Classic, Swap-Free | None | ||||||
| IC Markets | Standard, Raw Spread (MT4/MT5), Raw Spread (cTrader) | USD 200 | ||||||
| Saxo Bank | Classic, Platinum, VIP | None | ||||||
| Trading 212 | Invest, CFD, ISA (UK only) | EUR 1 | ||||||
| Vantage Markets† | Standard STP, Raw ECN, Pro ECN | USD 50 | ||||||
| Eightcap | Standard, Raw | USD 100 | ||||||
| FXCM | Standard, Active Trader | GBP 50 | ||||||
| FxPro | Standard, cTrader | USD 100 | ||||||
| Pepperstone | Standard, Razor | None | ||||||
| Plus500 | Retail, Professional | EUR 100 | ||||||
| Tickmill | Classic, Raw | EUR 100 | ||||||
| XM | Ultra Low, Zero | USD 5 | ||||||
| XTB | Standard, Swap-Free (international only) | None | ||||||
| Capital.com | Standard | EUR 20 | ||||||
| Trade Nation | Standard | None |
† Not EU-eligible: the broker does not onboard EU/EEA retail clients — it holds no EU/EEA licence, or it has closed EU onboarding.
Cost Structure by Account Type
Representative all-in trading costs per standard lot (100,000 units) round turn on EUR/USD. Costs vary by broker and market conditions; figures below reflect typical ranges observed across the 30 brokers in this comparison.
| Account Type | Typical Spread | Commission | All-in Cost/Lot RT | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (spread-only) | 0.6-1.6 pips | None | $6.00-$16.00 | Beginners, casual traders |
| ECN/Raw (commission) | 0.0-0.2 pips | $3.00-$7.00/RT | $3.00-$9.00 | Active traders, scalpers |
| Pro/Premium | 0.1-0.8 pips | None or reduced | $1.00-$8.00 | High-volume, VIP clients |
| Micro/Cent | 1.0-2.0 pips | None | $10.00-$20.00 | Strategy testing, minimal risk |
Standard vs ECN/Raw: Volume Break-Even Analysis
Estimated monthly trading cost comparison assuming a 1.0 pip Standard spread ($10/lot) vs a 0.1 pip ECN spread plus $6.00 commission ($7.00/lot). The break-even point where ECN becomes cheaper than Standard is approximately 1 lot per month — ECN/Raw accounts are cheaper for virtually all active traders.
| Monthly Volume | Standard Cost | ECN/Raw Cost | Monthly Saving | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lots/month | $50 | $35 | $15/month | Marginal — Standard is simpler |
| 20 lots/month | $200 | $140 | $60/month | ECN/Raw pays for itself |
| 50 lots/month | $500 | $350 | $150/month | ECN/Raw clearly cheaper |
| 100 lots/month | $1,000 | $700 | $300/month | Significant cost reduction |
Modelled: a raw-spread account at $6.00 round-turn commission (published rate at Tickmill Raw and Admirals Zero) with an assumed 0.1 pip average spread, vs a representative Standard account (1.0 pip, no commission), at $10 per pip per lot. Actual costs vary by broker, pair, and session. See the Spread Index for per-broker costs from published pricing.
Spread & Commission Detail by Broker
The specific spread and commission structures each broker offers. Use this table to compare the actual cost of each broker’s account tiers rather than relying on category-level averages.
| Broker | EUR/USD Spread | Commission | Retail Leverage | Pro Leverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admirals | 0.0 pips (Zero), 0.5 pips (Trade) | $3.00 per lot per side (Zero), None (Trade) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Exness† | From 0.0 pips (Raw Spread), from 0.1 pips (Pro), from 0.2 pips (Standard) | Up to $3.50 per lot per side (Raw Spread), from $0.05 per lot per side (Zero), None (Pro), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | Unlimited (offshore) |
| FXTM† | From 0.0 pips (Advantage), from 0.9 pips (Rewards), from 1.5 pips (Rewards Plus), from 1.7 pips (Micro) | $3.50 per lot per side (Advantage), None (Rewards), None (Rewards Plus), None (Micro) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Interactive Brokers | From 0.1 pips (IBKR Pro) | $2.28 per lot per side (IBKR Pro Tiered: 0.20 bp of trade value at EUR/USD 1.14; USD 2.00 minimum per order) | Up to 1:30 | 200:1 |
| OANDA | 0.6–0.7 pips minimum (UK 0.6; Australia 0.7); EU entity publishes no EUR/USD spread | None on spread-only pricing; raw/core pricing adds a commission | Up to 1:30 | 200:1 |
| RoboForex† | 0.0 pips (Prime), 0.0 pips (ECN), 1.3 pips (Pro-Standard) | $2.00 per lot per side (Prime), $20 per million (ECN), None (Pro-Standard) | Up to 2000:1 (offshore) | 2000:1 (offshore) |
| AvaTrade | 0.8 pips typical (EU) | None (spread-only) | Up to 1:30 | 400:1 |
| IG | 0.6–0.9 pips minimum (0.6 at IG UK and IG International; 0.9 at IG Europe) | None (spread-only on most accounts) | Up to 1:30 | 222:1 |
| Swissquote | 1.4–1.9 pips entry tier (EU Standard 1.9; international Standard 1.8; UK Premium 1.4) | None (spread-only) | Up to 1:30 | 100:1 |
| Axi | From 0.0 pips (Pro), from 0.6–0.68 pips (Standard) | $2.25 per lot per side (Pro), None (Standard), $1.75 per lot per side (Elite; international only) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| BlackBull Markets† | 0.0 pips (ECN Prime), 0.8 pips (ECN Standard) | $3.00 per lot per side (ECN Prime), None (ECN Standard) | Not offered to EU/UK residents | 500:1 |
| CMC Markets† | 0.7 pips average | None (spread-only) | Up to 1:30 (EU/UK/AU); international clients onboard via CMC Markets Bermuda Ltd (BMA), outside EU/UK compensation schemes | 500:1 |
| Equiti† | 0.0 pips (Premier), 1.4 pips (Standard); typical, London/New York sessions | $3.50 per lot per side (Premier), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | — |
| eToro | From 0.57 pips (0.005% of price at EUR/USD 1.14) | None (spread-only) | Up to 1:30 | 400:1 |
| Forex.com | 0.7–0.8 pips minimum (Standard: 0.7 EU/UK; 0.8 international), from 0.0 pips (RAW Spread; not offered in the UK) | $5 per 100K (RAW Spread; not offered in the UK), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | 400:1 |
| Fusion Markets† | 0.0 pips (Zero), 0.9 pips (Classic) | $4.50 round-turn (Zero); none (Classic, spread-only) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| IC Markets | From 0.0 pips (Raw Spread), from 0.8 pips (Standard); Raw Spread EUR/USD average 0.1 | $3.50 per lot per side (Raw Spread), None (Standard); cTrader: $3.00 per USD 100k per side | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Saxo Bank | 0.8–1.6 pips (Classic minimum by country: UK 0.8; Saxo Bank A/S 1.1; France 1.6); lower on Platinum/VIP | None published for FX, except UK: USD 3 on trades under 50,000 units | Up to 1:30 | 200:1 |
| Trading 212 | 1.3 pips average | None (zero commission on CFDs; fees apply; zero commission on stocks/ETFs) | Up to 1:30 | 300:1 |
| Vantage Markets† | From 0.0 pips (Raw ECN), from 1.4 pips (Standard STP) | $3.00 per lot per side (Raw ECN), None (Standard STP) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Eightcap | 0.0 pips (Raw), 1.0 pips (Standard) | $3.50 per lot per side (Raw), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| FXCM | 1.3 pips (Standard) indicative | None (Standard); commission pricing by approval only (UK Active Trader from £2.00 per lot per side) | Up to 1:30 | 400:1 |
| FxPro | From 0.4 pips (cTrader), from 1.2 pips (Standard); FxPro EU entity, cTrader daily average 0.43 | $3.99 per lot per side at EUR/USD 1.14 ($0.35 per $10k USD traded) (cTrader), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Pepperstone | From 0.0 pips (Razor), from 1.0 pips (Standard); EU entity averages 0.1 (Razor) and 1.1 (Standard) | $3.50 per lot per side (Razor), None (Standard) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| Plus500 | From 0.8 pips (variable) | No commissions & tight spreads; additional fees may apply | Up to 1:30 | Up to 1:300 |
| Tickmill | 0.0 pips (Raw), 1.6 pips (Classic) | $3.00 per lot per side (Raw), None (Classic) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| XM | From 0.0 pips (Zero), from 0.8 pips (Ultra Low); XM EU entity, Ultra Low average 1.1 | None (Ultra Low); commission charged per trade (Zero) | Up to 1:30 | 500:1 |
| XTB | 0.8–1.3 pips (from 0.8 at the EU/UK entities; 1.3 standard spread at XTB International) | None (0% commission on CFDs) | Up to 1:30 | 200:1 |
| Capital.com | 0.7 pips (variable; live quote in Sep 2026) | None (other fees apply) | Up to 1:30 | — |
| Trade Nation | 0.5 pips (fixed on TN Trader 07:00–21:59 GMT+1; 0.6 overnight) | None (spread-only) | Up to 1:30 | Up to 1:200 (SCB entity) |
Account Type Deep Dives
Standard Accounts (Spread-Only)
The default account type at most brokers. Trading costs are embedded in a wider spread with no separate commission charge. This simplifies cost calculation — the spread you see is the total cost you pay.
Typical EUR/USD Spread
0.6 – 1.6 pips
Commission
None
Brokers Offering
22 of 30
Tightest published Standard spreads: Trade Nation (fixed 0.5 pips on TN Trader, 07:00–21:59 GMT+1), Admirals Trade (from 0.5 pips), IG (minimum 0.6 pips at IG UK and IG International; 0.9 at IG Europe) and OANDA (from 0.6 pips in the UK). Who should use them: beginners who want simple cost transparency, traders doing fewer than 10 lots per month, and anyone who prefers not to think about commission calculations.
ECN/Raw Accounts (Interbank Spread + Commission)
ECN (Electronic Communication Network) and Raw Spread accounts pass through the interbank market spread (often 0.0 pips on EUR/USD during London session) and charge a separate, transparent commission per lot. The total cost is lower than Standard accounts for active traders.
Typical EUR/USD Spread
0.0 – 0.2 pips
Commission Range
$3.00 – $7.00/RT
Cheapest (Round Turn)
$4.00 – RoboForex
Brokers Offering
11 of 30
Account name variations: Pepperstone calls it “Razor”, BlackBull calls it “ECN Prime”, IC Markets calls it “Raw Spread”, Tickmill calls it “Raw”, Forex.com calls it “Raw Pricing”. Despite different names, the structure is identical: interbank spread + fixed commission. Key difference between ECN account names: some brokers use “ECN” loosely to mean “lower spread + commission” rather than true ECN execution with depth-of-market access. Verify whether the broker provides Level II pricing (genuine ECN) or simply re-labels an STP account.
Pro/Premium/VIP Accounts
Tiered accounts that unlock better conditions — tighter spreads, priority support, dedicated account managers, or reduced commissions — based on deposit size or trading volume. These sit between Standard and ECN accounts in the cost spectrum.
Typical Requirement
Volume or deposit tier
Brokers Offering
8 of 30
Notable Examples
Saxo Platinum/VIP, Swissquote Elite (UK only), Axi Elite (international only)
Exness Pro stands out: it quotes spreads from 0.1 pips with no commission — effectively an ECN-level cost structure without the commission complexity. However, Exness closed EU/EEA/UK retail onboarding in 2019, so it is not available to EU or UK residents. For EU-eligible brokers, Saxo Bank’s three-tier system (Classic → Platinum → VIP) offers genuine spread improvements at each level, with VIP clients receiving institutional-grade pricing.
Islamic (Swap-Free) Accounts
Swap-free accounts eliminate overnight interest charges (riba) in compliance with Islamic finance principles. They replace swaps with either a fixed administration fee charged after a grace period (typically 3-7 days) or slightly widened spreads.
Brokers Offering
18 of 30
Cost Structure
Admin fee after grace period or widened spreads
Implementation varies significantly. Some brokers offer swap-free on all account types; others restrict it to specific tiers or to residents of certain countries (Pepperstone's EU entity limits it to residents of listed non-EU countries). Grace periods differ: XM offers a 7-day swap-free window on majors, while others charge from the first night. For swing traders holding positions for days, the admin fee structure can exceed what would have been charged as swap — compare total hold cost, not just the swap-free label.
Micro and Cent Accounts
Designed for beginners and strategy testers. Micro accounts allow trading in micro lots (0.01 standard lots = 1,000 units, approximately $0.10 per pip on EUR/USD). Cent accounts denominate the balance in cents, so a $10 deposit shows as 1,000 cents — giving the psychological experience of a larger account while limiting risk.
Brokers Offering
3 of 30
Notable Brokers
Exness (Standard Cent), FXTM (Micro), RoboForex (Pro-Cent)
Declining availability: most modern brokers let you trade micro lots (0.01) on their Standard accounts, making dedicated Micro accounts less necessary than five years ago. The main advantage of a true Cent account is the denomination effect — useful for EA backtesting with realistic contract sizes on a small balance.
Professional Accounts (MiFID II Elective Professional)
Under MiFID II (Directive 2014/65/EU, Art. 71), retail clients who meet specific criteria can request reclassification as Elective Professional Clients. This unlocks higher leverage but reduces consumer protections.
Eligibility Criteria (two of three required)
- Financial instrument portfolio exceeding EUR 500,000 (including cash deposits and financial instruments)
- Work or have worked in the financial sector for at least one year in a professional position requiring knowledge of leveraged products
- Carried out at least 10 transactions of significant size per quarter over the preceding four quarters
What You Lose as a Professional Client
- ESMA leverage limits (30:1 major pairs) are removed — brokers may offer 200:1 to 500:1
- Negative balance protection may be withdrawn (broker-dependent)
- Investor compensation scheme coverage may be reduced or lost
- Best execution obligations are narrowed
- Communication and disclosure requirements are reduced
Important: Professional status is not portable. Reclassification at Pepperstone does not carry over to Tickmill or any other broker. Each firm performs its own assessment and can decline the application. Most experienced retail traders do not meet the EUR 500,000 portfolio threshold — the “10 trades per quarter” criterion alone is not sufficient.
Decision Framework: Which Account Type for You?
| Trader Profile | Recommended Account | Why | EU-Eligible Broker Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete beginner | Standard, zero deposit | No commission maths, low barrier, full ESMA protection | Pepperstone, XTB, IG |
| Active day trader (20+ lots/month) | ECN/Raw | $60+/month cheaper than a 1.0-pip Standard account at this volume (modelled) | Tickmill, Admirals, Pepperstone |
| Scalper | ECN/Raw with Level II | 0.0 pip spreads, depth-of-market, fast execution | Pepperstone Razor, IC Markets Raw |
| Swing trader (holds 2-14 days) | Standard or Pro | Spread cost matters less per trade; swap cost matters more | Pepperstone, Saxo Bank |
| Strategy tester / small account | Micro or Cent | Real market exposure at micro-lot sizes ($0.10/pip) | XM Ultra Low (micro-lot option) |
| High net worth (EUR 500k+ portfolio) | Professional + ECN/Raw | Higher leverage, institutional pricing, dedicated support | Saxo VIP, IBKR, Swissquote Prime |
| Islamic finance requirement | Swap-Free (any tier) | No overnight interest; compare admin fee structures | Pepperstone, XM, XTB |
Structural Differences Worth Knowing
ECN vs STP vs Market Maker
ECN: orders routed to an electronic communication network; you see depth of market and trade against other participants. STP (Straight Through Processing): orders passed to liquidity providers without a dealing desk, but no depth of market. Market Maker: the broker is the counterparty. Most “ECN” retail accounts are actually STP with tighter spreads — only cTrader-based accounts typically offer genuine Level II pricing.
Account Name vs Reality
Account names are marketing choices, not regulated terms. One broker’s “Raw” is another’s “Razor” is another’s “Prime”. Compare the actual spread + commission, not the name. This page’s classification groups accounts by cost structure (spread-only vs spread+commission) rather than by what the broker calls them.
Platform-Locked Accounts
Admirals ties account types to specific platforms (Trade.MT4, Trade.MT5, Zero.MT4, Zero.MT5, Invest.MT5). Forex.com separates MetaTrader and DMA accounts. At most other brokers, all account types access all platforms. Check before opening if you plan to switch platforms later.
Minimum Deposit Tiers
The listed minimum deposit usually applies to the entry-level tier. Saxo Bank’s Classic account has no minimum, but Platinum may require a higher portfolio value. Swissquote’s CHF 1,000 minimum is the highest in this comparison. At brokers with zero minimum (Pepperstone, XTB, IG), you can open and fund an account with any amount.
Methodology
Account type data was extracted from each broker’s official website and regulatory documentation as of June 2026. Classification into Standard, ECN/Raw, Pro, Islamic, Micro, and Professional categories follows the cost structure rather than marketing names:
- Standard: accounts where spread is the sole trading cost (no separate commission)
- ECN/Raw: accounts with interbank-level spreads plus a fixed per-lot commission
- Pro/Premium: tiered accounts requiring volume or deposit thresholds for better conditions
- Islamic: accounts with swap-free functionality (broker’s swapFree flag or explicit Islamic/Swap-Free account)
- Micro/Cent: accounts specifically designed for sub-micro lot or cent-denominated trading
- Professional: MiFID II elective professional status or institutional accounts
Some accounts fall into multiple categories. The “Active Trader” label at FXCM is classified as Standard (no commission despite the name suggesting otherwise); Axi’s “Elite” is classified as Pro (USD 25,000 minimum; international entity only). When in doubt, the classification follows the actual cost structure, not the name.
Affiliate Disclosure
FX-Brokers.info earns affiliate commissions from Pepperstone and BlackBull Markets. This does not affect the account type classification or cost figures presented on this page. All data is sourced from broker websites and regulatory filings. The full dataset is downloadable as CSV above for independent verification.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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