Top CFD Brokers and Reviews

Choosing a CFD broker is one of the most fundamental and basic decisions any trader has to take, and while it is far from final, the choice traders make at an early stage in their trading career is an important one. You could be forgiven for thinking that every CFD broker is similar in the range of services it offers, and in the way it structures these services for clients, but unfortunately the nature of competition means that some brokers are definitely better than others. What's more, with the recent explosion in the sheer number of CFD brokers appearing on the scene, it has never been more important to compare and contrast the various different options on several key criteria.

Broker Name

Spreads

Rating

DMA

Bonus

Mobile

Reviews

1-2

Market leader in CFD trading providing the most advance platform with DMA access for equities and free access to the Autochartist package, worth $49 a month.

1-2

Capital CFDs is cheap to trade, with competitive spreads available on a wide range of markets, and also lends itself to more profitable CFD trading with a low margin.

1-2

For customers signing up with InterTrader to make their first deposit, a bonus of up to £1,000 is payable, as a 10% top up on the sum of your initial capital deposit.

1-2

Provide inexpensive CFD execution, with the ability to add on a traditional advisory stockbroking services and pride themselves on relationships with their clients.

2-4

Spread Co offer a dedicated Relationship Manager along with a simple and improved CFD trading platform.

4-6

CityIndex offer market news, research and real time quotes to all CFD traders. Commission rate starting at £5 per trade for a limited time for new account holders.

*All listed CFD brokers are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

How A Good CFD Broker Affects Trading Success

Spend any length of time searching for information on which broker to choose for CFD trading and you'll encounter the assertion that broker choice is an important success criterion for any trader. At first, this might sound bemusing - why, after all, should the CFD provider have any bearing on the success or otherwise of the investment actions of the trader? Isn't it just the case that brokers are incidental, rather than instrumental, in the success of any individual trader?

While there is much to be said for personal accountability in CFD trading success, the reality is that brokers can make a huge difference to your trading fortunes, although often in subtle ways. By choosing a good broker from the outset, you can set yourself up with the best chance of personal, long-term success with CFDs.

Keeping Trading Costs Low

The first, and perhaps the most tangible way in which a broker can affect your CFD trading fortunes is through the cost of transacting - both in terms of the broker commission and the financing costs for your leveraged portions. Every pound extra you pay in costs to the broker is a pound harder your positions have to work to earn a profit, and over the years, with thousands of transactions, even the slightest of difference in trading cost can work out to be significant. A good broker for most traders will be one with low trading commissions and costs, although that isn't always transparent from the outset.

Make sure you look beyond the headline commission rates and read the terms and conditions before signing up with a broker down the line. There is sufficient friction involved in the process of switching brokers that it makes sense to know everything there is to know about your broker's charging structure before committing your details (along with a credit check) to them.

Quality On-Going CFD Education from your Broker

Another key role your broker can play in your trading success is in the form of the tools and resources it provides to traders. These tend to be offered as a differentiating factor between different brokers who are essentially competing for the same market share, but the difference in quality and value between these tools and resources often differs greatly. By choosing a broker with the fullest possible range of resources and analysis tools, you can give yourself the best chance of being equipped to handle the toughest of trading environments. If knowledge is the key to a successful mindset, the tools to apply that knowledge is key to a successful application of trading principles, and in this regard brokers can add significant value to traders' success.

Facilitating Efficient, Intuitive Trading

Finally, and arguably the most important role of the Contracts For Difference broker is to facilitate efficient trading through an intuitive, easy to use interface. If you're having to spend time fishing in awkward places for order or market data, chances are you're with the wrong platform - time delays can cost you money and lead to inefficiencies in your trading process. Brokers that have well-designed platforms that focus on making it easier for the trader to access the market can have a profound impact on your ability to trade successfully, and rest assured that while not every broker understands the importance of a trader-friendly platform, most invest significantly in improving these trading conditions in a bid to breed wider spread success amongst their clients.

The impact of a good CFD broker on your trading fortunes should not be underestimated, and for the time and effort it takes to source a good, reliable and trader-focused broker, it's a worthwhile investment. By putting in the legwork first time round and making sure you settle on the best possible CFD broker for your trading objectives, you can help minimise hassle at a later stage, while maximising your trading returns today.