Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
When comparing online brokers FOREX.com and Pepperstone, regulatory credentials play a significant role in building trust for trading enthusiasts. Founded in 1999, FOREX.com stands out with a strong foundation, boasting a perfect Trust Score of 99 as rated by ForexBrokers.com, which classifies it as highly trusted. Their public transparency is underscored by being publicly traded and having seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of oversight by top financial regulators. Although not a bank, FOREX.com has established itself as a reliable entity in the online trading landscape.
Pepperstone, founded in 2010, also presents a commendable profile with a Trust Score of 95. While it does not trade on public stock exchanges, Pepperstone holds three Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a strong regulatory framework and trusted status according to ForexBrokers.com. Unlike FOREX.com, it operates independently without bank affiliation, yet maintains a solid reputation in the trading community. These factors highlight both brokers as reputable choices, with FOREX.com having a slight edge in regulatory recognition.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Both brokers are strong on pricing: FOREX.com and Pepperstone each earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, FOREX.com places #14 of 63, while Pepperstone ranks #11 of 63. The key difference lies in their pricing models: FOREX.com offers spread-only (Standard) and commission-based (RAW) options, whereas Pepperstone’s best pricing typically comes from its commission-based Razor account.
FOREX.com: In the U.S., the Standard account (the only MetaTrader choice) lists typical EUR/USD spreads around 1.4 pips (July 2023). Outside the U.S., spreads averaged about 0.74 pips on EUR/USD (July 2023, time-weighted). The newer RAW account targets tighter quotes with typical EUR/USD spreads near 0.13 pips (Feb 2024) plus a $7 per standard lot commission ($3.50 per side), adding roughly 0.7 pips—so the all-in is about 0.83 pips before rebates. RAW includes six volume tiers with rebates from $2 to $9 per million and is available in the U.S., Canada, and the EU. For most U.S. traders under $50 million a month in volume, total costs on RAW are often similar to the Standard account; the main differences are execution method and platform access.
Pepperstone: The Razor account uses commission-based pricing on TradingView, MT4/MT5, and cTrader, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips (July 2024). After adding the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the Razor all-in is about 0.80 pips—around the industry average. The Standard account is commission-free but typically higher at about 1.1 pips on EUR/USD (July 2024). Active Trader rebates can lower costs for high-volume clients: in the U.K. and EU, Professional clients trading at least £20 million per month may receive a 15% per-lot rebate (up to 25% above £200 million), while in Australia, Professional clients start at a 10% discount from 100 lots over three months and can reach 30% beyond 3,001 lots monthly.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.70 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 the range of investments at online brokers FOREX.com and Pepperstone: both let you trade forex as CFDs or in the spot market. FOREX.com lists about 5,500 tradeable symbols, including 80 forex pairs, while Pepperstone offers roughly 1,726 symbols and 65 pairs. Neither broker provides direct, exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges. For crypto, both brokers support cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer actual, delivered coins.
If you want copy trading, Pepperstone has it and FOREX.com does not. On overall market variety, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, compared with Pepperstone’s 4 stars and #27 ranking. In short, choose FOREX.com for a wider selection of markets, or pick Pepperstone if copy trading matters to you.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
When comparing trading platforms and tools, both FOREX.com and Pepperstone check the key boxes: each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary in-house platform, Windows desktop software, a web-based platform, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Both also let you place trades directly from charts. A notable difference is copy trading—Pepperstone supports it, while FOREX.com does not. Neither broker supports ZuluTrade.
For platform depth, FOREX.com provides 20 watchlist columns versus Pepperstone’s 7, which may appeal to traders who like more data on screen. Reflecting these strengths, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks it #7 out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone earns 4 stars and ranks #22. If you want more built-in data controls, FOREX.com may stand out; if copy trading matters, Pepperstone could be the better fit.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When considering mobile trading apps, both FOREX.com and Pepperstone bring some excellent features to the table. Both platforms support iPhone and Android apps and provide users with handy functionalities like stock and forex price alerts, seamless watchlist syncing with online accounts, and the ability to draw and save trendlines on charts. Additionally, users can monitor multiple time frames and create watchlists with real-time quotes on either app, ensuring a comprehensive mobile trading experience.
However, a deeper dive reveals some differences in their offerings. FOREX.com stands out with an impressive 88 technical studies available for charting, compared to Pepperstone's 30. This can give traders using FOREX.com a more in-depth analytical advantage. Consequently, this could be a factor contributing to FOREX.com's higher user rating of 5 stars, compared to Pepperstone's 4 stars in mobile trading app reviews. Furthermore, in ForexBrokers.com's ranking of mobile trading apps among 63 brokers, FOREX.com takes the third spot, while Pepperstone ranks twenty-first, indicating a significant lead in user preference and functionality.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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.
Online brokerages FOREX.com and Pepperstone both excel in providing comprehensive market research resources to their users. Both brokers offer daily market commentary and provide access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders are always informed. Additionally, each platform includes a sentiment-based trading tool that tracks the ratio of long and short positions across various currency pairs. They also feature extensive economic calendars to keep traders updated on significant global news events.
When it comes to specialized research tools, however, the offerings differ between the two. FOREX.com includes Technical Analytics from Trading Central, while Pepperstone provides tools from Autochartist. Both companies do not feature tools from Acuity Trading or market research from TipRanks. In terms of ratings, both brokers score an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars for market research quality. However, in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com holds a higher position at #9 compared to Pepperstone's #12, offering a slightly higher commendation for research capabilities amidst a crowded field of 63 brokers.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both FOREX.com and Pepperstone cater to beginners with their extensive educational resources on forex and CFDs. Each platform offers at least ten educational pieces, such as articles, videos, or webinars, focusing on forex and CFDs, making it easier for newcomers to grasp the basics. Furthermore, both brokers provide online educational webinars monthly, along with a searchable archive of past webinars, allowing users to revisit lessons at their convenience. Beginner traders can access more than ten educational videos that guide them through the initial steps of trading, ensuring a solid foundation as they start their trading journey.
Advanced traders aren't left out, as both FOREX.com and Pepperstone offer an array of videos that delve deeper into complex concepts, catering to those with more experience. Additionally, each broker provides an investor dictionary containing over fifty defined investing terms, aiding users in expanding their financial vocabulary. Both brokers receive a 4.5-star rating for their educational offerings. However, FOREX.com holds a higher ranking, coming in at #4 compared to Pepperstone's #17 ranking out of 63 brokers in the education category according to ForexBrokers.com. This difference suggests that, while both platforms deliver valuable educational content, FOREX.com might slightly edge out Pepperstone in terms of educational quality and comprehensiveness.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FOREX.com is better than Pepperstone. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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Both FOREX.com and Pepperstone do not offer the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrency, yet they both provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
FOREX.com vs Pepperstone: both brokers offer identical deposit and withdrawal methods—ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires—providing flexible, convenient account funding and cash-out 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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) | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.70 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes | |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FOREX.com Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Pepperstone Review |
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