SmartFX vs Admiral Markets

SmartFX or Admiral Markets – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare SmartFX and Admiral Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

SmartFX vs Admiral Markets Comparison Table 2024
SmartFX Admiral Markets
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1.3
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3.6
SmartFX is ranked #92 among CFD brokers. Admiral Markets is ranked #80 among CFD brokers.
SmartFX is an offshore regulated CFD and forex broker with MT5 integration and 5000+ instruments. The brand offers 24/5 customer support and one account type for simplicity. SmartFX is regulated by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC). Admirals is a multi-regulated broker with an excellent range of leveraged instruments, including forex, stocks, indices, ETFs, commodities, cryptos and more. The broker supports the MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingCentral platforms. With both spread betting and CFDs available and thousands of instruments, this broker provides more flexibility than most rivals.
Forex & CFDs are complex products, not suitable for everyone, and come with the high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Pros
  • I'm pleased to see the world-renowned MetaTrader 5 terminal available, with all integrated tools including the MQL5 development environment, signals and a forex VPS
  • There's 24/5 multilingual customer support available via live chat, telephone and email, making it easy for clients to reach the broker during peak times
  • I found commission-free deposits and withdrawals on offer with instant processing times for some account funding methods
  • I like that beginners can access copy trading opportunities via the Social Trading network
  • Low minimum deposit from $100
  • MetaTrader 4 platform and app integration
  • Full range of investments including cryptos and spread betting
  • Demo account to test the broker before real-money trading
  • Admirals is a multi-regulated broker with a long list of industry awards and accolades
  • Tight spreads and low to zero commissions mean Admiral Markets is a good option for active traders
  • The low minimum deposit, fractional shares and easy three-step account registration process will appeal to beginners
Cons
  • I'm concerned about the general lack of transparency on the website which makes me question how much trust I can put in this broker
  • The offshore regulatory oversight by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) raises serious security concerns for me
  • There's barely any additional tools and resources available, and the educational content is weak compared to top brands
  • I wasn't able to access any cryptocurrency trading opportunities, which is a drawback compared to similar brands
  • Monthly inactivity fee
  • US traders not accepted
  • The demo account expires after 30 days
Awards
  • Best Education & Training (Germany) - 2020
  • Best Forex Broker (Spain) - 2020
  • Best Forex Company - 2019
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Forex, CFD-indices, CFD-equities, futures Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, bonds, spread betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$500 $100
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
VFSC FCA, CySEC, ASIC, JSC, CMA, CIRO, AFM
Mobile Apps
Yes Yes
iOS App Rating
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Android App Rating
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Margin Trading
No Yes
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No Yes
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 Yes
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No No
Auto Trading
Yes Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No Yes
Trade Signals
Yes Yes (MetaQuotes)
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$10
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • SEK
  • CHF
  • CZK
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Orange Juice
  • Copper
  • Platinum
  • Silver
  • Cocoa
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Nickel
  • Lithium
CFD
I think the 5000+ CFD instruments including forex, commodities, indices and stocks should serve active traders well. The MT5 platform also offers plenty of advanced tools and features to facilitate complex CFD trading strategies. Trade CFDs on forex, stocks, indices, commodities, ETFs, bonds and cryptocurrencies with variable leverage up to 1:30. The broker provides great value to traders with six free trades per day on US, UK and European stocks, tight spreads on forex and low commissions on ETFs.
Leverage
1:400 1:30 (EU), 1:500 (Global)
FTSE Spread
Floating 0.8
GBPUSD Spread<
Floating 1.3
Oil Spread
Floating 0.03
Stocks Spread
Variable 0.5
Forex
I found an average range of 45+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs at SmartFX, tradable on the MT5 platform. I did appreciate the flexible leverage up to 1:400 and minimum order sizes from 0.01 lots. Trade 80+ major, minor and exotic forex pairs. This is a very competitive range of currency pairs with 50+ exotics to choose from, and traders will benefit from fast execution and support from extra features including a pip calculator. The MetaTrader 4 software was also designed for online forex trading.
Assets
43 50
GBPUSD Spread
Floating 1
EURUSD Spread
Floating 0.6
EURGBP Spread
Floating 1
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
Trade 42 crypto CFDs including 10 crypto cross pairs and 32 fiat pairs with USD and EUR. This is a very competitive offering for a CFD broker that gives diverse and flexible trading options.
Spread
1%
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DSH
  • EOS
  • ETC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XLM
  • XMR
  • XRP
  • ZEC
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
SmartFX Admiral Markets
Forex & CFDs are complex products, not suitable for everyone, and come with the high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 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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