Forex Broker Inactivity Fee Comparison
June 2026
What happens to your forex account when you stop trading? We compared the inactivity and dormancy fee policies across 27 EU-accessible brokers. 11charge nothing, regardless of how long your account sits idle. The rest charge between USD 5 and USD 50 per month — with grace periods ranging from 90 days to 24 months. The data below is verified against each broker's current fee schedule.
Brokers compared
27
No fee
11
41%
Charge a fee
16
Grace ≤ 90 days
4
Shortest
Grace ≥ 12 months
10
Most common
EU-eligible
24
Quick Answer
11 of 27brokers charge no inactivity fee at all — including BlackBull Markets, Saxo Bank, Interactive Brokers, Trading 212, IC Markets, Tickmill, Eightcap, Capital.com, Swissquote, and Exness (non-EU). If you trade infrequently or maintain multiple broker accounts, choose one of these to avoid silent balance erosion. Among brokers that do charge, the typical fee is EUR 10/month after 12 months of inactivity. The most aggressive fee structure is AvaTrade at USD 50/quarter starting after just 3 months, plus a USD 100 administration fee at 12 months — potentially costing USD 300 in the first year of dormancy alone.
Inactivity Fee Comparison — All 27 Brokers
Download CSV| # | Broker | Fee | Grace Period | Annual Cost | Threshold | Reactivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackBull MarketsPartner | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | Capital.com | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | Eightcap | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 4 | ExnessNot EU | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | IC Markets | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 6 | Interactive Brokers | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 7 | RoboForex | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 8 | Saxo Bank | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 9 | Swissquote | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 10 | Tickmill | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 11 | Trading 212 | None | N/A | EUR 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 12 | XM | USD 5/month | 90 days | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 13 | Plus500 | USD 10/month | 3 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next login |
| 14 | AvaTrade | USD 50/quarter + USD 100 admin | 3 months | ~EUR 280/year (USD 200 + USD 100 admin) | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 15 | Vantage MarketsNot EU | USD 10/month | 90 days | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 16 | FxPro | USD 15/quarter | 6 months | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 17 | FXTMNot EU | USD 5/month | 6 months | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 18 | PepperstonePartner | AUD 15/quarter | 12 months | ~EUR 55/year (AUD 60) | Any balance | Automatic on next login or trade |
| 19 | eToro | USD 10/month | 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next login |
| 20 | XTB | EUR 10/month | 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 21 | CMC Markets | GBP 10/month | 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 22 | OANDA | EUR 10/month | 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 23 | Forex.com | USD 15/month | 12 months | ~EUR 180/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 24 | Axi | USD 10/month | 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 25 | FXCM | USD 50/year | 12 months | ~EUR 46/year (USD 50) | Under USD 10,000 | Automatic on next trade |
| 26 | IG | EUR 14/month (under review) | 24 months | ~EUR 168/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
| 27 | Admirals | EUR 10/month | 24 months | ~EUR 120/year | Any balance | Automatic on next trade |
Sorted: no-fee brokers first, then by grace period (shortest to longest). Green rows = no fee. Emerald highlight = affiliate partner. Red tint = not accepting EU clients.
Fee Tiers: How Brokers Compare
No Inactivity Fee (11 brokers)
These brokers allow accounts to remain dormant indefinitely without any charge. Best for traders maintaining multiple accounts, seasonal traders, or anyone who may take extended breaks from the market.
- BlackBull Markets(FMA)
- Capital.com(CySEC)
- Eightcap(CySEC)
- Exness(CySEC)(not EU)
- IC Markets(CySEC)
- Interactive Brokers(CBI Ireland)
- RoboForex(CySEC)
- Saxo Bank(Danish FSA)
- Swissquote(FINMA)
- Tickmill(CySEC)
- Trading 212(CySEC)
Short Grace: ≤ 90 Days (4 brokers)
These brokers begin charging after just 3 months of no trading. A quarterly break from active trading could trigger fees. Avoid if you trade infrequently.
- XMUSD 5/month
- Plus500USD 10/month
- AvaTradeUSD 50/quarter + USD 100 admin
- Vantage MarketsUSD 10/month
Medium Grace: 6 Months (2 brokers)
A six-month window provides reasonable time for seasonal traders but may catch those who take extended summer or winter breaks from trading.
Long Grace: 12–24 Months (10 brokers)
The most common tier. A year or more of inactivity before fees begin gives ample time to decide whether to return to trading or withdraw your balance.
- PepperstoneAUD 15/quarter after 12 months
- eToroUSD 10/month after 12 months
- XTBEUR 10/month after 12 months
- CMC MarketsGBP 10/month after 12 months
- OANDAEUR 10/month after 12 months
- Forex.comUSD 15/month after 12 months
- AxiUSD 10/month after 12 months
- FXCMUSD 50/year after 12 months
- IGEUR 14/month (under review) after 24 months
- AdmiralsEUR 10/month after 24 months
Annual Cost Impact: How Much Could You Lose?
The table below shows the estimated annual cost of inactivity fees if a EUR 1,000 account sits completely dormant for a full year after the grace period expires. For brokers with no inactivity fee, the cost is zero regardless of time. For brokers with escalating structures (AvaTrade), the first-year total is shown.
| Broker | Fee Structure | Annual Cost | % of EUR 1,000 | Months to Deplete EUR 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AvaTrade | USD 50/quarter + USD 100 admin after 3 months | ~EUR 280/year (USD 200 + USD 100 admin) | 28020010.0% | 1 months |
| XM | USD 5/month after 90 days | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | 556.0% | 3 months |
| FxPro | USD 15/quarter after 6 months | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | 556.0% | 3 months |
| FXTM | USD 5/month after 6 months | ~EUR 55/year (USD 60) | 556.0% | 3 months |
| Pepperstone | AUD 15/quarter after 12 months | ~EUR 55/year (AUD 60) | 556.0% | 3 months |
| FXCM | USD 50/year after 12 months | ~EUR 46/year (USD 50) | 465.0% | 3 months |
| Forex.com | USD 15/month after 12 months | ~EUR 180/year | 18.0% | 67 months |
| IG | EUR 14/month (under review) after 24 months | ~EUR 168/year | 16.8% | 72 months |
| Plus500 | USD 10/month after 3 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| Vantage Markets | USD 10/month after 90 days | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| eToro | USD 10/month after 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| XTB | EUR 10/month after 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| CMC Markets | GBP 10/month after 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| OANDA | EUR 10/month after 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| Axi | USD 10/month after 12 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
| Admirals | EUR 10/month after 24 months | ~EUR 120/year | 12.0% | 100 months |
Annual costs are estimates based on published fee schedules. Currency conversion applied at approximate mid-market rates. Actual costs depend on account currency and conversion fees.
Which Broker Fits Your Trading Pattern?
| Trader Profile | Inactivity Risk | Recommended Approach | Best Brokers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily / active trader | None | Inactivity fees are irrelevant — focus on spreads, commissions, and execution. | Any broker; optimise for trading costs instead. |
| Swing trader (weekly) | Very low | Most grace periods comfortably cover weekly trading gaps. Not a factor. | Any broker with grace ≥ 90 days. |
| Seasonal trader | Medium | If you take 3–6 month breaks, avoid the 90-day grace brokers. Choose 12-month+ or no-fee. | BlackBull, IC Markets, Saxo Bank, IBKR, or any no-fee broker. |
| Multi-account holder | High | Maintaining 3–5 accounts means some will inevitably go dormant. Only open accounts at no-fee brokers. | No-fee brokers only: BlackBull, IC Markets, Trading 212, Eightcap. |
| Strategy tester / learner | Medium | New traders often open an account, try it, then move on. Withdraw balance immediately if not continuing. | No-fee brokers, or 12-month grace minimum. |
| Expat / relocating trader | High | Relocation disrupts trading routines. Accounts at old brokers may go dormant during transition. Close or switch to no-fee before moving. | IBKR (global access, no fee), Saxo Bank (no fee, broad jurisdiction). |
How Inactivity Fees Work: What Every EU Trader Should Know
An inactivity fee — also called a dormancy fee or account maintenance fee — is a recurring charge applied when a trading account has no trading activity for a specified period. The clock resets when you open or close a position; simply logging into the platform does not count as activity at most brokers (eToro is an exception, where login resets the timer).
Grace period mechanics:After your last trade, the broker starts a countdown. If no new trade occurs within the grace period (typically 3–24 months), the fee activates and is deducted monthly or quarterly from your remaining balance. The fee cannot push your account into negative territory — once the balance hits zero, deductions stop. This is a regulatory requirement under ESMA's negative balance protection framework, though inactivity fees technically fall outside the NBP scope (which covers trading losses).
Reactivation: All brokers in this comparison reactivate accounts automatically when you resume trading. There is no separate reactivation fee or process at any of the27 brokers reviewed. Previously deducted inactivity fees are not refunded.
MiFID II transparency:Under MiFID II Article 24(4), all costs must be disclosed to the client before account opening. Inactivity fees must appear in the ex-ante cost disclosure document. If a broker introduces or increases its inactivity fee, it must notify clients in advance — it cannot be applied retroactively without notice.
Account closure vs. dormancy:If you want to permanently avoid fees, close the account rather than leaving it dormant. Most brokers allow account closure through their client portal or via a support request. Closed accounts are different from dormant accounts — they cannot be reactivated without full KYC re-verification.
Cost Spotlight: AvaTrade's Escalating Fee Structure
AvaTrade has the most aggressive inactivity fee in this comparison. After just 3 months of no trading, the fee begins at USD 50 per quarter (USD 200/year). After 12 months, an additional one-time USD 100 administration fee is charged. A EUR 1,000 account left dormant would lose approximately EUR 280 in the first year — 28% of the entire balance. By comparison, the industry average (EUR 120/year at EUR 10/month) would consume 12% of the same balance. If you are considering AvaTrade, ensure you will remain actively trading or withdraw your balance before the 90-day mark.
Partner Transparency
fx-brokers.eu earns affiliate commissions from Pepperstone and BlackBull Markets. Their positions in this table are determined by verified fee schedule data, not influenced by commercial relationships.
Pepperstone
Inactivity fee: AUD 15/quarter after 12 months | ~EUR 55/year | BaFin-regulated EU entity | Automatic reactivation
Visit PepperstoneBlackBull Markets
Inactivity fee: None | No dormancy charges ever | FMA-regulated | Zero minimum deposit
Visit BlackBull MarketsMethodology
Data source:Inactivity fee policies sourced from each broker's official fee schedule and terms of business, accessed via the EU-regulated entity (not offshore arms). Where fee schedules differ between entities, the EU entity terms are shown.
Grace period:The number of days/months of no trading activity before the inactivity fee begins. “No trading activity” means no opened or closed positions. Login activity alone does not reset the clock at most brokers (eToro is a noted exception).
Annual cost estimates:Calculated by annualising the stated fee frequency (monthly fees × 12, quarterly fees × 4). Currency conversion uses approximate mid-market EUR rates as of June 2026. Actual costs vary with exchange rate fluctuations.
Reactivation: All 27 brokers in this comparison offer automatic account reactivation upon placing a new trade. No broker charges a separate reactivation fee.
Verification date: All data verified during the first two weeks of June 2026. Fee schedules can change; this is a point-in-time snapshot. We aim to update monthly.
Affiliate Disclosure
fx-brokers.eu earns commissions from Pepperstone and BlackBull Markets when visitors open funded trading accounts via links on this site. This commercial relationship does not affect the data in this comparison: inactivity fees, grace periods, and fee structures are verified independently from each broker's published terms. Non-partner brokers are included on equal terms. For full details, see our About page.
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