Both brokers are well regulated and education-focused. The clash centers on instrument breadth, platform options, and pricing.
Admirals and AvaTrade are closely matched, but Admirals offers many more instruments (8000 vs 1250).
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
Admirals offers tighter spreads from 0.50 pips vs 0.90 pips for AvaTrade, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.4/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5▲ |
Pros
Extensive range of accounts including Zero, Trade, and Invest
Strong FCA and CySEC regulation covering EU and UK traders
High-quality educational content including live webinars
Zero account offers spreads from 0.5 pips with $6 round-turn commission
Client funds held in segregated accounts
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Admirals | AvaTrade |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Fail |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Fail | Fail |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
The scores are close: Admirals rates 4.3/5 and AvaTrade rates 4.4/5. AvaTrade has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
Admirals starts from 0.5 pips, tighter than AvaTrade's 0.9 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Both Admirals and AvaTrade require a minimum deposit of $100 to open a live trading account.
Both Admirals and AvaTrade hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources on each broker's site before deciding.
Admirals lists maximum leverage of 500:1, while AvaTrade lists up to 400:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
Admirals charges $6 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for AvaTrade are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
Admirals supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while AvaTrade supports ZuluTrade, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. AvaTrade has exclusive access to ZuluTrade and Proprietary Web/Mobile.
AvaTrade wins for broader regulatory coverage across multiple authorities.
Admirals offers tighter spreads and a fixed commission appealing to active traders.
Admirals is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.50 pips.
AvaTrade wins due to structured courses and strong educational content.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 2001 | 2006 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | Dublin, Ireland |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | $100 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 0.9 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | N/A |
|---|
| 1.1 pips | N/A |
| Max Leverage | 500:1▲ higher | 400:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | $10/month (after 24 months)▼ lower | $50/month (after 3 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA ASIC CySEC KNF | ASIC FSCA MFSA CBI ADGM |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | ZuluTrade MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
Heavily regulated across 6+ jurisdictions
AvaOptions platform for vanilla options trading
Strong educational content and structured courses
Multiple platforms including MT4, MT5 and proprietary AvaTradeGo
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Platform-heavy, MT4 and MT5 only, no proprietary platform
Customer support quality varies by region
Not available to US clients
Inactivity fee applies
Cons
Inactivity fee of $50 after 3 months of no trading
Not available to US residents
Spread-only model means no raw ECN pricing
No investor compensation scheme
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.3 / 5
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