A head-to-head comparison of Admirals and AvaTrade across regulation, trading costs, platforms, and editorial scoring.
Multi-regulated broker with extensive account range, competitive Zero account spreads, strong EU regulation and quality webinar and education content.
Heavily regulated across 6+ jurisdictions with a unique AvaOptions platform for vanilla options trading and strong educational content.
AvaTrade edges ahead with a score of 4.4/5 vs Admirals's 4.3/5. A narrow margin, so review the breakdown below to see where each broker has a clear advantage.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
Admirals offers tighter spreads from 0.5 pips vs 0.9 pips for AvaTrade, reducing trading costs.
Admirals has a stronger safety profile: top-tier regulation, compensation scheme, segregated funds, negative balance protection.
Admirals has a cost edge: raw/ECN spreads, tighter spreads from 0.5 pips.
AvaTrade offers more exclusive platform options: Proprietary Web/Mobile, a proprietary platform.
AvaTrade edges out Admirals with a higher editorial score (4.4/5 vs 4.3/5), indicating a stronger overall experience for new traders.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.4/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5▲ |
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 | 0.9 pips |
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | N/A |
| Max leverage | 500:1 | 400:1 |
| Withdrawal fee | Free | Free |
| Regulators | FCA ASIC CySEC KNF | FSCA ASIC ADGM CBI MFSA |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 | MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile |
| Active bonuses | ||
| Visit broker | Visit Admirals | Visit AvaTrade |
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
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
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 |
Based on our independent editorial scoring, AvaTrade ranks higher with a score of 4.4/5 vs 4.3/5 for Admirals. The best choice still depends on your individual trading needs; Admirals and AvaTrade may each suit different trader profiles.
Admirals offers tighter spreads starting from 0.5 pips, compared to AvaTrade's spreads from 0.9 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, particularly valuable 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. Both are considered safe. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners: both brokers offer negative balance protection. Also weigh up educational resources and customer support quality before deciding.
Admirals offers maximum leverage of 500:1, while AvaTrade offers up to 400:1. Available leverage varies by account type, instrument, and jurisdiction. Higher leverage amplifies both potential profits and losses. Always use appropriate risk management.
Admirals charges $6 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for the other broker are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
Admirals supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and AvaTrade offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile; both support MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5; AvaTrade exclusively offers Proprietary Web/Mobile.
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