Best Spread Betting Brokers and Platforms

Forex spread betting offers a unique approach to trading. While illegal in the United States, spread betting has become quite popular in Europe and the United Kingdom. The strategy allows traders to speculate on the price movements of various financial instruments without owning the underlying asset. 

Some regions offer tax advantages on spread betting. You can use the trading approach to mix up your strategy and open the door to new markets. However, to truly succeed, you need the right broker that provides the tools, platforms and features to enhance your trading experience. 

Explore this breakdown of the top options, each offering something unique to cater to different styles and preferences. Here are the five top spread betting brokers:

Quick Look: Best Spread Betting Brokers

• Best for Beginners: City Index
• Best for Simplicity: Plus500
• Best for Educational Resources: Capital.com
• Best for Advanced Traders: FxPro
• Best for Low Spreads: Pepperstone

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Disclosure: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

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Best Spread Betting Brokers

There are no one-size-fits-all spread betting brokers. Therefore, choosing a platform that aligns with your trading goals is important. Below are the top five spread betting platforms. 

1. Best for Beginners: City Index

City Index has established itself as a tested name in the brokerage world. It’s especially great for beginners because it combines a user-friendly interface with an extensive range of trading instruments. You can deal in everything from forex to indices and even crypto. The platform’s comprehensive educational tools can help you get up to speed on the latest trends and inform your trading decisions.

Why We Love It: If you are new to spread betting, picking a platform with lots of educational resources is vital. Spread bets are complicated. City Index helps you become familiar with the method via webinars, tutorials and in-depth market analytics. The well-organized resources allow you to progress from entry-level content to mid-level and advanced tools.

City Index also offers a demo account. You can practice your skills without any financial risk. Take advantage of the demo feature to explore different strategies and learn the world of spread betting in a risk-free environment. 

Demo accounts also provide a great opportunity to learn about the platform itself. You can try out the various tools that City Index offers to ensure you are comfortable with the interface. 

2. Best for Simplicity: Plus500

Plus500 delivers a straightforward approach to spread betting. The simplified platform makes it ideal for those who want to place trades without the distraction of too many technical tools or complicated interfaces. You’ll be able to start trading right away and can participate in a variety of markets.

Why We Love It: Many appreciate the variety Plus500 offers. It’s a great all-around platform that also supports CFDs. Unfortunately, neither CFDs nor spread betting are legal in the United States.

Don’t worry. You can still use Plus500 as a U.S.-based trader. The platform has plenty of other instruments that you can take advantage of. 

Plus500 also has a favorable commission structure, which means you can keep more of your profits when you make savvy deals. 

3. Best for Educational Resources: Capital.com

If you’re looking to sharpen your trading skills, Capital.com represents a great choice. It’s known for offering one of the best educational platforms and comes loaded with resources. Explore the site’s extensive library of videos, webinars and robust tools to power your trading experience. 

Why We Love It: Capital.com offers a wealth of educational resources and tools. The interactive lessons can help you learn the ins and outs of spread betting. The platform also provides an innovative AI tool to analyze trades and give feedback to help you make better decisions. 

Capital.com also requires a minimum deposit of just $20 and offers low withdrawal minimums, making it easy to cash out your earnings. 

4. Best for Advanced Traders: FxPro

FxPro was built for more experienced traders. It provides access to advanced tools and a range of financial instruments. With FxPro, you can choose multiple platforms, including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. These add-on tools offer sophisticated charting capabilities and customizable features. If you are serious about spread betting, check out FxPro. 

Why We Love It: MT4 and MT5 are two of the most popular trading platforms. FxPro supports both of them, allowing you to choose the solution that best aligns with your big-picture trading goals. The compatibility might be especially appealing if you already have hands-on experience with MT4 and MT5.

FxPro offers access to multiple markets. You can trade in indices, commodities, futures and more. The platform also features tight spreads. Take advantage of the tighter spreads to take risks and explore ways to earn more. Do not overestimate your position, though, as doing so could result in hefty losses. 

5. Best for Low Spreads: Pepperstone

Pepperstone is one of the best spread betting brokers, bar none. The broker offers a low-cost trading environment and is the go-to option for people who want to minimize their fees. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the United States. 

Why We Love It: The Pepperstone spread betting experience represents one of the premier options. You can explore ultra-tight spreads and minimize your trading costs.

The platform also provides fast order execution. This allows you to achieve speed and precision when executing risky deals where every second counts. Pepperstone also boasts great customer support. 

As noted above, it’s not available to U.S. traders, likely because many of the instruments that Pepperstone offers, such as CFDs and spread betting, aren’t legal in the United States anyway. Still, it's worth exploring if you live in a jurisdiction that allows Pepperstone. 

Which Online Spread Betting Option Should You Choose? 

Start your search for the best spread betting brokers by identifying which options are available in your jurisdiction. Prioritize platforms that offer local support hours so you can get assistance if there’s an issue with your account.

You should also consider each option's user-friendliness. It doesn’t matter how many tools a broker offers if those tools are tedious to use. 

Take the time to consider what features matter most to you – whether it’s educational resources, low costs or platform simplicity. Match your preferences to a broker that suits your style and can give you a frictionless trading experience. 

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