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 take different approaches to commissions and fees. FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36 for commissions and fees. Its Standard account is simpler but usually more expensive, with higher spreads, while its RAW account lowers spreads and adds a commission. For many U.S. traders, the total cost on the commission-based account is often close to the Standard account unless they trade very large volumes.
Pepperstone scores higher in this category, with a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and a ranking of #6 out of 36. Its Razor account is the main low-cost choice, combining tight spreads with a commission, and its Active Trader program can reduce costs even more for high-volume clients. By comparison, Pepperstone’s commission-free Standard account is usually pricier because the spread is wider.
In plain terms, both brokers can work well, but Pepperstone has the edge on overall commissions and fees, especially for active traders. FOREX.com can still be a good fit if you want its platform options or execution style, but Pepperstone is generally the cheaper pick for traders who care most about keeping costs low.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, FOREX.com offers more choice overall than Pepperstone. Both brokers support forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts, but FOREX.com lists 5,500 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, compared with Pepperstone’s 1,726 symbols and 65 forex pairs. FOREX.com also stands out because it lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Pepperstone does not offer these shares. Neither broker allows buying actual cryptocurrency, but both do offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
For extra features, Pepperstone has copy trading, while FOREX.com does not. Even so, FOREX.com earns the stronger score for investment choice, with a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers for Range of Investments. Pepperstone is rated 4 stars and ranks #23 in the same category, making FOREX.com the better pick for traders who want a wider selection of markets and assets.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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.
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 | 15 |
| 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 daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, sentiment tools, and an economic calendar to track important global events. This means either broker can help you stay on top of what is moving the markets day to day. FOREX.com also includes Trading Central tools, while Pepperstone stands out for offering Autochartist, giving each broker a slightly different edge depending on the type of analysis you prefer.
Overall, FOREX.com has the stronger research profile, with a 5-star Research rating and a #7 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone is close behind with a 4.5-star rating and a #13 ranking. In simple terms, both brokers offer solid market research, but FOREX.com has a small lead, while Pepperstone may appeal more to traders who want Autochartist built into their research toolkit.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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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In the FOREX.com vs Pepperstone comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto, but both offer access via cryptocurrency CFDs.
FOREX.com vs Pepperstone: both brokers support ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, while only FOREX.com offers Skrill (Pepperstone does not), and 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) | 5500 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 | FOREX.com | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 0.8 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 | 15 | |
| 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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