Admirals and OANDA face off in a head to head on regulation, costs and platforms. The axis of tension lies between broad instrument access and price transparency.
OANDA edges Admirals in overall editorial score (4.6 vs 4.3) with stronger trust & regulation and broader platform options.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
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 OANDA, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.6/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.8 / 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 | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 OANDA rates 4.6/5. OANDA 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 OANDA's 1 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
OANDA has no minimum deposit, while Admirals requires at least $100. This makes OANDA more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both Admirals and OANDA 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, two factors stand out: OANDA has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Admirals lists maximum leverage of 500:1, while OANDA 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 on commission-based accounts. Commission details for OANDA are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
Admirals supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while OANDA supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, TradingView, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. OANDA has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile and TradingView.
OANDA wins for safety & regulation, with NFA, FCA, ASIC, CBI, CMF oversight and segregated funds.
OANDA wins for active traders with a proprietary platform plus MT4/MT5 and access to strong research.
Admirals is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.50 pips.
OANDA wins for platform choice with MT4/MT5 and a proprietary platform plus TradingView access.
OANDA wins due to zero minimum deposit and broad regulatory coverage.
Admirals wins instrument variety with 8000 instruments vs 70 at OANDA.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 2001 | 1996 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | New York, United States |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | No minimum▼ lower |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 1 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | N/A |
|---|
| 1.1 pips | N/A |
| Max Leverage | 500:1 | 50:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | $10/month (after 24 months) | $10/month (after 12 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller | Bank transferDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free for ACH |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA ASIC CySEC KNF | FCA ASIC CBI CMF NFA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile TradingView 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
Available to US residents (NFA-registered)
Best-in-class research and economic data
No minimum deposit
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
Spreads slightly wider than ECN-style brokers
No copy trading
No raw spread account option
Inactivity fee applies
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.3 / 5
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