Two brokers vie for your trust on regulation, pricing and platform access. The tilt hinges on how they balance fees, leverage and account accessibility.
Exness is the overall winner, with a higher editorial score of 4.4 versus FXOpen's 4.2. Exness offers ultra-high leverage and a $1 minimum deposit, while FXOpen emphasizes triple regulation and low commissions but trails in total score.
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.
FXOpen offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 0.30 pips for Exness, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.4/ 5 | 4.2/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
Pros
Near-unlimited leverage on offshore entity
Extremely low $1 minimum deposit on Standard account
Instant withdrawals available 24/7 including weekends
One of the world's highest-volume retail FX brokers
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | Exness | FXOpen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Pass |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Fail |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Fail |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
The scores are close: Exness rates 4.4/5 and FXOpen rates 4.2/5. Exness 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.
FXOpen starts from 0 pips, tighter than Exness's 0.3 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Exness has $1, while FXOpen requires at least $100. This makes Exness more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both Exness and FXOpen 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: Exness requires a lower minimum deposit ($1), lowering the barrier to entry, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
Exness lists maximum leverage of 2000:1, while FXOpen 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.
FXOpen charges $3 per lot, lower than Exness's $3.5 per lot. Lower commissions benefit active traders who execute many trades per day.
Exness supports MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while FXOpen supports cTrader, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4. Both provide MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. FXOpen has exclusive access to cTrader.
FXOpen is safer due to FCA, CySEC, and ASIC oversight.
FXOpen suits active traders with triple regulation, ECN pricing, and MT4/MT5 plus cTrader.
FXOpen is better suited for scalpers: lower commission ($3/lot), tighter spreads from 0.00 pips.
FXOpen offers MT4, MT5, and cTrader for broad platform choice.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.6 / 5 | 4.8 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.3 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2008 | 2003 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Limassol, Cyprus | London, United Kingdom |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $1▼ lower | $100 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.3 pips | 0 pips▼ lower |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $3.5/lot | $3/lot▼ lower |
|---|
| 0.65 pips | 0.3 pips▼ lower |
| Max Leverage | 2,000:1 | 500:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCryptoP2P | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerCrypto |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerPerfect MoneyCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerCrypto |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA FSCA OJK CySEC | FCA ASIC CySEC |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | cTrader MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
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
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
FCA, CySEC, and ASIC triple regulation
$3 round-turn ECN commission, one of the lowest in retail forex
Early cTrader adopter with mature integration
MT4, MT5, and cTrader all available
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
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Not available to US residents
EU clients face significant leverage restrictions
Unlimited leverage carries extreme risk for inexperienced traders
No proprietary platform
Cons
$100 minimum deposit on ECN accounts
Less brand recognition than larger competitors
Customer support coverage narrower than global tier-1 brokers
No proprietary platform
No phone support
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.2 / 5
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