OANDA vs Pepperstone Comparison – 2025

Top Reasons to Choose OANDA or Pepperstone

Based on our assessment, OANDA is best suited for beginners looking for a modest selection of markets, a user-friendly trading platform, and high-quality research and educational materials. On the other hand, Pepperstone caters more to advanced traders who prioritize comprehensive research tools and a diverse range of instruments, while also providing excellent educational resources for beginners.

OANDA: Snapshot

Founded in 1996, OANDA is licensed by nine financial authorities, including five Tier-1 regulators. The broker offers over 100 tradable instruments through MT4, TradingView, and OANDA’s proprietary web platform, as well as mobile apps. Its dedicated in-house team, along with Autochartist and Dow Jones News, provides trading signals and market research.

OANDA: Who is it For?

OANDA caters to beginner traders seeking a feature-rich yet user-friendly trading experience with the OANDA Trade web and mobile platforms, as well as TradingView. Advanced traders may benefit from the MT4 and MT5 platforms, enhanced by market research from MarketPulse. Note that the platforms and products available can vary significantly depending on the region.

What Makes OANDA Stand Out?

OANDA stands out by offering a more comprehensive suite of trading platforms than most other brokers. The research from its in-house team, along with insights from Market Pulse, is also better than the industry average. Additionally, the broker stands out with its licensing from five Tier-1 regulators worldwide.

Pepperstone: Snapshot

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Pepperstone has expanded globally with offices in London, Cyprus, Germany, Dubai, and Kenya. The broker is licensed by seven financial authorities, including four Tier-1 regulators. Pepperstone offers access to over 1,200 tradable instruments across platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, along with a comprehensive suite of educational resources.

Pepperstone: Who is it For?

Pepperstone is ideal for beginners looking to enhance their trading skills through diverse educational resources, including articles, video tutorials, courses, and live trading webinars. The broker also caters to advanced traders by providing access to four professional trading platforms and integrating third-party research and analytical tools from Autochartist. Stock traders will appreciate the nearly 1,000 stock CFDs available.

What Makes Pepperstone Stand Out?

Pepperstone stands out as a well-regulated broker, boasting licenses from seven financial authorities, including four Tier-1 regulators. Furthermore, it offers an extensive selection of global stock CFDs, third-party research tools, comprehensive educational resources, and customer support that exceeds industry standards.

Trust

OANDA vs Pepperstone Trust and Regulation Comparison

OANDA, established in 1996, is one of the largest and most experienced brokers in the forex industry. It operates through five entities regulated by Tier-1 authorities, including the FCA (UK), CFTC/NFA (U.S.), ASIC (Australia), IIROC (Canada), and MAS (Singapore). Additionally, two entities are regulated by Tier-2 authorities — the FFAJ (Japan) and KNF (Poland) — while another falls under a Tier-3 regulator, the FSA (British Virgin Islands). Tier-1 regulation ensures the highest level of investor protection, fund security, and transparency.

Established in 2010, Pepperstone is regulated by four Tier-1 authorities: CySEC (Cyprus), FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and BaFin (Germany). The broker also holds a Tier-2 license from the DFSA (Dubai) and two Tier-3 licenses from the CMA (Kenya) and SCB (Bahamas). Client funds are kept in segregated Tier-1 banks, and Pepperstone maintains a strong commitment to transparency, particularly regarding trading fees and fund security policies.

Fees

OANDA vs Pepperstone Spreads, Fees and Commissions Comparison

Using OANDA’s commission-free Standard CFD Account, our analysis found that the EUR/USD spread averaged 0.8 pips throughout the London and New York sessions, which is lower than the industry average of 1.08 pips. Swap fees and account-related fees are in line with industry standards. There is a £10 monthly inactivity fee for accounts dormant for 12 months. While credit card withdrawals are free, bank wire withdrawals incur a £10 fee.

With Pepperstone’s commission-free Standard CFD Account, we found that the spread for EUR/USD averaged 1.05 pips across the London and New York sessions, which aligns with the industry average of 1.08 pips. However, more competitive pricing is available through the Razor account, where spreads start from 0.0 pips. Unlike OANDA, Pepperstone does not charge inactivity fees.

For more options, you can also check out our list of the best forex brokers with the lowest spreads.

Platforms and Tools

OANDA vs Pepperstone Trading Platforms Comparison

OANDA offers a broad selection of trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, TradingView, and OANDA Trade, available on web and mobile devices. However, platform availability varies by region. OANDA Trade and TradingView are best suited for beginners, featuring a user-friendly interface and intuitive trading tools. Meanwhile, MT4 and MT5 cater to advanced and algorithmic traders, offering a steeper learning curve but greater customization and automation capabilities.

Pepperstone provides a diverse range of platforms, including MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView, all accessible on desktop, web, and mobile. TradingView is particularly well-suited for novice traders, featuring a wide selection of technical indicators, multiple chart types, and various timeframes. For advanced traders, MT4, MT5, and cTrader offer powerful tools for algorithmic trading, with cTrader specifically optimized for high-frequency, short-term strategies. Additionally, beginners can utilize Autochartist for trading insights and idea generation.

Tradable Instruments

OANDA vs Pepperstone Instruments Selection Comparison

OANDA provides a modest yet solid selection of over 100 financial CFD instruments across multiple global asset classes. This range is particularly well-suited for beginner to intermediate traders. The broker offers an above-average selection of CFDs on currency pairs, commodities, and indices. Additionally, CFDs on shares and cryptocurrencies are available through its offshore entity, though they are not currently offered under the UK entity.

Pepperstone provides access to over 1,200 financial CFD instruments spanning global asset classes, catering to a diverse range of traders. A unique feature for forex traders is the ability to trade currency indices like the US Dollar Index and the Euro Currency Index, options not commonly offered by many other brokers.

Customer Support

OANDA vs Pepperstone Customer Support Comparison

OANDA offers 24/5 customer support via phone, WhatsApp, live chat, and email. Live chat proved to be the fastest option, with responses typically received within seconds. Email inquiries were answered within a day, and the support agents were knowledgeable and helpful. My experience with phone support was also positive — after navigating a few automated prompts, I was able to reach a well-informed representative within minutes.

Pepperstone provides round-the-clock customer support through phone, live chat, and email. Both live chat and telephone services were swift, connecting us to an agent in under a minute. Email inquiries received responses within 24 hours. The agents provided valuable assistance.

Research

OANDA vs Pepperstone Research Tools Comparison

OANDA’s Market Pulse website offers regularly updated news and research. Its dedicated in-house research team offers insightful analysis covering fundamentals, market themes, and technical analysis across global markets. The ‘Week Ahead’ articles offer a forward-looking perspective on markets, which can be particularly useful for beginner traders.

Pepperstone provides extensive market research in both written and video formats, presented by its in-house analysts. The chief market analyst at the broker delivers insightful analysis of high-impact news events and market commentary, with a focus on technical analysis that generates actionable trading ideas. Furthermore, Pepperstone offers the Autochartist research tool, which automatically generates signals when significant technical chart patterns emerge on major markets. These tools are suitable for both beginner and advanced traders.

Deposits & Withdrawals

OANDA vs Pepperstone Deposit and Withdrawal Methods Comparison

OANDA offers fee-free deposits via bank wire transfer and credit/debit cards. Bank wire transfers take the longest to process, typically 1 to 3 business days, while other methods are processed instantly. Withdrawals are typically completed within 1 to 5 business days. Withdrawals to credit/debit cards are fee-free, while bank wire transfers incur a £10 fee.

Pepperstone offers three deposit and withdrawal options free of charge via various channels. Deposits via bank wire transfer typically take 1 to 3 working days to process, while Visa/Mastercard transactions are instantaneous. PayPal deposits are also instant, but withdrawals via PayPal usually take 1 to 3 working days to process.

Account Types and Terms

OANDA vs Pepperstone Account Types Comparison

OANDA offers three account types: Standard, Islamic, and Professional. UK residents can also open a Spread Betting account, which is exempt from stamp duty and capital gains tax. However, OANDA does not offer swap-free Islamic accounts. Demo accounts are available for beginners to test the broker’s platform and services. The Standard account is commission-free, can be funded in EUR, HKD, SGD, AUD, CHF, and USD, and is suitable for most traders. Professional accounts are available for eligible traders, offering increased leverage and other benefits.

Pepperstone offers two account options: Standard and Razor. The Standard Account, tailored for beginners, allows commission-free trading in micro-lots. The Razor Account is geared towards advanced traders, offering lower spreads and an industry-standard commission. Importantly, exclusive access to the TradingView platform is available only with the Razor Account. The broker also offers Islamic and Demo account options.

Education

OANDA vs Pepperstone Educational Content Comparison

OANDA offers various educational resources through articles, video tutorials, and live webinars. It encompasses four main categories: Getting Started, Tools and Strategies, Capital Management, and Live/Recorded Webinars. The quality of content is above the industry average and primarily aimed at beginner and intermediate traders.

Pepperstone provides extensive educational materials, including articles, video tutorials, courses, and live trading webinars. The content is well-curated, offering valuable insights and catering to traders of all expertise levels. Additionally, the platform hosts regular webinars conducted by experienced traders and educators, which delve into topics such as price action trading in detail.

Our Methodology

Since 2011, FX Empire has developed a detailed methodology for evaluating CFD brokers, involving over 250 variables across nine crucial categories. Our team of experts, with deep industry knowledge, conducts live testing and research by interacting with the brokers directly. We check regulations, open accounts, test spreads, account costs, platform functionality, instrument variety, customer support reliability, and the quality of research and educational content. This granular analysis helps us identify each broker’s strengths and weaknesses, keeping our comparisons current with market trends and ensuring our guides meet traders’ needs.

We strive to evaluate each broker objectively, considering how their offerings align with the diverse trading goals and preferences of our readers. Our focus is on providing a balanced overview of each broker’s strengths and weaknesses. This method ensures that our readers receive clear, insightful comparisons to aid in making well-informed trading decisions.

We employ a comprehensive rating system across nine key categories:

• Trust
• Fees
• Platforms and Tools
• Tradable Instruments
• Customer Support
• Research
• Deposits and Withdrawals
• Account Types and Terms
• Education

In each category, we conduct an in-depth analysis for both brokers, outlining features, advantages, and disadvantages and determining their suitability for different trader profiles. By blending insights from our extensive reviews with first-hand experiences and observations, we ensure each comparison is balanced, informative, and tailored to the trader’s unique needs. You can read more about our review process here.

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