Eightcap Review: Spreads, Trading Platforms, Features

Spreads And Broker Costs

In terms of pricing, EightCap presents traders with two distinct options: standard spreads without commission fees, accessible on MetaTrader and TradingView, and tighter raw spreads accompanied by commission fees, available exclusively on MetaTrader platforms.

Standard Account Spreads

Eightcap offers competitive standard spreads, starting at 1 pip for EUR/USD, EUR/GBP, and GBP/USD, making it a great option for those wanting low commission-free spreads. Comparing with other top brokers, Eightcap maintains its competitiveness across various currency pairs with lower average spreads than Pepperstone, OANDA, and Plus500.

To ensure precise analysis of spreads, we conduct thorough research and analysis of top brokers’ forex spreads. This entails examining average spreads for popular currency pairs, which are updated monthly to reflect changes in brokers’ offerings and market conditions.

Standard Account Spreads	EUR/USD AUD/USD EUR/GBP GBP/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY EUR/JPY USD/CAD	EUR/USD AUD/USD EUR/GBP GBP/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY EUR/JPY USD/CAD	EUR/USD AUD/USD EUR/GBP GBP/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY EUR/JPY USD/CAD	EUR/USD AUD/USD EUR/GBP GBP/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY EUR/JPY USD/CAD	EUR/USD AUD/USD EUR/GBP GBP/USD USD/JPY AUD/JPY EUR/JPY USD/CAD
	1.00	1.20	1.00	1.00	1.10
	1.10	1.20	1.40	1.40	1.40
	1.70	1.40	1.70	2.30	1.90
	1.20	0.90	1.50	1.80	1.80
	1.20	1.40	1.50	1.60	1.50
	1.10	1.20	1.40	1.50	1.20
	1.10	1.20	1.30	1.30	1.30
	1.20	1.30	1.20	1.30	1.10
	1.70	1.60	1.70	2.00	1.60
	1.20	1.80	1.90	1.90	1.60
	1.30	1.70	2.10	1.40	1.50
	1.12	1.64	1.30	1.30	1.38
	1.32	1.95	1.37	1.70	1.40
	1.20	1.30	1.50	1.30	1.20
	1.60	1.90	1.90	1.60	1.90
	1.60	1.60	1.80	1.90	1.50

Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 04/01/2024

Compare Lowest Spreads

Raw Spreads

Eightcap offers tight raw spreads, with their lowest spread being 0.06 pips for the USD/JPY pair and 0.20 pips for the USD/CAD pair.

Comparing these to other top brokers in the table, Eightcap’s raw spreads remain competitive, particularly in the USD/JPY and EUR/USD pairs, where they are among the lowest in the market.

ECN Broker Spreads	USD/JPY USD/CAD EUR/USD EUR/GBP AUD/USD AUD/JPY GBP/USD USD/JPY USD/SGD	USD/JPY USD/CAD EUR/USD EUR/GBP AUD/USD AUD/JPY GBP/USD USD/JPY USD/SGD	USD/JPY USD/CAD EUR/USD EUR/GBP AUD/USD AUD/JPY GBP/USD USD/JPY USD/SGD	USD/JPY USD/CAD EUR/USD EUR/GBP AUD/USD AUD/JPY GBP/USD USD/JPY USD/SGD	USD/JPY USD/CAD EUR/USD EUR/GBP AUD/USD AUD/JPY GBP/USD USD/JPY USD/SGD
	0.23	0.20	0.06	0.42	0.27
	0.20	0.30	0.10	0.30	0.20
	0.40	0.60	0.10	0.40	0.20
	0.20	0.30	0.20	0.40	0.20
	0.50	0.60	0.30	0.50	0.50
	0.30	N/A	0.30	0.50	0.40
	0.20	0.83	0.44	0.40	0.42
	0.24	N/A	0.17	0.54	0.30
	0.30	0.70	0.20	0.50	0.40
	0.30	1.10	0.10	0.60	0.50
	n/a	0.30	n/a	0.60	0.50
	0.77	1.41	0.44	1.13	1.23

Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 04/01/2024

Commission Costs

For Raw Accounts, Eightcap charges a commission of $7 for every standard lot roundturn. This account type is designed to keep spreads low and accurate to the quotes provided by liquidity providers, maintaining an STP or ECN-like pricing model.

With this account, traders pay $7 per standard lot round turn, equating to $3.50 to enter the trade and another $3.50 to exit. Despite the commission, this setup often results in lower overall costs due to the reduced spreads.

Commission Fees for Different Base Currencies: 

Many traders transition to Raw Accounts once they gain confidence in their trading abilities.

Account Management Fees

At Eightcap, there are no fees for account inactivity or maintenance.

However, overnight funding fees apply, which are incurred for positions left open after 24:00 GMT+2. It’s worth noting that these fees are standard across most brokers and are not unique to Eightcap.

Swap Free / Islamic Account

For traders adhering to Islamic Sharia law, Eightcap offers a Swap Free account, also known as an Islamic account, which exempts you from overnight fees. Instead of an interest based payment, Islamic traders

To access this account, simply reach out to Eightcap’s customer service and request it. Depending on requirements, proof of your Muslim faith may be necessary for eligibility.

Verdict

EightCap provides traders with two pricing options: commission-free standard spreads and low raw spreads with a commission, catering to different trading preferences.

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Is EightCap Safe?

EightCap is deemed a safe broke with  an overall trust score of 71. This rating is derived from its performance in three key areas: regulation, reputation, and client reviews.

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Regulation

EightCap is overseen by tier 1 regulators including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

If you are located outside of these areas, you can register with the brokers global branch regulated by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB).

Reputation

Since its establishment in 2009 in Melbourne, Australia, EightCap has maintained a clean slate with no regulatory infringements, cementing its strong reputation domestically.

While its global recognition is growing, evidenced by 27,100 monthly Google searches, it remains more prominent within the Australian market.

Reviews

Client feedback further supports EightCap’s reliability, with a strong average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from 1,796 TrustPilot reviews. This indicates a high level of client satisfaction with the services provided.

Verdict

Considering EightCap’s strong regulation, solid reputation since inception, and positive client reviews, it stands as a trustworthy broker for traders seeking a secure trading environment. However, its global presence is still expanding, suggesting potential for wider recognition in the international trading community.

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Range of Offerings

EightCap offers a comprehensive range of over 360 CFD products spanning across forex, commodities, indices, shares, and cryptocurrencies.

This diverse portfolio ensures traders have access to a wide array of financial instruments globally, including major forex pairs, key commodities like gold and oil, popular indices such as the US30 and UK100, a broad selection of shares from top companies like Google and Facebook, and leading cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

While cryptocurrency trading is available to Australian and global clients, it is not offered to those in the UK and Europe.

Verdict

EightCap’s extensive selection of over 360 CFD products across various asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, shares, and cryptocurrencies, caters to a broad spectrum of trading preferences, albeit with regional restrictions on cryptocurrency trading.

Trading Platforms

Eightcap offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and TradingView for Australian clients and those registered with its international branch, excluding the UK and Europe. For clients in the United Kingdom, only TradingView is available, whereas in Europe, the offering is limited to MT5.

MT4 and MT5 Offering

MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are both leading platforms offered by Eightcap, catering to a wide range of trading needs.

MetaTrader 4, known for its simplicity and effectiveness in forex trading, includes features like 33 analytical objects, 30 built-in indicators, and the option for automated trading with Expert Advisors. Despite its older interface, it remains a popular choice for its comprehensive trading tools.

MetaTrader 5 expands on this with access to additional markets outside forex, offering 38 built-in indicators, 44 analytical objects, and enhanced capabilities for creating trading robots. It also provides real-time market updates and economic news. Both platforms support a variety of trading strategies with their advanced features and are suitable depending on the trader’s experience and technical requirements.

You can read our MT4 vs MT5 Trading Platform ComparisonMe to

TradingView

TradingView is a powerful platform for traders focusing on technical analysis and charting across multiple asset classes. Key features include:

• Customisable Chart Types: Over 15 chart types available, including Kagi, Renko, and Point & Figure, allowing for personalised charting experiences.
• Multiple Charts: Capability to use up to 8 charts per tab, with options to synchronise symbols and time intervals.
• Smart Drawing Tools: More than 90 smart drawing tools are at your disposal for detailed analysis.
• Extensive Indicator Range: Access to leading technical indicators and over 100,000 community-built indicators, alongside the option to create your own with TradingView’s Pine-Script.
• Active Trading Community: Engage with the world’s largest trading community to discover new trading ideas and strategies.
• Custom Alerts: Set up alerts for price levels, indicators, and custom conditions to stay informed of market movements.

Connecting to Eightcap is straightforward, allowing traders to execute trades directly from TradingView charts, streamlining the trading process.

Other Trading Tools

In addition to its comprehensive platform offerings, Eightcap enhances trading experiences with innovative tools tailored to specific needs and regions:

• Capitalise.ai: For MetaTrader 4, automates trading using AI and ML for strategy creation and execution, with easy setup.
• FlashTrader: For MT5, developed with BKForex, offers advanced risk management by simplifying position sizing and order setup, enhancing trading efficiency.
• Forex VPS: Offers a free Virtual Private Server (VPS) for traders who meet certain conditions, enabling 24/7 trading without downtime, high-speed execution, and the ability to run EAs continuously.
• AI-Powered Economic Calendar: Integrates Acuity’s advanced AI to provide unparalleled insights into financial markets, comparing traditional and AI-driven analyses to highlight trading opportunities from over 100 countries and 1,000 economic events.

Mobile Trading

For CFD traders prioritising flexibility and the ability to trade on the go, Eightcap offers mobile trading solutions through MT4, MT5, and TradingView apps, catering to both Android and iOS users. These mobile platforms ensure that traders can access their accounts, execute trades, and analyse the markets directly from their smartphones or tablets, no matter where they are.

Trade Experience 

Eightcap’s execution speeds for limit and market orders stand at 143 milliseconds (ms) and 139 ms, respectively, which are closely aligned with the industry average of 113.75 m for limit orders and 133.55 ms for market orders.

Our methodology for assessing these execution speeds involved a comprehensive testing process across the top 20 brokers, ensuring a fair and accurate comparison by executing identical trades under similar market conditions across all platforms.

Compared to industry leaders for execution, like BlackBull Markets and Fusion Markets, Eightcap’s execution speeds are significantly slower, with limit orders about 98.6% and 81% slower, respectively, and market orders 54.4% slower than BlackBull’s but 80.5% faster than Fusion’s.

Such differences in speed may affect traders relying on quick execution, like scalpers or high-frequency traders, where milliseconds matter for trade profitability.

Beyond execution speed, Eightcap’s trade experience is enhanced by its brokerage model and execution method. Operating on a Straight Through Processing (STP) model, Eightcap offers direct market access with no dealing desk intervention.

Verdict 

Eightcap provides MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView for Australian and international clients, with restricted platform access in the UK and Europe. Despite offering a range of trading tools, its execution speeds are slower compared to industry leaders, which may impact traders dependent on fast execution.

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Funding and Withdrawals

EightCap requires a low initial minimum deposit to open a trading account, with a range of fee-free funding methods available.

What is the Minimum Deposit with EightCap?

EightCap sets a low minimum deposit of $100 for both Raw and Standard accounts across all jurisdictions, making it accessible for traders to start trading without a significant initial investment.

Base Currencies Offered

EightCap supports seven base currencies for trading accounts, including AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, CAD, and SGD.

Deposit Methods and Fees

EightCap offers a variety of deposit methods to accommodate the preferences of traders worldwide. These include traditional options like Visa/Mastercard and Wire Transfer, as well as e-wallets such as PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller.

EightCap ensures most deposit methods are fee-free. However, fees can vary, especially for Wire Transfers, where the bank may impose its own charges.

Withdrawing Funds

Withdrawing funds from your EightCap trading account is streamlined and user-friendly. Traders can initiate a withdrawal request anytime via the Client Portal, with EightCap committed to processing these requests within 24 business hours.

Verdict

EightCap combines low minimum deposits, diverse, fee-free deposit options, and swift withdrawal processes, offering a streamlined trading account funding.

Customer Service

Eightcap’s customer support is available 24/5 from Monday 8 am to Saturday 5 am Melbourne, Australia time, which is ideal for Australian traders but may pose challenges for those in different time zones, limiting immediate access outside these hours.

The service offers live chat, phone, and email options, with live chat providing quick responses directly from support staff, avoiding the use of chatbots. This feature is also available during the sign-up process, assisting with any immediate queries or issues.

For additional support, traders can contact Eightcap via phone or email, with dedicated options for both global and Australia-specific clients. However, traders should consider the support hours in relation to their own trading activities, especially if operating from regions outside the Australian time zone.

Verdict

Eightcap’s customer support, while highly rated and accessible through multiple channels, offers hours that are optimal for Australian traders but may limit real-time assistance for those in other time zones.

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Research and Education

Eightcap provides essential research tools and educational resources, addressing both the analytical requirements and learning preferences of traders.

Research Tools

Eightcap enriches traders’ strategies with its comprehensive Trade Zone, designed to offer a deep dive into upcoming market dynamics:

• Economic Insights: Weekly insights provide a lookahead into market trends, data releases, and key economic indicators, helping traders navigate through economic events.
• Market Analysis: Regular updates on Asian and Australian trading sessions, including strategic trading moves and analysis of major assets like Bitcoin and Oil, offer traders actionable insights.
• AI-Powered Economic Calendar (details not retrieved): Expected to leverage artificial intelligence to forecast economic events and their potential market impacts accurately.

These tools collectively aim to arm traders with the necessary information for informed decision-making and spotting new trading opportunities through detailed market analysis.

Educational Resources

Eightcap’s commitment to trader education is evident through its advanced educational platform, Eightcap Labs, which goes beyond basic trading education offered by most brokers:

• Comprehensive Trading Guides: Offers in-depth guides on both technical and fundamental analysis, catering to traders at all levels.
• Diverse Trading Concepts: Covers a wide range of trading concepts, including scalping and trading precious metals, providing traders with a broad knowledge base.
• Actionable Trading Ideas: The Eightcap Trading Zone not only educates but also delivers actionable trading ideas and market outlook information, enhancing traders’ market awareness.

Verdict

Eightcap’s dedication to providing extensive educational content and research tools demonstrates its commitment to supporting its clients’ growth and success in the trading world.

Final Verdict on Eightcap

Eightcap’s standout feature is its low spreads and commissions, large range of crypto produce and choice of trading platforms.

If you’re looking for somewhere you can start trading instantly, easily, and without spending too much money on charges, you’d struggle to find somewhere better.

We also liked the in-house trader education platform, if you’re a beginner trader, it’s a great thing to look into. All up, this is a user-friendly, reliable broker worth serious consideration.

We should however note that only MT5 is available for clients in the EU and TradingView in the UK. Some may consider this to be a weakness but they are excellent trading platforms in their own right and with MT4 likely to be phased out in future, now is a good time to start using an alternative platform.