Best Low Spread Forex Brokers

Total-cost methodology: how we compare spreads and commissions

Step 1 — convert the spread to money. One pip on a standard lot (100,000 units) of EUR/USD is worth $10, so a 1.0-pip spread costs $10 per round-turn trade before any commission. For a mini lot divide by 10, for a micro lot by 100. For pairs not quoted in USD the pip value changes with the exchange rate, so we use EUR/USD as the common benchmark.

Step 2 — add the commission. Raw accounts quote commission per side or per round turn; we normalise everything to round turn. FP Markets' $3 per side becomes $6, Blueberry Markets' $3.50 per side becomes $7, and Tickmill and Exness are recorded as $6 and $7 per round lot respectively. Standard accounts add $0.

Step 3 — find the break-even. Raw is cheaper whenever (raw spread × $10) + commission is less than (standard spread × $10). Rearranged, raw wins when the live raw spread is below the standard spread minus commission ÷ $10. For Tickmill that is 1.6 − 0.6 = 1.0 pip; for FP Markets 1.0 − 0.6 = 0.4 pips; for Blueberry Markets 1.0 − 0.7 = 0.3 pips. Exness is the exception at the dataset figures: its 0.2-pip Standard spread is already below the $7 commission equivalent of 0.7 pips, so on our data the Standard account is the cheaper choice there unless the Standard spread widens past 0.7 pips.

What the method leaves out: swaps (relevant only if you hold overnight), slippage (which can exceed the spread on news), deposit and withdrawal fees, and inactivity fees. Our dataset records a $20 monthly inactivity fee at Blueberry Markets when volume is under 15 lots a month, none at FP Markets, and dormancy-based fees at Tickmill and Exness after several months; check the current fee schedule of the entity serving you.

Understanding Spreads and Commissions

In forex trading, the spread is the difference between the bid and ask price. Brokers offering standard accounts charge no commission and instead build their revenue into a wider spread — 1.0 pip or more on EUR/USD at FP Markets and Blueberry Markets and 1.6 pips on Tickmill's Classic account in our dataset, though Exness records 0.2 pips on Standard.

Raw accounts charge a separate commission (typically $3 to $3.50 per side, or $6 to $7 per round lot on this page) and pass through a spread that can reach 0.0 pips in liquid hours. This model is almost always cheaper for active traders, but only if the live raw spread stays inside the break-even shown in the table.

Measure before you commit: open both account types on a demo, record the spread at the hours you trade, and apply the formula above. Server location (Equinix NY4 or LD4/LD5) reduces slippage only if your own connection is close to the same facility.