Best Forex Mini Account Brokers
Forex trading can seem intimidating for new or budget-conscious traders. However, forex trading has become increasingly accessible to investors, thanks to the introduction of mini accounts. These accounts allow investors to trade smaller lot sizes, reducing risk while providing valuable market experience.
As such, forex and CFD brokers that offer these types of accounts are becoming more preferable to traders. Fortunately, there are several well-regarded brokers that offer mini accounts to their traders.
In this article, we will cover some of the best forex mini account brokers that traders can consider. We will explore their features, pros and cons, and what to look for when choosing a mini account forex broker.
What is a Forex Mini Account?
A forex mini account is a type of trading account that allows traders to trade in smaller units than standard accounts. In forex trading, currencies are traded in lots, with a standard lot being 100,000 units of the base currency. A mini account, however, allows trading in mini lots, which are 10,000 units of the base currency.
On some broker sites, mini accounts offer a lower minimum deposit compared to other accounts. This further lowers the entry level, making it an even more appealing offer to traders. But how do you even pick the best forex broker with a mini account? Let’s look at some of the factors traders should consider.
Key Features to Consider in a Forex Mini Account Broker
Selecting the right forex broker with a mini account is crucial for a positive trading experience. Below are some of the factors that traders can consider when choosing a broker with a mini account:
- Regulation - The most vital factor to consider is the regulation of a broker. Traders should ensure the broker they choose is under the regulation of organisations such as the FCA, the ASIC, the CySEC, and other reputable authorities.
- Spreads and Commissions - It is very important to understand the broker's pricing structure. Some brokers offer variable or fixed spreads, while others charge commissions in addition to spreads. Lower spreads and commissions reduce your trading costs, especially for active traders.
- Trading Platform and Tools - The trading platform should be intuitive and easy to navigate. Look for reliable, user-friendly platforms like MetaTrader 4/5, cTrader, or the broker’s proprietary software. A good broker should also offer mobile trading platforms, allowing you to manage your trades on the go.
- Available Instruments - Besides forex, check if the broker offers other products like indices, stocks, metals, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and others. This will allow you to diversify your trading if you want.
These are just some of the important factors that traders can consider when selecting a mini account forex broker. To further narrow down the choice, consider your own individual needs and financial status. With that said, let’s now take a look at some of the best forex mini account brokers.
Pepperstone
Pepperstone is one of the top mini account brokers today. This broker provides the flexibility to trade in standard (1.0 lot), mini (0.1 lot), and micro (0.01 lot) sizes. The maximum trade size is 100 lots. Both the minimum and the maximum trade sizes are available on the two accounts offered by Pepperstone. There is no minimum deposit requirement for either of the two accounts.
Speaking of trading accounts, Pepperstone offers two main accounts for traders to choose from. These include the Standard and the Razor accounts. The Standard account offers traders spreads from as low as 1.0 pips for major currency pairs with no commissions charged. In contrast, the Razor account features raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus a commission that depends on the trading platform that a client uses.
MetaTrader 4 and 5 users pay a commission of $3.50, €2.60, £2.25, or CHF 3.30 per lot per side, depending on their account currency. The same $3.50 per side per lot commission applies to users of TradingView and the Pepperstone Trading Platform. For clients trading on TradingView, cTrader, or the Pepperstone Trading Platform with a non-USD account, commissions are automatically converted to the account's currency at the current exchange rate.
These two accounts allow traders to access the full suite of market products offered by Pepperstone, totalling over 1,400 assets. Specifically, this broker offers access to CFDs on forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, and ETFs.
On regulations, Pepperstone operates under the oversight of several well-regarded organisations around the world. These include the FCA in the UK, the CySEC in Cyprus, the ASIC in Australia, the DFSA in the DIFC, and the BaFin in Germany, among others.
75.3% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Exness
Exness is one of the largest forex brokers in the world today, which allows for trading in mini lots. This broker supports a minimum trade size of just 0.01 lots across all five account types, making mini lot trading (0.1 lots) possible as well. This makes it very flexible for trading newcomers and budget-conscious traders. The maximum trade size on this broker site is a fairly high 200 lots per position.
Exness offers several account types, including Standard, Standard Cent, Raw Spread, Zero, and Pro accounts. These accounts define the fee structures involved in trading. The Standard account features spreads starting from as low as 0.2 pips on major currency pairs, with no commission fees. Similarly, the Standard Cent account offers spreads from 0.3 pips on major pairs, also without any commission. Standard accounts on Exness require a low minimum deposit of just $10.
The Pro account provides even tighter spreads, beginning at 0.1 pips, and has no commissions. On the other hand, the Raw Spread account delivers spreads from 0.0 pips but applies a commission of up to $3.50 per side per lot. Lastly, the Zero account offers zero spreads (from 0.0 pips) on the top 30 instruments, with commissions starting as low as $0.05 per side per lot. Professional accounts on Exness require a minimum deposit of $200*.
In terms of regulation, Exness operates under the authorisation and regulation of several reputable financial authorities worldwide. These include the CySEC in Cyprus, the FCA in the UK, the FSCA in South Africa, the CMA in Kenya, and the JSC in Jordan, among others. Please note that despite Exness having regulations in the EU and the UK, it does offer its services to retail traders in these jurisdictions.
Remember that Forex and CFDs available at Exness are leveraged products.
Their trading can result in the loss of your entire capital.
FP Markets
FP Markets is another solid option for traders looking for a forex mini account broker. Like Pepperstone, this broker supports a minimum trade size of just 0.01 lots, which is a micro lot. This means that traders are free to place also mini lot (0.1 lots) orders. This option is supported on both the Standard and the Raw accounts offered by the broker.
There are plenty of trading opportunities offered by FP Markets. This broker supports a deep collection of market products totalling over 10,000 different instruments. With this broker, traders can trade CFDs on forex, indices, metals, cryptocurrencies, commodities, stocks, bonds, and ETFs. The trading platforms available to use include MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView.
Regarding trading fees, the structure depends on the account a trader is on. The standard account offers clients spreads from 1.0 pips with no commission charged. On the other hand, the Raw account offers a spread from 0.0 pips plus a commission of $3 per side per lot. The minimum deposit to open an account with this broker is $100.
Further, the regulatory status of this broker is in good standing. The broker holds licenses from several organisations, including the ASIC in Australia, the CySEC in Cyprus, the FSCA in South Africa, and the CMA in Kenya, among others.
72.44% of retail CFD accounts lose money
XM
XM is another excellent broker that offers mini account trading options. This broker supports both mini and micro lots, allowing investors to trade ultra-low order sizes. Micro account trading is only available on the Standard and the Ultra Low accounts. Only the Shares account does not support micro account trading.
The spreads on this broker site depend on the trading account. The standard account has a spread that starts from 1.6 pips for major currency pairs with no commission charged. For traders seeking lower spreads, the XM Ultra Low account has a spread beginning at just 0.8 pips with no commission charged. The Shares account charges a commission depending on the share and the size of the trade.
The market products available on this broker site include CFDs on forex, equity indices, shares, cryptocurrencies, commodities, metals, stocks, and energies. In total, the broker supports trading of over 1,000 different market products. There are a variety of advanced trading platforms investors can use on this broker site, including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and XM’s trading app.
XM operates under strong regulatory frameworks. It is authorised and regulated by the ASIC, the CySEC, the DFSA, and the FSC in Belize. These multiple licenses ensure that XM adheres to strict operational and client protection standards worldwide.
75.18% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Forex.com
Forex.com is one of the top brokers that offers brokerage services to both US clients and international clients. On this broker site, the minimum trade size is 0.01 lots, which is a micro lot. The mini lot, being larger than a micro lot, is supported across all standard accounts. This flexibility allows both trading newcomers and smaller investors to manage their trading risks effectively.
Forex.com offers several types of accounts with competitive spreads. The Standard Account provides spreads starting from 0.8 pips, while the MetaTrader Account begins at 1.0 pips, both without any commission charges. Traders looking for tighter spreads can opt for the Raw Account, which features spreads from 0.0 pips. For traders outside the US, the Raw Account carries a $5 commission per $100,000 traded, whereas US-based traders are charged a slightly higher commission of $7 per $100,000 traded.
Notably, US clients also have access to a reduced number of market products compared to international traders. US clients can only trade forex, futures, and futures options on this broker site. On the other hand, international traders have access to a broader range of products, including CFDs on forex, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and precious metals. These instruments can be traded through various platforms, such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and Forex.com’s proprietary platform.
Forex.com benefits from the strong regulatory oversight of its parent company, StoneX. StoneX holds licenses from several top-tier regulators, including the FCA, the ASIC, the CySEC, the CIRO in Canada, and both the CFTC and NFA in the United States.
76-77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Tickmill
Tickmill is another top broker that supports mini account trading. With Tickmill, traders can open positions as small as 0.01 lots (a micro lot), making it ideal for those who want to trade mini lots (0.1 lots). This small minimum trade size is available across all major account types, including the Classic and the Two Raw accounts.
Regarding spreads, the Classic account provides spreads starting from 1.6 pips on major currency pairs without any commission. For traders looking for tighter spreads, Tickmill offers two raw spread account options, each with spreads from as low as 0.0 pips. The Raw account has a commission of $3 per side per lot, while the Tickmill Trader Raw account features a commission of $3.5 per side per lot.
Tickmill provides a broad range of market instruments, including CFDs on forex, stock indices, precious metals like gold, bonds, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Traders can access these markets through platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the Tickmill Trader platform.
From a regulatory standpoint, this broker adheres to the strict regulatory standards of several financial authorities. These include the FCA, the CySEC, the DFSA in Dubai, and the FSCA, among others.
71-74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Benefits of Trading with a Forex Mini Account
- Lower risk - The primary advantage of a mini account is the reduced risk per trade. Smaller trade sizes mean that even if a trade goes against you, the financial impact is limited.
- Affordability - Mini accounts make forex trading accessible to individuals who cannot afford the larger deposit requirements of standard accounts.
- Practice and experience - For new traders, mini accounts offer a valuable platform to practice trading strategies, learn market dynamics, and gain confidence without risking significant capital.
- Flexibility - Mini accounts allow traders to experiment with different financial instruments and trading strategies with minimal financial risk.
Closing Remarks
Trading forex with a mini account is a smart approach, whether you’re just starting out or cautiously exploring new strategies. By allowing traders to operate with smaller lot sizes, these accounts effectively reduce the financial risk associated with each trade. Nonetheless, choosing the right broker with a mini trading account can significantly enhance the trading experience. The brokers highlighted in this article represent some of the leading options for traders seeking forex mini accounts.
These brokers offer a range of features, including regulatory compliance, competitive spreads and commissions, user-friendly trading platforms, and a diverse selection of tradable instruments. Ultimately, the best forex mini account broker for you will depend on your individual trading goals, risk tolerance, and budget.
Top-Tier Trusted Brokers
The table below contains links to 3rd party websites of our top partners from whom we receive compensation at no additional cost to you.