Independently compared by regulation, XAUUSD (gold) spread, minimum deposit and execution. Pick your country to see the brokers that accept traders from your region.
Razor account: raw gold spread plus a separate commission. Well regulated across eight jurisdictions.
Zero Spread account charges roughly 6 to 8 USD per round-turn lot. Gold spread is not published as a fixed figure.
Commission for XAUUSD is 3.50 USD per lot per side. Exness does not publish a fixed typical gold spread.
Ultra Low is a spread-only account: no separate commission, all cost sits in the spread.
Raw ECN pricing with deep liquidity. Commission is charged on top of the raw spread.
Advantage account: raw spread plus 7.00 USD commission per standard round lot.
| # | Broker | Rating | XAUUSD spread | Min deposit | Regulation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pepperstone | 4.9 | 0.15 | $7.00 | $0 | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, SCA, BaFin, CMA, SCB |
| 2 | HFM (HotForex) | 4.0 | Not published | $7.00 | $0 | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, DFSA, FSA |
| 3 | Exness | 3.6 | Not published | $7.00 | $10 | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA, CBCS |
| 4 | XM | 3.6 | 0.27 | none | $5 | CySEC, ASIC, FSC, DFSA |
| 5 | IC Markets | 3.1 | 0.19 | $7.00 | $200 | ASIC, CySEC, FSA (Seychelles) |
| 6 | FXTM | 3.0 | Not published | $7.00 | $200 | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSC |
The best gold broker for most traders combines a low XAUUSD spread, strong regulation and fast execution. Brokers like Exness, IC Markets and Pepperstone consistently offer raw gold spreads from around 0.10 to 0.15, which matters because gold moves fast and the spread is a cost you pay on every trade.
Nothing is scored by hand. Every rating is calculated from the facts in the table by a fixed formula out of 100 points: regulation 40 (each top-tier licence such as the FCA, ASIC or CFTC scores 10, second-tier licences score 5), all-in gold cost 30 (spread plus commission, cheaper scores higher, and a broker whose cost we could not verify gets a neutral score rather than a reward), years in business 15, and minimum deposit 15. The score is then divided by 20 to give the rating out of 5. Every broker review page prints its own four-part breakdown so you can check the arithmetic yourself.
Forex regulation is local. A broker that accepts traders in one country may not be licensed to accept them in another. We show the brokers that realistically accept and are appropriate for traders from your selected country.
Because we only have live tick data for one broker. The OANDA figure is measured from 43,200 one-minute bid/ask samples taken from our own feed, and it includes the spread widening that happens around news and at the session roll. Every other figure is the broker's own published "typical" or "from" number, which is a best-case. The two are not directly comparable, which is exactly why each number is labelled. To keep the scoring fair we give the measured figure a 0.10 allowance before comparing it, otherwise the one honest number would be punished for being honest.
No. They are typical, indicative spreads from a raw or standard account under normal market conditions. Your real spread depends on your account type, the session and volatility, and can widen around news. Always check the live spread in your own platform.
It varies. In some countries only local, exchange-based products are permitted and the brokers listed are offshore. Where that is the case we say so in the country note. Always confirm the rules and your local regulator before funding an account.
Disclaimer: This comparison is for information only and is not investment advice or a recommendation to trade with any particular broker. Ratings are editorial and spreads are indicative and can change. Some links may be partner links. Trading forex and gold on leverage carries a high risk of losing money. Always confirm a broker is authorised to accept you and check your local regulator before opening an account.