Switch Markets vs FP Markets

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

Switch Markets vs FP Markets Comparison Table 2024
Switch Markets FP Markets
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3.8
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4
Switch Markets is ranked #60 among CFD brokers. FP Markets is ranked #71 among CFD brokers.
Switch Markets is a multi-asset CFD brokerage, regulated by ASIC and SVGFSA. The new brand offers trading on the MT4 and MT5 platforms and leverage up to 1:500. The broker boasts over 2000+ instruments, with some additional tools including copy trading services and free VPS hosting. Established in 2005 in Australia, FP Markets is an ASIC- and CySEC-regulated broker boasting an extensive suite of tradable assets. Its Standard and Raw accounts cater to traders at every level, while it packs a punch in the tooling department, from the MetaTrader suite and intuitive TradingView to actionable trading ideas from Trading Central and AutoChartist.
Pros
  • Switch Markets offers access to a decent range trading tools including a market sentiment heatmap, an economic calendar and a VPS. I particularly appreciate the diverse range of forex calculators
  • I found 14 accessible deposit options and 5 base currencies. The impressive average processing times of 1 minute and 2 seconds should also appeal to active traders
  • I am impressed by the complimentary access to the HowToTrade education resources, community chatroom and market analysis without the need for any deposit
  • Traders can access copy trading solutions via the MetaTrader Trading Signals tools and duplicate positions of experienced traders in real-time
  • I think the $50 minimum initial deposit for both account types is very competitive compared to some other brands
  • FP Markets offers a superb selection of tradable assets, especially since expanding its suite of commodities and supporting over 10,000 stocks.
  • With MetaTrader, cTrader, Iress and more recently TradingView, FP Markets is one of the most accommodating brokers in terms of platform choice.
  • FP Markets delivers fast and dependable support, available 24/5 with average response times of less than 1 minute during testing.
  • FP Markets has a seamless onboarding experience, standing out with crypto deposits and over 10 base currencies, catering to global traders.
  • FP Markets has integrated top-notch research tools from Trading Central and Autochartist, helping traders identify short-term opportunities based on chart patterns, indicators, and other technical factors.
Cons
  • I'm a little concerned that the global entity is regulated offshore by the SVGFSA, a low-tier watchdog with very limited financial protection for clients
  • Spreads are not the most competitive for Standard account holders in my opinion, averaging 1.5 pips on EUR/USD
  • While pricing in the Raw account is excellent, spreads in the Standard account trail the cheapest brokers with a 1.1-pip average spread on the EUR/USD compared to the 0.8-pip average at IC Markets.
  • FP Markets’ Iress platform is only available to clients in Australia. It also primarily emphasizes stock trading over forex trading, and data fees can accumulate rapidly unless you're an active trader or maintain a high-balance account.
  • FP Markets trails the best MetaTrader brokers, despite offering a Trader's Toolbox on MT4, just 130 instruments are available, limiting opportunities for serious traders, especially compared to Pepperstone with its 1,300 assets.
  • Although Traders Hub provides rich research, notably the Daily Report, Technical Report, Market Insights, and Fundamental Analysis, it needs to widen its daily content variety and keep its forex news updated to match category leaders like IG.
Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Forex Partners Programme Asia 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Forex Broker Europe 2023 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2022 - Global Forex Awards
  • Best Global Forex Value Broker 2021 - Global Forex Awards
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, ETFs, Cryptos, Futures, Commodities CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$50 $40
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
ASIC ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App

FP Markets does not provide a proprietary web-based or mobile app, a downside for beginners. However, there are the mobile versions of MT4/MT5, cTrader, and TradingView that offer real-time quotes, advanced charting tools, account management features, and order execution. Australian clients are also exclusively offered access to the Iress mobile platform, which delivers sophisticated features including analytics, module linking, and multiple portfolio management.

iOS App Rating
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rating full
4
Android App Rating
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4
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No Yes
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No Yes
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
No Yes
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
Yes Yes
PAMM Account
Yes Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Yes - Equinix Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
Yes Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Switch Markets offers copy trading services with low fees via the MetaTrader 4 terminal. FP Markets introduced a proprietary social copy trading platform, alongside access to the MetaTrader signals market. These offerings, coupled with support for Myfxbook, establish FP Markets as an excellent option for social copy trading, even if the system is less intuitive compared to cTrader Copy.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
MT4
VPS Hosting
Yes Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
  • SGD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • TRY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Natural Gas
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Copper
  • Aluminium
  • Soybeans
  • Corn
  • Wheat
  • Steel
  • Iron
  • Cocoa
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
CFD
Switch Markets offers 180+ CFD instruments with 1:500 leverage and fast order execution speeds of <76 ms. I find commissions are also fairly competitive, coming in at $7 per round turn for Pro account holders. FP Markets offers CFD trading on a first-rate selection of financial markets, spanning stocks, major global indices, commodities, metals, cryptocurrencies, and bonds. With tight spreads, fast execution speeds, leverage up to 1:500 and top-tier liquidity, short-term traders get an efficient and seamless trading experience.
Leverage
1:500 1:30 (UK), 1:500 (Global)
FTSE Spread
1.2 1.64
GBPUSD Spread<
0.5 1.9 average
Oil Spread
2.0 0.04
Stocks Spread
Variable Variable
Forex
I think the range of 60+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs is fairly competitive, especially with spreads from 0 pips in the Pro account. Experienced traders can also access high leverage up to 1:500 in the popular MT4 platform. FP Markets stands out as an excellent option for forex traders, boasting a selection of over 70 currency pairs covering a wide range of currencies, especially since expanding its choice of exotics. With average spreads of just 0.1 on the EUR/USD in its Raw account, the broker provides competitive pricing for traders.
Assets
60+ 70+
GBPUSD Spread
0.5 0.2
EURUSD Spread
0.1 0.1
EURGBP Spread
0.6 0.3
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
There's only 6 crypto CFDs available at Switch Markets, though I was pleased to see leverage of 1:3 available. I like that you can also benefit from BTC, ETH, XRP, USDT and USDTRC20 deposit options. FP Markets supports CFDs on popular cryptos including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. Yet while you can speculate on price movements through CFDs, direct ownership of coins is not supported. FP Markets also doesn’t add up-and-coming tokens for crypto enthusiasts on the pulse.
Spread
Variable 17.3 (Bitcoin)
Coins
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • ADA
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • DOG
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • RPL
  • SOL
  • XLM
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Switch Markets FP Markets
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