Best Forex Trading App UK

eToro Is The Top Social Trading Broker

eToro is undeniably the world’s top social trading broker, with the best social investment network in the form of its excellent CopyTrader platform.

Best of all, eToro’s trading app is user-friendly and delivers an overall excellent mobile experience, especially for casual traders and beginners.

Mobile App – eToro App

eToro offers its own, in-house trading platform, as a web trader, or as a mobile trading app via iOS and Android should you wish to trade on the go.

Both of these options are super reliable and easy to use, with the mobile app having almost the same trading features as the web trader, which will suit multi-device clients.

As eToro is a social trading specialist, it is no surprise to find the app, is designed to help you maximise the knowledge of the eToro trading community. This includes a wealth of copy and social trading features such as CopyTrader and Smart Portfolios (discussed in the Desktop platforms section) along with social sentiment data.

While the app lacks sophisticated trading tools, advanced charting (only 5 types are available) or technical indicators, there are still lots of research tools at your disposal with the focus more on a community approach through social trading. Just note that only funded accounts have access to analyst research.

Trading Accounts

eToro only offers one main account: a Standard Account, which has no commissions and averages at least 1 pip spreads for Forex pairs.

With this account, you also get $100,000 (81,000 GBP) credited directly into a virtual portfolio (like a demo account) so you can practice trading before you start.

There is also a swap-free (or Islamic) account available that complies with Sharia Law. A minimum deposit of $1000 is required to open this account.

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

You will get the most out of eToro’s in-house trading platform as a web trader, with more features available including ProCharts, which has 66 indicators and 13 drawing tools, as well as the ability to create watchlists.

eToro also offers CopyTrader and Smart Portfolios (formerly CopyPortfolios), two copy trading platforms.

CopyTrader allows you to copy the trades of experienced investors, which will suit retail investors particularly. For professional traders, you can also share your own trading strategies and receive exclusive perks.

SmartPortfolios is like CopyTrader but for portfolio management. The platform groups traders into single funds for copy trading. This could benefit both self-directed and passive traders looking to diversify or create a portfolio based entirely on one or more CopyPortfolios.

View eToro Review >>Visit eToro >>

*Your capital is at risk ‘68% of retail CFD accounts lose money’

CMC Markets Is the Best for Beginners

CMC Markets regularly tops the list as one of the best brokers for beginners, largely because of the broker’s patented Next Generation platform, which won the best mobile trading app for 2021.

The Next Generation platform features over 12,000 tradeable instruments, quality research and innovative trading tools, ticking all the boxes for the novice or casual trader.

CMC Markets is also a low-cost broker, with measurably lower trading costs compared to the industry, particularly with discounts for active traders.

Mobile App – CMC Markets Next Generation

CMC Markets’ mobile app has a clean design, is user-friendly and comes packed with features including powerful charts, multiple research tools, predefined watchlists, integrated news and educational content. Combining both complexity and a simple user experience makes the app particularly suited for beginners.

Choosing this app gives you access to mobile optimised charts with over 25 technical indicators, and 15 drawing tools. The app also allows you to trade directly through the charts.

In addition to charts, you get a customisable dashboard so you can reposition, resize and remove tiles so you can get your prefered layout. Other features include ‘Client sentiment tracker’ so you can see what others in the market are trading and trading watchlists.

Lastly, if you are a risk-averse trader, the CMC Markets app has a guaranteed stop loss.

Trading Accounts

The benefit of being a UK resident is you have two account options: a CFD account and a Spread Betting account.

CMC’s CFD account is the broker’s Standard Account, with no commissions. This doesn’t mean you can only trade CFDs with this account, you can still trade a number of markets, including Forex.

A Spread betting account is available as an alternative to CFD trading.

Overall, CMC Markets offers consistently low spreads across the board. Their minimum spread for the EUR/USD, is 0.7 pips.

You will only pay commissions for Shares CFDs (from $8), so the spread is the main cost factor.

Please be aware that there are some other trading costs including market data fees, holding costs, guaranteed stop-loss charges and a monthly inactivity fee. All of this info can be found on the broker’s website.

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

CMC Markets’ proprietary platform, CMC Next Generation, is the broker’s biggest selling point. The platform is fast, reliable, and packed with tools and features.

These tools include feature-rich charting, with 80 technical indicators and studies, 40 drawing tools, and 60 easily attachable candlestick patterns.

You can also use MetaTrader 4, which comes with additional tools and software, including FXBlue, where you can analyse and publish your trading results for better feedback and Autochartist, which can identify chart patterns and is great for technical analysis.

View CMC Markets Review >>Visit CMC Markets >>

FXCM Has A Good Range of Platforms (including MT4)

Including the popular Forex trading platform MT4, FXCM has the best range of additional trading platforms giving great flexibility for mobile traders with different trading styles and market/product preferences.

These platforms start with FXCM’s Trading Station, great for mobile trading, and include the popular MT4 platform as well as a wide selection of third-party algorithmic trading platforms such as NinjaTrader and ZuluTrade.

FXCM also offers a range of advanced trading tools and quality market research for further learning.

Mobile Apps – Trading Station, MT4, TradingView

Offering both Trading Station and MetaTrader 4 (MT4), FXCM delivers a reliable, feature-rich mobile experience for forex traders.

FXCM App (Trading Station)

If you are a beginner trader, then the FXCM Trading Station app might be a better choice than MT4. This app is built with simplicity in mind, meaning all aspects of the app is self-explanatory. That said, there is a user guide of 11 chapters also included.

There are also 3 chart types on 13 timeframes, 60 indicators and drawing tools available and being able to trade directly from your charts greatly enhances the mobile trading experience.

5 order types are available including OCO (one-cancels-the-other) and 4 order time limit options including good till date or cancelled and fill or kill.

As a bonus, you can integrate Tradingview with your FXCM Trading Station Account for extra charts and analysis.

MetaTrader 4

MetaTrader 4 is one of the oldest and most popular trading platforms in the market. Over the years, more and more features have been added meaning you can be sure the platform will deliver.

MT4 as it is commonly called has something for all traders. Beginners will appreciate the level of customisation and intuitive interface, copy trading (via MetaTrader signals) and automation via expert advisors. Advanced traders will appreciate the advanced analytics and charting capability.

Like with FXCM Trading Station, you can integrate with Tradingview for extra charts.

Trading Accounts

You can open either a Standard (no commissions) account or an Active Trader account with FXCM.

To open an Active Trader account you have to meet the following criteria:

• This includes being classified as a professional client and;
• Meeting a minimum notional volume requirement of USD 10 Million (over 8 Million GBP) on a monthly basis.

Note, as a UK trader you won’t get the benefit of the Active Trade Rebate program.

Despite having no commissions, the standard account does have slightly wider spreads than your average broker. Another downside is a $50 deposit fee which is something to consider when funding your account.

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

The wide range of platforms is what sets FXCM apart from other brokers in the industry.

Thanks to its combined offering of both Trading Station and MetaTrader 4 (MT4), FXCM delivers a reliable, feature-rich mobile experience for forex traders. Trading Station in particular has a responsive and modern design, one highlight being a powerful charting package called Marketscope 2.0.

In addition, FXCM offers NinjaTrader, ZuluTrade and a whole range of speciality third-party platforms, which are particularly suited for algorithmic trading.

The FXCM App store also provides various add-ons, technical indicators, and automated trading robots.

View FXCM Review >>Visit FXCM >>

*Your capital is at risk ‘67% of retail CFD accounts lose money’

IG Markets Has A Great Range of Markets

IG Markets has a great range of markets that is comparable with the best brokers, industry-wide.

This includes 17,000 financial instruments, including forex, indices, shares, futures, options, spot trading, bonds and even interest rates, for great depth and variety of tradeable products.

You can trade this huge product offering on IG Markets’ flagship mobile app, IG Trading (also known as IG Forex) which is well-designed, easy to use and packed with features such as alerts, sentiment readings, and highly advanced charts.

Mobile Apps – IG Trading Platform, MT4

IG’s mobile app is a great all-rounder, with features that will satisfy both casual and experienced traders.

The app is particularly noted for its charting layout and features, with 30 technical indicators, 20 drawing tools and 16 selectable time frames.

Other notable features include partial fills and points through current, large range of order types and alerts via email, SMS or push notification.

For those that wish to reduce their risk, a guaranteed stop-loss order is available.

There is also the IG Academy app for education and IG Access for account security which is an added bonus.

One unique feature is the availability of Direct Markets Access for trading forex and stocks. This feature gives you visibility of the order books at the exchanges.

Trading Accounts

Like CMC Markets, IG’s main trading account is a CFD account, while there is also the option of a DMA (Direct Market Access) account for professional or high-volume traders.

The minimum average spread for EUR/SUD is 0.6 pips, which is in line with the industry, with no commissions for trading Forex products. You will, however, pay commissions for share CFDs.

If you pay in USD, there is also no minimum deposit for CFD accounts.

Provided you meet monthly FX volume requirements, high-volume traders can access DMA (Direct Market Access) pricing through Forex Direct, with lower average minimum spreads, starting at 0.1 pips.

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

In addition to IG’s web, mobile and tablet apps, there is MT4, perfect for foreign exchange, as well as two specialist platforms: L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.

Available via the DMA account, the L2 Dealer platform is suited for advanced shares trading, using tiered pricing based on past monthly trading volume while ProRealTime has a leading charting package with great technical chart features.

There is also the IG Academy app, a useful educational resource.

View IG Markets Review >>Visit IG Markets >>

AvaTrade Is A Good Fixed Spread Broker

AvaTrade has the rare distinction of being a fixed spread broker, which gives it an advantage because the spreads don’t vary like a variable spread does, particularly in the often volatile Forex market.

Having said that, please note that fixed spreads aren’t always technically fixed due to market volatility and during certain periods. This mainly applies for non-forex products such as shares though, and more often than not, spreads will be fixed.

The broker also has an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, including great copy trading with competitive mobile offerings.

Mobile App 0 AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions, MT4

AvaTrade provides its own proprietary mobile platforms, AvaTradeGO and AvaOptions, as well as the full MetaTrader suite (MT4 and MT5) for Android and iOS devices.

AvaTradeGo should be your choice if you wish to trade the full range of CFD products AvaTrade has to offer. The platform has robust market trend and trading analysis tools, including 93 charting indicators, as well as a volatility protection feature called AvaProtect™ – a risk management tool designed to reduce your risk on an open trade, for an added hedging cost.

AvaOptions allows you to trade options, a unique offering amongst its peers, including over 40 currency pairs with 14 default trading strategies available.

Trading Accounts

There is only one account type at AvaTrade: their Standard account.

Like most Standard account types, there are no commissions with this account for Forex nor any other instruments the broker offers.

Spreads are slightly wider than commission-based accounts, with EUR/USD starting at 0.9 pips.

Lastly, there are no funding costs and a low minimum deposit of 100 GBP when opening an account with AvaTrade.

In comparison to other brokers, AvaTrade’s fixed spreads are some of the best in the industry, comparable to or better than some standard account spreads (as shown in the Pepperstone section.)

Fixed 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
	0.90	1.10	1.50	1.50	1.00
	0.60	0.80	1.50	1.40	1.00
	0.70	1.20	1.50	1.30	1.00
	1.79	2.43	1.97	2.09	1.85
	1.60	1.90	1.70	2.10	1.60
	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00

Data taken from broker website. Accurate as at 01/07/2022

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

AvaTrade provides a great range of trading platforms, as mentioned above and shown below. The main trading platforms are also available via desktop, web or mobile.

The broker also offers a multitude of social trading platforms, including DupliTrade, ZuluTrade and AvaTrade’s own social networking platform, AvaSocial, a UK specific partnership with Pelican Exchange.

Both AvaTrade Go and the Webtrader platform offer Trading Central and AvaProtect, for a great suite of additional trading tools and risk coverage.

View AvaTrade Review >>Visit AvaTrade >>

SwissQuotes Is A Trusted App with TradingView Charting

Not only is SwissQuotes a trusted broker, but it features a reliable trading app with an advanced charting tool, TradingView, further adding value to the Swiss broker’s mobile trading capabilities.

The great benefit of Swissquote’s in-house Advanced Trader mobile app, apart from being easy-to-use and cleanly designed, is that it comes with TradingView, a premier charting tool featuring over 100 pre-built technical indicators.

The broker is regulated in four tier-1 jurisdictions, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as well as being publicly listed on the Swiss Exchange, making Swissquotes a trusted broker.

Mobile App Platforms

Advanced Trader is user-friendly and well designed, with powerful customisation including 27 charting indicators, 17 overlays and 11 timeframes.

The app also comes with a decent range of research features and integrated educational content.

For stock trading, the Advanced Trader app is even available for Huawei smartwatches.

SwissQuote also offers MT4 and MT5 mobile platforms as additional trading options.

If you are looking for even more trading analysis, you have the option to integrate Tradingview with all of Advanced Trader, MT4 and MT5.

12 charts are available with this tool along with 8 charts per tab. You also have an infinite number of timeframes available for the deepest possible analysis. A large range of in-built indicators and drawing tools are available, alternately you can purchase other indicators from the market or create your own.

Trading Accounts

SwissQuotes offers 4 account options: Standard, Premium, Prime (all no commissions) and Professional (spread-based).

The benefit of being a UK trader is that Swissquote’s U.K. branch provides the best pricing out of its available account options.

Picking the best account will depend on your trading preferences.

The commission-based Elite account has lower spreads (as low as 0 pips) if you are an active trader and deposit at least 10,000 GBP for commissions of $5 per round turn per trade.

Meanwhile, the Prime account has a lower minimum deposit (5000 GBP) and is commission-free at the expense of slightly wider spreads which start at 0.6 pips.

Their Premium account has a good balance between cost and spreads. The minimum deposit with this account is 1000 GBP while spreads start at around 1.4 pips for most Forex pairs.

Desktop And Web Trading Platforms

SwissQuotes offers its proprietary Advanced Trader platform and both popular MetaTrader platforms, MT4 and MT5, across web, mobile and desktop.

To trade Swissquote’s 80 Forex pairs, MT4 is preferential while MT5 is suited for trading the broker’s CFD range.

There are also two additional plugins available: AutoChartist and Trading Central to enhance the default MetaTrader desktop platform experience.

View Swissquotes Review >>Visit Swissquotes >>

Plus500 Has The Top CFD Trading App

Plus500’s in-house trading app is user-friendly and has a thorough selection of CFD products, making it our pick as the top CFD trading app on our list.

The broker also competes with some of the best forex brokers, offering tight spreads that are close to the industry average on most of its major forex pairs.

In addition, Plus500 has a good range of nearly 2,000 tradeable symbols available, including Forex, CFDs and shares.

Mobile App – Plus500

Plus500’s mobile app features robust charting, with 109 indicators and 20 drawing tools.

You also have access to over 2,500 CFDs on shares across multiple markets, in addition to Forex, Indices, Commodities, ETFs and Options.

There is also flexible order customisation, including stop limits, stop losses, trailing stops and guaranteed stops as well as negative balance protection to limit your risk of making a loss on a particular trade.

Trading Accounts

Plus500 keeps it simple and only offers a Standard account, but with tighter Forex spreads than the average spread-only account.

This is reflected in the minimum variable spread for EUR/USD starting at 0.6 pips, which is reasonably competitive.

There are no funding costs, with a 100 GBP minimum deposit to open an account, unless by direct bank transfer, which is 500 GBP.

Trading Platforms

The Plus500 proprietary trading platform is available on all devices but is particularly suited as a webtrader or via the mobile app.

The web platform is user-friendly, making it great for beginners and switching from the web platform to the mobile app is smooth, depending on where and on what platform you wish to trade.

This simple platform functionality means that Plus500 doesn’t have much in the way of advanced trading tools so it’s a more basic, trading experience.

View Plus500 Review >>Visit Plus500 >>