Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone vs Trade Nation, 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.
Pepperstone, founded in 2010, and Trade Nation, established in 2014, are both popular online brokers that are not publicly traded or banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone boasts a high Trust Score of 95 out of 99, showcasing its high level of reliability and customer confidence. It holds three Tier-1 licenses, marking it as a highly trusted entity, and two Tier-2 licenses, adding to its credibility.
Trade Nation, with a Trust Score of 85, is also deemed a trusted broker by ForexBrokers.com. The broker has two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, reflecting its commitment to regulatory compliance and customer trust. Both brokers maintain solid reputations, but Pepperstone edges ahead in trustworthiness, as judged by ForexBrokers.com's ratings, making it a compelling choice for investors seeking secure trading environments.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Pepperstone and Trade Nation both offer compelling options for traders, but they differ significantly in their approach to commissions and fees. Pepperstone, with a star rating of 4.5, ranks #10 out of 62 brokers for its commission-based pricing on the Razor account. This account stands out particularly for high-volume traders enrolled in the Active Trader program. The Razor account features an average spread of 0.10 pips for the EUR/USD, and when factoring in a commission equivalent of 0.70 pips, the total cost reaches 0.80 pips—close to the industry norm. However, Pepperstone’s Standard account is commission-free but comes with a higher spread of 1.1 pips on the EUR/USD, making it more costly than the Razor option.
On the other hand, Trade Nation is rated slightly higher at 5 stars and is ranked #7 in the same category. Trade Nation provides a distinct edge with its competitive fixed-spread pricing on its proprietary platform, including a fixed spread of 0.6 pips for the EUR/USD. Although spreads temporarily increase during the daily rollover period, they average closer to 1 pip. Trade Nation offers three main account types, and while its MetaTrader account has higher spreads without commissions, the TN Trader account boasts the lowest all-in costs.
Both Pepperstone and Trade Nation cater to different trading styles and preferences. From flexible commission structures at Pepperstone that appeal to active, high-volume traders to the straightforward fixed-spread approach of Trade Nation, traders can choose based on their trading priorities and strategies.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.6 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| 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.
Pepperstone and Trade Nation both offer a welcoming platform for forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, allowing traders to engage with the global currency markets. Pepperstone provides a more extensive selection, featuring 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, which can attract those looking for diverse options. In comparison, Trade Nation offers 1,000 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs, providing a solid, but slightly smaller variety for investors. Neither platform offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, so clients won't have options like buying shares of popular companies directly. However, for those interested in cryptocurrency derivatives, both brokers fulfill this need.
For users interested in copy trading, both Pepperstone and Trade Nation provide this service, allowing less experienced traders to follow the strategies of seasoned investors. When comparing ratings, Pepperstone receives 4 stars for its range of investments, while Trade Nation follows closely with a 3.5-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is ranked #26 out of 62 brokers in the Range of Investments category, ahead of Trade Nation, which is ranked at #38. This suggests that Pepperstone may offer a slightly better range for those looking to explore various markets.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 |
| 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.
Pepperstone and Trade Nation are two reputable online brokers offering comprehensive trading platforms and tools suited for both beginners and experienced traders. Both brokers provide simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, which is a valuable resource for those seeking to hone their skills without risking real money. Each offers proprietary platforms developed in-house, along with the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Pepperstone goes a step further by also providing MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and DupliTrade, options not available with Trade Nation. While both Pepperstone and Trade Nation support copy trading, neither offers ZuluTrade. For those who prefer trading from their computers, both brokers supply Windows-based desktop platforms as well as web-based platforms for easy access via a browser.
When it comes to charting tools and customization, Pepperstone provides 30 drawing tools compared to Trade Nation's 39. Additionally, Pepperstone allows trading directly from a stock chart, a feature not available with Trade Nation. In terms of watch lists, Trade Nation offers more flexibility with 14 available columns compared to Pepperstone's 7 columns. Despite the differences in features, both brokers earned four stars in the Trading Platforms and Tools category; however, Pepperstone ranks higher at #22 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trade Nation is positioned at #45. This difference in ranking may guide traders in selecting a platform that aligns best with their specific trading requirements and preferences.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 99 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 14 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Pepperstone and Trade Nation, both stand out with their offerings for iPhone and Android users, comprehensive stock and forex price alerts, and the ability to sync watchlist symbols with online accounts. This feature lets traders seamlessly update and view their watchlists from mobile or desktop, adding to the user experience. Both apps also support drawing trendlines on charts and saving these annotations automatically, which enhances chart analysis. The apps provide flexibility in date views, allowing users to examine different time frames like daily or weekly charts.
Pepperstone and Trade Nation also enable creating watchlists with real-time quotes, catering to traders who need up-to-the-minute information. Where they diverge is in the number of technical studies offered; Pepperstone provides 30, whereas Trade Nation offers 99, giving traders more tools for analysis on Trade Nation's app. Both platforms are solid performers, with Pepperstone and Trade Nation each rated four stars in mobile app use. However, Pepperstone slightly edges out in reputation, ranked 21st out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for mobile trading apps, compared to Trade Nation’s 45th position.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 |
| 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.
Pepperstone shines in the realm of market research, offering daily market commentary and accessing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. This online broker provides a comprehensive suite of technical analysis tools, including those from Autochartist, and a sentiment-based trading tool to gauge market positions. Additionally, Pepperstone includes an economic calendar to keep traders informed about global economic events. For these reasons, Pepperstone boasts a 4.5-star rating and ranks 12th out of 62 brokers for research, according to ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, Trade Nation falls short in several areas, notably lacking daily market commentary and an economic calendar. While it does deliver forex news from respected sources and includes a sentiment-based trading tool, it misses out on technical analysis tools from Autochartist. However, Trade Nation does provide unique research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre. Despite these offerings, it holds a 3.5-star rating and is placed 42nd in the research category, according to rankings by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for those new to trading, both Pepperstone and Trade Nation offer a variety of materials to aid learning, but with some distinctions. Pepperstone provides a comprehensive set of educational tools, including over 10 pieces of content focused on forex or CFDs, monthly client webinars, and a searchable archive of past webinars. Beginners can benefit from the more than 10 introductory videos on trading topics. Additionally, advanced learners have access to over 10 educational videos tailored for experienced traders. An investor dictionary with over 50 investing term definitions is also available, which broadens the educational support for users.
In comparison, Trade Nation offers similar foundational resources, such as educational pieces on forex or CFDs and beginner-focused videos, but falls short in certain areas. Unlike Pepperstone, Trade Nation does not provide monthly educational webinars or a searchable archive of past sessions. Additionally, it lacks a collection of advanced educational videos and an extensive investor dictionary. Reflecting these differences, Pepperstone is rated at 4.5 stars for education while Trade Nation stands at 3.5 stars, with Pepperstone ranked 18th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trade Nation's 42nd position.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Pepperstone is better than Trade Nation. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 |
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Both Pepperstone and Trade Nation do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrencies, however, they both provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone offers versatile fund transfer options including ACH, SEPA, and PayPal, alongside Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires, whereas Trade Nation supports Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wires but lacks ACH, SEPA, and PayPal as deposit or withdrawal methods.
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 | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.6 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 14 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 99 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Education | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pepperstone Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Trade Nation Review |
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