Pepperstone vs Blueberry Markets: Which One Is Best?

2. Pepperstone: Better Trading Platform

While Pepperstone, a leading ECN + STP brokerage, aims to ensure the best trading conditions and the most comprehensive trading tools for its clients on three powerful trading platforms (MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader), Blueberry Markets’ offering is more modest in terms of platform tools and functionality. Blueberry Markets grants clients access to two trading platforms – MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.

The platforms have good accessibility as they can be accessed from Windows Desktop PCs, MacOS devices, iOS- and Android-based devices and from any web browser.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: MetaTrader 4 Trading Platform Comparison

Pepperstone’s MetaTrader 4 platform is the ultimate solution for Forex trading, as it offers a user-friendly interface, a variety of chart setups and flexible order types. On the other hand, Blueberry Markets’ MT4 solution only features the default MT4 package, including 50 technical indicators and charting tools, 4 pending orders, 1 trailing stop, 3 order execution modes and 9 timeframes.

By comparison, the MT4 solution offered by Pepperstone comes with 85 pre-installed technical indicators, and backtesting capability for more robust Expert Advisors (EAs). The real-time charting and advanced technical analysis tools are complemented by:

• Access to the Autochartist tool
• Access to the Smart Trader Tools package, which includes 16 trading tools and 15 custom indicators
• Access to over 180 trading instruments across several asset classes
• Low spreads and competitive commissions on the MT4 Razor Account

At the same time, Blueberry Markets’ MetaTrader 4 platform brings an extensive trading history database,  use of Expert Advisors (EAs) for algorithmic trading, built-in guides for MetaTrader 4 and Metaquotes Language 4, ability to set up alerts and full data backup and security.

For the time being, Blueberry Markets does not offer an additional set of trading tools.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: MetaTrader 5 Trading Platform Comparison

Pepperstone’s MetaTrader 5 platform offers advanced functionality and even superior analytical tools. The MT5 platform provides a great selection of tools that can be used by all types of traders. The platform includes 38 built-in indicators and 21 timeframes; a wider set of pending orders; the opportunity to trade stock CFDs; position hedging, built-in Economic Calendar and MQL5 programming language that brings improved debugging tools and an advanced events management model.

At the same time, Blueberry Markets’ MetaTrader 5 platform offers the following features and capabilities:

• One-click trading option;
• Good range of technical analysis tools – 38 technical indicators, 44 analytical objects and access to hundreds of custom indicators and plug-ins;
• 6 pending orders, 1 Trailing Stop and 21 timeframes;
• Position hedging;
• Users can monitor up to 100 charts at one time;
• Access to more markets – Forex, Stock Index CFDs, Crypto CFDs, Stock CFDs, Metals and Energies;
• Built-in Economic Calendar;
• Ability to set up alerts;
• Advanced MQL5 environment for development and backtesting of Expert Advisors;
• Good web and mobile trading capability.

We should note that the platform is not compatible with the macOS Catalina update (10.15 versions).

Pepperstone, unlike Blueberry Markets, also offers an alternative to the MetaTrader software – cTrader. It is an ideal solution for more sophisticated traders who look for advanced trading capabilities such as fast entry and execution, coding customisation as well as greater market transparency.

Execution Speed Comparison

Pepperstone’s platform matching engine support lightning-fast execution speeds – most trade orders by Australian clients are filled in less than 30ms, while most orders by UK clients – in less than 60ms.

Pepperstone’s real execution speed was recorded at 85ms, one of the fastest forex brokers we have tested (see the graph below). By comparison, Blueberry Markets can’t boost institutional quality execution speeds.

Access to Forex VPS hosting service – clients can get ultra-low latency times of about 1 ms. The service is free of charge in case traders meet Pepperstone’s minimum monthly trading volume (15 Standard Lots);

Blueberry Markets’ clients can access to VPS hosting service, free-of-charge in case clients trade 10 Standard Lots per month.

Verdict

Pepperstone steals the spotlight as, unlike Blueberry Markets, it offers more sophisticated trading tools and features, third-party tools offer to trade with the cTrader platform, and last but not least, it has institutional quality execution speeds. Click the button below and drive a test Pepperstone suite of trading platforms.

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3. Pepperstone: Superior Accounts And Features

With both Pepperstone and Blueberry Markets, clients can open two core live account types:

• Standard Account – beginner-friendly with no commissions
• ECN Account (Razor Account at Pepperstone, Professional Account at Blueberry Markets)

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: Trading Conditions On Standard Account

Pepperstone’s Standard account is a suitable choice for novice traders as all trading costs are incorporated in the bid-ask spread. Retail clients are offered competitive variable spreads that start from 1.0 pip on major currency pairs, with the average spread on EUR/USD and USD/JPY being 1.16 pips. Pepperstone requires a minimum deposit of AUD 200, while the minimum trade size allowed is 0.01 lots.

Meanwhile, Blueberry Markets’ Standard account features only a wider bid-ask spread, which encompasses all trading costs. Clients need to ensure a minimum deposit of $100 to open a Standard account, while the minimum trade size allowed is 0.01 lots. The spreads offered on major currency pairs start from 1.0 pip.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: Trading Conditions On ECN Account

Pepperstone’s Razor account ensures a true ECN-style trading environment, marked by raw pricing derived from a deep pool of liquidity providers and no dealing desk execution with no re-quotes. Forex spreads are kept ultra-tight, as low as 0.0 pips during most liquid times, while the average spread on pairs such as EUR/USD and USD/JPY is 0.16 pips – one of the best on the market, competing with other leading brokers such as IC Markets and FP Markets.

There will be a small commission charged on Pepperstone’s Razor account, which depends on the base account currency and the trading platform. For instance, Forex trading on a USD-denominated Razor account will be associated with:

• A commission of $7.53 per round turn per 1 Standard Lot traded on Pepperstone’s MetaTrader 4,
• A commission of $7.00 per round turn per 1 Standard Lot traded on Pepperstone’s MetaTrader 5,
• A commission of $7.00 ($3.50 upon entry and $3.50 upon exit) per 1 Standard Lot traded on Pepperstone’s cTrader software.

On the other hand, Pepperstone offers a commission discount (rebate) for active traders. Or, the larger the number of Standard Lots traded per month, the higher the commission discount.

Meanwhile, Blueberry Markets’ Professional account grants access to raw pricing in real-time. The broker’s liquidity pool of 12 top-tier liquidity providers enables it to offer tight spreads, starting from 0.0 pips on major currency pairs such as EUR/USD. Additionally, there will be a small trading commission of $7.00 per round turn per 1 Standard lot. The broker requires a minimum deposit of $1,000 to open a Professional account, while the minimum trade size allowed is 0.01 lots.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: Additional Account Types

Both brokers offer free Demo Account, on which clients can familiarise themselves with trading platform features and test various strategies before they start trading with actual money. Both forex brokers offer a 30-day practice trading account with $50,000 in virtual funds.

On the other hand, swap-free accounts for traders of the Islamic faith can only be found with Pepperstone. Blueberry Markets doesn’t accommodate Islamic forex accounts. At the same time, the fund manager can find a complete MAM/PAMM solution covering 3 types of allocation methods (Lot, Percentage and Proportional). By comparison, Blueberry Markets only offers the multi-account manager program MAM.

Verdict

The side-by-side comparison revealed Pepperstone as the trading account types category winner. Pepperstone is better than Blueberry Markets as it offers better trading conditions across its entire suite of account types, has VIP accounts for professional traders, lower spreads, a low entry barrier, and a PAMM solution and accommodates the needs of Muslim traders.

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4. Pepperstone: Best Trading Experience And Ease

When it comes to trading experience, both Pepperstone and Blueberry Markets have their unique features. Having personally tested both platforms, I can vouch for the seamless experience they provide. Pepperstone, for instance, is recognised as the best MT4 broker, which speaks volumes about its user-friendly interface and advanced tools. On the other hand, Blueberry Markets, while not topping our list, still offers a commendable platform that’s easy to navigate and efficient for trading.

• Pepperstone is renowned for its MT4 platform, ensuring a top-notch trading experience.
• Our tests revealed that Pepperstone also stands out for automation, with features like Capitalise.ai.
• Blueberry Markets, though not leading in our tests, still provides a reliable and user-friendly platform.
• Both brokers are committed to offering traders the tools and resources they need for successful trading.

Verdict

Based on our comprehensive testing, Pepperstone offers the best overall trading experience.

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5. Pepperstone: Stronger Trust And Regulation

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Pepperstone is fully compliant with the strict regulatory standards of some of the most notorious Forex authorities worldwide. Therefore, it can be considered safe. Pepperstone and its corporate arms are authorised to conduct online Forex and CFD trading business and are regulated in the following jurisdictions:

• Australia – Pepperstone Australia – by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
• United Kingdom – Pepperstone UK – by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• UAE – Pepperstone AE – by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)

Additionally, Pepperstone’s international operations are handled by Pepperstone Markets, a company regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB).

Meanwhile, Blueberry Markets is an online broker operated by Eightcap Pty Ltd, an entity holding an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL number: 391441) and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

In addition, Eightcap Global Ltd, based in Port Vila, Vanuatu, handles Blueberry Markets’ international operations. It falls under the regulation of the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC). Apparently, Blueberry Markets does not yet have a top-tier regulatory license from a reputable European regulator such as the FCA, FINMA or CySEC. 

Client Security

Both brokers ensure that they keep client funds completely segregated from their own corporate accounts at top-tier Australian financial institutions, which reduces the risk of clients becoming victims of a scam.

As part of that regulation, your money is held in a segregated trust account with the National Australia Bank (NAB) separate from company funds.

Still, we should note that neither brokerage has a negative balance protection policy. This means retail clients will have to employ solid risk management and use all the tools available on the brokers’ trading platforms to protect their positions against unexpected shifts in Forex market sentiment.

Verdict

In terms of regulatory status, while both brokerages are regulated brokers, Pepperstone clearly outpaces Blueberry Markets. Fully licenced by tier-one regulatory bodies across the globe, Pepperstone has more credibility. The broker’s longevity (founded in 2010) also speaks volumes for the type of trading services you’ll receive.

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6. Pepperstone: Top Product Range And CFD Markets

Pepperstone offers disproportionately more tradable instruments across several asset classes compared to Blueberry Markets. With Pepperstone, clients can access over 180 financial instruments, while at Blueberry Markets, they can choose from over 50 trading instruments.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: Forex Trading

Currently, Pepperstone offers a total of 66 major, minor and exotic currency pairs, accessed via three powerful trading platforms, while Blueberry Markets offers 44 major, minor and exotic Forex pairs, accessed via two platforms.

Pepperstone vs. Blueberry Markets: CFD Trading

Disclaimer: CFD trading involves a high risk of losing capital rapidly as high leverage ratios are used. Clients need to be completely aware of how these derivative instruments work before they start trading them on a live account.

The range of tradable CFDs at both brokers includes:

• *Cryptocurrency CFDs – 5 digital coins at Pepperstone (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin) vs. 5 coins at Blueberry Markets (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple), accessed only on its MetaTrader 5 platform
• Stock Index CFDs – 15 contracts at Pepperstone vs. 10 contracts at Blueberry Markets
• Commodity CFDs – 22 contracts (Metals, Energies, Soft Commodities) at Pepperstone vs. 5 contracts (Metals, Energies) at Blueberry Markets. Platinum is available to trade only on Blueberry Markets’ MetaTrader 5 software
• Stock CFDs – 63 US Shares and 1 ETF (SPDR S&P500 ETF Trust) at Pepperstone. On the other hand, Blueberry Markets grants access to Australian Stocks, but it has not specified the exact number of CFDs. Both brokers offer Stock CFDs only on their MetaTrader 5 platform
• Currency Index CFDs – only Pepperstone offers 3 such contracts, including the US Dollar Index, Euro Dollar Index and Japanese Yen Index

We should note that neither brokerage has included CFDs on Futures or Bonds in their product lists.

*NOTE: Under new FCA guidelines, UK retail traders are no longer able to trade cryptocurrencies.

Verdict

Overall, Pepperstone provides +115 more CFD trading opportunities that can’t be found with Blueberry Markets. Their CFD offering surpasses many brokers, not just Blueberry’s. If you’re looking for a 1-stop shop solution for all your trading needs, you’re likely to be impressed with the diverse list of trading instruments offered by Pepperstone.

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7. Pepperstone: Superior Educational Resources

Pepperstone:

• Offers a comprehensive range of educational materials.
• Provides webinars and tutorials for traders of all levels.
• Features a dedicated section for beginner traders.
• Includes advanced trading strategies and insights.
• Has a user-friendly platform with educational pop-ups.
• Collaborates with professional traders for expert insights.

Blueberry Markets:

• Provides a variety of educational resources tailored for traders.
• Features regular webinars and live trading sessions.
• Offers beginner-friendly tutorials and guides.
• Includes insights from market experts and analysts.
• Has a dedicated section for advanced trading techniques.
• Collaborates with trading communities for shared knowledge.

Verdict

Based on our team’s testing, Pepperstone offers the best educational resources with a score of 8.5, closely followed by Blueberry Markets with a score of 8.2.

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8. Tie: Superior Customer Service

In terms of customer service, both brokers can be contacted via 3 main means of communication. To get in touch with the customer service team, you can choose between the following:

• Live Chat: To start chatting with a forex specialist, you need first to fill in your name and email and choose a topic that interests you
• Email: Pepperstone’s support team include an email option, while Blueberry Markets can also be contacted via email
• Phone: Pepperstone’s trading desk can be contacted by dialling +613 9020 0155, while Blueberry Markets’ clients can call +612 8039 7480 (for Australia-based clients)

Pepperstone also provides a toll-free number for Australia-based clients (1300 033 375).

Melbourne-based Pepperstone provides support service to its client base 24 hours per day 5 days, compared to the 24/7 customer support service offered by Blueberry Markets.

Pepperstone’s live chat option is highly recommended, as we managed to contact a representative from the brokerage in less than 30 seconds and received punctual, adequate answers to all of our queries.

Additionally, Pepperstone has been given the top award for:

1. Forex Trading Support (Europe) in the Global Forex Awards 2019
2. And for Best Client Relationship Manager Service in the Professional Trader Awards 2019

Trustpilot star rating gives 4.9 stars out of 779 reviews for Blueberry Markets compared to 4.3 stars out of 728 reviews received by Pepperstone.

Forex Education And Research

In terms of educational and research materials, Pepperstone has provided extensive and well-structured content on its website, while, for the time being, Blueberry Markets does not offer any trading education-related materials.

Pepperstone’s educational material may be of significant value to inexperienced traders. Below, we’re going to outline a few of Pepperstone’s education and analysis materials:

• Trading Guides features a variety of informative articles that cover the basics of forex trading along with more advanced concepts on technical and fundamental analysis
• Webinars that are carried out with regularity cover video lessons, market insights, the week ahead analysis, and so much more
• Market News – in-depth market analysis written by Chris Weston, Head of Research at Pepperstone
• Economic Calendar features real-time economic data, news events, and announcements from all over the world 24/7. Fundamental traders will appreciate being able to assess the immediate impact on the market
• Market Analyses that are packed with market coverage on everything that moves the market, from earnings reports, political developments, and risk events to price action and technical analysis

In comparison, Blueberry Markets offers a subscription-based trading tips service known as the Blueberry Jam, and it also provides a well-thought-out blog featuring the latest financial news as well as FX analysis on current trends. Yet, the entire content there is with a sole informational purpose and should not be taken as investment advice.

Verdict

Overall, both forex brokers offer educational material for free. However, Blueberry Markets lacks the Forex tutorials needed for beginners, but it’s fully packed with market analysis (Forex chart of the day). On the other hand, Pepperstone offers a multitude of trading services all under one roof.

View BlueBerry Markets ReviewVisit BlueBerry Markets

9. Tie: Better Funding Options

Pepperstone requires a minimum deposit of AUD 200 or currency equivalent for all account types offered, while Blueberry Markets requires a minimum deposit of $100 for the Standard account type and a min. deposit of $1,000 for the Professional account type.

When it comes to base account currencies allowed, Pepperstone clients can deposit in 10 different currencies (AUD, USD, JPY, GBP, EUR, CAD, CHF, NZD, SGD, HKD), while with Blueberry Markets – in 7 different currencies (AUD, USD, CAD, GBP, NZD, SGD, EUR).

Deposit and withdrawals will incur no fees with both FX brokers. Another advantage is that both brokers will not charge you an inactivity fee even if your account balance reaches USD 0 or you’re not trading for a prolonged period.

Payment Methods

Additionally, there is no shortage of account funding methods with both brokerages. Pepperstone and Blueberry Markets offer their clients convenient ways to deposit money in their trading accounts.

For example, Pepperstone allows the following payment options:

• Debit Card or Credit Card by MasterCard or Visa
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Neteller
• Union Pay
• POLi
• BPay
• Bank transfer

In comparison, Blueberry Markets allows clients to fund their live trading account by using the following payment options:

• Credit Card or Debit Card by Visa or MasterCard
• POLi Payment
• China UnionPay
• Skrill – there will be a platform fee of 3%-4%
• Fasapay – there will be a 0.5% fee charged by the provider
• Bank transfer – there may be fees depending on the bank

Verdict

Overall, both forex brokers support free-fee deposits along with the most popular payment options. The process of funding your trading account works the same with both forex brokers. Even though Pepperstone supports slightly more digital wallet options, this is not a deal-breaker as both brokers equally share the most popular funding options.

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10. Pepperstone: Lower Minimum Deposit

Pepperstone has a lower minimum deposit of $0 than Blueberry Markets’ $100. The minimum amounts mentioned apply to all the accounts associated with both brokers.

Here’s a breakdown of their minimum deposit amounts:

Verdict

Pepperstone wins with its $0 minimum deposit requirement. However, the broker recommends starting with $200, making Blueberry Markets’ minimum seem reasonable.

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So is Blueberry Markets or Pepperstone Better?

Pepperstone is the winner because of its comprehensive offerings, competitive spreads, and robust regulatory framework. The table below summarises the key information leading to this verdict:

Blueberry Markets: Best For Beginner Traders

Blueberry Markets is better suited for beginner traders due to its user-friendly platform and comprehensive educational resources.

Pepperstone: Best For Experienced Traders

Pepperstone is the ideal choice for experienced traders because of its advanced trading tools, competitive spreads, and faster execution speeds.