Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets vs BDSwiss, 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.
FP Markets, established in 2005, and BDSwiss, founded in 2012, are both online brokers that offer a range of trading services. However, they differ significantly in regulatory standing and trust scores. FP Markets is not a publicly traded company nor a bank, and it possesses two Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high degree of trust in the industry. Additionally, FP Markets holds one Tier-2 license. This compliance reflects positively in its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 89, indicating it is a trusted broker.
On the other hand, BDSwiss also is not publicly traded or a bank, but it only holds one Tier-1 license and lacks any Tier-2 licenses, influencing its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73. This score suggests a moderate level of risk for potential investors. When comparing the two, FP Markets appears to offer a more trusted and reliable trading environment based on their regulatory credentials and trust scores.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
FP Markets emerges as a highly cost-effective option for traders looking into commission-based accounts, particularly with its ECN offering on MetaTrader and cTrader platforms. With a 5-star rating and ranking 6th out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets has been recognized as Best in Class in this category for 2024. While its Raw ECN account offers spreads averaging 0.1 pips, leading to an all-in spread of 0.8 pips after commissions, the Standard account is pricier, offering spreads averaging 1.1 pips for EUR/USD. The Iress ViewPoint and Investor accounts cater to different needs, with the former being best for active traders who can avoid fees with higher trading volumes or through premium accounts.
BDSwiss, while excelling in order execution statistics, falls slightly behind FP Markets in terms of commission and fee competitiveness with a 4-star rating and a ranking of 29th. Its Classic account with a spread of 1.5 pips on EUR/USD is notably pricey. Meanwhile, the Raw account reduces costs with a spread of 0.3 pips plus a $5 commission per side, making for a total effective spread of 1.3 pips, and the VIP account offers a somewhat reduced spread of 1.2 pips. While slightly costlier than FP Markets, BDSwiss still provides a solid choice for traders focused on execution quality.
Both FP Markets and BDSwiss offer various account types tailored to diverse trading strategies and balances, yet FP Markets holds a slight edge in terms of overall cost efficiency and fee structures. Traders prioritizing lower trading costs might find more value with FP Markets, especially for its Raw ECN and Iress premium accounts.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| 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 FP Markets and BDSwiss for their range of investment options, both platforms offer forex trading as a CFD, providing users with opportunities to trade different currency pairs. FP Markets impresses with a vast selection of 10,000 tradeable symbols, including 71 forex pairs, making it a comprehensive choice for those seeking a wide variety of options. In contrast, BDSwiss offers 1,081 tradeable symbols along with 53 forex pairs, catering to traders looking for a balanced range. While neither platform facilitates the buying of U.S. or international exchange-traded securities directly, both offer copy trading, which allows users to mimic the trades of successful investors. Additionally, each broker provides the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, although they do not allow for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
From a ratings perspective, FP Markets earns a commendable 4.5 stars for its range of investments, ranked #18 among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. BDSwiss, on the other hand, receives a favorable rating of 4 stars, placing it at #34 in the same category. The differences in the number of tradeable symbols and forex pairs contribute to the variance in their rankings. Both platforms are suitable for traders interested in forex and cryptocurrency derivatives, though FP Markets stands out with its greater variety of tradeable options. Whether prioritizing a wider selection or a specific trading feature, investors will find that each broker has unique strengths tailored to different trading preferences.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 FP Markets and BDSwiss, both online brokers offer a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools to meet the needs of various traders. They each provide a virtual demo account, which allows users to practice trading without financial risk. Both brokers have developed their proprietary platforms, delivering unique features to their clients. Additionally, they offer popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, options for Windows-based desktop trading, as well as easy-to-use web-based platforms. For those interested in social trading, both FP Markets and BDSwiss support copy trading, although neither of them currently provides access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
Charting tools are a crucial aspect of the trading experience, and here FP Markets slightly edges out with 17 drawing tools compared to BDSwiss's 15. However, both brokers offer the ability to execute trades directly from stock charts, enhancing their usability. They provide the same number of fields for watch lists, ensuring traders can keep track of their chosen assets efficiently. In terms of overall performance, both platforms receive a solid rating of 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools. While FP Markets is ranked 23rd among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, BDSwiss closely follows at the 24th position, making both strong contenders in the trading platform category.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 17 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both FP Markets and BDSwiss offer iPhone and Android apps that facilitate trading on the go. They both support stock or forex price alerts, allowing users to stay updated with market fluctuations. Also, each offers the ability to draw trendlines on stock or forex charts and save these drawings automatically, along with the option to view various time frames. Both apps allow real-time watchlist creation, though neither supports syncing watchlists with their online platforms. This feature may be a consideration for traders who value seamless transitions between devices.
FP Markets and BDSwiss stand equal in app ratings, both earning 4 out of 5 stars. However, FP Markets edges ahead in the ranks, placing 18th among 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while BDSwiss follows at 24th. While FP Markets provides technical studies via MetaTrader, BDSwiss boasts 30 in-app technical studies, giving users more tools for market analysis. Ultimately, the choice between these two may come down to personal preferences regarding charting tools and platform rankings.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets and BDSwiss both provide traders with daily market commentary to help keep them informed on the latest trends. However, FP Markets stands out with its access to top-tier forex news sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which BDSwiss does not offer. Both platforms utilize Autochartist and Trading Central, renowned companies that offer technical and fundamental research tools. While FP Markets supplies a sentiment-based trading tool to gauge the market’s mood regarding long or short positions, this feature is missing from BDSwiss.
Both brokers offer an economic calendar to keep users updated on global news events, enhancing decision-making processes. While FP Markets and BDSwiss both receive a 4-star rating for their market research, BDSwiss slightly edges out FP Markets, securing the 24th spot, just one rank ahead in the ForexBrokers.com Research category. Despite their close scores, FP Markets' access to premium news sources and sentiment tool provide added insights that could be key for certain traders.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 FP Markets and BDSwiss offer comprehensive learning materials to get new traders acquainted with forex and CFDs. Both brokers provide a minimum of 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, to help novices understand the trading landscape. Additionally, they offer online educational webinars monthly and maintain searchable archives of these sessions for further study. This makes it easy for beginners to access a wealth of knowledge at their own pace.
FP Markets and BDSwiss excel in providing a range of videos aimed at different skill levels, each offering at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced trading videos. Investors can also benefit from detailed dictionaries featuring over 50 investing terms, aiding the learning process. Both brokers are commendably rated four stars for their educational offerings. However, BDSwiss holds a slightly higher position, ranked 19th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while FP Markets follows closely at 23rd. This slight edge highlights BDSwiss's commitment to nurturing aspiring traders with a slightly more focused educational approach.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 FP Markets is better than BDSwiss. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 9,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
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BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 |
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Both FP Markets and BDSwiss do not offer the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, instead, they provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online brokers FP Markets and BDSwiss, FP Markets supports PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals but lacks ACH or SEPA transfer options, whereas BDSwiss provides ACH or SEPA transfers, alongside Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but does not support PayPal.
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 | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
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| Review | FP Markets Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $10-$5000 | |
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 17 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | BDSwiss Review |
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