Two brokers sit side by side on regulation and pricing, but their platform approach and product breadth pull in opposite directions. The outcome hinges on instrument variety and platform choice.
Admirals and Forex.com are closely matched overall, but Admirals offers vastly more instruments (8000 vs 400).
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 1.00 pips for Forex.com, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.2/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 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 | Forex.com |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Pass |
| 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 Forex.com rates 4.2/5. Admirals 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 Forex.com's 1 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Both Admirals and Forex.com require a minimum deposit of $100 to open a live trading account.
Both Admirals and Forex.com 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 Forex.com lists up to 50:1. 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, lower than Forex.com's $7 per lot. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day.
Admirals supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while Forex.com supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. Forex.com has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Forex.com wins for safety & regulation as it is regulated by NFA/CFTC along with FCA, ASIC, CySEC, MAS, IIROC.
Admirals wins due to 500:1 leverage and broad instrument universe.
Admirals is better suited for scalpers: lower commission ($6/lot), tighter spreads from 0.50 pips.
Forex.com wins with a proprietary platform alongside MT4/MT5.
Admirals offers strong educational content and diverse accounts.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.4 / 5▲ | 4.2 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.2 / 5▲ | 4.1 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.2 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2001 | 1999 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | Bedminster, New Jersey, USA |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | $100 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 1 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot▼ lower | $7/lot |
|---|
| 1.1 pips▼ lower | 1.7 pips |
| Max Leverage | 500:1 | 50:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | $10/month (after 24 months)▼ lower | $15/month (after 12 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferCredit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA ASIC CySEC KNF | FCA ASIC MAS IIROC CFTC NFA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | 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
One of the few brokers accepting US retail forex clients
Deep research tools including macro analysis
Raw spread account with competitive $7 round-turn commission
MT4, MT5 and proprietary platforms
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
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
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
$100 minimum deposit is higher than some peers
US clients restricted to 50:1 leverage on major pairs
Raw account pricing not available in all jurisdictions
Inactivity fee applies
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.2 / 5
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