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 |
When comparing the commissions and fees between FOREX.com and Pepperstone, both brokers present a number of options tailored to various trader profiles. FOREX.com caters to traders with diverse account types but tends to have somewhat higher costs than the industry average. For US-based traders on the Standard account using MetaTrader, the typical spread on the EUR/USD is 1.4 pips. However, the recently launched RAW Spread account provides lower spreads with commission-based pricing, making it appealing for high-volume traders willing to pay for potentially tighter spreads. Despite its higher costs, FOREX.com holds a strong reputation, receiving a 4.5-star rating and ranking #13 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
Pepperstone, known for its agency execution model, shines with its Razor account, particularly when aligned with the Active Trader program. The Razor account's average spread for the EUR/USD is 0.10 pips, with commission bringing the total to 0.80 pips, which tracks nearly with the industry average. Pepperstone's Standard account, while commission-free, features a higher spread of 1.1 pips for the EUR/USD compared to the Razor account. Tailoring its offerings to cater to high-volume traders, Pepperstone's rebate program further enhances its appeal. This strategic positioning and competitive pricing earn Pepperstone a 4.5-star rating and a higher ranking of #10 among 63 brokers for commissions and fees.
Overall, both FOREX.com and Pepperstone provide competitive options for forex traders, yet their strengths differ slightly. FOREX.com offers robust platforms with multiple account variations suited for various trading strategies, while Pepperstone stands out with its appealing pricing structure for active traders, particularly those utilizing the Razor account. Potential clients can expect strong service from both brokers, but it's crucial to evaluate individual trading needs, especially regarding volume and execution preferences, to determine which broker best aligns with their goals.
| 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) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FOREX.com and Pepperstone offer valuable options for those interested in trading forex. Both platforms provide forex trading through Contracts for Difference (CFDs) or spot contracts, catering to traders of various preferences. FOREX.com takes the lead in variety with 5,500 tradeable symbols, which include 80 forex pairs. In comparison, Pepperstone provides a more streamlined selection with 1,726 symbols and 65 forex pairs. Despite this variance in offerings, neither platform supports the purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international markets nor do they facilitate transactions for actual cryptocurrencies—focusing instead on cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone stands out with its copy trading feature, allowing users to follow and replicate the strategies of successful traders, a service not offered by FOREX.com. Both brokers enable trading in cryptocurrency derivatives. However, FOREX.com excels in the range of investments, earning a five-star rating and ranking 7th among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone, while commendable in its offerings, is rated at four stars and placed 26th in the same range of investments category. These distinctions provide potential users a clear perspective on what each platform can deliver based on their trading needs and strategies.
| 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.
FOREX.com and Pepperstone both cater to traders with a range of versatile platforms and tools. Both brokers provide a proprietary platform, along with Windows-based desktop and web-browser options. They also support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, offering a familiar trading experience. While both brokers provide a demo account for simulated trading, FOREX.com lacks the copy trading options available with Pepperstone, such as integration with DupliTrade. Pepperstone does not offer ZuluTrade, similar to FOREX.com.
When it comes to charting tools, FOREX.com excels by offering 239 drawing tools, compared to 30 at Pepperstone. Additionally, FOREX.com provides the ability to customize watch lists with 20 fields, significantly more than Pepperstone's 7. These advantages contribute to FOREX.com's higher rating of 5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, compared to Pepperstone's 4 stars. Furthermore, in a ranking by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers, FOREX.com stands at #7, while Pepperstone is ranked at #22, demonstrating FOREX.com's edge in platform features and user experience.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 | No | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 30 |
| 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 |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | 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.
Both FOREX.com and Pepperstone provide ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing or withdrawing account funds, but only Pepperstone also offers Skrill as a payment 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 | 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 | 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/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | 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) | No | 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 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 | No | Yes | |
| 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) | 239 | 30 | |
| 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 | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | 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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