Best MT4 Brokers

We liked Pepperstone a fair bit, mainly its lightning-quick execution speeds on MetaTrader 4. While we’ve put several top brokers through their paces, Pepperstone consistently delivered the quickest limit order fulfilments on this platform. This is a massive advantage if you’re a trader who values split-second decisions. It’s not just the speed that sets them apart; their service and support are also top-notch.

Pepperstone Is Our Recommended Broker For MT4

Based on our execution speed testing, Pepperstone is our overall best MT4 broker. Pepperstone achieved the fastest limit order speeds using the MetaTrader 4 platform compared to other top brokers we reviewed and tested. Overall, we gave Pepperstone a total score of 92/100, with the broker scoring highly across all eight categories we tested against. In summary, Pepperstone has many highlights, including:

• Low average spreads
• Fast execution speeds
• Great range of MT4 tools and features
• 5 diverse trading platforms

Pepperstone Has The Fastest Limit Orders

Speed tests that we conducted in 2023 found that Pepperstone had the fastest limit orders. These tests were completed by Ross Collins, chief of technology research at Compareforexbrokers, who compared the top 20 MT4 brokers using limit and marker orders. He found that Pepperstone had an average limit order speed of 77ms, faster than its nearest competitors.

Easiest Account Opening Experience

We also like Pepperstone for its easy account opening process. In fact, Pepperstone scored a perfect 15/15 when looking at all factors, from the ease of signing up to account opening time. It was the only forex broker we gave a perfect score. We particularly liked the account manager Pepperstone provided, who was very helpful throughout the whole process.

Competitive Spreads Offered

Pepperstone has competitive spreads on all major currency pairs compared to its major competitors. Don’t just take our word for it, though; you can play around with our spread calculator below. The calculator combines the spreads and commissions of top brokers such as IG and Axi.

The reason for these low spreads is twofold. Firstly, Pepperstone has no dealing desk execution and no markup on spreads, meaning you are not going through a third party to execute a trade. Secondly, the broker provides top liquidity because its servers are located in the NY Equinix data centre, near the top-tier institutions where Pepperstone sources its liquidity. Having fast execution speeds ensures you can lock in these low spreads with less chance of slippage.

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Pepperstone’s Accounts + Product Range

When opening an account, you can choose from Pepperstone’s Standard Account (no commissions) or Razor Account (low spread).

The table below summarises all the features of both accounts. Some key points we’d like to point out:

• cTrader and TradingView platforms only available with the Razor account
• Standard account suited for beginners due to having no commissions
• Razor account is commission-based, which varies based on the trading platform
• Razor account recommended for experienced traders with more cost variables
• Islamic (swap-free) accounts are only available in Islamic-majority countries

Pepperstone offers a wide range of trading instruments, particularly its 62 forex pairs and over 1000 stocks. One unique aspect of Pepperstone is the 3 currency indices and 3 crypto baskets you can trade that not all brokers offer (from our experience).

Great Range of Trading Platforms

In addition to MetaTrader 4, Pepperstone offers a great range of diverse trading platforms, as highlighted below.

• MetaTrader 4 (best forex trading platform)
• MetaTrader 5 (good for share CFDs)
• cTrader (great depth of market features)
• Capitalise.ai (automation tool for MT4)
• TradingView (top charting platform)
• Myfxbook (MT4 algorithmic trading tool)
• Duplitrade (top social trading platform)

We particularly like Pepperstone’s excellent suite of MT4 platform enhancements, including Trading Signals and a range of EAs (expert advisors), which you can use instead of manual trading. You can also integrate platforms with MT4, such as Capitalise.ai, Myfxbook, and Duplitrade.

Our Final Verdict On Pepperstone For MT4

We selected Pepperstone as the best MT4 forex broker primarily because of its fast execution speeds, but the broker has many other highlights. Time and time again, we’ve selected Pepperstone as the best forex broker and with easy account opening, low spreads and top trading platforms, it’s not hard to see why.

View Pepperstone ReviewVisit Pepperstone

We liked BlackBull Markets, as they offer unparalleled leverage options, up to 1:500, which can be a game-changer for those who know how to use it wisely. But make no mistake, high leverage brings high risks, so it’s not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. What really clinches it for us is their market execution rates, which are consistently among the fastest we’ve seen.

MT4 With BlackBull Markets Means Fast Execution And High Leverage

Based in New Zealand, BlackBull Markets can offer the highest leverage of 1:500 of any broker on our list. This is because of the difference in NZ regulations by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) compared to Australian regulations by ASIC. High leverage gives you more purchasing power and risk should you be unsuccessful, so we advise you to tread carefully when trading with leverage.

We’ve listed BlackBull Markets’ key strengths below:

• High forex leverage of 1:500
• Fastest overall execution speeds
• Good range of trading platforms
• Competitive spreads

Fastest MT4 Broker In the Market

Our 2023 execution speed testing[1]Overall rank conducted by Compareforexbroker’s Ross Collins found that BlackBull Markets was the fastest MT4 broker overall. Testing using limit and market orders, Ross’ results show BlackBull Markets had a speed of 72 ms for limit orders and 90 ms for market orders, putting the broker at number 1 overall.

You can open 3 types of accounts with BlackBull Markets, as highlighted below.

We recommend the ECN Standard Account for beginners and the ECN Prime Account for intermediate to experienced traders. It also has the ECN Institutional Account only for the most advanced traders with a lot of capital under their belt. BlackBull Markets uses a mix of Electronic Communication Network (ECN) and Straight-through Processing (STP), which is why this Forex broker includes ECN as part of the account names.

BlackBull Markets has a good range of CFD products, including 64 forex pairs, although Australian traders don’t get access to the broker’s full range of 23,000 shares (as physical assets, not CFDs). However, you can trade currency pairs with 1:500 leverage, which is something only BlackBull Markets can offer from our list of MT4 brokers.

BlackBull Market’s Trading Platforms

BlackBull Markets offers a decent range of trading platforms while not setting the world on fire with an extensive range. You can access the full MetaTrader suite (MT4/MT5), as well as TradingView for charting and ZuluTrade for social trading. In terms of MT4 integration tools, BlackBull Markets gives you access to Myfxbook, but that’s about it.

While BlackBull also has its own share trading app, we use it as the broker doesn’t offer it to Australian clients, which is a shame, given BlackBull Markets’ extensive 23,000 share trading range.

Our Final Verdict of BlackBull Markets

Overall, New Zealand Forex broker BlackBull Markets stands out with high leverage (up to 1:500 leverage) and the fastest execution speeds on the market, according to our testing. Please be mindful of the high risks of trading with leverage, especially if you are not experienced or don’t have a lot of capital to your name.

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We liked IC Markets, particularly its low non-commission spreads on MetaTrader 4. In our 2023 testing, this broker consistently offered the tightest standard spreads among its competitors. With an overall rating of 83/100, IC Markets also brings a broad range of markets and affordable trading fees. They offer MT4 but also MT5 and cTrader platforms, with a solid selection of 61 Forex pairs to trade. IC Markets stands out as the top choice for low non-commission spreads on MT4 for beginners and even seasoned traders looking to keep costs down.

According to our 2023 testing, IC Markets has the lowest standard spreads of any broker we reviewed. IC Markets also has competitive trading fees and a wide range of markets, scoring 83/100 overall. We summarised IC Markets’ key features below:

• Lowest no-commission spreads
• MT4, MT5 and cTrader platforms
• Competitive trading fees
• 61 Forex pairs to trade

IC Markets Has the Lowest Standard Account Spreads Based On Our Testing

When we tested standard account spreads[2]Published And Tested Data from a list of 15 major forex brokers in 2023, IC Markets came out on top. Our chief of technology researcher, Ross Collins, tested only accounts with no commissions using the MT4 platform, comparing no dealing desk and market maker brokers. Ross found that IC Markets had an average spread of 1.03 pips, at an average spread cost of USD $9.63, which put it at number 1, pipping CMC Markets and Fusion Markets.

Your two account options are Standard and Raw Spread when signing up with IC Markets. With the lowest spreads and no commissions, IC Markets’ Standard Account is our recommended platform, especially for beginner forex traders. With the Raw Spread account, you can choose either the MetaTrader platforms (MT4/MT5) or cTrader. It’s important to note the main difference is in commission costs, as cTrader only offers commissions in USD (at $6 round-turn per trade).

IC Markets has a great range of products, particularly its 61 forex pairs and over 1600 stocks. We also like IC Markets’ 4 futures markets as an alternative to trading CFDs.

IC Markets Trading Platforms

IC Markets’ full platform range is listed below:

• MT4
• MT5
• cTrader
• Myfxbook
• ZuluTrade

This platform range is modest to our eyes, with the standard ‘out of the box’ MetaTrader experience featuring the same trading tools you get with most brokers. These MT4 plugins include Myfxbook, AutoChartist, and MetaTrader Signals for algorithmic trading and charting technical analysis.

Having the cTrader trading platform does give IC Markets more platform diversity, which stands out with superior depth of market features and automated trading using cAlgo.

Lastly, copy trading is available using ZuluTrade, one of the most popular social trading platforms on the market.

Our Final Verdict on IC Markets

From our testing, IC Markets is a good choice for beginners, with the lowest no-commission spreads on the market. You can also access an ECN account (RAW account), which features spreads as low as 0 pips. Having decent MT4 trading tools such as Myfxbook, Autochartist, and ZuluTrade adds to your overall trading experience with algorithmic and social trading.

View IC Markets ReviewVisit IC Markets

We liked Eightcap a lot for its strong focus on MT4 automation, specifically through its seamless integration with Capitalise.ai. What’s brilliant here is the “code-free” environment, letting you build automated trading bots without any need for programming know-how. The broker also ticks other important boxes, offering a wide array of platforms and top-notch charting via TradingView. And let’s remember the no-commission trading, which is always a win in our book.

We think Eightcap offers the best MT4 automation, with Capitalise.ai, that you can directly integrate with the popular forex trading platform. This is a ‘code-free’ platform, meaning you don’t have to have any coding knowledge to create a trading bot for automated trading. Other benefits we like about Eightcap include:

• Code-free automation with Capitalise.ai
• Great range of diverse platforms
• Top charting with TradingView
• No-commission trading

Eightcap’s Trading Accounts

Like FP Markets and IC Markets, Eightcap offers a Standard Account (commission-free) and a Raw Account (commission-based).

While Eightcap is an ECN, no-dealing desk broker, their spreads are only middle-of-the-road for most major currency pairs compared to major brokers. For example, average EUR/USD spreads are 1.16 pips, which sit 9th on our table overall. This is by no means poor, but we want to highlight there are more competitive spreads out there.

Eightcap stands out with its cryptocurrency CFD offering. Elsewhere, the broker offers a modest product range, which still includes the most liquid markets and major currency pairs.

Good Range of Trading Platforms

In our eyes, few brokers offer as unique a range of specialty third-party platforms as Eightcap does.

As far as main trading platforms go, Eightcap offers both MetaTrader platforms, the excellent Capitalise.ai for code-free automated trading (integrated directly with MT4) and TradingView, which is a powerful charting platform.

Specialty platforms include FX Blue Labs, CryptoCrusher, and the Amazing Trader. We particularly like CryptoCrusher for unique insights into the crypto market, while the Amazing Trader is a great charting algo with built-in risk management.

Our Final Verdict on Eightcap

All in all, Eightcap stands out with its MT4 automation and specialty trading platforms for a unique insight into the markets that only a few brokers offer. Mid-tier spreads hold Eightcap back slightly, but the broker offers a good trading experience overall.

Eightcap ReviewVisit Eightcap

We liked FP Markets for its beginner-friendly tools. Their learning resources are top-notch, helping new traders get a solid footing in forex trading. Quick market order speeds and affordable trading costs make it even more appealing for those just starting. Moreover, the IRESS platform adds another layer of value, offering access to a staggering 10,000 equities for trading.

FP Markets Has Good Educational Tools For Beginner Traders

We recommend FP Markets for beginners based on its excellent education suite, with a great range of webinars, podcasts, eBooks, tutorials and glossaries. In particular, we like FP Markets’ online course, FP Academy, which offers three levels of trading education: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. FP Markets has the following key features:

• Great educational resources
• Fast market order execution speeds
• Low MT4 Spreads and Commissions
• Trading Toolbox for MT4/MT5

FP Markets’ Fast Market Order Execution Speeds

When we measured MT4 execution speeds earlier in 2023, FP Markets came in as the 4th fastest broker for market orders. FP Markets had an average market order speed of 96ms, only beaten by Fusion Markets, BlackBull Markets and Hugo’s Way (the latter of which is an unregulated broker). FP Markets even beat out Pepperstone, which was 5th for market order speeds.

Having fast execution minimises slippage on forex trading as well as FP Markets’ other instruments, allowing MT4 users to trade in an ECN-type environment. The high-quality execution is supplemented with competitive institutional-grade pricing facilitated by FP Markets’ top-tier liquidity providers, including financial and private corporations.

FP Markets offers a Standard (no commissions) or Raw (commission-based) account when opening an account. We found spreads are about average for the broker’s Standard account (at 1.47 pips based on our MT4 testing). However, FP Markets’ Raw account has relatively competitive spreads. FP Markets’ Raw account also has cheaper commissions when funding in USD (at $6 round-turn per trade), given most ECN brokers charge USD $7 that we’ve reviewed.

FP Markets has a good selection of trading products across a wide range of asset classes, including forex, stocks, cryptos, indices, commodities, bonds, and ETFs. FP Markets stands out in its IRESS offering of over 10,000 stocks. You’ll only be able to use the IRESS platform at an extra cost. We’d also like to point out that to trade the full range of FP Markets CFD products, you’ll need to use MT5.

FP Markets Trading Platforms

FP Markets offers a useful range of trading platforms and tools, each listed below.

• MT4 (great for forex)
• MT5 (suited for CFDs)
• IRESS (DMA share trading platform)
• FP Markets mobile app
• FP Markets Copy Trading
• Autochartist (MT4 plugin)
• Myfxbook Autotrade (MT4 plugin)
• Trading Central

What we like about the FP Markets MetaTrader suite is Traders Toolbox, a suite of 12 online tools to enhance popular trading platforms. These include such unique tools as market manager and stealth orders, which let you hide orders from the market. You’ll also have access to MT4 plugins Autochartist and Myfxbook Autotrade as handy algorithmic trading tools.

In addition, FP Markets offers the unique IRESS platform, which gives you Direct Market Access (DMA) to order books on major stock exchanges, allowing you to trade over 10,000 stocks.

Lastly, FP Markets has its own mobile app and copy trading platform as an alternative to the broker’s third-party platform range.

Final Verdict on FP Markets

Overall, we picked FP Markets as an MT4 broker for its excellent educational resources, fast market order speeds, and competitive trading fees. FP Markets also offers the IRESS platform, where you can access an unprecedented 10,000 stocks to trade. As a beginner trader, we think FP Markets is a great place to start.

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We liked IG Group mainly for its extensive offering of CFDs on the MetaTrader 4 platform. With over 17,000 markets and 45 years in the game, this broker’s experience and scope are unmatched. Catering to 178,000 clients from over 16 countries, they’ve got global reach, but their diverse range of trading products caught our attention. Besides, their specialised proprietary software adds another layer of sophistication for traders.

IG Markets Offers An Impressive Array Of Trading Products Via MT4

IG Group is the world’s biggest forex and CFD provider, with over 17,000 markets, 45 years of dedicated service, 178,000 clients from over 16 countries, and global offices. Trustworthy and reliable, IG offers the following highlights:

• Product offering – over 17,000 financial markets
• Free online trading courses
• Top proprietary trading platforms
• Risk management tools

IG’s Superior Product Range and High-Volume Discounts

IG’s superior product range speaks for itself, with over 17,000 financial markets to trade, the most we’ve seen from an MT4 CFD broker. These are spread across various asset classes, from forex to stocks to ETFs to cryptocurrencies. You can even trade options with IG for a more complex derivative to diversify your portfolio.

To trade this huge range of markets, IG offers a CFD Account and a DMA account, which are similar to a Standard account and a Raw account. Spreads are competitive for both accounts, while high-volume forex discounts are also offered for the DMA account.

IG Trading Platforms

IG has a unique set of platforms, as highlighted below:

• MT4
• IG Trading Platforms
• ProRealTime (proprietary platform)
• L2 Dealer (proprietary platform)

While IG offers a good MT4 experience, it is the broker’s proprietary platform we highly recommend. ProRealTime and L2 Dealer are highly customisable platforms with advanced charting features and algorithmic trading tools. We particularly like the 100+ charting indicators you can access, which is more than what MT4 (or MT5) currently offers.

Our Final Verdict on IG

IG’s reputation and global standing speak for themselves, but we chose the broker for the substantial product range and niche proprietary software on offer.

View IG Markets ReviewVisit IG Markets