Best Brokers for User Experience

Range of investments: With nearly 8,000 tradeable instruments, including 140+ forex pairs, Trading 212 offers an accessible way for new traders to explore various markets. I also appreciated that its web watchlists sync with mobile and come with TradingView charts enhance its appeal for those just starting their trading journey.

Spreads: While Trading 212 offers competitive zero-commission trading, the average spread for key forex pairs, such as EUR/USD at 2.7 pips, is higher than the industry average, which may deter cost-conscious traders.

Education and research: Despite its excellent ease of use, Trading 212’s research and educational offerings remain basic, lacking depth compared to category leaders. Experienced traders seeking advanced tools or research will find its offerings limited. That said, one of the standout features is Trading 212's ability to incorporate educational videos directly into its platform, making learning an integral part of the trading experience. Its economic calendar highlights upcoming events for specific instruments, offering useful insights for planning trades.

Platforms and range of investments: Plus500's proprietary WebTrader platform is designed for simplicity, with an intuitive interface that provides just the right balance of essential features. New traders will appreciate the ease of navigation, customizable watchlists, and built-in risk management tools like guaranteed stop-loss orders (GSLOs). With over 5,500 tradeable instruments, including CFDs on forex, indices, cryptocurrencies, and shares, Plus500 enables users to explore a diverse range of markets.

Education: Plus500 further caters to newcomers through its Trading Academy, which features a growing selection of educational videos, articles, and webinars hosted in collaboration with Corellian Academy. I found the +Insights analytics tool to be innovative, with advanced analysis of sentiment data that makes it easy for traders to gauge market activity with ease. Plus500’s platform ease of use factor and low minimum deposit requirement of €100 make it a popular choice for beginners seeking a reliable entry point into trading.

Highly trusted: While its research offerings are relatively basic compared to category leaders, Plus500 excels in creating a user-friendly environment backed by a Trust Score of 99, the highest rating possible. Publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PLUS) and authorized by six Tier-1 regulators, Plus500 is a highly trusted broker, which can help provide peace of mind for first-time traders.

Platforms & tools: The seamless design of its web and mobile platforms ensures that even beginners can navigate with ease, while advanced tools like ProCharts cater to more experienced traders looking for deeper insights.

Range of investments: With over 5,000 tradeable symbols, including forex, CFDs, stocks, and cryptocurrencies, eToro offers one of the most diverse selections of assets available. The platform’s CopyPortfolios feature simplifies diversification by bundling traders or asset classes into single, automated investment strategies, making it ideal for copy trading.

A seamless experience: eToro’s mobile app mirrors its web counterpart, ensuring a consistent user experience across devices. While features like drawing tools are limited on mobile, the app still delivers excellent usability with synchronized watchlists and dark/light mode themes.

Range of investments: With over 10,000 tradeable symbols, Spreadex offers forex, CFDs, options, and spread betting (available to residents of the U.K. and Ireland). The platform stands out with its fixed spreads and absence of inactivity fees, ensuring cost predictability for both casual and active traders.

Trading tools: Spreadex delivers a unique mix of traditional trading tools and modern perks like TradingView integration, making it suitable for a range of trading styles. It also offers Autochartist-powered trading signals in its mobile app, helping users identify opportunities more easily. Additionally, Spreadex’s Pro Trading Tools package provides traders with advanced functionality, including customizable execution settings and risk management options, helping to round out its offering.

While the Spreadex platform lacks a demo account, which may deter beginners, and doesn’t support MetaTrader, its inclusion of TradingView and a quality research foundation via Reuters news headlines and daily updates make it a good contender for intermediate to advanced traders.

xStation 5: The platform stands out for its "clean" utility; it avoids the clutter often found in broker software while retaining powerful features. I particularly appreciate the practical UX enhancements, such as the countdown timer on candlesticks and economic news markers overlaid directly on the chart’s time axis—features that keep your eyes on the price action. The mobile app mirrors this experience with excellent parity, offering seamless access to streaming news and client sentiment data, making it a strong contender for traders who don't rely on third-party scripts.