What does a guaranteed stop loss cost at UK brokers?
Verdict
- UK brokers charge for guaranteed stops in three ways: a premium only if the stop is triggered (IG, FOREX.com UK, StoneX Trading, OANDA UK), a fee to attach that is refunded if it is not triggered (CMC Markets), or a wider spread (Plus500); Pepperstone, our overall pick, offers no guaranteed stop at all.
- None of these brokers publishes one standard premium in our data; it is set per market, so read it on the order ticket before you confirm.
- Capital.com, our second choice in the UK, offers guaranteed stops; how it charges for them is not in our data.
- At Pepperstone the protection you get instead is negative balance protection on retail accounts, plus ordinary stops that can slip.
A guaranteed stop-loss is insurance on your exit, and like any insurance it has a premium. The amount varies by market, but the way it is charged tells you a lot about what you will actually pay. Here are the models UK brokers use, what Pepperstone offers instead, and how to price the trade-off.
The short answer, and where Pepperstone stands
The cost depends on the broker's charging model and the market, and none of the UK brokers in our data prints a standard premium. Pepperstone does not offer guaranteed stops: its UK terms say it cannot guarantee stop-loss orders will be executed at the level set. We still rank it first for most UK traders, because its everyday costs are low and clearly published (Razor EUR/USD averages 0.1 pips plus commission) and its retail accounts have negative balance protection. If you need guaranteed exits regularly, Capital.com, our second choice, is the broker we would pair it with.
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Three ways UK brokers charge for guaranteed stops
The model matters most for stops that are never hit, which is most of them for a disciplined trader.
| Charging model | Brokers | Cost if the stop is never hit |
|---|---|---|
| Premium only if triggered | IG, FOREX.com UK, StoneX Trading, OANDA UK | Nothing |
| Fee to attach, refunded if not triggered | CMC Markets | Nothing, once refunded |
| Built into a wider spread | Plus500 | The wider spread on every trade carrying the order |
| Model not stated in our data | Capital.com, Spreadex | Check the order ticket |
| Not offered | Pepperstone | Not applicable |
Pricing the trade-off: an illustration
Premiums are not published as fixed numbers, so this example uses invented figures to show the logic. You buy £10 per point of UK100 with a stop 50 points away, risking £500. A guaranteed version charges a 3-point premium if triggered, so £30. If the market gaps 120 points against you overnight, an ordinary stop could fill 70 points beyond your level, an extra £700; the guaranteed stop caps the loss at £530. If the stop is never hit, a pay-if-triggered model costs you nothing.
Questions to ask before paying for one
- Is the premium charged on placing, on triggering, or through the spread?
- Is it refunded if the stop is not hit?
- Is there a minimum distance between the current price and the guaranteed level?
- Is it available on every market you trade? Plus500 says not all instruments carry it.
- Can you add or remove it on a position that is already open?
What you get at Pepperstone instead
- Negative balance protection for retail clients: Pepperstone says it returns a negative balance to zero as soon as possible.
- Ordinary stop-loss orders, which trigger at your level and fill at the next available price.
- Retail leverage limits that restrict position size: 1:30 on major FX, 1:20 on major indices and gold, 1:5 on shares.
- Spread bets with no commission and Razor pricing averaging 0.1 pips on EUR/USD, for traders who manage gap risk through position size.
Sources
Guaranteed stop terms as each broker publishes them.
What is the cheapest way to have a guaranteed stop?
A pay-if-triggered model costs nothing on trades that never reach the stop; IG, FOREX.com UK, StoneX Trading and OANDA UK publish this model. CMC charges a fee to attach but refunds it in full if the stop is not triggered.
Does Pepperstone plan to add guaranteed stops?
We have no information on that. Pepperstone's current UK terms say stop-loss execution at a specific level cannot be guaranteed.
Is a guaranteed stop worth it on forex?
Major FX pairs trade almost around the clock on weekdays, so gaps are mainly a weekend and big-news risk. For short trades closed before the weekend the case is weaker; for positions held over weekends or major releases, the premium buys certainty.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex, leveraged instruments with a high risk of fast losses, and ordinary stop orders do not protect you against gaps. We publish broker-stated terms, not advice; check guaranteed-stop charges on the broker's own order ticket before trading.