AvaTrade Review 2026
AvaTrade is an established, multi-regulated CFD and forex broker known for fixed spreads and a beginner-friendly app. It is CFD-only — you trade leveraged contracts on price rather than owning real shares — so it suits traders, not long-term investors. Costs sit in the spread, but the quarterly inactivity fee and annual administration fee deserve attention.
Reviewed by Yaniv Barshaf, CPA · Fees verified August 2026 · Our methodology
Disclosure: FeesWizard may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This never affects our fee data or rankings — how we make money.
Risk warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. The majority 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.
Our verdict on AvaTrade
AvaTrade is a capable, well-regulated CFD and forex broker with fixed spreads — but it is for trading, not investing, and its dormancy fees punish inactive accounts.
Get started with AvaTradeCapital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
Fees
- stock Commission: No commission; cost is in the spread (from 0.9 pips on EUR/USD)
- withdrawal: Free
- inactivity: $50/quarter after 3 months idle, plus $100/year administration fee after 12 months
- conversion: No separate currency-conversion fee is published; deposits, withdrawals and non-base-currency amounts convert at the market exchange rate
- spread: Fixed spreads on CFDs and forex; overnight financing on held positions
Want to avoid this charge? See brokers with no inactivity fee →
Wondering how your money is protected? Read what happens if a broker goes bust →
Who AvaTrade is best for
AvaTrade suits CFD and forex traders who want fixed spreads, a choice of platforms including MT4 and MT5, and copy trading. It is not the right tool for buy-and-hold investors who want to own real shares.
AvaTrade fees in plain English
There is no commission — the cost is in the spread, from 0.9 pips on EUR/USD. Withdrawals are free, and AvaTrade does not publish a separate currency-conversion fee — non-base-currency amounts convert at the market exchange rate. Watch the dormancy charges: $50 per quarter after three months idle, plus a $100 annual administration fee after twelve months of inactivity.
Safety and regulation
AvaTrade is regulated across multiple jurisdictions, including the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, and the FSCA, and has operated since 2006. Regulation reduces counterparty risk but not market risk.
Important: CFDs carry high risk
CFDs are leveraged products, and a large majority of retail CFD accounts lose money. AvaTrade is a short-term trading product, not a way to own and hold shares. Only trade CFDs with money you can afford to lose, and make sure you understand leverage first.
Our AvaTrade score: 3.2/5
How this is calculated →Computed from the fee data on this page, not assigned by hand. Our commercial relationships are not an input.
- Cost (45% of the score)50/100
Spread-based pricing cannot be compared like-for-like with share-dealing fees, so this dimension is scored neutrally.
- Regulation & protection (20% of the score)45/100
Regulated by Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, FSCA. Tier-one regulators (FCA, BaFin, SEC and equivalents) carry the most weight.
- Market & account breadth (15% of the score)66/100
Covers 2 of the asset classes we price and 1 account type.
- Accessibility (10% of the score)70/100
Minimum deposit £100; no fractional shares; has mobile app.
- Fee transparency (10% of the score)55/100
Prices through the spread, so the true cost is not published as a schedule.
Pros and cons
AvaTrade
Pros
- +Fixed spreads and transparent pricing
- +Multi-regulated, long track record
- +Beginner-friendly AvaTradeGO app
- +Free withdrawals
Cons
- −CFD/forex only — no real share ownership
- −Inactivity fee after just 3 months
- −$100 annual administration fee after 12 months idle
AvaTrade
Best for CFD and forex trading with fixed spreads
Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
AvaTradefees & safety, in depth
Compare AvaTrade head-to-head
AvaTrade vs alternatives
| Feature | AvaTradeCFD | Lightyear | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.2 / 5 | 5 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 |
| Stock commission | No commission; cost is in the spread (from 0.9 pips on EUR/USD) | UK personal accounts (GIA and ISA): no execution fee on UK, US and European stocks or ETFs. EU accounts: GBP 1 per order on UK stocks, EUR 1 per order on EUR-denominated stocks, 0.1% on other European stocks, and 0.10% (min $0.10, max $1) on US stocks. ETFs are execution-fee-free on both. | 0% |
| Withdrawal fee | Free | Free by local bank transfer. USD wire payments are charged (up to $8.50 UK, $6.11 EU). | Free |
| Inactivity fee | $50/quarter after 3 months idle, plus $100/year administration fee after 12 months | None | None |
| Min deposit | $100 | $0 | $1 |
| Fractional shares | No | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | No | Yes |
| Regulators | Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, FSCA | FCA, EFSA | FCA, CySEC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AvaTrade safe and legit?
AvaTrade is regulated by Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, FSCA and has operated since 2006. All investing carries risk of loss.
What are AvaTrade's fees?
Stock commission: No commission; cost is in the spread (from 0.9 pips on EUR/USD). Withdrawal: Free. Inactivity: $50/quarter after 3 months idle, plus $100/year administration fee after 12 months.
What is the minimum deposit for AvaTrade?
The minimum deposit is $100.
AvaTrade
Best for CFD and forex trading with fixed spreads
Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.