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How We Compare Brokers
Our rating method, published first — before we list a single broker. When we do, this is the yardstick.
We are building broker comparisons the right way round: the method first, the rankings second. This page sets out the criteria we will use so that any future comparison can be checked against a fixed, transparent standard rather than commercial convenience. No broker cards or rankings appear here yet — they will only be added once we have verified data and a live, disclosed relationship.
What we will measure
- Regulation and safety. The specific licensed entity you would open with, its regulator, and client-money protections. A strong regulator carries the most weight.
- Real all-in trading cost. Typical spread plus commission, converted to a single cost per trade for a like-for-like instrument — using our own spread cost calculator — rather than a headline “from 0.0 pips”.
- Execution and platform. Order types, available platforms, and whether contract specifications (lot sizes, point values, margin) are published clearly.
- Funding and withdrawals. Methods, fees, and documented withdrawal reliability.
- Transparency. Whether the broker publishes its retail-loss rate and contract specs openly.
How scoring will work
Each criterion will carry a fixed weight, applied the same way to every broker, with the score and the date the data was captured shown on the page. We will publish the weights. A broker's position will be driven by that score — not by any commission it pays us.
Why no “best broker” list yet
An empty or invented ranking would be worse than none: it would mislead you and breach the standards we hold ourselves to. Until we have verified, dated data and a disclosed partnership, the most useful thing we can do is show you the math behind trading costs and let you compare your own broker. Our calculators do exactly that.