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.
Comparing online brokers FOREX.com and Pepperstone: FOREX.com was founded in 1999 and is publicly traded, while Pepperstone began in 2010 and is privately held; neither is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com earns a Trust Score of 99/99 and Pepperstone scores 94/99—both sit in the highly trusted 90–99 range.
Regarding regulation, FOREX.com holds 7 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Pepperstone holds 3 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. Both are well regulated, with FOREX.com carrying more top-tier licenses and a slightly higher Trust Score.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
FOREX.com and Pepperstone both offer competitive pricing, but they are set up a little differently. FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its RAW account can deliver low spreads, with EUR/USD spreads averaging around 0.13 pips before commission, but the added commission means costs can still be close to its Standard account unless you trade larger volumes. The Standard account is simpler, but spreads are higher, especially in the U.S., where the EUR/USD average was about 1.4 pips.
Pepperstone scores a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers in the same category. Its Razor account is the lower-cost choice for many traders, with average EUR/USD spreads of about 0.10 pips and an all-in cost near 0.80 pips once commission is included. Pepperstone’s Standard account is commission-free, but its spreads are wider, so it tends to cost more than Razor for active traders. High-volume clients may also save more through Pepperstone’s Active Trader program.
In simple terms, Pepperstone is the stronger pick for commissions and fees overall, especially if you trade often and want lower all-in costs. FOREX.com can still be a good choice, particularly for traders who value its platform options and execution style, but its pricing is generally a bit less competitive unless you are trading at higher volumes or outside the U.S.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.65 | 0.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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, FOREX.com gives traders a wider selection overall than Pepperstone. FOREX.com offers about 7,000 tradeable symbols, compared with Pepperstone’s 2,631, and both brokers support forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts. Pepperstone does offer more forex pairs, with 65 versus FOREX.com’s 55, so traders focused mainly on currency pairs may find that edge useful.
FOREX.com also stands out for offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Pepperstone does not offer these direct share investments. On the other hand, Pepperstone supports copy trading and lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, which FOREX.com does not. Both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but overall FOREX.com is rated higher for range of investments, earning 5 stars and a #6 ranking, compared with Pepperstone’s 4 stars and #23 ranking.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7000 | 2631 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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.
FOREX.com and Pepperstone both give traders plenty of ways to get started, including free demo accounts for simulated trading, Windows desktop platforms, web-based trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also offers its own in-house platform, plus the ability to trade directly from a chart, which can make order entry faster and easier for active traders. In short, both are well equipped for everyday trading, whether you prefer desktop access or trading through a browser.
The biggest difference is in extra tools. Pepperstone offers copy trading, while FOREX.com does not, which may matter for traders who want to follow and mirror other strategies. Even so, FOREX.com scores higher overall for Trading Platforms and Tools, with a 5-star rating and a #5 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Pepperstone’s 4-star rating and #21 ranking. That makes FOREX.com the stronger pick overall for platforms and tools, while Pepperstone stands out if copy trading is important to you.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 90 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and Pepperstone both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. This means traders can monitor markets and manage watchlists from their phone, with changes syncing between the mobile app and online account on both platforms.
The biggest difference is in charting tools and overall app ratings. FOREX.com offers 90 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at Pepperstone. FOREX.com is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Pepperstone holds a 4-star rating and ranks #19. For traders who want more charting options and a higher-rated mobile experience, FOREX.com has the edge.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both FOREX.com and Pepperstone give traders useful day-to-day information. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools.
The main difference is that FOREX.com also includes Trading Central tools, such as technical analytics, while Pepperstone does not. That extra feature helps give FOREX.com an edge in research depth, which may explain why FOREX.com is rated 5 stars for Research and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers, compared with Pepperstone’s 4.5-star rating and #13 ranking.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| 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.
When it comes to learning forex trading, both FOREX.com and Pepperstone give beginners plenty of material to work with. Each broker offers at least 10 forex or CFDs educational pieces, plus monthly educational webinars and a solid library of beginner and advanced videos. That means new traders can find help with the basics, while more experienced users can still access content on more advanced trading topics.
FOREX.com stands out a little more for education overall. It earns a 5-star education rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, compared with Pepperstone’s 4.5-star rating and #15 ranking. For beginners who want a broker with a slightly stronger learning section, FOREX.com has the edge, while Pepperstone still offers a good range of educational resources.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than Pepperstone. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17.
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 | 94 |
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When comparing FOREX.com vs Pepperstone for cryptocurrency trading, Pepperstone stands out for offering the ability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, while both brokers also provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.
FOREX.com vs Pepperstone: Both online brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | 94 | |
| 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 | 94 | |
| 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 | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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) | 7000 | 2631 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.6 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.65 | 0.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 90 | |
| 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 Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Pepperstone Review |
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