Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs AvaTrade, 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 AvaTrade are both well-regulated online brokers, but Swissquote has the stronger trust profile on paper. Swissquote was founded in 1996, is publicly traded, and operates as a bank. It holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, which falls in the highly trusted range.
AvaTrade, founded in 2006, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. It holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, and has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99, which also places it in the highly trusted category. While both brokers score well, Swissquote stands out for its banking status, stock exchange listing, and slightly higher trust rating.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Swissquote is a well-known Swiss banking-backed broker, but its trading costs are generally higher than the cheapest names in the market. In its U.K. and Luxembourg offerings, pricing varies by account type, with lower spreads usually tied to higher minimum deposits or active-trader status. For example, Swissquote U.K. has a commission-based Elite account with a $5 round-turn trade fee and tighter spreads, while standard accounts can start around 1.3 pips on EUR/USD. In Switzerland, its forex accounts also lean pricier, with spreads starting from 1.7 pips on the Standard account and 1.1 pips on the Prime account. Swissquote is rated 3.5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #37 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
AvaTrade offers simpler pricing that is closer to the market average. Its standard spreads are just under 1 pip, with 0.9 pips reported as of June 2024, making it a more cost-friendly choice than Swissquote for many everyday traders. If you qualify as a professional trader, AvaTrade’s Professional account can bring spreads down to 0.6 pips, which is even more competitive. AvaTrade is rated 4.5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #14 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, AvaTrade comes out ahead on commissions and fees, especially for traders looking for lower ongoing trading costs without the higher deposit hurdles seen at Swissquote. Swissquote may appeal more to clients who value banking ties and a Swiss brand, but its pricing is usually less attractive. For cost-conscious traders, AvaTrade is the stronger pick.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Swissquote offers a wider mix for traders and investors than AvaTrade. Both brokers support forex trading and copy trading, and both let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs. However, Swissquote stands out by also offering actual, delivered cryptocurrency, plus exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, which means customers can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone. Swissquote also lists 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while AvaTrade offers a larger overall selection of 1,260 tradeable symbols but only 53 forex pairs.
For investors looking beyond CFDs, Swissquote has the clear advantage because it gives access to real stocks and real crypto, not just derivatives. AvaTrade does not offer exchange traded securities or delivered cryptocurrency, so its product set is more limited in that area. These differences help explain why Swissquote earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with AvaTrade’s 4 stars and #27 ranking.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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 AvaTrade both give traders a wide mix of platform choices, including a free demo account, a built-in proprietary platform, web-based access, and Windows desktop software. Each broker also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus copy trading and the ability to place trades straight from a chart. In other words, both platforms cover the core needs of active traders as well as those who want to learn the ropes before risking real money.
When it comes to overall trading platforms and tools, both Swissquote and AvaTrade are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, so neither has a clear edge on quality. Still, Swissquote holds a slightly better ranking in ForexBrokers.com’s category list, coming in at #12 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade places #13. That means the two brokers are very close, with Swissquote having a small lead based on the ranking data.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and AvaTrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes stock or forex price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both brokers also earn the same 4.5-star rating for mobile trading apps, so on overall app quality they are closely matched. Swissquote has a slight edge in the ForexBrokers.com ranking, placing #12 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade ranks #13.
The biggest differences show up in charting and watchlist features. AvaTrade lets users sync watchlists between the mobile app and their online account, which makes it easier to keep track of changes across devices, and it offers 73 technical studies compared with Swissquote’s 30. Swissquote, however, can auto-save chart drawings in its mobile app, while AvaTrade cannot. For traders who want more indicators, AvaTrade may appeal more, but Swissquote may suit users who value saved chart work.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Swissquote has the edge over AvaTrade. Swissquote offers daily market commentary, news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar, while AvaTrade also provides top-tier forex news and an economic calendar, but stands out more for its Trading Central tools and sentiment data showing long and short positions. Neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading research tools.
Overall, Swissquote is rated higher for research, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #15 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with AvaTrade’s 4 stars and #30 ranking. If you want more built-in commentary and Autochartist support, Swissquote is the stronger choice, while AvaTrade may appeal more if you prefer Trading Central and sentiment-based insights.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote and AvaTrade both give beginners a solid set of learning tools for forex and CFD trading. Each broker offers at least 10 education pieces focused on forex or CFDs, monthly online webinars, 10 or more beginner videos, and 10 or more advanced videos. For new traders, that means both platforms provide helpful ways to learn the basics, build confidence, and move on to more detailed topics as skills improve.
When it comes to overall education quality, AvaTrade has the edge in the rankings, coming in at #2 out of 36 brokers for Education, while Swissquote places #19. That said, Swissquote still earns a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared with AvaTrade’s 4 out of 5 stars, so both brokers are well suited for beginners who want easy-to-access trading education.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Swissquote is better than AvaTrade. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #12, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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Swissquote lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, while AvaTrade offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not support purchasing real, delivered crypto.
Comparing online brokers, Swissquote and AvaTrade both support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire funding, but only Swissquote offers ACH/SEPA transfers for deposits and withdrawals.
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 | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Swissquote Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | AvaTrade Review |
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