Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade vs Pepperstone, 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.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone are both private brokers that are not listed on a stock exchange and are not banks. AvaTrade was founded in 2006, while Pepperstone started in 2010. In terms of trust, AvaTrade has the edge with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99, compared with Pepperstone’s 94, and both fall in the highly trusted range.
Looking at regulation, AvaTrade holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, while Pepperstone holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Since Tier-1 licenses are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 licenses are considered trusted by ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade has a slightly stronger regulatory profile overall.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
AvaTrade offers pricing that is fairly close to the industry average, with spreads of about 0.9 pips as of June 2024. That makes it a solid choice for traders who want straightforward costs, though its spreads are a bit higher than the entry-level accounts at some rivals such as CMC Markets and Tickmill. For professional traders who qualify, AvaTrade’s Professional account can lower spreads to around 0.6 pips, which is competitive with brokers like FP Markets. AvaTrade earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks No. 14 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category.
Pepperstone is often stronger on pricing, especially on its Razor account and for active traders. The Razor account uses a commission-based model and listed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips in July 2024; after adding the commission, the all-in cost comes to about 0.80 pips, which is near the industry average. By contrast, Pepperstone’s commission-free Standard account had a higher average EUR/USD spread of 1.1 pips, making it the pricier option. Pepperstone’s Active Trader program can also reduce costs further for high-volume clients through spread rebates and discounts. Pepperstone earns 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks No. 6 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category.
Overall, Pepperstone has the edge on commissions and fees, especially for traders who can use the Razor account or qualify for Active Trader discounts. AvaTrade still offers competitive pricing, particularly for professional clients, but Pepperstone’s lower all-in costs and stronger ranking make it the better value choice for most fee-focused traders.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.93 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker offers exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, and neither lets clients buy actual, delivered crypto. For overall range of investments, both are rated 4 out of 5 stars, so each offers a solid mix of markets for most everyday traders.
Where Pepperstone pulls ahead is in size and variety. It lists 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, compared with AvaTrade’s 1,260 symbols and 53 forex pairs. That wider selection helps Pepperstone rank higher for range of investments at #23 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade sits at #26. If having more choices matters most to you, Pepperstone has the edge, while AvaTrade still offers a well-rounded lineup.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone both give traders a wide range of platform choices, making each a strong pick for people who want flexibility. Each broker offers a free demo account for simulated trading, its own in-house platform, desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. They also let users place trades directly from charts, which can be helpful for faster decision-making.
For platform quality, AvaTrade has the edge overall. ForexBrokers.com gives AvaTrade 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, compared with Pepperstone’s 4 stars. In the same category, AvaTrade ranks #13 out of 36 brokers, while Pepperstone ranks #21, suggesting AvaTrade may be the better choice for traders who place extra value on platform features and tools.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 80 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone both offer iPhone and Android apps, plus useful features like price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. For everyday mobile trading, each broker gives users the basics needed to monitor markets and manage trades on the go. AvaTrade stands out for its larger charting toolkit, with 73 technical studies compared with Pepperstone’s 30, which may appeal to traders who rely on more in-depth chart analysis.
There are a few important differences in the mobile app experience. Pepperstone’s app can auto-save chart drawings, while AvaTrade’s does not. However, AvaTrade scores higher overall for mobile trading apps, with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #13 out of 36 brokers, compared with Pepperstone’s 4-star rating and #19 ranking. If you want more chart tools, AvaTrade has the edge; if auto-saving drawings matters more, Pepperstone may be the better fit.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone both give traders access to market research tools that can help with trading decisions, including forex news from top sources, sentiment tools, and an economic calendar for tracking major global events. AvaTrade also stands out for offering Trading Central research, while Pepperstone does not. On the other hand, Pepperstone provides daily market commentary and Autochartist tools, which AvaTrade does not offer.
Overall, Pepperstone has the edge in market research, with a higher Research rating of 4.5 stars compared with AvaTrade’s 4 stars. Pepperstone is also ranked #13 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Research, well ahead of AvaTrade’s #28 ranking. In short, both brokers cover the basics well, but Pepperstone offers a slightly wider research package for traders who want more market insight.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
AvaTrade and Pepperstone both give beginners plenty of learning material, including more than 10 forex or CFD education pieces, monthly online webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced videos. That means new traders can find a solid mix of articles, videos, and live sessions on both platforms to help them understand the basics and build confidence over time.
When comparing the two, Pepperstone gets a slightly higher Education rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars, while AvaTrade is rated 4 out of 5. Still, AvaTrade stands out in the broader broker rankings, coming in at #2 out of 36 brokers for Education, compared with Pepperstone at #15. For beginners, both are useful, but AvaTrade appears stronger overall for educational depth, while Pepperstone also offers a good range of learning tools.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade is better than Pepperstone. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, along with strong educational resources and copy trading support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 94 |
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In the AvaTrade vs Pepperstone comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither broker lets you buy actual delivered crypto, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Between online brokers AvaTrade and Pepperstone, AvaTrade supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals but not ACH/SEPA, while Pepperstone supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers but not Skrill.
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 | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 94 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.93 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | Pepperstone Review |
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