Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs Alpari, 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.
Swissquote and Alpari both provide online trading services but differ in several key areas, starting with their founding years; Swissquote launched in 1996, while Alpari followed in 1998. A significant difference between the two is that Swissquote is publicly traded and operates as a bank, giving it a more substantial presence in the financial market. In contrast, Alpari is neither publicly traded nor a bank, which could affect investors’ perception regarding its financial stability.
When it comes to regulatory trust and safety, Swissquote stands out due to its impressive 99 out of 99 Trust Score, supported by holding five Tier-1 highly trusted licenses and two Tier-2 trusted licenses. Alpari, on the other hand, holds no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which reflects in its lower Trust Score of 68. For those valuing high regulatory oversight and trust, Swissquote’s credentials provide a reassuring platform compared to Alpari, whose Trust Score suggests it carries a higher risk.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, Alpari edges out Swissquote in third‑party evaluations: Alpari earns 4.0/5 stars and is ranked #42 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote holds 3.5/5 stars and is ranked #54 out of 63. Keep in mind that Alpari does not publish average spread data, which makes precise, apples‑to‑apples comparisons harder despite its higher rating.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity and account tier. In the U.K., the commission-based Elite account suits active traders who deposit at least $10,000, pairing tighter spreads with a $5 round‑turn commission; the Standard account lists EUR/USD minimum spreads from 1.3 pips, and Prime from 0.6 pips (minimums, not averages). In Luxembourg, minimum deposits are $1,000 (Standard), $5,000 (Premium), and $50,000 (Prime), with minimum spreads from 1.5 pips down to 0.8 pips. In Switzerland, forex accounts start at $1,000 (Standard, from 1.7 pips on EUR/USD), $10,000 (Premium, from 1.4 pips), and $50,000 (Prime, from 1.1 pips). Custom pricing can be negotiated for high volume. Overall, Swissquote’s costs tend to be higher than ultra‑low‑cost forex brokers.
Alpari’s lack of published average spreads means you’ll want to verify live pricing, commissions, and any non‑trading fees before deciding. Still, its 4.0/5 star score and #42/63 ranking in the Commissions and Fees category suggest it may deliver leaner trading costs than Swissquote’s 3.5/5 stars and #54/63 ranking—especially if you prioritize day‑to‑day trading expenses over brand and banking features.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Swissquote vs Alpari for range of investments, Swissquote offers far more to trade: 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, versus Alpari’s 105 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both support forex trading, whether as CFDs or spot contracts, and both provide copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Where Swissquote pulls ahead is market access: you can buy U.S.-listed shares like Apple and international exchange-traded stocks, plus purchase actual cryptocurrencies. Alpari does offer international exchange-traded shares, but not U.S.-listed stocks or delivered crypto.
These differences show up in independent ratings: Swissquote earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Alpari scores 3 stars and ranks #64 in this category. If you want a larger selection, access to real stocks (including the U.S.), and the option to own crypto directly, Swissquote is the stronger choice; if your focus is mainly forex and CFDs with copy trading, Alpari may suffice.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Swissquote and Alpari both provide simulated (paper) trading with free demo accounts. Each broker offers an in-house proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop downloads and in the browser, and both support copy trading and trading directly from charts. The exact counts for built-in technical indicators and watch-list columns are not specified.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, Swissquote earns 4.5 stars and is ranked #12 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari scores 4 stars and ranks #56. If you want a higher-rated platform lineup with the same core choices (web, Windows desktop, MT4/MT5, copy trading, demo), Swissquote has the edge, whereas Alpari can suit traders who prefer its take on a proprietary platform while keeping MetaTrader access.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the Swissquote and Alpari mobile trading apps is straightforward: both offer iPhone and Android versions and support price alerts for stocks and forex. Each app includes 30 technical studies and lets you draw trendlines on charts. However, Swissquote stands out by automatically saving your chart drawings, while Alpari does not. Neither app supports watchlist syncing between the mobile app and the online account.
In terms of quality scores, Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com. Alpari scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #57. If you want stronger charting convenience with saved annotations, Swissquote is the better fit; if you only need basic charting and alerts, Alpari can still get the job done.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at Swissquote and Alpari, Swissquote stands out by publishing daily market commentary, while Alpari does not. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and each offers technical analysis tools from Autochartist. Neither broker provides Trading Central tools or a sentiment-based positioning gauge. An economic calendar is available at both Swissquote and Alpari to track upcoming events.
When it comes to extra research providers, Swissquote does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading; for Alpari, these integrations are not specified. Overall, Swissquote earns 4 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #58. If daily commentary and a higher research rating matter to you, Swissquote has the edge; if you mainly want news headlines and Autochartist tools, both brokers can fit the bill.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote vs. Alpari for beginner trading education: both brokers provide newcomers with 10+ beginner-friendly videos that explain core forex and CFD topics in clear terms. Where Swissquote pulls ahead is live learning—its client webinars run at least once a month, while Alpari does not—making Swissquote the better fit if you prefer interactive guidance.
As you move beyond the basics, Swissquote also offers 10+ advanced videos, while Alpari doesn’t reach that level for advanced topics. These differences show up in independent scores: Swissquote earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Alpari’s 3 out of 5 stars and #48 ranking. For beginners who want video lessons plus ongoing webinars and room to grow, Swissquote is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Swissquote is better than Alpari. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Swissquote vs Alpari: Swissquote lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, while Alpari offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support buying real, delivered crypto.
Online broker Swissquote supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals (Visa/Mastercard not specified), while Alpari does not support ACH/SEPA and has unspecified availability for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire options.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill