Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone vs ATFX, 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.
Pepperstone and ATFX are both online brokers offering various trading services. Pepperstone, established in 2010, holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 95, indicating it is highly trusted. Meanwhile, ATFX, founded in 2017, has a Trust Score of 85, placing it in the trusted category. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. These aspects make both firms accessible for traders looking for well-regulated platforms without the complexity of bank-run operations.
When it comes to regulatory strength, ATFX holds four Tier-1 licenses, while Pepperstone has three. In addition, both brokers have two Tier-2 licenses, further securing their standing in the trading industry. These credentials suggest that both brokers comply with high regulatory standards, ensuring a safer trading environment for their users. Whether you prioritize experience with Pepperstone's longer establishment or ATFX’s slightly broader Tier-1 regulation, both provide secure trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Pepperstone and ATFX differ significantly in their commissions and fees, especially for traders seeking lower costs. Pepperstone operates as an agency-execution broker and offers competitive pricing with its Razor account, especially when paired with the Active Trader program. This account provides an average spread of 0.10 pips on the EUR/USD, and with the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the total cost is 0.80 pips, aligning with the industry average. Despite its laudable cost structure in the Razor account, its Standard account, with an average spread of 1.1 pips for the EUR/USD, is not as cost-effective.
ATFX, on the other hand, does not have publicly available average spread data, which can make it challenging for traders to assess its cost competitiveness. Pepperstone shines in terms of incentives for high-volume traders with its Active Trader program, offering spread rebates based on trading volume. In the UK and EU, professional clients can receive a rebate on spreads, with possible savings reaching up to 25% for high-volume traders. In Australia, similar benefits are available, with hefty discounts for those trading more than 3001 lots monthly.
In terms of rankings, Pepperstone scores higher with a 4.5-star rating and is ranked #10 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for commissions and fees. In contrast, ATFX has a 3-star rating and ranks much lower at #59. These disparities in rankings underscore Pepperstone's stronger position in offering competitive commissions and fees compared to ATFX.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone and ATFX both provide investors with access to forex trading via Contracts for Difference (CFDs) or spot contracts. However, Pepperstone stands out with a larger selection, offering 1,726 tradeable symbols compared to ATFX's 150. Additionally, Pepperstone provides 65 tradeable forex pairs, whereas ATFX offers 44 forex pairs. Neither broker supports the purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, such as buying shares of companies like Apple or Vodafone directly.
Both Pepperstone and ATFX facilitate the purchase of cryptocurrency derivatives, while neither allows buying the actual cryptocurrencies themselves. They also offer copy trading features, enhancing the choices for investors seeking to follow successful trading strategies. With a four-star rating for its range of investments, Pepperstone is ranked 26th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, indicating a broader selection than ATFX, which has a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 57th. This makes Pepperstone a more diverse option for investors looking for a wider array of trading opportunities.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
Pepperstone and ATFX both provide comprehensive trading platforms and tools but with notable differences. Both brokers offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to simulate trades without financial risk. Pepperstone stands out with its proprietary platform and supports additional tools like DupliTrade and copy trading, whereas ATFX lacks a proprietary platform and DupliTrade. Both brokers support widely used platforms such as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and they each have web-based and desktop versions for Windows to cater to various trader preferences.
When it comes to features for analyzing charts, Pepperstone leads with 30 drawing tools compared to ATFX's 15, although both allow trading directly from a stock chart. The brokers offer the same number of fields for creating watch lists, totaling seven. Based on user ratings, Pepperstone earns a 4-star rating for its trading platforms and tools, while ATFX scores 3.5 stars. In a broader industry comparison, Pepperstone ranks #22 among 62 brokers, showcasing a stronger reputation than ATFX, which is ranked at #61.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and ATFX both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, with handy features like real-time alerts and customizable watchlists. In terms of synchronization, Pepperstone's app stands out as it allows watchlist symbol syncing across devices, while ATFX lacks this feature. When it comes to charting capabilities, Pepperstone impresses with 30 technical studies and the ability to save drawings automatically on charts, features also available on the ATFX app but with only seven technical studies. Both apps support drawing trendlines and viewing charts across multiple time frames, providing users with flexibility in their trading analysis.
Evaluating their overall performance, Pepperstone's mobile app receives a four-star rating and is ranked 21st out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, ATFX's mobile trading app earns a 3.5-star rating and is positioned last at 62nd in the same ranking. This comparison highlights Pepperstone as a more distinguished choice for traders who seek a comprehensive mobile trading experience with advanced features and better synchronization, characteristics that stand out among their 62 broker peers.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both Pepperstone and ATFX offer daily market commentary and provide essential tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis. However, Pepperstone stands out with its access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, while ATFX does not offer such high-level news sources. Pepperstone also provides a sentiment-based trading tool that shows trader positions across various instruments, a feature absent from ATFX's offerings. Both brokers equip traders with an economic calendar to monitor global events, keeping users informed of key economic developments.
Despite some similarities, the differences in research and analysis capabilities reflect in their respective ratings. Pepperstone is rated at 4.5 stars for research and holds the #12 spot out of 62 brokers, suggesting a strong reputation for reliable information and insights. On the other hand, ATFX receives a 3-star rating and ranks #54, indicating areas for improvement in its market research services. These distinctions highlight Pepperstone as the preferred choice for comprehensive market analysis, particularly for traders who value access to top-tier financial news and sentiment analysis tools.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Pepperstone and ATFX both provide a range of educational resources aimed at helping beginners navigate the world of forex and CFD trading. Both brokers offer more than ten educational materials, including articles and videos, focusing on these subjects. Additionally, they both maintain searchable archives of past webinars. However, Pepperstone stands out by offering monthly live educational webinars and a comprehensive library of beginner trading videos. ATFX, despite having a smaller library of beginner resources, still provides these in video format but lacks live webinars.
When considering more advanced content, Pepperstone again takes the lead with over ten advanced educational videos, a feature not mirrored by ATFX. Both brokers provide an investor dictionary with more than 50 terms, essential for beginners familiarizing themselves with trading jargon. In terms of ratings, Pepperstone scores 4.5 out of five stars for education and ranks 18th among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, ATFX garners a lower rating of three stars and ranks 28th, indicating Pepperstone’s stronger emphasis on education for both new and experienced traders.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Pepperstone is better than ATFX. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 |
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Both Pepperstone and ATFX do not facilitate the purchase of actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but do provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the deposit and withdrawal options of online brokers, Pepperstone stands out by supporting ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas ATFX does not offer ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal but matches Pepperstone with support for Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review |
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