Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs Pepperstone, 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.
Swissquote, established in 1996, is a distinguished online broker that is publicly traded and operates as a bank. It holds a top-tier status with five Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, securing a perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. This score places it in the highly trusted category, underscoring its strong regulatory standing and reliable service.
Pepperstone, founded more recently in 2010, is not publicly listed and does not operate as a bank, but it still commands trust in the market with three Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses. While it falls slightly short of Swissquote with a Trust Score of 95 out of 99, it still resides in the highly trusted range, making it a secure choice for traders looking for reliability and confidence in their trading broker.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing Swissquote and Pepperstone for their commissions and fees, it's clear that each offers distinct advantages depending on your trading needs. Swissquote, a Swiss banking conglomerate, ranks #52 out of 62 brokers and has a 3.5-star rating in the Commissions and Fees category. Despite its prestigious banking background, Swissquote's trading costs are higher compared to lower-cost forex competitors. Of its various entities, Swissquote U.K. presents the most competitive option with its Elite account, which requires a $10,000 deposit and offers lower spreads with a $5 charge per trade. Meanwhile, the Luxembourg branch and Swiss entity provide similar pricing structures, though the Swiss branch's spreads begin higher than the industry average.
Pepperstone, on the other hand, shines with a 4.5-star rating and is ranked #10 by ForexBrokers.com for Commissions and Fees. Known for its agency-execution model, Pepperstone offers excellent pricing, particularly through its Razor account. With an average spread of 0.10 pips for the EUR/USD and a commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost totals 0.80 pips, aligning closely with the industry average. Pepperstone also features a commission-free Standard account with an average 1.1 pip spread, though the Razor account remains more cost-effective considering its active trader rebates based on volume.
Both brokers cater to active traders, but Pepperstone's Active Trader program stands out by offering tiered rebates on spreads based on monthly trading volumes. Professional clients in the UK or the EU who trade significant volumes can benefit from up to a 25% rebate on spreads, while Australian clients can receive up to a 30% reduction in effective spread. In summary, while Swissquote offers a secure banking experience with a slight premium, Pepperstone provides more competitive pricing and diverse opportunities for high-volume traders.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.70 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote and Pepperstone concerning the range of investments they offer, you'll notice distinct differences catering to diverse investor preferences. Swissquote provides clients the opportunity to trade 472 symbols, including 80 forex pairs. It allows trading both on U.S. and international exchanges, enabling investors to purchase shares like Apple on the NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. In addition, Swissquote supports both spot forex contracts and forex CFDs. If you're into cryptocurrencies, Swissquote presents the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, making it a versatile choice for diverse investment opportunities and achieving a top rating in this category.
On the other hand, Pepperstone presents an impressive selection of 1726 tradeable symbols, surpassing Swissquote in this specific metric. However, it offers 65 tradeable forex pairs, slightly fewer than Swissquote. Also available are forex CFDs and cryptocurrency derivatives. Unlike Swissquote, Pepperstone does not facilitate direct trading on U.S. and international exchanges, meaning you won't be able to purchase stocks directly like Apple or Vodafone. While both platforms provide options for copy trading, Swissquote’s broader range of investment options and higher ranking by ForexBrokers.com reflect its superior versatility, as indicated by its 5-star rating compared to Pepperstone's 4 stars.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and Pepperstone both offer a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools designed to meet the needs of various traders. Swissquote provides a free virtual demo account, allowing users to experiment with trading strategies without financial risk. Pepperstone also offers this feature, ensuring traders can practice in a simulated environment. Both brokers have developed proprietary trading platforms alongside offering popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), catering to traders preferring a familiar interface. Additionally, both offer web-based and Windows-based desktop trading platforms, with Swissquote and Pepperstone both supporting copy trading features. However, Pepperstone goes a step further by providing DupliTrade, while neither broker offers ZuluTrade.
For charting enthusiasts, Swissquote shines with 75 drawing tools compared to Pepperstone's 30, offering more versatility in technical analysis. Swissquote users can also customize their watch lists with up to 11 fields, while Pepperstone's platform provides 7 fields. Both brokers allow direct trading from stock charts, improving user experience and efficiency. Rated at 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools, Swissquote ranks higher at #11 out of 62 brokers, reflecting its broader range of features and higher user satisfaction. In contrast, Pepperstone earns a commendable 4-star rating, positioned at #22. These ratings underscore their commitment to delivering reliable and user-friendly trading environments.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Swissquote and Pepperstone, both brokerages provide iPhone and Android apps, offering a seamless trading experience across devices. Each app comes equipped with essential features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, view multiple time frames, and create real-time quote watchlists. Both platforms boast an identical number of 30 technical studies available for charting, ensuring comprehensive analytical tools for users.
While Swissquote and Pepperstone offer many similar features, Pepperstone stands out with watchlist symbol syncing, enabling seamless watchlist updates between mobile and online accounts, an option Swissquote lacks. Swissquote garners a higher user rating of 4.5 stars compared to Pepperstone's 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote also ranks higher in the Mobile Trading Apps category, securing the #10 spot out of 62 brokers, whereas Pepperstone comes in at #21. This makes Swissquote a more favorable choice for traders seeking highly-rated and well-ranked mobile trading apps.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| 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.
Both Swissquote and Pepperstone are strong contenders when it comes to providing comprehensive market research tools for their users. Both brokers offer daily market commentary and forex news updates from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. They also provide technical analysis tools from Autochartist, enhancing the trading experience by supplying essential insights and strategies. However, neither offers tools from Trading Central or TipRanks, nor do they offer research tools from Acuity Trading. They both feature an economic calendar that keeps you updated with current and upcoming global economic events.
Where they differ is in the availability of sentiment-based trading tools; Pepperstone offers this feature, allowing users to access data on the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs, while Swissquote does not. In terms of accolades, Pepperstone holds a slight edge with a 4.5-star rating for research, ranking 12th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Swissquote isn’t far behind, with a respectable 4-star rating and a 16th place ranking. This positions Pepperstone as the more highly-rated platform in terms of market research, but both platforms provide valuable tools for informed trading decisions.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to dive into the world of forex and CFDs trading, choosing the right online broker with comprehensive educational resources is crucial. Both Swissquote and Pepperstone cater to novices with an impressive array of learning materials. They each provide a minimum of ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused specifically on forex and CFDs. Not only that, these brokers ensure continuous learning with at least one webinar monthly and offer an archive for clients to revisit past sessions, allowing for flexible learning schedules.
Swissquote and Pepperstone further enhance their educational offerings with targeted videos for beginners, as well as more advanced topics for seasoned traders. Each broker presents at least ten beginner videos alongside at least ten advanced videos, supporting a user's growth from novice to expert. A helpful investor dictionary with over fifty terms also aids in quickly grasping essential trading jargon. Despite their similar resources, Pepperstone slightly edges out Swissquote with a 4.5-star rating for education compared to Swissquote's 4-star rating. Moreover, Pepperstone ranks 18th on ForexBrokers.com for educational services, whereas Swissquote sits at 21st, making Pepperstone a slightly more favored choice among educational rankings.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Swissquote is better than Pepperstone. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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Swissquote allows users to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency as well as cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Pepperstone only provides the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Swissquote and Pepperstone offer a variety of funding options for depositing and withdrawing account funds, including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | 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) | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.70 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Pepperstone Review |
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