Metatrader (also known as MT4), developed by MetaQuotes, is without a doubt the most popular trading platform for retail forex traders. Its popularity is not without reason, as it provides the average retail trader with some pretty powerful tools. Metatrader is stable, easy to use, and feature-rich. It allows traders to program custom indicators and automated trading systems using its own MQL language, and it also allows for back-testing of strategies. While some professional level tools are missing, and some features are in need of an update, MT4 is a solid platform for discretionary traders as well. Besides, MT5, which addresses many of the version 4 shortfalls, should be coming out soon (you can already preview it on demo accounts with some brokers).
Swap (also known as rollover interest, or overnight interest) is interest that a trader either receives or pays for positions that are held overnight, and are based on the interest differential between the currencies that their position involves. Swap-free accounts are intended mainly for Islamic traders who wish to comply with Sharia law, which prohibits any type of interest payments. These accounts can also be useful to non-Islamic traders who simply wish to do away with the uncertainty in overnight interest, who plan on taking a longer term negative swap position, or other reasons. Some brokers who offer these types of accounts charge certain fees instead of actual interest, so that traders wouldn't abuse the privilege. On the other hand, some brokers do not charge any extra fees (but most do monitor such accounts for abuse). Listed below are some brokers that offer such swap-free, Islamic forex accounts. Each listing also describes any such extra fees that the broker may charge, so please read through the reviews in detail before opening a real account.
Alpari NZ (not the same company as Alpari UK or US), enjoys one of the best reputations for honesty among all retail forex brokers. There are numerous reports on the internet about Alpari spontaneously returning customers' money on orders that didn't get filled properly as a result of some error on Alpari's part. This is almost unheard of in the retail forex world, as most traders have to fight tooth-and-nail with their brokers for every pip. If this is the sort of service you value, and you should, then look no further than Alpari.
Location:
New Zealand
Guaranteed stop losses:
No
Swap-free accounts:
$10 per standard lot (100,000) round turn trade. Trade can be held for unlimited time period.
AFB FX is a forex and OTC futures broker based in Cyprus. By far the best feature offered by AFB FX is the availability of Professional Accounts, which offer highly flexible trading conditions. The spreads, margin requirements and virtually all other parameters are negotiable on Professional Accounts, making them the preferred choice among account managers. Having said that though, most of the other accounts also offer trading conditions that are quite reasonable.
Location:
Cyprus
Guaranteed stop losses:
Yes, limit and stop orders are guaranteed against slippage, except under market conditions
Swap-free accounts:
Yes - no extra charges and available to everyone, not just Islamic traders
EXNESS is a fairly new entrant into the forex arena, and it offers some very interesting trading conditions. Though there is no actual relationship between the two (as far as we are aware), EXNESS and Alpari which is also of Russian origin, thrive in a jurisdiction where the rule of law is not always respected. While EXNESS is regulated by Russian law, this in itself is not a great comfort for foreign traders. No doubt EXNESS management, much like Alpari, is aware of this and therefore goes well above the call of duty to ensure that clients are treated fairly.
Location:
St. Petersburg, Russia
Guaranteed stop losses:
No, all orders are executed at best available price
Swap-free accounts:
Yes - no extra charges and available to everyone, not just Islamic traders
Typical spread on EUR/USD:
0.1 pips (0.00001) on Expert Accounts, 0.4 pips (0.00004) on Classic Accounts, 0.7 pips (0.00007) on Mini Accounts
Trading Point Forex is a relatively new MT4 forex broker that is becoming well established as a result of the solid trading conditions and support services on offer, as well as being regulated by some of the world's most stringent regulatory agencies such as the FSA. Trading Point also ensures client funds safety, by keeping it segregated from company operating capital.
Location:
Limassol, Cyprus
Guaranteed stop losses:
No, all orders are executed at best available price.
Swap-free accounts:
Yes - no extra charges and available to everyone, not just Islamic traders
ICM Trading (iTrade Capital Markets) is an offshore broker (BVI) that deals primarily in spot forex, but also offers some common CFDs as well as forex options, which is a very nice feature. The number of tradable instruments is not staggering, since the spot forex pairs are limited to 19 pairs, with nothing exotic on offer. These are the most liquid pairs and are the staples of most professional traders, since the low liquidity, high spreads and less reliable research make exotics all but untradable for many traders. Please be sure to also read the WARNING at the bottom of this review.
Location:
British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Guaranteed stop losses:
Yes, all stop and limit orders are guaranteed against slippage.
Swap-free accounts:
All accounts are Shariah compliant, but a charge of $1/mini-lot/day is applicable to all overnight positions
IBFX is widely regarded as one of the premier brokers in the retail forex market, and there is a reason for this reputation. Guaranteed fills on stop and limit orders, combined with very low spreads, straight-through order processing (no dealing desk) to multiple liquidity providers, industry-standard MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading platform
ForexGen appears to be either an outright scam, or a very very badly run business, with scam being the much more likely scenario. The original deposit was returned to our traders only after a long battle, and the profits, which were significant in relation to the amount of the deposit, were never allowed to be withdrawn. ForexGen first disabled the trading accounts, and later nullified all the trades that had been made in the accounts. In addition, this broker is not regulated, and has already been investigated by Norwegian police, so we must recommend to everyone to stay away from ForexGen. You have been WARNED!
Hantec Markets offers professional traders a very solid forex trading package, along with all the advantages and disadvantages that the MT4 and Currenex platforms come with. The great thing is that you get access to a real ECN and can trade to something very similar to the interbank market (although not in the interbank market itself). You can see the liquidity and pending orders, you can use complex order types such as if/then and one-cancels-other (OCO), and make use of many other professional level features available on Currenex.
Location:
London, UK
Guaranteed stop losses:
No, all orders are executed at best available price
Baron Forex, is an offshore forex broker that is regulated by the IFSC in Belize. Being based offshore can bring with it some advantages to forex traders, but at the same time can be risky due to lax (or non-existant) regulation standards in many offshore jurisdictions, as well as limited legal recourse in case a dispute arises. Baron Forex is no exception to this.
Location:
Belize City, Belize
Guaranteed stop losses:
Yes, stop loss orders are guaranteed against slippage
Swap-free accounts:
Yes - no extra charges if trading volume exceeds 1.5 million per 30 day period. Otherwise $20 per 100,000 held over night.
