GC Option vs Pocket Option

GC Option or Pocket Option – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare GC Option and Pocket Option in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

GC Option vs Pocket Option Comparison Table 2024
GC Option Pocket Option
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3.3
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4.2
GC Option is ranked #11 among binary options brokers. Pocket Option is ranked #1 among binary options brokers.
GC Option has closed or no longer accepts UK clients.
GC Option is a binary options broker offering contracts with flexible contract lengths and payouts up to 86% on 27 instruments. This is one of the few binary options brokers to support MetaTrader 4, which it provides alongside two proprietary trading platforms.
Established in 2017, Pocket Option is a binary options broker offering high/low contracts on forex, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. With over 100,000 active users and a global reach, the platform continues to prove popular with budding traders.
Pros
  • GC Option is fairly unique in its position as a binary options broker that provides access to MT4, though you need to achieve Gold status to trade on it.
  • The free demo account with $10,000 in virtual funds is an excellent place to learn how binary options work, including the broker’s double touch binaries which aren’t available at most brokers.
  • GC Option offers fast and dependable support available 24/7 with response times of under 2 minutes based on testing over several years, and a particularly receptive live chat service.
  • The web platform shines for its straightforward design and usability that will appeal to beginners looking to speculate on popular financial markets in a few clicks
  • The MetaTrader platforms offer integrated analysis with helpful technical summaries for short-term traders
  • The range of payment methods beats the majority of rivals, providing fast, secure and convenient deposits for traders in most countries
  • Well-funded traders who deposit $1000+ can qualify for a 2%+ payout boost, more tradable assets and exclusive perks
  • Extremely fast and smooth sign-up process that takes less than 2 minutes
Cons
  • Despite 15+ years in the market and being a spin-off of the established Grand Capital brand, GC Option remains unregulated with limited safeguards for investors.
  • The breadth of tradable assets at GC Option needs serious improvement, with just approximately 30 instruments spanning currencies, cryptos and commodities, but zero stocks.
  • Whilst the $10 minimum deposit is low within the industry, over 50% of the withdrawal options incur a charge and many consist of cryptocurrencies or banking solutions in Africa and India.
  • The MISA is a weak regulator with limited investor protection for retail traders
  • The maximum binary contract length of 4 hours is restrictive for longer-term trading strategies. Alternatives like Videforex offer binaries up to 1 month
  • Pocket Option offers a slimmed down iteration of the MT4 and MT5 that doesn't provide the full charting package for advanced traders
  • Despite offering competitive payouts up to 92%, binary brokers like IQCent offer higher returns up to 98% based on tests
  • You need to deposit $1000 to access the extended list of 250+ assets, otherwise just 130+ assets are available
Awards
  • Best Binary Broker Runner Up 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Binary Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
No No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
Binary Options on Forex, Metals and Cryptos Binary Options, Currencies, Commodities, Stocks, Indices, Cryptos
Bonus
50% Deposit Bonus
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$10 $50
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$1 $1
Regulator
MISA
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android + Huawei iOS & Android
Trading App

Similar to most binary brands, GC Option doesn’t offer a stand-alone app. Instead, you can make short-term trades directly through mobile browsers. The mobile trading environment is average – charts are a little fiddly to use effectively. Ultimately, it’s fine for account management, but it doesn’t compete with industry frontrunners.

Pocket Option delivers an excellent mobile trading experience directly through mobile and tablet browsers, without needing a native app. You can easily customize charts using the settings at the top while placing trades in one click is a breeze using the ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ buttons at the bottom of the screen. The interface also adapts seamlessly to horizontal viewing, mirroring the desktop layout for a consistent user experience.

iOS App Rating
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3
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4
Android App Rating
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3
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rating full
4.2
Margin Trading
No Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No No
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Yes
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Pocket Option hosts a user-friendly social trading service. Available in the platform, you can use the ‘Top Ranked Trades’ leaderboard, among others, to find traders to follow. The social trading solution is also available 24/7 and has active community chats. Tip: check the number of trades made and profit generated over several months rather than comparing providers over a few days.
Social Trading
No Yes
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No Yes
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • RUB
  • USD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
Forex
GC Option offers binaries on a slim selection of 25+ currency pairs, including majors, minors, plus metals paired with USD. Unlike traditional forex trading, users speculate whether the price of a currency will rise or fall and can earn an 80%+ payout, or lose their entire stake. Binary and OTC options can be purchased on 40+ currency pairs, with 55+ currency pairs available if you deposit $1000. Typical payouts are reasonable at 81% and the $1 minimum trade makes the broker accessible to new forex traders. There is also access to the MT4 and MT5 platforms for experienced forex traders.
Assets
25+ 55+
GBPUSD Spread
Variable N/A
EURUSD Spread
Variable N/A
EURGBP Spread
Variable N/A
Cryptocurrency
Trade popular crypto tokens using straightforward binary options products. Decide whether the price of tokens like Bitcoin will rise or fall with a minimum stake of just $1. Pocket Option offers a modest crypto offering with 10+ digital currencies including Bitcoin and 65+ tokens if you deposit $1000. The integrated analytics feature in the platform is helpful for finding opportunities, while the daily signals service makes it straightforward to act on short-term crypto opportunities.
Spread
Variable N/A
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • BNB
  • ETH
  • ETC
  • XMR
  • ZEC
  • DSH
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • BCH
  • LINK
  • AAVE
  • ALGO
  • TLM
  • ALPP
  • ANT
  • AVAX
  • AXS
  • BNB
  • ADA
  • CHZ
  • COMP
  • ATOM
  • DASH
  • MANA
  • DGB
  • DOGE
  • ENJ
  • EOS
  • FIL
  • GLMR
  • ILV
  • ICP
  • KAVA
  • LTC
  • MKR
  • MASK
  • MIOTA
  • XMR
  • ALICE
  • NEAR
  • NEO
  • NULS
  • OMG
  • DOT
  • MATIC
  • QTUM
  • REEF
  • XRP
  • SANTOS
  • SC
  • SOL
  • STX
  • XLM
  • STORJ
  • DATA
  • SUN
  • XTZ
  • SAND
  • THETA
  • TRX
  • UNI
  • VET
  • WAVES
  • YFI
  • YGG
  • ZEC
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Binary Options
GC Option offers beginner-friendly binary options with 86% payouts and opportunities on forex, metals and cryptocurrencies. The broker stands out for its market-leading trading software and access to short-term opportunities with contracts spanning 60 seconds to 48 hours. Pocket Option offers ultra-short-term binaries from 5 seconds on one of the simplest web platforms for beginners. Payouts rival alternatives at 90%+ while the ‘Double Up’ and ‘Rollover’ features provide further opportunities to profit. Considering the negatives, the suite of 130+ assets trails binary brokers like Quotex, which offer 400+.
Payout
86% 92%
Expiration Times
1 minute - 48 hours 5 seconds - 4 hours
Boundary Options
Yes No
Ladder Options
No No
GC Option Pocket Option
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