Last Update: April 12th, 2024

The 10 Best UK Spread Betting Brokers and Platforms – Rated and Reviewed. We have researched several brokers that offer competitive trading conditions suited specifically to those who want to participate in this trading option.

In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn:

• The Best UK Spread Betting Broker and Platforms – a List
• What is Spread Betting in Forex? – Explained
• Is Spread Betting Legal and Regulated in the UK?
• Is Spread Betting in the UK Suitable for Beginners?
• Can Spread Betting be Profitable?
• How does a Spread Bet Work?
• Spread Betting vs Forex Trading
• Is Forex Spread Betting Tax Free?
• Spread Betting Strategies

and much, MUCH more!

10 Best UK Spread Betting Brokers and Platforms – a Comparison

10 Best UK Spread Betting Brokers and Platforms (2024)

1. ☑️ AvaTrade – Overall, The Best Broker for Spread Betting in the UK
2. ☑️ FXCM – 4 Asset Classes from 7p per Point
3. ☑️ City Index – Low-Cost Spread Betting Platform
4. ☑️ Pepperstone – Four Spread Betting Asset Classes and High Leverage
5. ☑️ CMC Markets – Spread Bet Over 12,000 Markets at 0% Commission
6. ☑️ FXPro – Best Spread Bet Trading App
7. ☑️ IG – 17,000+ Spread Betting Markets
8. ☑️ Markets.com – User-Friendly Spread Betting Platform + TradingView Charts
9. ☑️ Oanda – Best Spread Betting for Beginners
10. ☑️ Vantage Markets – Leading Spread Betting Broker for Professional Traders

AvaTrade

AvaTrade is a spread betting platform based in the UK, offering traders an opportunity to earn tax-free income by engaging in long and short positions on diverse assets such as equities, indexes, and currency pairings.

The platform is renowned for its commitment to a cost-effective trading environment with excellent leverage options. Furthermore, AvaTrade waives extra fees like those arising from currency conversion activities.

Pros and Cons

FXCM

To start, FXCM offers spread betting as a tax-free and commission-free entry point into financial markets for UK traders.  Furthermore, FXCM emphasizes the lack of asset ownership in transactions and offers a wide range of instruments that can be traded tax-free.

FXCM allows for small investments and offers award-winning customer service to offer all types of traders a frictionless trading experience.

Pros and Cons

City Index

As a reputable broker, City Index offers tax-free access to hundreds of financial markets. City Index is well-known for its competitive spreads and award-winning technologies.

Using this City Index can assure price transparency and speed of execution. Furthermore, their dedication to providing a tax-efficient trading solution is complemented by a comprehensive range of over 8,500 markets.

Pros and Cons

Pepperstone

UK traders have access to automated trading, tax-free earnings, and access to premium platforms, including MT4, MT5, and cTrader.

As a reputable spread betting broker in the UK, Pepperstone is known for its low latency and competitive spreads, ensuring that deals are executed quickly.

Pepperstone also prides itself in being a No-Dealing Desk Broker (NDD) regulated by the FCA and several other reputable entities. Pepperstone offers a safe trading environment and a dynamic trading experience to UK Spread Betting traders.

Pros and Cons

CMC Markets

A tax-free spread betting platform for various markets, including Forex, indices, and commodities is provided by CMC Markets.

This Broker is well-known for its reasonable spreads and award-winning platform. Furthermore, CMC Markets offers UK traders the tools and risk management features they need to trade in a competitive market.

In addition, CMC Markets’ 100% automated execution and vast market access make it a top choice for spread betting traders in the UK and Ireland.

Pros and Cons

FxPro

A novel and innovative spread betting tool, FxPro Edge, is made available to all UK traders who want to participate in this trading approach.

Furthermore, FxPro offers tax-free trading, low and competitive spreads, and limited-risk accounts that can be registered free of charge. FxPro’s robust platform is ideal for novices and experts regardless of their unique trading strategies.

Pros and Cons

IG

Often cited as the world’s leading spread betting service, IG lets UK traders trade tax-free in over 17,000 markets.

Furthermore, IG’s platform is known for flawless execution and broad market coverage, allowing traders to profit from rising and declining markets.

Pros and Cons

Markets.com

With its award-winning platform, Markets.com offers a clear and comprehensive trading experience.  It is committed to transparency, minimal spreads, and lightning-fast execution.

These features appeal to traders seeking a simple and effective spread betting experience.  Markets.com’s comprehensive portfolio, which includes CFDs on Forex, Commodities, and Indices.

Pros and Cons

OANDA

A tax-free spread betting sub-account for over 100 products, including key forex pairs and indexes is on offer.  Furthermore, OANDA’s sophisticated trading platforms, which include OANDA Trade and MT4, are supplemented by extensive charting and analytical tools.

Overall, OANDA’s dedication to delivering a comprehensive trading solution is seen in its diverse forex offers and low-margin rates, attracting new and experienced traders from the United Kingdom.

Pros and Cons

Vantage Markets

Vantage Markets offers tax-free spread betting in the UK and Ireland, allowing for speculation on financial product price fluctuations without ownership. Their offerings include commission-free trading and competitive spreads, allowing traders to optimize prospective gains.

This means that traders can easily go long or short. Vantage Markets allows traders to navigate volatile markets effectively while taking advantage of the tax benefits it affords.

Furthermore, Vantage Markets’ platform is extremely user-friendly, and the promise of tax-free returns makes it a go-to platform for traders looking to leverage the potential of spread betting in their investing portfolio.

Pros and Cons

What is Spread Betting?

Placing a Spread bet is an innovative trading approach that lets individuals profit from the fluctuation of asset values without owning the underlying asset.

At its core, it lets traders speculate on whether prices will rise or fall in various markets like stocks, indexes, commodities, and currencies.

What sets it apart from other trading approaches, especially in the United Kingdom, is that earnings are rarely subject to capital gains tax, which makes it a tax-efficient option for these traders.

Furthermore, it allows traders to use leverage to increase their profits (or losses) based on their initial investment. However, this can be extremely risky.

Finally, it includes various financial products, allowing traders to navigate unpredictable markets or safeguard their current investments. Overall, spread betting is a dynamic trading method that mixes strategy, speculation, and financial expertise.

How to Choose the Right UK Broker

Selecting the right broker in the UK is crucial for traders looking to navigate the complexities of financial markets with confidence and ease. This process involves considering several factors, each of which significantly determines if a broker aligns with your specific trading needs and goals.

Regulations and Safety

Regulatory compliance is one of the most important factors to consider. A broker regulated by reputable institutions like the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ensures traders strict security, transparency, and fairness.

Therefore, regulations (especially that through the FCA) establish a foundation of trust between traders and their brokers.

Trading Platform and Tools

You must evaluate the trading platform and the available tools. An ideal platform is intuitive but robust. Furthermore, it offers a balance of simplicity for beginners and depth for experienced traders.

Trading Fees

The cost of trading, including spreads and other fees, is another crucial consideration. Competitive spreads can enhance trading profitability, especially for frequent or high-volume traders.

Furthermore, look out for hidden costs, such as withdrawal or inactivity fees, which could affect your profits.

Range of Markets

To ensure you can diversify your portfolio, consider a broker with a vast range of tradable instruments.

Most top brokers offer a wide range of markets, including major currency pairs, indices, commodities, and stocks, providing traders ample opportunities to spread bets across various asset classes.

Educational Resources and Support

Educational resources and customer support are invaluable to traders. Therefore, brokers who offer comprehensive training programs, such as webinars, tutorials, and guides, demonstrate a commitment to their clients’ success.

Similarly, responsive and knowledgeable customer support can provide peace of mind by ensuring assistance is available, especially 24/7 customer support that works over weekends.

Benefits of Spread Betting in the UK

One of the most significant advantages is its tax efficiency. Profits are not subject to capital gains tax, providing traders with a substantial incentive. This tax-free benefit can lead to significant savings, particularly for frequent traders or those making substantial gains. Furthermore:

• It allows traders to speculate on both rising and falling markets. This flexibility enables traders to profit from market downturns as well as upswings, offering opportunities in various market conditions
• Another advantage is the use of leverage. These Account Types often offer leverage, allowing traders to open larger positions than their capital would typically allow. While leverage can amplify profits, it is important to recognize that it also increases the risk of losses.
• It provides access to diverse markets from a single platform.

Traders can diversify their portfolios by speculating on price movements across multiple financial instruments, including forex, stocks, indices, and commodities, without requiring multiple trading accounts or platforms.

In Conclusion

According to our extensive research, the best UK brokers and platforms to Spread bet provide a combination of regulatory compliance, innovative trading tools, competitive pricing, varied market access, and comprehensive instructional and support services.

However, in our experience, while the benefits are very clear, such as tax savings and the capacity to leverage, we urge traders to approach it with an understanding of the possible risks.

Furthermore, these include those related to leverage and market volatility. Therefore, traders must always consider their specific trading objectives and risk tolerance.

Overall, we can conclude that the best option differs by individual, which is why thorough research is necessary and why traders must use demo accounts to test the broker’s platform and view their trading conditions in risk-free simulated environments.

You might also like:

AvaTrade Review

FXCM Review

City Index Review

Pepperstone Review

CMC Markets Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What is spread betting?

Spread betting is a financial derivative that lets you speculate on an underlying asset’s price movement (such as stocks or currency) without owning it. In essence, you speculate whether the price will increase or decrease.

Can I lose more than my deposit while spread betting?

Yes, spread betting’s leveraged nature means your losses might surpass your initial deposit.

What features should I look for in a spread betting platform?

When selecting a platform, consider factors like regulation (from the FCA), accessible markets, platform features, educational materials, customer support availability, and overall quality.