Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs Alpari, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Established in 1996, OANDA stands out in the online trading world for its strong regulatory backing, holding seven Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. With a Trust Score of 93, OANDA is seen as a highly trusted broker, ensuring clients have the security and confidence they need when trading. Although it is neither publicly traded nor a bank, OANDA's longstanding presence and regulatory compliance make it a favorable option for traders.
In contrast, Alpari, founded in 1998, lacks the same regulatory depth, holding no Tier-1 licenses, which ForexBrokers.com considers essential for high trust. With a Trust Score of 68, Alpari falls into the high-risk category, which suggests a need for caution. Like OANDA, Alpari is not publicly traded and is not a bank, but its regulatory standing and trust score might be a concern for potential investors looking for strong, reliable oversight.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing OANDA and Alpari in terms of commissions and fees, both brokers offer distinct pricing structures. OANDA stands out for its automated execution but is known for relatively high trading costs, especially in terms of effective spreads. While not the cheapest option, OANDA's spreads are similar to those of FOREX.com and FxPro, yet slightly higher than brokers advertising sub-pip spreads. With its core pricing structure, OANDA provides lower spreads coupled with a commission of $5 per $100,000 traded, resulting in slightly better costs after accounting for commissions. For example, on the EUR/USD pair, the core pricing can bring the total cost down to 1.4 pips compared to 1.6 pips for default pricing, though this requires a $10,000 minimum deposit. OANDA also offers micro lots as low as 1 unit, and its Elite Trader program offers rebates and other perks for high-volume traders. Transparency is another key attribute, though the lack of fixed-period averages can make it harder to compare costs over time. OANDA earns a 4-star rating and ranks #34 out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
On the other hand, Alpari does not provide comprehensive average spread data, which can present challenges for potential investors trying to assess its cost-effectiveness. Despite this gap in available information, Alpari still secures a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees. It ranks slightly lower than OANDA at #41 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. This suggests that while Alpari is similarly rated in terms of user satisfaction, the lack of clear data could affect its appeal for those who prioritize transparency in trading costs.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.61 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.61 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing OANDA to Alpari in terms of available investments, several key differences emerge. OANDA offers an extensive selection with 3,928 tradeable symbols and 68 forex pairs, allowing traders a wide array of options to explore within the market. While both brokers provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, OANDA excels in cryptocurrency offerings by enabling clients to buy actual cryptocurrencies, unlike Alpari, which only offers cryptocurrency derivatives. Additionally, OANDA supports copy trading, mirroring Alpari's capability in this area.
Conversely, Alpari provides access to international exchange-traded securities, such as Vodafone shares on the London Stock Exchange, a feature not available with OANDA. However, Alpari's overall range of offerings is narrower, with only 105 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs. This limitation is reflected in its three-star rating and rank of 62nd out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for the range of investments, while OANDA holds a higher rank at 27th and receives a four-star rating.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3928 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 68 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing OANDA and Alpari on trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a plethora of features that cater to the needs of online traders. Each company offers a proprietary, in-house developed platform, ensuring a customized trading experience. Both OANDA and Alpari also extend their functionality with popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as access to copy trading. Additionally, both brokers support trading directly from stock charts. Notably, they both lack integrated features like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade. For simulated trading, both offer free virtual demo accounts, which is ideal for beginners honing their skills without risk.
However, in terms of charting tools, OANDA stands out with a significantly higher number of drawing tools, offering 431 compared to Alpari's 15. Regarding watch lists, Alpari provides a slight edge with 7 customizable columns against OANDA's 6. Despite both holding a commendable four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, OANDA is ranked 16th among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari sits further down the list at rank 55. These differences may influence traders depending on their priorities, such as the necessity for extensive charting tools or robust rankings.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 81 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 431 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing OANDA and Alpari, both brokers offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices. They're equipped with essential features like stock and forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. In terms of technical analyses, both apps provide users with 30 technical studies and allow for viewing different time frames from daily to intraday, offering a wide range of tools for technical chart analysis. Both apps lack watchlist symbol syncing, meaning changes in watchlists within the mobile app don’t reflect in the user's online account and vice versa. However, OANDA's app stands out with an auto-save feature for chart drawings, a functionality absent from Alpari's app.
OANDA and Alpari users can create watchlists with real-time quotes to keep track of their preferred stocks or forex pairs. Rating-wise, OANDA shines with a perfect five-star rating and a strong position at #7 among 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category per ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Alpari has a commendable but lower four-star rating, placing it at #56 in the same ranking. For those prioritizing top-tier mobile trading experiences and advanced charting features, OANDA's app may claim a slight edge given its user satisfaction and recognition in the industry.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research tools offered by OANDA and Alpari, several distinctions emerge that will interest traders. OANDA provides daily market commentary, which keeps traders informed with regular insights, while Alpari does not offer this feature. Both brokers supply forex news from esteemed sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that traders have access to crucial market developments. Additionally, both OANDA and Alpari include tools from Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis, but neither broker provides Trading Central’s analytics tools. A noteworthy advantage of OANDA is its sentiment-based trading tool, displaying the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments—a feature Alpari lacks.
Exploring further, both OANDA and Alpari offer an economic calendar to highlight global news events, aiding traders in making informed decisions based on upcoming announcements. However, neither broker offers market research from TipRanks nor tools like Signal Centre from Acuity Trading. Overall, OANDA excels with a research rating of five stars, ranking 5th among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, which underscores its comprehensive research resources. Meanwhile, Alpari holds a modest 3-star rating and ranks 57th, suggesting room for enhancement in its research offerings. These distinctions highlight OANDA’s superior research capabilities for traders seeking a reliable knowledge base.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, OANDA provides a comprehensive range of materials to boost your forex and CFD trading knowledge. They have more than ten educational articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing primarily on forex and CFDs. OANDA also hosts online educational webinars at least once a month and maintains a searchable archive of past webinars, offering ample opportunities for live and recorded learning. For those just starting, OANDA offers over ten beginner videos to help grasp trading basics. As you advance, you can access more than ten advanced videos that dive into complex trading topics. A well-stocked investor dictionary with clear definitions of at least fifty investing terms further enriches OANDA's learning resources. Reflecting these offerings, OANDA earns a 5-star rating for education and holds the 22nd rank among 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In comparison, Alpari also offers a set of educational tools to help new traders get started, with over ten educational pieces in the form of articles or videos dedicated to forex and CFDs. While they do provide more than ten beginner videos, Alpari falls short in other areas of their educational offering. The firm does not offer monthly webinars or access to a library of recorded sessions, which may limit the interactive and self-paced learning experience sought by many traders. Additionally, Alpari lacks in providing advanced educational videos for seasoned investors looking to expand their skills. Despite having an investor dictionary similar to OANDA's, these gaps result in Alpari being rated 3 stars for education and placed at the 48th rank by ForexBrokers.com, making OANDA the more well-rounded choice for beginner educational resources.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that OANDA is better than Alpari. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #12, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #57.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
OANDA
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Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 |
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OANDA provides investors with the capability to purchase actual cryptocurrencies as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Alpari only offers the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives without the delivery of the actual cryptocurrency.
OANDA stands out compared to Alpari by offering a broader range of payment options for depositing and withdrawing account funds, including ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal, while both brokers support Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire transfers.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | OANDA | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | Alpari | |
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| Regulation | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3928 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 68 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.61 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.61 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 81 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 431 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | OANDA Review |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review |
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