Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA 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.
Founded in 1996, OANDA has established itself as a trusted name in the online brokerage industry. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93 out of 99, OANDA is considered highly trusted. It holds 7 Tier-1 licenses, reflecting strong regulatory oversight. Not publicly traded or a bank, OANDA offers a level of security and credibility that is crucial for traders.
Comparatively, BDSwiss, founded in 2012, earns an average risk rating with a Trust Score of 73 according to ForexBrokers.com. BDSwiss holds just 1 Tier-1 regulatory license, suggesting a more limited regulatory framework compared to OANDA. Like OANDA, BDSwiss is neither publicly traded nor a bank. Both brokers provide access to financial markets, but OANDA's regulatory standing and trust score suggest it may offer a safer choice for traders concerned with regulatory security.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers OANDA and BDSwiss, both have advantages and points where they fall short. OANDA, ranked #34 by ForexBrokers.com, offers automated execution with a forex trading cost that tends to be higher, particularly noted with an average spread of 1.61 pips on the EUR/USD pair for non-core pricing. Their core pricing option presents lower spreads but includes a commission of $5 per $100,000 traded, making it slightly more cost-effective than their default pricing. OANDA's unique offering includes allowing trades as low as 1 unit or 0.001 micro lot, and its Elite Trader program offers rebates and perks for high-volume traders.
On the other hand, BDSwiss, ranking slightly better at #29, offers a spread of 1.5 pips on the EUR/USD for its Classic account, which is higher compared to industry leaders. For traders opting for the Raw account, a 0.3 pip spread plus a $5 commission per side results in an effective cost of 1.3 pips, whereas the VIP account comes in at 1.2 pips. BDSwiss is commended for its solid order execution statistics, though its fees remain above those of top-tier brokers in the industry.
Both brokers, OANDA and BDSwiss, receive a rating of four out of five stars for their commissions and fees. They each offer unique features and pricing structures to cater to different trader needs, making the choice between them reliant on specific trading preferences such as account type and trade volume.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.61 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.61 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | 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.
OANDA and BDSwiss both provide comprehensive platforms for traders interested in forex and CFDs, but they differ significantly in the variety of tradeable symbols they offer. OANDA boasts a larger selection with 3,928 tradeable symbols and 68 forex pairs, allowing for more flexibility and options in trading strategies compared to BDSwiss, which offers 1,081 tradeable symbols and 53 forex pairs. Both brokers offer the ability to engage in forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, and neither provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges. This means traders focused on these options will need to seek other platforms for such investments.
In terms of investment features, both brokers support copy trading, enabling users to replicate successful trading strategies. However, a key difference lies in cryptocurrency offerings. OANDA provides the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, offering more options for crypto enthusiasts, while BDSwiss limits users to trading cryptocurrency derivatives. Despite their differences in tradeable assets and crypto offerings, both brokers receive four stars for their range of investments, though OANDA is ranked higher at #27 compared to BDSwiss at #34 by ForexBrokers.com. This suggests OANDA might be a better fit for those seeking a broader spectrum of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3928 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 68 | 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) | 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.
Both OANDA and BDSwiss cater well to traders seeking comprehensive trading platforms and tools. They offer free virtual demo accounts for those getting started with simulated trading. Each broker has developed a proprietary platform, in addition to supporting MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), offering flexibility and familiarity for both beginners and seasoned traders. You can access their services through Windows-based desktop platforms and web browsers, which makes managing trades and market research convenient. Copy trading is available with both brokers, although neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
When it comes to advanced charting tools, OANDA stands out with a substantial offering of 431 drawing tools compared to BDSwiss's 15. While both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts, the experience may differ due to the variety in charting features. The watchlists at OANDA offer six fields for sorting and analysis, while BDSwiss provides seven. Both brokers receive a solid 4-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. On ForexBrokers.com, OANDA ranks 16th out of 62 for this category, showcasing a slightly higher recognition than BDSwiss, which holds the 24th position.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
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) | 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.
OANDA and BDSwiss both offer mobile trading apps that cater to iPhone and Android users, making it easy for traders to stay connected on the go. Both apps provide stock or forex price alerts and enable users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, enhancing the trading experience. Additionally, each platform allows the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, while they also feature 30 technical studies for detailed chart analysis. However, neither OANDA nor BDSwiss supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the mobile app won't reflect in the client's online account.
When it comes to saving chart drawings automatically, both OANDA and BDSwiss apps have this functionality. Despite these similarities, user ratings highlight some differences. OANDA earns a five-star rating for its mobile trading app, ranking 7th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for mobile trading. In contrast, BDSwiss holds a four-star rating and ranks 23rd. This suggests that while both brokers provide strong mobile trading platforms, OANDA might offer an edge in overall user satisfaction and experience.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When looking at the market research offerings from OANDA and BDSwiss, both brokers provide daily market commentary, allowing users to keep up with the latest financial insights. However, OANDA takes a step further by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which BDSwiss does not. Both brokers support technical analysis tools from Autochartist, yet BDSwiss also includes resources from Trading Central, offering additional technical insights that OANDA lacks.
OANDA provides a unique sentiment-based trading tool that reveals the ratio of long or short positions across various currency pairs, a feature not available with BDSwiss. Both brokers equip traders with an economic calendar for tracking global news events. While neither offers research tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading, OANDA’s overall research capabilities earn it a five-star rating and a fifth-place rank among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas BDSwiss holds a four-star rating and ranks 23rd.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | 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 comparing OANDA and BDSwiss for educational resources available to beginners, both brokers offer an extensive suite tailored to those venturing into trading forex and CFDs. Both OANDA and BDSwiss provide a minimum of 10 educational materials, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex and CFDs. They also host monthly online educational webinars and maintain a searchable archive of past sessions, making it easy for beginners to access valuable information at their convenience.
OANDA and BDSwiss also provide over 10 educational videos catering to beginners and advanced traders alike, with comprehensive guides targeting those at different stages of their trading journey. Furthermore, both offer an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, enhancing the learning experience for new traders. Despite these similarities, OANDA is rated 5 stars for education, while BDSwiss receives 4 stars. Interestingly, BDSwiss is ranked slightly higher at number 19 compared to OANDA's rank of 22 out of 62 brokers in the education category by ForexBrokers.com, suggesting a competitive educational offering from both brokers.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
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 OANDA is better than BDSwiss. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #12, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
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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BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 |
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OANDA enables users to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, while both OANDA and BDSwiss provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both OANDA and BDSwiss support ACH/SEPA transfers, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing funds, but only OANDA also offers PayPal as an additional option.
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 | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
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| Review | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3928 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 68 | 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) | 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 | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.61 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.61 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $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 | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 30 | 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 | OANDA | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | 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 | OANDA | 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 | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | BDSwiss Review |
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