Spreads, commissions, swaps and hidden fees — the real cost of holding a position.
25 questions and answers in this section, reviewed monthly.
On a raw or ECN account, EUR/USD typically trades at 0.0–0.3 pips plus a round-turn commission of roughly $6–$7 per standard lot, giving a real cost near 0.6–1.0 pips. On a standard commission-free account expect 0.8–1.6 pips. Anything consistently above 2 pips on EUR/USD during the London session is expensive and should be justified by something else the broker gives you.
Total cost = spread + commission + swap (if held overnight) + any currency-conversion fee on your profit. For one standard lot of EUR/USD held two nights on a raw account: about $3 spread, $7 commission and $10–$14 swap, so roughly $20–$24 before the trade needs to move in your favour. Scaling that across 20 trades a month is what separates a break-even strategy from a losing one.
The most common are inactivity fees after 3–12 dormant months, withdrawal fees on bank wires, currency-conversion markups of 0.5–1% when your account currency differs from the deposit currency, and administration charges on swap-free accounts held beyond a grace period. All of them are disclosed, but usually in the fee schedule rather than the marketing pages.
No. A zero-spread account replaces the spread with a fixed commission, and the quoted zero applies only to the tightest moments in the deepest sessions. Compare accounts using average round-turn cost during the hours you actually trade, measured over at least a week, rather than the headline number on the pricing page.
Spreads at FP Markets start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Exness start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $10. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at FXTM start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $10. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Tickmill start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at HFM start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $0. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Pepperstone start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $0. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Vantage start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $50. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at IC Markets start from 0.0, and the minimum deposit is $200. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Admirals start from 0.5, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at XM start from 0.6, and the minimum deposit is $5. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Capital.com start from 0.6, and the minimum deposit is $20. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Equiti start from 0.6, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at XTB start from 0.5, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at AvaTrade start from 0.9, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at ADSS start from 0.8, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Plus500 start from 0.8, and the minimum deposit is $100. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Evest start from 0.7, and the minimum deposit is $50. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at Octa start from 0.6, and the minimum deposit is $25. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at eToro start from 1.0, and the minimum deposit is $50. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at HEDG start from 1.2, and the minimum deposit is $50. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
Spreads at AFAQ Trade start from 1.0, and the minimum deposit is $50. Remember that the headline spread is only part of the cost: add any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold positions past the daily rollover, and currency-conversion charges when your account currency differs from your deposit currency.
