Best Gold Trading Platforms in the UK

Capital impressed me as the top gold broker after testing their platform for several weeks. They offer both live and demo account options for traders wanting to practice trading gold before committing real funds. Their 0.30 spread on XAU/USD is competitive, and execution speeds average 25 milliseconds. The broker gives you three platforms to choose from: their web trader, MetaTrader 4, and TradingView.

The broker’s web platform (called Capital.com platform) has over 100 technical indicators built in, which is better than most UK brokers. As a bonus, the platform includes a guaranteed stop loss order (GSLO) with gold having just a 0.03% premium. This feature is the surest way to protects yourself against slippage during volatile periods.

Four Platforms For Different Needs

Capital.com offers its web platform, which I found well-designed with clean navigation. You get 100+ technical indicators and smart drawing tools to work with plus a Guranteed Stop Loss Order (GSLO).

One feature than impressed me is SmartFeed that analyzes your trading patterns using AI. I tested this feature, and it spotted overtrading and poor risk management in my demo account. You get a CFD calculator and an economic calendar with live updates. Their “Trade Smart Academy” has 100+ videos if you want to learn more.

The MT4 platform and MT5 platform supports Expert Advisors (EAs) if you want to run automated strategies. These EAs are also a good choice to create custom indicators in addition to the 60 plus built-in indicators.

The last platform, TradingView works well because you can execute trades directly from TradingView charts. The web platform includes Discover mode, which helps you assess market conditions through a news screener.

All four platforms delivered execution speeds around 25 milliseconds in my tests. This stayed true regardless of position size.

Commission-Free With Clear Costs

Capital.com charges zero commissions on all instruments, including gold CFDs. Your only cost is the variable spread on XAU/USD, which averages 0.30 pips, and you can use leverage up to 20:1 as a retail trader.

Funding methods to fund your account include TrueLayer, debit or credit card, bank transfer and Apple Pay. There are no deposit fees, withdrawal fees, or inactivity charges. I checked their 2024 data, and 99% of withdrawals are processed within one business day.
Customer support works 24/7, and I got helpful answers within minutes during UK hours.

Great Range of Products Beyond Gold

Beyond spot gold, Capital.com gives you access to gold futures CFDs and gold ETFs, plus other precious metals like silver, copper, platinum, and palladium. The broker has 80 hard and soft commodities in total, along with energy products like crude oil, natural gas, and heating oil. You also get 147 currency pairs to trade, which is one of the biggest selections I’ve seen.

OANDA impressed me with 11 gold currency pairs beyond just XAU/USD. You can trade gold against JPY, CHF, EUR, GBP, and other major currencies as well. When I tested their execution, I got zero requotes with fast fills of my orders.

The broker’s spreads start at 13 pips minimum and average 50.34 pips on XAU/USD. This spread is higher than that of many other brokers, but the execution quality certainly makes up for it. You can also trade fractional position sizes down to single units.

There’s no minimum deposit, which is good for traders in the UK who wish to start small.

Eleven Gold Currency Pairs For Diverse Trading

You can trade gold against eleven different currencies with OANDA, not just USD. I tested trading XAU/JPY, XAU/CHF, and XAU/GBP alongside the standard XAU/USD. This range gives you options similar to how you’d trade forex pairs, letting you capture gold movements against different economic zones.

The broker also offers XAU/AUD, XAU/CAD, XAU/EUR, XAU/NZD, XAU/SGD, and XAU/HKD. I found this useful for hedging strategies during volatile sessions. Each pair lets you capture gold movements against different economic zones without converting currencies first.

Flexible Position Sizes With Fractional Trading

OANDA uses a unique fractional unit system rather than standard lots. I traded positions as small as 1 unit on their platform, which equals one unit of the base currency. This precision helps with exact position sizing when managing risk down to the penny.

On MT4, the minimum is 0.01 lots, which equals 1,000 units on OANDA Trade. The flexibility will suit traders with smaller accounts or those testing strategies. You control exactly how much you risk without being locked into predetermined lot sizes like most brokers enforce.

Multiple Platforms Including MT4, MT5 and TradingView

You get four platform choices: OANDA Trade, MT4, MT5, and TradingView. I tested execution across all four and got consistent fills under 30 milliseconds. The OANDA Trade platform works on web, mobile, and tablets with clean navigation.

MT5 offers 21 timeframes compared to MT4’s nine, plus depth of market features. TradingView integration lets you trade directly from charts with advanced technical tools. All platforms connect to the same account, so you can switch between them based on your trading style without opening multiple accounts.

I like eToro for its social trading features with gold. You can follow experienced gold traders and copy their positions automatically in real time. The platform lets you check their historical data, so you can review the track records before copying. eToro is great if you’re a beginner, as it keeps things simple without overwhelming you with too many features.

When testing eToro’s gold CFD, the spreads worked great for copy trading. The broker also offers the SPDR Gold Trust ETF and different ways to get gold exposure. The minimum commodity trade is $1,000, but leverage brings this down in practice.

Pepperstone made this list with a 0.05 minimum spread on XAU/USD and 0.15 average. I tested all four available platforms and got fills under 30milliseconds without any requotes. Experienced traders will appreciate the tight spreads and professional execution quality. Pepperstone offers eight gold currency pairs, including XAU/GBP, starting at a minimum spread of 0.2.

Their commodity range of 29 products is very impressive, covering metals across the gold and commodity markets, plus energy and soft commodities. You get four platforms to choose from: MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView.

AvaTrade stands out because it gives you the opportunity to trade gold options through their AvaOptions platform, which I have not come across through other UK brokers.

I tried vanilla options on gold, which are defined-risk trades where only the premium can be lost. They offer CALL & PUT options with 260 expiries from one day to one year. AvaTrade is FCA-regulated with proper fund segregation at UK banks.

You get MT4, MT5, and AvaTrade’s own platforms to choose from. I found their AvaProtect feature useful as it refunds losses on protected trades for a small fee. You need only a £100 minimum deposit to start.

IG offers more ways to trade gold than any UK broker I tested. You can invest in spot gold CFDs, gold futures, gold options, binaries, spread betting and gold mining shares all from one account. I recorded their spot XAU/USD spread of 0.1 minimum and 0.3 average during the London hours.

The platform has 40 technical indicators and two signal services that provide you with daily ideas. I tested their weekend trading, which lets you react to news before Monday’s open.

The broker has been in business since 1974, which shows a long track record. IG Academy offers some good educational content with proper trading courses if you want to improve your skills

CMC Markets is a good choice for traders who want to experiment with small trades without putting too much on the line. When testing the XAU/USD spread, it got as low as 0.2, which is pretty competitive. CMC’s Next Generation platform is packed with features, including more than 70 indicators and tools that help you spot chart patterns.

I also like that CMC gives you the choice between commission-free and commission-based accounts. The broker offers more than 12,000 instruments beyond gold. CMC has been operating since 1989, showing a long track record in the UK market.

Plus500 keeps things simple with its platform focused on CFD trading only. I measured their live XAU/USD spread at 0.66, which is good for commission-free brokers. The platform is built from scratch by Plus500 specifically for traders and includes a GSLO for risk management.

The broker offers six metal CFDs, including gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium. Their mobile app works well if you want to manage gold positions on the go. You need no minimum deposit to open an account and get free demo accounts to practice.