Can you place guaranteed stops from a mobile trading app?
Verdict
- Yes, at brokers that offer guaranteed stops at all, but not at Pepperstone, our overall pick for UK traders, which publishes no guaranteed stop-loss on any platform, mobile or desktop.
- Capital.com, IG, CMC Markets, Plus500, Spreadex and FOREX.com all publish guaranteed stops for UK clients; Spreadex lists them among the advanced orders on its platforms, which include iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
- Check the order ticket in the app before you rely on it: not every market carries a guaranteed stop (Plus500 says not all instruments do).
- Charging differs: IG takes a premium only if triggered, CMC charges to attach and refunds it if not triggered, and Plus500 widens the spread.
A guaranteed stop-loss closes your trade at exactly the level you set, even if the market gaps past it. Whether you can add one from your phone depends on the broker first and the app second. Here is who offers them, how to check in the app, and how Pepperstone fits if you choose it anyway.
The honest answer for Pepperstone users
Pepperstone does not offer guaranteed stops in the UK. Its terms say it cannot guarantee that limit or stop-loss orders will be executed at the specific level, and its accounts page says stop mechanisms cannot be guaranteed; that holds for its app as well as MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView. We still rank Pepperstone first for most UK traders on cost and platform choice: Razor averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD plus commission, the minimum deposit is £10, and retail accounts carry negative balance protection. If a guaranteed exit is non-negotiable, pick from the brokers below.
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UK brokers that publish guaranteed stops
Capital.com, our second choice in the UK, is the obvious switch: it offers guaranteed stops alongside spread betting, MT4, MT5 and TradingView. The last column shows the broker has a mobile app; confirm the guaranteed option on its order ticket.
| Broker | Guaranteed stop | Charge | Mobile app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital.com | Yes | Not stated in our data | Yes |
| IG | Yes | Free to place; premium only if triggered | Yes |
| CMC Markets | Yes | Fee to attach, refunded in full if not triggered | Yes |
| Plus500 | Yes (Guaranteed Stop Order), not on all instruments | Through a wider spread | Yes |
| Spreadex | Yes, listed among advanced orders | Not stated in our data | iPhone, iPad and Android |
| FOREX.com UK | Yes, on thousands of markets | Premium only if triggered | Yes |
| Pepperstone | No | Not applicable | Pepperstone app, plus MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView apps |
How to check it works on your phone
Five minutes in the app before you fund it saves a nasty surprise later.
- Open the order ticket in the broker's app on the exact market you plan to trade.
- Look for a guaranteed option next to the normal stop; if it is missing, that market may not support one.
- Read the premium or spread cost the ticket shows before you confirm.
- Note any minimum distance the ticket enforces between the current price and the guaranteed level.
- If you trade through MetaTrader at that broker, check the MetaTrader ticket separately rather than assuming it matches the broker's own app.
What a gap does to an ordinary stop
Say you buy a UK share CFD at 500p with an ordinary stop at 470p, and the company reports bad news overnight. If the shares open at 440p, the stop is triggered and filled at the next available price, around 440p: a loss of 60p a share instead of the 30p you planned. A guaranteed stop would have closed you at 470p, less its premium. On a Pepperstone retail account the loss cannot push the account below zero, but it can take most of what is in it.
Sources
Order terms as each broker publishes them.
Does Pepperstone offer guaranteed stops on MT4 or MT5?
No. Pepperstone publishes no guaranteed stop-loss on any UK platform. Its stop orders are triggers that can be filled at a worse price when the market moves fast or gaps.
Can I use a guaranteed stop on a spread bet?
Capital.com, IG, CMC Markets and StoneX Trading all list both spread betting and guaranteed stops for UK clients; check the spread bet order ticket to confirm the guaranteed option applies there. Pepperstone offers spread betting but no guaranteed stop.
Is negative balance protection the same as a guaranteed stop?
No. Negative balance protection stops your whole account from ending below zero; a guaranteed stop caps the loss on one trade at a level you choose. Pepperstone gives UK retail clients the first, not the second.
CFDs and spread bets are leveraged and complex, and you can lose money quickly; ordinary stops do not protect you against price gaps. Consider whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money. This is general information, not investment advice; check each broker's current terms.