Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Spreadex 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.
When considering online brokers, Spreadex and Alpari each bring a unique profile to the table. Established in 1999, Spreadex holds a Tier-1 license, regarded as highly trusted by industry experts. With a Trust Score of 71 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, Spreadex is placed in the average risk category. However, it's important to note that Spreadex is privately held and not a bank, which may influence risk perception for some investors.
On the other hand, Alpari, founded in 1998, does not hold any Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses. Its Trust Score is slightly lower at 68, falling into the high-risk domain according to ForexBrokers.com. Like Spreadex, Alpari is neither publicly traded nor a bank, which may be a consideration for users when evaluating the overall reliability and security of their investments. Both brokers offer different levels of assurance, and these distinctions are key for those exploring online trading options.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Spreadex and Alpari offer competitive trading experiences with their respective approaches to commissions and fees. Spreadex boasts an average spread of 0.81 pips for EUR/USD as observed in January 2024, with spreads dropping to a minimum of 0.6 pips 60% of the time during that month. This pricing puts Spreadex in a favorable position, earning a 4-star rating for commissions and fees according to user reviews. In the ForexBrokers.com ranking, Spreadex is positioned at #27 out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
Alpari, while dedicated to providing a cost-effective trading platform, does not have specific average spread data available for analysis. Despite this, Alpari has similarly achieved a 4-star rating from users for its overall fees structure. Alpari's standing in the ForexBrokers.com rankings places it at #41 out of 62 brokers, showing a solid position in terms of pricing competitiveness within the industry.
In summary, both Spreadex and Alpari receive identical high ratings of 4 stars for commissions and fees. However, Spreadex distinguishes itself with transparent data and a slightly more favorable ranking at #27 compared to Alpari's #41. This makes Spreadex a potentially better option for traders focused on lower spreads and ranked performance.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.81 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the variety of investments, Spreadex shines with an extensive array of 10,000 tradeable symbols, vastly surpassing Alpari's 105 symbols. Both platforms offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. However, Spreadex provides a slightly higher selection, offering 52 forex pairs compared to Alpari's 46. For those interested in alternative investments, both Spreadex and Alpari offer cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither broker allows clients to buy actual cryptocurrencies.
Alpari differentiates itself by offering exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, such as shares on the London Stock Exchange, which Spreadex does not. Additionally, Alpari supports copy trading, a feature not available with Spreadex. Despite these offerings, Spreadex earns a 5-star rating for its expansive range of investments, ranking 13th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Alpari receives a 3-star rating, ranked last in the same category.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | 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 Spreadex and Alpari for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a free virtual demo account, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. Each broker has developed its own proprietary platform, but Alpari also offers Windows-based desktop software whereas Spreadex does not. Both platforms are accessible through web-based browsers. However, Alpari provides more options for platform variety with MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 support, neither of which are available on Spreadex. Alpari also distinguishes itself with copy trading capabilities, a service that is missing from Spreadex.
In terms of charting tools, both brokers let traders place orders directly from stock charts. Alpari offers a slight edge in technical drawing tools, with 15 compared to Spreadex's 11, though the exact number of technical indicators for charting is unspecified for both. Spreadex allows customization with eight columns for watch lists, one more than Alpari. Both are rated four stars for their trading platforms and tools, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks Spreadex slightly ahead at #46 out of 62 brokers, while Alpari stands at #55.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 11 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing mobile trading apps for Spreadex and Alpari, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps that provide essential features for traders. Users can receive stock or forex price alerts and draw trendlines on charts across different time frames in both apps. While neither platform offers watchlist symbol syncing between mobile and online accounts, traders can still create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, it's worth noting that neither app automatically saves chart drawings, which could impact the convenience for some users.
In terms of charting tools, Alpari provides 30 technical studies, although Spreadex does not specify the number of available studies. Both brokers earn four stars for their mobile trading apps, reflecting user satisfaction, although Spreadex ranks slightly higher at #46 compared to Alpari's #56 among 62 brokers rated by ForexBrokers.com. This suggests a marginal edge for Spreadex in overall mobile trading app performance.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | N/A | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing online brokers Spreadex and Alpari for market research, it's clear that Spreadex offers a more comprehensive suite of services. Both brokers provide forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with high-quality information. They also both offer advanced analytic tools from the company Autochartist. However, Spreadex distinguishes itself by offering daily market commentary and a sentiment-based trading tool that highlights long or short positions across currency pairs, giving traders additional insights. These features are not available with Alpari, which may be a consideration for traders seeking a more holistic approach to market analysis.
Furthermore, both brokers provide an economic calendar that tracks global financial news events. Despite similarities, the added features in Spreadex's offering result in a higher research rating and industry ranking compared to Alpari. Spreadex holds a 4-star research rating and is ranked #31 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari has a 3-star rating and is ranked #57. This comparative analysis suggests that Spreadex may offer a more robust research experience for traders looking for in-depth tools and insights in the online forex trading space.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
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, both Spreadex and Alpari offer a solid foundation for newcomers interested in forex and CFDs. Each broker provides a minimum of ten educational pieces such as articles, videos, or archived webinars focused on forex or CFDs, ensuring beginners have access to essential information to kickstart their trading journey. They also both feature at least ten beginner-specific educational videos, offering straightforward guidance to ease novices into the trading world. Additionally, both brokers provide an investor dictionary that contains definitions of over fifty investing terms, allowing users to become familiar with trading language.
Despite these similarities, there are distinctions in how these brokers are perceived for education. Spreadex is rated 4 stars for its educational content, slightly edging out Alpari, which holds a 3-star rating. Moreover, ForexBrokers.com ranks Spreadex at #45, while Alpari is positioned a little lower at #48 out of 62 brokers in the Education category. However, neither broker hosts monthly online educational webinars or maintains a searchable archive of past webinars. While each has room for improvement, beginners can still gain significant foundational knowledge through their educational offerings.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | 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 Spreadex is better than Alpari. Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #39, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #57.
Spreadex is an FCA-regulated broker in the UK, offering forex and CFDs, and is well known for its sports betting business, and proprietary web trading platforms. Spreadex still has considerable room to improve, in key categories such as research and education, compared to the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 71 | 68 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platform & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Spreadex and Alpari do not offer the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they each provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Neither Spreadex nor Alpari support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal for deposits and withdrawals; however, while both brokers allow transactions via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, only Alpari offers an option to use Skrill.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platform & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 71 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 71 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Spreadex | 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 | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | 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 | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.81 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 11 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Spreadex | 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 | N/A | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Spreadex | 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 | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Spreadex | 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 | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | Spreadex | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platform & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 71 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill