Vantage is a multi award-winning Australian broker primarily known for its forex trading. Founded in Australia in 2009 and regulated by two internationally recognized institutions (both tier 1), Vantage offers you a reliable brokerage to trade CFDs on forex, commodities, indices, shares, and some cryptocurrencies. It offers good customizability on its web platform and also a mobile app that is somewhat secure and relatively easy-to-use.

Platforms

Vantage offer a variety of top trading platforms including the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) developed by MetaQuotes. MetaTrader is freely available on desktop (Windows / Mac), web and mobile (iPhone / iPad / Android / Tablet). All of the platforms update simultaneously so that you can open, manage and close positions in real time from multiple devices. The broker also has their own proprietary Vantage mobile trading app.

Vantage App

The Vantage App allows you to access the global markets and trade from anywhere at any time. It offers traders easy, yet powerful mobile access to hundreds of FX Pairs, Commodities, Indices, Share CFDs and more. The Vantage App is available for both iOS and Android devices and is equipped with a suite of trading and investing tools.

Vantage Mobile Trading App (photo)

I found it very user-friendly and easy to navigate. However, I felt that it didn’t have the advanced market analysis capabilities of the MetaTrader apps. That being said, it would be absolutely fine for checking market prices and managing positions from the comfort of your mobile device.

Security and Regulation

Trust and security are of vital importance no matter who you are trading with, or in which market. With a forex broker, this is also the case and an area that Vantage FX clearly treats as a top priority to ensure you the best possible trading environment.

The broker has in place regulation from several well-respected regulatory bodies around the world. These include oversight from ASIC in Australia, the FCA in the UK, and offshore from the CIMA in the Cayman Islands, and VFSC in Vanuatu. This positions them well as a broker with top-tier regulation in place but also allows them to offer a degree of flexibility through the additional offshore regulatory bodies.

Key Features

As a broker for more experienced traders, Vantage provides good features to help those that need support when opening an account, featuring copy traders, demo accounts, video tutorials, and many charting tools.

Demo Account

For a trial period users can download the desktop platform or trade on the web trader as a simulation. This offers valuable time to understand the platform and get to grips with the interface before putting in any of your money.

Copy Trading

There are four alternative platforms available for social copy trading that Vantage have partnered up with, including ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MetaTrader Signals and Myfxbook.

Charting Tools

There is a good range of charting tools available to users like indicators, drawing tools, and trade form charting.

Commissions and Fees

When calculating the fees you will incur using Vantage, it’s crucial to know what account you are going to be using, as this will determine the rate you pay. There is a mix between low commission accounts with higher spreads and slightly higher commission accounts with better spreads but for heavier traders.

Check out the specific rates below:

1. Standard STP: This account features zero commissions, but has the highest spreads (1.1 pips); on the other hand the standard account offers rebates of $8 per standard lot.
2. Raw ECN: Spreads here are more favorable (0.08 pips), but incur a commission of $3 per side (totalling 0.68 pips).
3. Pro ECN: The cheapest option; commission fees are $2 per side, and those that can deposit $20,000 or more will get the best rates. The Pro ECN is also competitive with many others in the industry.

Additionally, there are zero non-trading fees, which is a great feature for a broker (usually discouraging traders to hold assets for longer periods of time). In terms of cryptocurrency, the CFD trading stocks are average-high when compared to its market competitors. All deposits and withdrawals are free, but with some exceptions (details above).

Customer Support

Customer support on Vantage is average, while it has a live chat it’s not 24/7 and can be unreliable. Here are the features offered:

• Live chat (not 24/7)
• Phone Support
• Poor email support
• Contact time is Monday to Friday (9am-5pm)

Conclusion

Overall, Vantage is a multi-regulated CFD broker with a great choice of industry leading platforms and very powerful trading tools. There is everything you would need to conduct professional market analysis. You can copy other traders, develop your own strategies and run automated systems. I like that they have a reasonable selection of trading instruments across multi-asset classes but think they could perhaps add some more. That being said, you will find most of popular assets available to trade with accounts that have low spreads and no commission fees. I found the customer support to be prompt, polite and efficient. Finally, you can choose from a convenient selection of funding options.

Founded in 2009, FBS is an online forex broker which quickly gained momentum and still maintains a sterling reputation amongst traders, achieving a steady rate of new membership of 7,000 daily, even a decade later. Forex isn’t the only market that FBS provides for its membership of over 13 million traders, with CFDs, stocks, and more are also tradeable with leverage of up to 1:3000 (for non-EU customers only) and no commissions accompanying the majority of instruments and accounts.

In over 190 countries, FBS instills confidence among traders thanks to strict regulation from CySEC and the IFSC, and rock-solid trading foundations built on a hybrid Straight Through Processing and Electronic Communications Network model.

FBS Account Types

The FBS broker offers 4 account types to their customers and traders. Cent Account is created for beginners to facilitate their introduction to the Forex market. This means that they can deposit very small amounts (e.g. $1) and are given access to try out the platform, the currency pairs, and the market in general. If you have spent a reasonable amount of time on the Cent Account and think that you are ready for real business, register with the Standard Account. This account is for more experienced traders. Another account that is good for, and recommended to, beginners is the Fixed Spread Account. This is a great option for other traders as well who want to play safe not risking too much of their investments. Fixed spreads mean that the spread remains the same, regardless of what happens in the market (at least most of the time). The last account, i.e. the unlimited account is mostly suitable for professionals and investors.

• Cent Account available for beginners ($1 minimum deposit)
• Standard Account for more experienced traders
• Fixed Spread Account for risk-averse traders
• Unlimited Account for experienced professionals and investors

Trading instruments

Forex broker offers the following underlying assets for trading.

30+ Currency Pairs	Based on major and minor world currencies.
4 Indice CFDs	Based on baskets of different blue-chip stocks.
4 Metal CFDs	Based on Gold, Silver, Palladium and Platinum.
2 Energy CFDs	Based on Crude Oil (WTI, Brent).
40+ Stock CFDs	Based on shares of US companies.

Commissions and Spreads

This broker does not charge any commissions or fees on trade. Instead, they charge spreads. This means that they add an additional spread on a currency pair. How wide the spread gets, depends again on what account you use. Standard accounts start with a minimum spread of 1 pip. For the unlimited type of account, the spread starts off with 0.2 pips. These spreads are floating spreads in both cases.

Educational Material

The education section at FBS is well-structured and well-organized, and all material is free. Education is split into five sections:

• Forex Guidebook – the core of the education section, this is one of the better guides to Forex trading we have seen. It is split into chapters for Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, and Experienced traders. This guidebook will be useful in some form for almost all readers.
• Tips for Traders – a frequently updated blog with useful posts covering various aspects of trading in an erudite and informal format. Recent blog posts include Triple Screen Trading Strategy and Bill Williams Fractals Indicator.
• Webinars – includes a schedule and register of upcoming webinars. FBS holds webinars weekly from its office in Moscow, and registration is a simple procedure.
• Video Lessons – as you would expect, this is a collection of short videos covering various aspects of Forex trading – good for those who prefer watching to reading, but not as comprehensive as the Guidebook.

FAQs

Is FBS regulated?

Yes, our review of FBS found that the broker is regulated and licensed by CySEC, which ensures regular reporting, transparency, and fairness for EU clients. For those trading outside the EU, it is regulated by the International Financial Services Commission of Belize (IFSC).

Can you withdraw FBS bonus?

Yes, if you are trading from a country that allows a bonus from FBS, it can be withdrawn after two lots are traded and profit reaches $25. To withdraw, proper account registration and verification is required too. This means supplying FBS with proof of identification and address.

What is FBS account?

FBS offers two live trading accounts (Standard and Cent) and two demo account types (Standard and Cent). There are zero commissions on trades, leverage of up to 1:30, and spread starting from 1 pip. Standard accounts are available with a €100 initial deposit, whilst Cent accounts start from €10. Swap-free accounts are also available.

How long does FBS withdrawal take?

Withdrawal times at FBS depend on which method you are using to receive your funds. All withdrawals are processed by the broker within 48 hours on business days. E-wallet and crypto transfers are processed within minutes, whilst wire transfers can take up to 48 hours.

What is the minimum deposit on FBS?

Minimum deposit limits at FBS depend on the account type you have selected. For international clients, there is a micro account that allows deposits from $1. For European clients, the lowest entry point is the Cent account at €10. Standard accounts require a minimum deposit of €100.

The XM Group is a group of regulated online brokers. Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd is established in 2009 and it is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC 120/10), Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd is established in 2015 and it is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC 443670) and Trading Point of Financial Instruments UK Ltd is established in 2016 and it is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 705428)

Trading Platform/ software

The trading platforms at XM include MetaTrader 4, with no rejections and no requotes. Leverage ranges from as little as 1:1 all the way up to 500:1. MetaTrader 4 allows a single login with up to 8 platforms, with spreads as low as 0 pips and some 300 instruments available. MT4 is available for Mac, PC, multiterminal, WebTrader, iPhone, Android, iPad, and Android tablet. MetaTrader 5 – MT 5 is a single platform with 6 asset classes available. Some 80 analytical objects are included with the platform and the latest price quotes are provided.

The total number of financial instruments available is 250+, and these include Forex Trading, Stocks CFDs, Commodities CFDs, Equity Indices CFDs, Precious Metals CFDs, Energies CFDs and Cryptocurrencies CFDs. The major difference between MT4 and MT 5 is that MT4 is a Forex trading platform, while MT5 is geared towards multi-asset trading. Smartphone trading is available at XM, simply by downloading the application on Android and iOS devices.

Features 

Investors who maintain XM Trading accounts can enjoy a variety of trading tools and features that include the following: 

• Market maker broker 
• Dealing desk 

• One click automated trading 
• Trading from charts 
• Hedging and Scalping permitted 
• No requotes 
• Allows integration of Expert Advisors 
• Trailing stops 
• Trading over the phone 
• First deposit bonus 
• Promotions and contests 
• Negative balance protection  
• Multilingual economic calendar 
• Virtual Private Server (VPS) services 
• Multilingual customer support services

XM Bonus System and Types

Learning information about a broker is an entire process you need to consider every time before signing in a particular website. And part of this process is to see if the available bonuses are ok for you. Thankfully, XM offers numerous promotions and special extras you should definitely check out now.

• No Deposit Bonus – the no deposit bonus – is still part of the bonus system that XM website provides to all of its clients. To be more specific only newly registered clients can actually benefit of it. The no deposit bonus here is 30 $ and you can use it only if you are new on the website and have just made your registration with a validated account to trade from.
• Welcome Bonus – The two-tier deposit bonus offers 50% deposit bonus up to $500 and 20% deposit bonus up to $5,000.
• Loyal Bonuses and Programs – Become a regular customer on XM at some point and you will be able to apply for a loyalty program. This program gives you several extras and special promotions and to reach it you will need to collect a particular amount of points, which are given during your experience on XM platform.
• Special Seasonal Bonuses – Do not forget to check out for special seasonal bonuses on XM. This Forex platform has a tradition to update its bonus system all the time, so you can receive an additional offer throughout your experience here.

>> CLICK HERE TO OPEN A DEMO/REAL ACCOUNT WITH XM <<