A head-to-head comparison of AvaTrade and FP Markets across regulation, trading costs, platforms, and editorial scoring.
Heavily regulated across 6+ jurisdictions with a unique AvaOptions platform for vanilla options trading and strong educational content.
True ECN pricing, all three major platforms, strong ASIC regulation, and IRESS integration for share CFDs - a complete package for active traders.
AvaTrade and FP Markets are extremely closely matched with scores of 4.4/5 and 4.5/5. The right choice depends on your individual trading priorities.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
FP Markets offers tighter spreads from 0 pips vs 0.9 pips for AvaTrade, reducing trading costs.
FP Markets has a stronger safety profile: top-tier regulation, compensation scheme, segregated funds, negative balance protection.
FP Markets has a cost edge: raw/ECN spreads, tighter spreads from 0 pips.
Both brokers offer an equivalent platform selection with similar exclusive and proprietary options.
FP Markets edges out AvaTrade with a higher editorial score (4.5/5 vs 4.4/5), indicating a stronger overall experience for new traders.
| Editorial score | 4.4/ 5 | 4.5/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.4 / 5 | 4.6 / 5▲ |
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5▲ |
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.4 / 5▲ | 4.3 / 5 |
| Founded | 2006 | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland | Sydney, Australia |
| Min deposit | $100 | $100 |
| Spreads from | 0.9 pips | 0 pips |
| Commission / lot | N/A | $6/lot |
| Max leverage | 400:1 | 500:1 |
| Withdrawal fee | Free | Free |
| Regulators | FSCA ASIC ADGM CBI MFSA | ASIC CySEC |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 Proprietary Web/Mobile MetaTrader 5 | MetaTrader 4 TradingView MetaTrader 5 cTrader IRESS |
| Active bonuses | ||
| Visit broker | Visit AvaTrade | Visit FP Markets |
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
Pros
True ECN pricing from 0.0 pips + $6 round-turn commission
Supports MT4, MT5, and cTrader - all three major platforms
IRESS platform for direct-access share CFD trading
Strong ASIC and CySEC regulation
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
Raw spread account available
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
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
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
Cons
IRESS platform has a monthly fee for lower-volume traders
Customer support primarily oriented toward Australian trading hours
Not available to US residents
No proprietary platform
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | AvaTrade | FP Markets |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Fail | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Fail | Pass |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Fail | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Fail |
| 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, FP Markets ranks higher with a score of 4.5/5 vs 4.4/5 for AvaTrade. The best choice still depends on your individual trading needs; AvaTrade and FP Markets may each suit different trader profiles.
FP Markets offers tighter spreads starting from 0 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 AvaTrade and FP Markets require a minimum deposit of $100 to open a live trading account.
Both AvaTrade and FP Markets 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.
AvaTrade offers maximum leverage of 400:1, while FP Markets offers up to 500:1. Available leverage varies by account type, instrument, and jurisdiction. Higher leverage amplifies both potential profits and losses. Always use appropriate risk management.
FP Markets 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.
AvaTrade supports MetaTrader 4, Proprietary Web/Mobile, MetaTrader 5 and FP Markets offers MetaTrader 4, TradingView, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, IRESS; both support MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5; AvaTrade exclusively offers Proprietary Web/Mobile; FP Markets exclusively offers TradingView, cTrader, IRESS.
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