Vantage | Pepperstone | |
---|---|---|
Overall Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Trust | 4.3 | 4.6 |
Fees | 4.7 | 4.3 |
Platforms and Tools | 4.6 | 4.3 |
Tradable Instruments | 4.7 | 5.0 |
Customer Support | 3.3 | 4.8 |
Research | 5.0 | 4.8 |
Deposit and Withdrawal | 4.9 | 4.5 |
Account Types and Terms | 4.9 | 4.9 |
Education | 4.9 | 4.9 |
Regulators & Max Leverage | 1:500 (FSCA), 1:500 (CIMA), 1:30 (ASIC), 1:500 (VFSC), 1:30 (FCA) | 1:30 (FCA), 1:400 (CMA), 1:200 (SCB), 1:30 (CySEC), 1:30 (BaFin), 1:30 (ASIC), 1:30 (DFSA) |
Foundation Year | 2009 | 2010 |
Fees Test | Low | Medium |
Tradable Instruments | 1039 | 1344 |
Trading Platforms | MT4, MT5, ProTrader | MT5, cTrader, MT4, TradingView |
Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 |
Read Reviews |
After reviewing both brokers, I concluded that Vantage is the better option for more conservative traders who want greater control over their market exposure. The broker offers around 70 futures contracts and ETFs. These instruments allow traders to lock in positions and manage both expected and unexpected surges in market volatility. Vantage also provides advanced market research tools, particularly useful for technical analysis.
In contrast, Pepperstone is the better choice for high-precision trading due to its ultra-fast order execution speeds. Established in 2010, the broker is headquartered in Australia. It offers more than 1,350 CFD instruments across various asset classes, along with a wide variety of platforms and tools. Notably, it integrates with TradingView, Autochartist, and more.
Vantage Best for Diversified Trading |
Pepperstone Best for High-Precision Trading |
Competitive fees | High trust rating |
Diverse instruments | Ultra-fast execution, 99.89% fill rate |
68 futures and ETFs contracts | VPS hosting and API access |
Robust educational and research content | MT4, MT5, TradingView, cTrader |
MT4, MT5, ProTrader | Raw spreads from 0 pips |
Autochartist, Trading Central | 1,350+ CFD instruments |
Copy trading solutions | 24-hour trading on popular US equities |
Vantage is an Australia-based forex and CFD broker founded in 2009. It offers access to over 1,000 tradable instruments, including currency pairs, commodities, share CFDs, indices, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, futures, and bonds. Its trading fees are generally lower than the industry average across most asset classes. The broker also provides advanced charting tools and features that support detailed price action analysis, making it suitable for a wide range of trading styles.
Vantage is a strong choice for traders looking to diversify their market exposure. Clients can trade CFDs, forex, ETFs, and futures contracts, giving them multiple ways to access and manage different market segments. The broker also integrates research tools from Autochartist and Trading Central, helping traders stay informed on current market trends and developments.
Vantage offers a strong educational program that covers in-depth and often overlooked topics, such as indices trading. It has published more than 100 educational webinars on its YouTube channel, addressing areas like technical and fundamental analysis, trading psychology, and risk management. Additionally, the broker provides commission-free share CFD trading with low spreads, making it one of the top choices for stock-focused traders in the industry.
Recommended in 6 best broker guides: |
Forex | CFD | Low Spreads | Crypto | Demo Account | Gold |
Pepperstone is a financial derivatives broker headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with additional offices in Europe, the UK, Kenya, and the UAE. It serves a global client base and provides a broad range of platforms and trading services. The broker offers access to over 1,350 CFD instruments and maintains below-average trading fees across both its account types.
Pepperstone is a great fit for a wide range of traders, including those focused on automated trading, copy trading, scalping, and high-volume strategies. Scalpers, in particular, benefit from Pepperstone’s 99.8% fill rate and ultra-fast order execution speeds averaging around 30 milliseconds. The broker also provides VPS hosting for uninterrupted connectivity. Competitive spreads on both the Standard and Razor accounts make it easier for traders to pursue profitability. The platform selection is extensive, and Pepperstone offers advanced tools such as Autochartist and custom MetaTrader add-ons.
Pepperstone stands out with its impressive execution performance, a wide variety of platforms and tools, accessible account options, and competitive trading fees. It successfully combines professional-grade features with pricing that appeals to retail traders.
Recommended in 9 best broker guides: |
CFDs | Spread Betting | Regulated Brokers | TradingView | Professionals | Zero Spreads | Trading Apps | Auto Trading | ETFs |
Trust Rank | 4.3 | 4.6 |
Regulators & Max Leverage | 1:500 (FSCA), 1:500 (CIMA), 1:30 (ASIC), 1:500 (VFSC), 1:30 (FCA) | 1:30 (FCA), 1:400 (CMA), 1:200 (SCB), 1:30 (CySEC), 1:30 (BaFin), 1:30 (ASIC), 1:30 (DFSA) |
Foundation Year | 2009 | 2010 |
Publicly Traded |
Vantage is licensed and regulated by several financial authorities, including ASIC in Australia, FCA in the UK, FSCA in South Africa, CIMA in the Cayman Islands, and the VFSC in Vanuatu. The broker ensures all essential safety mechanisms are in place, such as the segregation of client funds, negative balance protection, and more. I found Vantage’s Client Agreement and legal documentation to be thorough and transparent. Additionally, the broker provides up to $1 million in Lloyd’s insurance coverage and is a member of The Financial Commission.
Pepperstone operates under seven entities, six of which are regulated by top-tier financial authorities, including the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), BaFin (Germany), ASIC (Australia), DFSA (UAE), and CMA (Kenya). Client funds are held in segregated accounts with major banks. With over 15 years of industry experience, Pepperstone is a well-established and trusted CFD broker. During my research, I also found the broker to be highly transparent in its operations.
If you want to learn more about brokers’ regulations, be sure to check out our article on the top regulated forex brokers.
Fees Rank | 4.7 | 4.3 |
Inactivity Fee |
Vantage’s Standard account offers commission-free trading with floating spreads starting from 1.1 pips, while its Raw account features spreads from 0.0 pips and a $6 round-turn commission per traded lot. I tested Vantage’s trading fees across multiple asset classes and found them to be generally below the industry average, with the exception of major currency pairs. The broker also charges no non-trading fees, apart from a $20 withdrawal fee for international bank transfers.
I tested Pepperstone’s fees using a Standard account, which features floating spreads from 1.0 pips and commission-free trading. Based on my live tests and comparisons across asset classes, the broker’s fees were consistently below the industry average. The Razor account offers even more competitive pricing. Additionally, Pepperstone does not charge any fees for deposits, withdrawals, inactivity, or account maintenance, except for international bank transfers.
Platform Rank | 4.6 | 4.3 |
Trading Platforms | MT4, MT5, ProTrader | MT5, cTrader, MT4, TradingView |
Mobile Apps | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
Vantage supports the standard MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, which are ideal for basic technical analysis and straightforward order execution. In addition, the broker has developed its proprietary ProTrader platform, powered by TradingView, which offers advanced charting features. Vantage also provides free Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting for funded accounts with a minimum balance of $1,000 and a monthly trading volume of at least $0.5 million. With VPS, traders can achieve execution speeds below 5 milliseconds.
Pepperstone shines in the platforms category. It offers MT4 and MT5, enhanced with a powerful suite of 28 custom indicators and Expert Advisors (EAs). The broker also supports the seamless cTrader and TradingView platforms. cTrader is optimized for both copy and automated trading, while TradingView offers over 150 analytical tools and advanced charting capabilities. Copy trading is available through both Pepperstone Copy Trading and cTrader Copy. Pepperstone has also developed a proprietary mobile app with a sleek, user-friendly design and solid functionality. Lastly, the broker provides VPS hosting for low-latency trading.
Tradable Instruments Rank | 4.7 | 5.0 |
# Tradable Instruments | 1039 | 1344 |
# Currency Pairs | 61 | 90 |
# Commodities | 23 | 40 |
# Crypto | 57 | 30 |
# Stocks | 794 | 1161 |
# Indices | 29 | 23 |
Vantage offers access to over 1,000 instruments, including a mix of lower-risk securities and higher-yield assets for diversified trading. The selection includes currency pairs, commodities, share CFDs, indices, cryptocurrencies, futures, bonds, and ETFs. A significant portion of the offering consists of nearly 800 share CFDs, which can be traded with below-average fees.
Pepperstone provides a broader range with over 1,350 CFD instruments, including currency pairs (major, minor, and exotic), commodities (metals, energies, and softs), indices, and cryptocurrencies. A standout feature is its offering of 1,045 share CFDs, along with an additional 116 popular share CFDs available for trading 24 hours a day, five days a week (24/5). The broker also offers a selection of lower-risk ETFs, well-suited for hedging and portfolio diversification.
Customer Support Rank | 3.3 | 4.8 |
Availability | Available 24/7 | Available 24/7 |
Live Chat |
Vantage offers 24/7 customer support in multiple languages. The support team is accessible via live chat, email, and phone. To start a live chat, users must first provide personal details and navigate a chatbot. An agent connected almost instantly and provided quick, concise responses. However, the representative struggled with more complex topics, such as the broker’s execution model.
Pepperstone’s customer support is also available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone. The agents are polite, knowledgeable, and responsive. Phone support was prompt when contacting the UK and Australian offices, although I experienced some wait times with the global support team. Email responses were satisfactory, typically arriving within one business day.
Research Rank | 5.0 | 4.8 |
News (Top-Tier Sources) | ||
Economic calendar | ||
Videos/Webinars | ||
Trading Central (Recognia) | ||
Autochartist |
Vantage offers a blend of in-house research materials and content from trusted third-party providers. The broker provides an intuitive economic calendar along with regular market news and breakdowns, offering detailed insights into current market developments. It also integrates content from Trading Central, including a comprehensive market sentiment tool and actionable trading signals, as well as technical analysis from Autochartist.
Pepperstone delivers high-quality research through a mix of in-house analysis and third-party tools like Autochartist. Led by Chris Weston, the research team provides daily market insights, technical analysis, and trade ideas in both written and video formats. Video content includes quick updates via Trader Insights and deeper analysis in The Trade Off series. Autochartist enhances the offering by identifying key patterns and support/resistance levels. Overall, Pepperstone’s research is insightful, accessible, and highly valuable for active traders.
Deposit and Withdrawal Rank | 4.9 | 4.5 |
Deposit Options | FasaPay, PerfectMoney, PayPal, Wire Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, Credit Card, International Bank Transfer, AstroPay, Broker to Broker, Debit Card, SticPay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, JCB, BitWallet | Cryptocurrencies, PayPal, Wire Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, Union Pay, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
Withdrawal Options | Wire Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, E-wallets | Wire Transfer, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Neteller, Skrill, Union Pay, Cryptocurrencies |
Withdrawal Fee |
Vantage accepts payments via bank transfer, bank cards, various e-wallets, and crypto wallets. Deposits and withdrawals are generally free of charge, although additional processing fees may apply depending on the payment method. Deposits can take up to 24 hours to process, while withdrawals may take up to several business days.
Pepperstone supports payments via bank wire, credit and debit cards, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency. The broker does not charge handling fees for deposits or withdrawals, though third-party banking fees may apply. There is also a $20 fee for international bank transfers. Transaction times vary but typically take less than three business days to complete.
Account Types and Terms | 4.9 | 4.9 |
# Base Currencies | 61 | 90 |
Islamic Account | ||
Demo Account | ||
Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 |
Vantage offers three retail account types: Standard, Raw, and Pro. The minimum deposit for the Standard and Raw accounts is $50. The Pro account offers raw spreads and a $3 round-turn commission but requires a minimum deposit of $10,000. Swap-free trading is available through Vantage’s Islamic accounts. The broker also supports hedging, scalping, and the use of Expert Advisors (EAs). Additionally, the margin call level is set at 50%, with a stop-out level at 20%.
Pepperstone provides two main retail account types: Standard and Razor. The Standard account features zero commissions and floating spreads from 1.0 pips, while the Razor account offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips with a $3 commission per lot, per side. For retail traders, the stop-out level is set at 50%, helping to prevent a complete account wipeout. For professional accounts, it’s lowered to 20%. Higher-leverage professional accounts are available, and Pepperstone’s Active Trader Program rewards high-volume traders with volume-based rebates.
Education Rank | 4.9 | 4.9 |
Videos | ||
Webinars |
Vantage offers a variety of educational articles, videos, and courses, along with regular webinars. What stood out to me was the broker’s strong focus on trading psychology. Traders can learn how to develop the right trading mindset and apply effective risk management techniques.
Pepperstone also delivers an impressive range of educational content. The broker provides well-crafted articles, videos, and webinars tailored to traders of all experience levels. Its guides cover a wide range of topics, including trading strategies, volatility, and trading psychology. Webinars are hosted by experienced traders and dive into practical topics such as price action trading. I especially appreciated the detailed breakdown of strategies like the Opening Range Breakout.
Since 2011, FX Empire has developed a detailed methodology for evaluating CFD brokers, involving over 250 variables across nine crucial categories. Our team of experts, with deep industry knowledge, conducts live testing and research by interacting with the brokers directly. We check regulations, open accounts, test spreads, account costs, platform functionality, instrument variety, customer support reliability, and the quality of research and educational content. This granular analysis helps us identify each broker’s strengths and weaknesses, keeping our comparisons current with market trends and ensuring our guides meet traders’ needs.
We strive to evaluate each broker objectively, considering how their offerings align with the diverse trading goals and preferences of our readers. Our focus is on providing a balanced overview of each broker’s strengths and weaknesses. This method ensures that our readers receive clear, insightful comparisons to aid in making well-informed trading decisions.
We employ a comprehensive rating system across nine key categories:
In each category, we conduct an in-depth analysis for both brokers, outlining features, advantages, and disadvantages and determining their suitability for different trader profiles. By blending insights from our extensive reviews with first-hand experiences and observations, we ensure each comparison is balanced, informative, and tailored to the trader’s unique needs. You can read more about our review process here.