Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs BDSwiss, 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.
Founded in 1996, OANDA has established itself as a trusted name in the online brokerage industry. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93 out of 99, OANDA is considered highly trusted. It holds 7 Tier-1 licenses, reflecting strong regulatory oversight. Not publicly traded or a bank, OANDA offers a level of security and credibility that is crucial for traders.
Comparatively, BDSwiss, founded in 2012, earns an average risk rating with a Trust Score of 73 according to ForexBrokers.com. BDSwiss holds just 1 Tier-1 regulatory license, suggesting a more limited regulatory framework compared to OANDA. Like OANDA, BDSwiss is neither publicly traded nor a bank. Both brokers provide access to financial markets, but OANDA's regulatory standing and trust score suggest it may offer a safer choice for traders concerned with regulatory security.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
OANDA and BDSwiss both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, BDSwiss places #31 of 63, while OANDA ranks #35 of 63. Both brokers mix spread-based pricing with commission options, but their all-in costs differ by account type and trade size.
OANDA’s costs are generally on the high side. Its default EUR/USD spread averaged 1.61 pips in July 2024. The Core Pricing account lowers the spread to about 0.4 pips and adds a $5 per side commission per $100,000 traded (about 1 pip round-turn), for an estimated 1.4-pip all-in cost—slightly cheaper than the default 1.6 pips. Core Pricing requires a $10,000 minimum deposit. OANDA stands out for flexibility with position sizes as small as 1 unit (0.001 micro lot) and offers active-trader rebates in select regions ($5–$17 per million). It also publishes trailing average spreads, though not fixed-period averages.
BDSwiss shows solid execution stats but higher spreads than industry leaders. Its Classic account lists about 1.5 pips on EUR/USD. The Raw account pairs a 0.3-pip spread with a $5 per side commission, yielding an estimated 1.3-pip all-in cost, while the VIP account is about 1.2 pips. Put simply: for EUR/USD, OANDA’s Core Pricing (about 1.4 pips) is slightly pricier than BDSwiss Raw (about 1.3 pips), whereas OANDA’s standard pricing (about 1.6 pips) sits above BDSwiss Classic (about 1.5 pips). Traders prioritizing the very lowest all-in spread may prefer BDSwiss Raw, while those who value tiny trade sizes and potential rebates may lean toward OANDA.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.69 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing OANDA vs BDSwiss for range of investments, OANDA offers far more to trade: 4,172 tradeable symbols and 69 forex pairs, versus BDSwiss with 1,081 symbols and 53 pairs. Both brokers support forex as CFDs or spot and both offer copy trading. A key difference is market access: OANDA lets clients buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), while BDSwiss does not offer exchange-traded shares. For crypto, OANDA supports buying actual coins as well as crypto derivatives; BDSwiss only offers crypto derivatives.
Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com, but OANDA ranks higher at 28th out of 63 brokers, compared with BDSwiss at 35th. If you want more symbols and pairs, plus real stocks and crypto, OANDA has the edge; if you just need CFDs with copy trading, BDSwiss can still fit the bill.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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.
OANDA and BDSwiss both cater to traders with varied trading platforms and tools, making them solid options for diverse trading needs. Each broker provides access to a free virtual demo account, allowing users to simulate trades without risk. Both offer proprietary platforms and feature comprehensive desktop and web-based trading experiences compatible with Windows. Popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are supported by both brokers for those seeking familiar trading environments. Additionally, they each provide the option for copy trading, but neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade integrations.
OANDA and BDSwiss offer distinct charting advantages, with OANDA providing 74 drawing tools compared to BDSwiss's 15, which may impact tool preference depending on the trader's style. Both platforms allow direct trading from stock charts, offering seamless integrations for real-time decision-making. When it comes to organizing market data, BDSwiss edges slightly ahead in watch list customization with seven columns compared to OANDA's six. Evaluated by ForexBrokers.com, both received four-star ratings for their trading platforms and tools, though OANDA placed higher at #15 compared to BDSwiss's #24 out of 63 brokers. These ratings reflect their user-friendly interfaces and functional tools, but individual preferences may vary based on specific trading needs.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 74 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading, both OANDA and BDSwiss offer solid smartphone apps accessible on iOS and Android platforms. Each app provides essential trading features, including stock and forex price alerts, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts with autosave functionality for drawings. Users of both platforms can access multiple time frames and can set up watchlists that provide real-time quotes. However, neither platform offers the convenience of syncing watchlists between the mobile app and the online account.
While both OANDA and BDSwiss support 30 technical studies in their charting tools, OANDA has a slight edge when it comes to user ratings and rankings. OANDA's app boasts a five-star rating for mobile trading and ranks seventh among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, BDSwiss has a four-star rating and ranks 24th. This indicates that while both apps offer a comprehensive mobile trading experience, OANDA might be the better choice for traders seeking top-tier app performance and user satisfaction.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| 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 OANDA and BDSwiss provide daily market commentary, helping traders stay informed with the latest developments. OANDA excels with its provision of forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a distinction that BDSwiss does not offer. Both brokers utilize Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis tools, but BDSwiss edges ahead by offering additional insights through Trading Central, which OANDA lacks. However, OANDA has a sentiment-based trading tool that presents the ratio of long and short positions in various currency pairs, a feature not available with BDSwiss.
Both platforms provide users with an economic calendar that highlights current and upcoming global news events, ensuring traders are always in the know. Notably, in research rankings by ForexBrokers.com, OANDA is positioned impressively at #5 out of 63 brokers, earning a solid 5-star rating. Meanwhile, BDSwiss holds the #24 spot, with a commendable 4-star rating. While both brokers offer strong research capabilities, OANDA's higher ranking reflects its comprehensive approach to providing valuable market insights.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Comparing OANDA and BDSwiss for beginner education, both brokers deliver a full suite of learning tools. Each offers at least 10 forex and CFD lessons, 10+ beginner videos, and 10+ advanced videos. You also get monthly live webinars with a searchable archive of past sessions, plus an investor dictionary covering 50 or more trading terms. This mix supports step‑by‑step learning, whether you prefer videos, articles, or live instruction.
Where they differ is recognition and ratings. OANDA earns a 5-star education score and ranks #19 out of 63 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss holds 4 stars and ranks #22. In short, both are solid choices for getting started, but OANDA has a slight edge for beginners seeking a higher-rated education experience.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 BDSwiss. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #12, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
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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BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 |
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OANDA enables users to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, while both OANDA and BDSwiss provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both OANDA and BDSwiss support ACH/SEPA transfers, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing funds, but only OANDA also offers PayPal as an additional option.
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 | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.69 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 74 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
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