which cfd brokers have the lowest trading fees?
Verdict
- Across a whole CFD account, Pepperstone has the lowest published fees in our data: commission-free index CFDs, 0.07% per side on Australian shares, $0.02 per US share, free deposits and withdrawals, and no inactivity fee.
- On a single forex pair, others can edge it: IC Markets publishes a 0.01-pip EUR/USD average against Pepperstone's 0.1.
- Non-trading fees separate brokers more than spreads do: Plus500's UAE fee page lists an inactivity fee of up to USD 10 a month after three months without login, and Trading 212 applies a 0.5% FX conversion fee on its CFD account.
- Pepperstone is regulated in Australia by ASIC (AFSL 414530).
'Lowest fees' depends on what you trade. A forex scalper, an index trader and someone buying ASX share CFDs pay through different lines of the price list. Here is Pepperstone's fee sheet by market, set against the figures other brokers publish.
Pepperstone's fee sheet, market by market
These are the published Australian costs. Pepperstone is our recommendation because it is low on every line, not just on one headline pair.
| Market | Razor | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.1 pips avg + USD 3.50 per side (USD 3.00 on cTrader) | 1.1 pips avg, no commission |
| Gold | 0.12 avg + commission | 0.19 avg |
| US500 index | 0.4 points avg, no commission | 0.5 points avg |
| AUS200 index | 1.5 points avg, no commission | 1.5 points avg |
| Australian share CFDs | 0.07% per side | 0.07% per side |
| US share CFDs | $0.02 per share | $0.02 per share |
| BTC/USD | 15.15 avg, no commission | 20.15 avg |
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Which CFD broker has the best spreads?
On forex, IC Markets: its published raw averages (EUR/USD 0.01, GBP/USD 0.04, gold 0.09) are the lowest in our data, with $3.50 commission per side, the same as Pepperstone on MT5. On indices, shares and crypto, our data holds no comparable IC Markets figures, so Pepperstone's published index averages, such as US500 at 0.4 points with no commission, are the benchmark we can verify.
What broker has the best spread?
The tightest spread does not guarantee the lowest bill. Raw accounts quote near-zero spreads and charge commission; standard accounts build the cost into a wider spread. Compare the total per trade. On a lot of EUR/USD in a USD account: IC Markets about $7.10, Pepperstone cTrader $7.00, Pepperstone MT5 $8.00. Below a certain size, the cents between them matter less than the fees in the next section.
The fees outside the spread
- Inactivity: none at Pepperstone; Plus500's UAE fee page lists up to USD 10 a month after three months without login.
- Currency conversion: Trading 212's CFD account charges a 0.5% FX fee; Pepperstone lets you hold AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, SGD or HKD to avoid repeated conversion.
- Deposits and withdrawals: all Pepperstone Australian methods are free; IC Markets says it adds no fees, though international wires may carry bank charges.
- Overnight swaps: charged by every broker on leveraged positions held past rollover; check each instrument's rate in the platform.
Sources
Does Pepperstone charge commission on index CFDs?
No. Its Australian index fee page lists spreads only, for example AUS200 at 1.5 points and US500 at 0.4 points on average for Razor.
What is the cheapest way to trade ASX shares as CFDs at Pepperstone?
Either account: Australian share CFDs cost 0.07% per side with no minimum, on Standard and Razor alike.
Does Pepperstone charge for crypto CFDs?
No commission; the cost is the spread, for example BTC/USD at a 15.15 average on Razor.
Cheap trading is still risky trading. CFDs are leveraged and losses can build fast. Fees here are as published by each broker and may change; read the PDS before you open an account. Not investment advice.