AMarkets and OANDA clash over regulation, pricing, and platform choice. The debate centers on safety and cost clarity across ECN options and advanced tools.
OANDA leads on regulation and investor protection with NFA, FCA, ASIC oversight and an investor compensation scheme. AMarkets operates under SVG FSA registration with no top-tier license or investor compensation.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
AMarkets offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 1.00 pips for OANDA, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 3.8/ 5 | 4.6/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 3.4 / 5 | 4.8 / 5▲ |
Pros
MT4, MT5, and cTrader all available
Competitive $6 round-turn ECN commission
Mature PAMM platform with full performance transparency
No inactivity fee
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Raw spread account available
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | AMarkets | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Fail | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Fail | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Fail | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Fail |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Fail | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
OANDA rates 4.6/5 versus 3.8/5 for AMarkets. OANDA edges ahead on our composite score, though both brokers meet a reasonable standard for most traders.
AMarkets starts from 0 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 AMarkets requires at least $100. This makes OANDA more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
OANDA holds top-tier regulation (FCA, ASIC, CBI), providing stronger investor protections. AMarkets may be regulated but does not hold top-tier status in our data. Verify regulatory status on each regulator's public register before depositing funds.
OANDA stands out for beginners: it has a lower entry point and provides negative balance protection, which caps losses at your deposited amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
AMarkets lists maximum leverage of 3000:1, 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.
AMarkets charges $6 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for OANDA are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
AMarkets supports cTrader, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while OANDA supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, TradingView, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. AMarkets has exclusive access to cTrader. OANDA has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile and TradingView.
OANDA wins due to top-tier regulation and investor compensation coverage.
OANDA wins for active traders thanks to advanced charting and strong research.
AMarkets is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.00 pips.
OANDA wins for platform choice with MT4/MT5, a proprietary platform, and TradingView.
OANDA is better for beginners due to no minimum deposit and protection.
AMarkets wins instrument variety with 250 instruments versus 70 at OANDA.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.0 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.1 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 3.9 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1996 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | New York, United States |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | No minimum▼ lower |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0 pips▼ lower | 1 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | N/A |
|---|
| 0.6 pips | N/A |
| Max Leverage | 3,000:1 | 50:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | $10/month (after 12 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free for ACH |
|---|
| Regulators | SVGFSA | FCA ASIC CBI CMF NFA |
|---|
| Platforms | cTrader MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile TradingView MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
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
SVG FSA registration only, no meaningful retail investor protection
No EU or Tier 1 licensed entity
Very high leverage (3000:1) is a risk amplifier
No top-tier regulatory licence
No negative balance protection
No investor compensation scheme
No proprietary platform
Limited charting capabilities
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 3.8 / 5
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