Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Swissquote, founded in 1996, stands as a highly trusted choice for online trading, boasting a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded company and a bank, Swissquote showcases its credibility with five Tier-1 licenses, the highest level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com, and two Tier-2 licenses. This bolstered regulatory background offers users a sense of security as they engage in various financial transactions.
In comparison, Pepperstone, established in 2010, is noted for its strong trust credentials with a Trust Score of 95. Although not publicly traded or a bank, Pepperstone maintains a reputable presence with three Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses. These licenses, combined with its relatively high trust score, make Pepperstone a reliable platform for traders seeking a secure trading environment.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Pepperstone generally offers lower trading costs than Swissquote when you compare commissions and fees. Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #11 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while Swissquote scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #54 of 63. If your goal is a low all-in cost on forex, Pepperstone’s Razor account typically edges out Swissquote’s pricing across its U.K., Luxembourg, and Swiss entities.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by location and account type, and tends to carry a small premium. In the U.K., there are four accounts: Elite (commission-based, $5 per round turn with lower spreads) suits active traders who can deposit at least $10,000; the Professional account is similar but with a lower stop-out level. The Standard account starts EUR/USD spreads at 1.3 pips, while Prime shows a 0.6-pip minimum (note this is a minimum, not an average). In Luxembourg, Standard ($1,000), Premium ($5,000), and Prime ($50,000) list minimum spreads from 1.5 to 0.8 pips, broadly in line with the U.K. In Switzerland, forex accounts require higher deposits and wider spreads: Standard ($1,000) from 1.7 pips, Premium ($10,000) from 1.4 pips, and Prime ($50,000) from 1.1 pips, with custom pricing negotiable for very high volumes. Overall, Swissquote’s costs are higher than the cheapest brokers.
Pepperstone’s Razor account uses a commission-plus-spread model on TradingView, MT4/MT5, or cTrader. As of July 2024, EUR/USD averaged 0.10 pips; after adding the commission equivalent of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost is about 0.80 pips—often sharper than Swissquote’s typical pricing. Pepperstone’s Standard account is commission-free but averaged 1.1 pips on EUR/USD, which is higher than Razor. Active traders can reduce costs further: in the U.K./EU, spread rebates start at 15% per lot and can reach 25% for top tiers; in Australia, discounts range from 10% up to 30% per standard lot based on monthly volume.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.70 |
| 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.
Swissquote vs Pepperstone: both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs and spot, and both support copy trading. Pepperstone offers a larger overall menu with 1,726 tradeable symbols compared with Swissquote’s 472. That said, Swissquote lists more forex pairs (80 vs 65), which can matter if you want broader currency choices. Both brokers also provide cryptocurrency CFDs.
Where Swissquote stands out is access to real assets. You can buy and hold actual shares on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple or Vodafone), and you can purchase actual cryptocurrency in addition to crypto CFDs. Pepperstone does not offer exchange-traded stocks or delivered crypto. Reflecting this mix, Swissquote earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone holds 4 stars and ranks #27.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and Pepperstone both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker provides a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop or through a web-based platform, place orders straight from price charts, and explore copy trading. That means most traders—from beginners testing strategies to experienced users who prefer MT4/MT5—will find a familiar setup at either broker.
Where they differ is in third-party evaluations. For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Swissquote 4.5 stars and ranks it #12 out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone earns 4 stars and ranks #22. If platform quality and tools are your priority, Swissquote edges ahead on ratings; if you already favor Pepperstone’s ecosystem, you’ll still get a full suite of popular platform choices.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and Pepperstone both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, includes 30 technical studies for charting, and lets you draw trendlines with drawings that auto-save. According to ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote’s mobile app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers, while Pepperstone is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21.
The main difference is watchlist syncing. Pepperstone’s mobile app syncs watchlists with your online account, so any changes carry across devices. Swissquote does not sync watchlists. If cross-device watchlist syncing matters most, Pepperstone is the better fit; if you want a higher-rated overall mobile experience, Swissquote has the edge.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Swissquote and Pepperstone provide daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news from renowned sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. They also offer technical analysis and research tools from Autochartist, making them valuable resources for traders looking to make informed decisions. However, neither broker provides tools from Trading Central or market insights from TipRanks and Acuity Trading. While both brokers offer an economic calendar to track global economic events, a feature appreciated by those who follow market trends closely, Pepperstone distinguishes itself by providing a sentiment-based trading tool that Swissquote lacks.
In the realm of market research, Pepperstone has a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating compared to Swissquote's 4-star rating. This is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where Pepperstone is positioned at #12, and Swissquote at #16 out of 63 brokers. While the offerings of both brokers are quite comprehensive, Pepperstone narrowly surpasses Swissquote in providing a slightly more enriched research experience for its users.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Swissquote and Pepperstone for beginner education in forex and CFDs, both brokers make it easy to learn. Each hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos, so you can build foundations and then move into more detailed strategies.
Pepperstone has a slight lead overall, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranking #17 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote scores 4 stars and ranks #20. If you want the higher-rated learning hub, Pepperstone is the pick; if you prefer an alternative with similar breadth and ongoing webinars, Swissquote remains a strong option for new traders.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than Pepperstone. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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Swissquote vs Pepperstone: Swissquote allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade crypto CFDs, while Pepperstone offers only cryptocurrency CFD trading and does not provide access to buying real crypto.
Comparing online brokers, Swissquote and Pepperstone both support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, only Swissquote supports Skrill, and card options (Visa/Mastercard) are not specified for either.
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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
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