Top CFD Providers

Top CFD Providers To Match Different Types Of Trading
Top CFD Providers By Category
Online ProviderAboutMinimum DepositTrading Platforms
Fixed Spreads ProvidereasyMarkets offers fixed spreads from 0.7 pips on MT4 and 0.8 on the easyMarkets platform and TradingView
About
$25
Minimum Deposit
easyMarkets Platform, MT4, MT5, TradingView
Trading Platforms
Wide Range Of MarketsPlus500 offers a wide range of types of markets and provides a wide range within categories, for example, Commodities, Options and Indices CFDs
About
$100
Minimum Deposit
Plus500 CFD Platform
Trading Platforms
Cent AccountXM offers a Cent account (called a Micro account) for both MT4 and MT5, with very low minimum trade sizes and a low minimum deposit of $5
About
$5
Minimum Deposit
MT4, MT5
Trading Platforms
CFD Demo AccountAvaTrade offers a wide range of platforms and features and allows automated trading
About
$100
Minimum Deposit
MT4, MT5, Web Trader, AvaOptions
Trading Platforms

CFDs are Contracts for Difference. A CFD allows the provider and client to exchange the difference in the value of the CFD from the beginning to the end of the trade. CFDs are based on an underlying market and will normally reflect the value of this market. As CFDs are separate from the asset, the trader can go long or short and can use leverage. CFD providers can have a wide range of different features but may focus on particular features to identify them. The focus of this page is features for traders who make their trades or want to trade small trade sizes.

The trader may notice that the term CFD provider is used rather than a broker. Provider is the recognized term, though the 'broker' is still established as an identifier, for historical reasons. The features offered by providers can fall into distinct classes, though there will tend to be commonality in the offering provided. For example, spreads are a feature that can be of importance to the trader, thus there are providers which offer different types of spreads.

Top CFD providers categories

Some providers may focus on fixed spreads, others may aim to offer very low variable spreads normally with a commission charge. What types of features are of interest may be consequent on the type of traders used by the trader. Traders who trade on their behalf rather than using robots may want particular types of features, such as a user-friendly platform and perhaps fixed spreads, or at least spreads without a commission charge.

Robot traders on the other hand may want spreads as low as possible, with a competitive commission charge, so they can have an idea of this part of the cost of trade, as they may be making a lot of trades compared with a human trader. These are not fixed categories, as human traders may trade on shorter frequencies and robots may trade on longer frequencies. So in terms of spreads, providers may offer variable or fixed spreads (or both). Variable spreads vary, while fixed spreads tend to stay fixed (but can change in volatile market conditions, or if they do not may not be tradable at times). However, some providers focus on fixed spreads, so a choice is made for a Fixed Spreads Provider.

One factor that traders may look for is the capacity to place small trade sizes. There can be a variety of reasons for this, including that the trader is trying to test out strategies or robots on a live account. However, traders may wish to trade with small trade sizes so they can trade with a smaller account size. Thus providers with low trade sizes may have a lower minimum deposit.

A type of provider offering low minimum trade sizes is known as a Cent account. However, this term may not be used by the provider. Instead, another term, such as a Micro account may be used. A Micro account is a long-standing term to describe an account with offers trade sizes down to standard micro-lots (which is 0.01 lots). However, a Cent account is a MetaTrader account which is denominated on cents. Thus it allows trade sizes up to 1/100th the size of a standard lot account. Hence a Cent account is also a Micro account of this type of MetaTrader account denomination (a micro account of a standard micro account). A choice is made here for Cent Account Provider.

Some CFD providers offer a wide range of types of markets. As they are CFDs, they can be traded in rising (going long) or falling (going short) markets and can come with leverage (increasing leverage increases risk). Some traders may wish to have a wide choice of markets to trade. While there are basic categories common to most providers, some make an effort to provide a wide range within each category. So a choice is made of Wide Range Of Markets.

Traders can use a demo account for many purposes, including practicing trading and familiarising themselves with the provider's features and trading platforms. So a choice is made of a CFD Demo Account.

Fixed Spreads Provider easyMarkets

  • Minimum deposit: $25
  • Online trading platforms: MT4, MT5, easyMarkets Platform, TradingView

easyMarkets is a long established CFD provider which offers fixed spreads. Fixed spreads are available on MT4, TradingView, and the easyMarkets Platform. Variable spreads are now offered on MT5. easyMarkets provides fixed spreads on MT4 from 0.7 pips and 0.8 on the easyMarkets platform, without a commission charge. easyMarkets offers a range of features including the capacity to freeze a price for a few seconds (Freeze Rate) and the ability to cancel a trade, T&Cs apply (dealCancellation).

Wide Range Of Markets Plus500

  • Minimum deposit: $100
  • Online trading platform: Plus500 CFD Platform

Plus500 provides a user-friendly, intuitive trading platform with integrated tools, including technical and fundamental analysis. Plus500 offers 2000+ markets to trade, but covers a relatively wide range. Within each category, Plus500 can offer a relatively wide range, for example of Commodities and Indices CFDs.

Cent Account Provider XM

  • Minimum deposit: $5
  • Online trading platforms: MT4, MT5

XM offers a Micro account with trade sizes down to 100th the size of a standard Forex lot (on MT4). Trade sizes down to 1/10th the size of a standard lot are offered on MT5. This account has a low minimum deposit of $5.

CFD Demo Account AvaTrade

  • Minimum deposit: $100
  • Online trading platforms: MT4, MT5, WebTrader, AvaOptions

AvaTrade provides a wide range of platforms, including both MT4 and MT5. AvaTrade allows automated trading and provides a proprietary user-friendly Web Trader and mobile app, and has social and copy trading platforms (AvaSocial, DupliTrade and ZuluTrade).