AvaTrade vs FP Markets 2026
Two of our highest-rated brokers head to head across 12 criteria. Which one you pick depends on whether you prioritize beginner-friendliness + 9-regulator coverage (AvaTrade) or raw 0.0-pip ECN pricing + 4.7★ Trustpilot (FP Markets).
Short answer
Pick AvaTrade if you're a beginner, trade primarily from a phone, want the best free education, or value the security of a broker with 9 regulatory licenses. Pick FP Markets if you're an active trader, prioritize the lowest round-trip cost per lot, prefer cTrader or IRESS over MT4, or want the highest Trustpilot rating in the ECN space (4.7★ vs AvaTrade's 4.4★).
Head-to-head scorecard
| Criterion | AvaTrade | FP Markets | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation Weight: 20% | 9 regulators: FCA, ASIC, CBI, ADGM, CySEC, FSCA, FFAJ, ISA, FSC BVI | 4 regulators: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSA St. Vincent | AvaTrade |
| Minimum deposit Weight: 12% | $100 | $100 | Tie |
| Raw spreads Weight: 20% | 0.9 pip Std | 0.0 pip Raw | FP Markets |
| Round-trip cost Weight: 8% | ~$9 (fixed) | ~$6-$8 (0.1 pip + $3/side) | FP Markets |
| Platforms Weight: 18% | MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions | MT4, MT5, cTrader, IRESS, TradingView | FP Markets |
| Mobile app Weight: 10% | AvaTradeGO 4.6★ iOS / 4.4★ Android | Uses MT4/MT5/cTrader (no proprietary app) | AvaTrade |
| Copy trading Weight: 5% | AvaSocial built-in + DupliTrade | MT4/5 Signals + Myfxbook AutoTrade | AvaTrade |
| Islamic accounts Weight: 5% | Yes — genuine, no hidden fees | Yes — on request | Tie |
| Education Weight: 10% | Best-in-class library, video courses, webinars in 14 languages | Standard: guides, webinars, economic calendar | AvaTrade |
| Trustpilot Weight: 5% | 4.4★ (8,900 reviews) | 4.7★ (7,400 reviews) | FP Markets |
| Execution quality Weight: 15% | STP, market maker hybrid | Pure ECN, sub-40ms latency | FP Markets |
| Withdrawal speed Weight: 10% | 1-2 business days standard | Same-day to 1 business day | FP Markets |
Deep dive: where each broker actually wins
Regulation: AvaTrade is the safer institutional pick
AvaTrade holds 9 regulatory licenses across every major jurisdiction, including the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (EU), FCA (UK via passporting), FSCA (South Africa), FFAJ (Japan), ADGM (Abu Dhabi), ISA (Israel), and FSC BVI. This is an unusually broad regulatory footprint. FP Markets holds 4 licenses: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, and FSA Saint Vincent. Both are tier-1 regulated — the difference is that AvaTrade gives you a regulatory fallback in almost any country you might move to, while FP Markets is focused on the Australia / EU / offshore combination.
Spreads & cost: FP Markets is cheaper for active traders
FP Markets' Raw account is one of the cheapest ECN setups in the industry. Spreads on EUR/USD during London and New York sessions routinely show 0.0 pips with a $3 per side commission — about $6-$8 round-trip on a standard lot. AvaTrade uses fixed spreads starting at 0.9 pips on major pairs, which translates to roughly $9 round-trip. For a trader placing 10 trades per day, that's a cost difference of $20-$30 per day — meaningful over months.
That said, fixed spreads have one advantage: predictability. Your cost per trade is knowable in advance even during volatile news releases, which is when ECN spreads widen unpredictably. If you trade rarely or around major economic data, the fixed structure can save you from slippage surprises.
Mobile app: AvaTradeGO is in a league of its own
This is the clearest gap in the comparison. AvaTradeGO is a dedicated broker-branded mobile app rated 4.6★ on iOS and 4.4★ on Android. It has a guided onboarding, AvaSocial copy trading built in, one-tap order entry with a risk calculator, biometric login, push notifications, and a built-in economic calendar. It was designed mobile-first — not ported from desktop.
FP Markets does not have a proprietary mobile app. Clients trade via MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, or cTrader Mobile. cTrader Mobile is excellent for advanced users — arguably the best professional-grade mobile trading experience — but it is nowhere near as beginner-friendly as AvaTradeGO. If phone trading is your primary mode, AvaTrade wins by a wide margin.
Education: AvaTrade has the industry's best free library
AvaTrade offers the most comprehensive free education library of any retail forex broker we've tested. Live webinars in 14 languages, video courses, tutorials, quizzes, and a structured learning path from absolute beginner to intermediate trader. FP Markets offers a standard education package — written guides, an economic calendar, some webinars — but nothing comparable to AvaTrade's depth. If you're learning to trade, AvaTrade saves you from paying for a third-party course.
Trustpilot & execution: FP Markets has the edge
FP Markets holds a 4.7★ Trustpilot rating across 7,400+ verified reviews — the highest of any ECN broker in our review set. AvaTrade is rated 4.4★ across 8,900+ reviews. Both are excellent, but FP Markets' execution quality (pure ECN, sub-40ms latency, deep liquidity via equinix servers) consistently shows in user feedback. Scalpers and high-frequency traders strongly prefer FP Markets for this reason.
Which one should you open?
- Are new to forex trading
- Trade primarily from your phone
- Want to learn with built-in education
- Want copy trading via AvaSocial
- Value maximum regulatory safety (9 jurisdictions)
- Prefer predictable fixed spreads over fluctuating ECN
- Are an active day trader or scalper
- Want the absolute lowest round-trip cost
- Prefer cTrader or IRESS over MT4/MT5
- Care about depth-of-market and pro execution
- Want the highest Trustpilot rating (4.7★)
- Already know how to trade and don't need hand-holding
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for beginners: AvaTrade or FP Markets?
AvaTrade is the better choice for beginners. Its AvaTradeGO mobile app has a guided onboarding flow, AvaSocial copy trading built in, and the most comprehensive free education library of any major retail broker. FP Markets is more suitable for experienced traders who care about the absolute lowest round-trip cost and pro-grade platforms like cTrader and IRESS.
Which is cheaper: AvaTrade or FP Markets?
FP Markets is cheaper for active traders. Its Raw account offers 0.0 pip spreads on EUR/USD with a $3/side commission — approximately $6-$8 round-trip per standard lot on EUR/USD. AvaTrade uses fixed spreads starting from 0.9 pips on major pairs — approximately $9 round-trip. The difference matters most if you trade more than a few times per day.
Is AvaTrade or FP Markets more regulated?
AvaTrade holds licenses from 9 regulators including the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, ADGM, FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FFAJ, ISA, and FSC BVI. FP Markets holds licenses from 4 regulators: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, and FSA Saint Vincent. Both are considered tier-1 regulated brokers — AvaTrade simply has broader jurisdictional coverage, which matters if you travel or move countries.
Which broker's mobile app is better?
AvaTradeGO is the clear winner for mobile trading. It's a dedicated broker-branded app with built-in copy trading, one-tap order entry, biometric login, and push notifications — rated 4.6★ on iOS and 4.4★ on Android. FP Markets does not have a proprietary mobile app — users trade via MT4, MT5, or cTrader Mobile, all of which are less beginner-friendly even though cTrader is more powerful for pros.
Do both brokers offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts?
Yes. Both AvaTrade and FP Markets offer Sharia-compliant Islamic accounts. AvaTrade offers Islamic accounts by default in MENA regions without hidden administrative fees. FP Markets requires a request to enable Islamic mode on a live account, also without substitute fees on standard holding periods.
Looking for more comparisons? See the full broker comparison tool or the individual reviews.