Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs Admirals, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
OANDA and Admirals, both prominent online brokers, have established themselves in the trading industry through strict regulatory adherence and trustworthiness. Founded in 1996, OANDA operates under seven Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high level of trust and regulatory compliance. Admirals, launched in 2001, holds four Tier-1 and three Tier-2 licenses, demonstrating its commitment to operating under trusted regulations. Both companies are privately held and do not function as banks, focusing solely on providing financial services to their clients.
When comparing their trustworthiness, both OANDA and Admirals boast a Trust Score of 93 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are highly trusted brokers. Their similar ratings highlight their dedication to building strong regulatory frameworks and maintaining client trust, making them reliable choices for those seeking a secure trading environment.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing OANDA vs Admirals on commissions and fees, Admirals generally comes out cheaper for many traders. Admirals carries a 4.5-star rating and ranks #18 of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while OANDA holds 4 stars and ranks #35. Admirals advertises typical spreads of about 0.8 pips on its Trade account (with similar pricing on the Zero account type), which can translate to lower day-to-day costs than OANDA’s standard pricing.
OANDA’s default, commission-free pricing has tended to be pricier: its average EUR/USD spread was 1.61 pips in July 2024. OANDA also offers a Core pricing option that requires a $10,000 minimum deposit and charges a $5 per-side commission per $100,000 traded (about $10 per round turn). In a common scenario, a 0.4-pip Core spread plus the 1.0-pip commission-equivalent yields an all-in cost around 1.4 pips—slightly cheaper than OANDA’s default pricing, but still above Admirals’ typical 0.8-pip level. OANDA’s perks include automated execution across accounts, the ability to trade as little as 1 unit, active-trader rebates of $5–$17 per million in select regions, and transparent trailing spread data (though not fixed-period averages).
Admirals emphasizes competitive pricing with typical spreads near 0.8 pips on the Trade account and similar pricing on the Zero account. Taken together, Admirals’ lower typical spreads and higher category standing (4.5 stars, #18/63) make it the more cost-efficient choice for many forex traders, while OANDA (4 stars, #35/63) can appeal to those who value very small trade sizes and optional rebates as they scale up volume.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.69 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments, Admirals offers a wider selection overall with 8,702 tradeable symbols and 82 forex pairs, while OANDA lists 4,172 symbols and 69 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot), let you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international markets, and provide copy trading. In third-party assessments of product range, Admirals earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers, while OANDA earns 4 stars and ranks #28.
For cryptocurrencies, both brokers offer crypto CFDs, but only OANDA lets you buy actual crypto. In short: choose Admirals if you want access to more symbols and forex pairs, and pick OANDA if owning real crypto matters to you—while still keeping access to stocks, international markets, and copy trading at either broker.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 82 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing OANDA vs Admirals for trading platforms and tools, both brokers check the key boxes. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary in-house platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and access on both Windows desktop and in a web browser. Copy trading is available with either broker, and you can place orders directly from charts to streamline analysis and execution.
On quality, both earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com, with OANDA ranked #15 out of 63 brokers and Admirals ranked #19. Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist fields were not provided and may vary by platform. If you already use MT4 or MT5, either will feel familiar; if you prefer a broker’s own platform, both firms offer one, so your choice may come down to layout preferences and the copy-trading ecosystem you like best.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
OANDA and Admirals both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with core features traders expect. You’ll find price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and automatic saving of drawings in both apps. One caveat: neither app supports watchlist syncing with your online account, so changes made on mobile won’t carry over to the web (and vice versa).
According to ForexBrokers.com, OANDA’s mobile trading app is rated 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #23. If high mobile ratings are a priority, OANDA has the edge; if you already trade with Admirals, you’ll still get similar on-the-go charting and alert tools.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
OANDA vs Admirals: both brokers cover the basics of market research well. Each provides daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones (or similar), a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and an economic calendar with global events. That means traders at either broker get timely insights, headlines, and data to plan trades.
The key differences are in third‑party research suites. OANDA includes Autochartist for technical setups, but does not offer Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Admirals goes the other way: it integrates Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), but not Autochartist. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, OANDA earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 for Research, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #15. If you prefer Autochartist and top‑tier scores, OANDA stands out; if you want Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity in one place, Admirals is attractive.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing OANDA and Admirals for beginner trading education, both brokers make it easy to start learning. Each runs live online educational webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner-friendly video lessons. When you’re ready to level up, both also provide 10+ advanced videos for experienced traders. This blend of frequent webinars and video libraries helps new traders move from basics into strategy and risk management for forex and CFD trading at a comfortable pace.
There’s a split between ratings and rankings. OANDA earns 5 stars for Education, while Admirals receives 4 stars. Yet in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category across 63 brokers, Admirals ranks #12 and OANDA ranks #19. If you want the highest star-rated learning experience, OANDA stands out; if you prefer a broker positioned higher in that external ranking, Admirals has the edge. Either way, beginners get consistent webinars and plenty of videos to build skills step by step.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that OANDA is better than Admirals. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #12, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
OANDA
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Admirals
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 |
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In the OANDA vs Admirals comparison, OANDA offers both delivered cryptocurrency purchases and cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Admirals provides cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not support buying actual crypto.
Both OANDA and Admirals support ACH/SEPA transfers for deposits and withdrawals; OANDA additionally offers PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire funding, while Admirals’ availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires is not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | OANDA | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | Admirals | |
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| Regulation | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.69 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | OANDA Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | OANDA | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Admirals Review |
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