Deriv and Skilling clash on trust, pricing, and platform choices. Regulation quality emerges as the clear differentiator that could influence your decision.
Deriv and Skilling are closely matched overall, with no score gap. Skilling benefits from top-tier regulation, while Deriv does not.
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.
Deriv offers tighter spreads from 0.50 pips vs 0.70 pips for Skilling, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.1/ 5 | 4.1/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.0 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
Pros
Synthetic indices trade 24/7, unique offering unavailable at mainstream brokers
Very low $5 minimum deposit
Multi-platform: DTrader, MT5, Deriv X, SmartTrader
MFSA (Malta/EU) licensing for European clients
Client funds held in segregated accounts
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Deriv | Skilling |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Fail | 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 | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Fail | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Fail | Fail |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
Deriv and Skilling share the same editorial score of 4.1/5. One concrete differentiator: Deriv requires a lower minimum deposit.
Deriv starts from 0.5 pips, tighter than Skilling's 0.7 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Deriv has $5, while Skilling requires at least $100. This makes Deriv more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Skilling holds top-tier regulation (FCA, FSCA, CySEC), providing stronger investor protections. Deriv 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.
For beginners, two factors stand out: Deriv requires a lower minimum deposit ($5), lowering the barrier to entry, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Deriv lists maximum leverage of 1000:1, while Skilling lists up to 500:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
Deriv supports MetaTrader 5, Proprietary Web/Mobile, DXtrade, while Skilling supports cTrader, Skilling Trader, MetaTrader 4. Deriv has exclusive access to MetaTrader 5 and Proprietary Web/Mobile and DXtrade. Skilling has exclusive access to cTrader and Skilling Trader and MetaTrader 4.
Skilling wins for regulation due to CySEC and FCA oversight with investor protections.
Skilling wins for active traders thanks to raw spreads and advanced charting.
Skilling is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available.
Equally matched; both provide MT4/MT5 and distinct proprietary platforms.
Skilling wins for instrument variety with more instruments.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 3.9 / 5 | 4.1 / 5▲ |
|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 2016 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Birkirkara, Malta | Valletta, Malta |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $5▼ lower | $100 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 0.7 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
|---|
| Max Leverage | 1,000:1 | 500:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | $10/month (after 90 days) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerFasaPayCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerFasaPayCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | LFSA FSC BVI MFSA VFSC | FCA FSCA CySEC |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 Proprietary Web/Mobile DXtrade | cTrader Skilling Trader MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Negative balance protection
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Multilingual customer support
Pros
Clean modern Skilling Trader platform, excellent UX for new-to-intermediate traders
cTrader available with raw spreads from 0.0 pips
CySEC and FCA regulation with EU and UK investor protections
Growing Latin American presence with local-language support
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Synthetic indices are proprietary instruments, not conventional regulated assets
Regulatory quality varies significantly by entity (MFSA vs VFSC/FSC BVI)
Customer support can be slow during peak periods
No top-tier regulatory licence
No investor compensation scheme
No raw spread account option
Limited charting capabilities
No phone support
Cons
$100 minimum deposit on standard accounts
Newer broker, less track record than IG or Pepperstone
Product range narrower than multi-asset brokers
No phone support
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.1 / 5
Score 4.1 / 5
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