AvaTrade Forex Broker Review 2023

Last updated on October 9, 2023

In this honest and 100% unbiased AvaTrade review, thoughts.money goes through AvaTrade’s website to help you understand the trading conditions, trading platforms, spreads, order execution, regulation, and much more. 

Thoughts.money aims to help traders and investors around the world make well-informed decisions by providing an objective AvaTrade.com review. Read on to learn more.

In this AvaTrade Forex broker review you will find answers to trading-related questions including “Is AvaTrade broker legitimate or scam?” Thoughts.money is here to help you uncover the truth.

As of this writing, 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with AvaTrade. As always, make sure you understand the risks involved with CFD trading before risking your money.


About AvaTrade 

AvaTrade was founded back in 2006 with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. At the time, it was one of the very first FX trading platforms available to retail Forex traders — just like you. 

Since then, AvaTrade has grown into an established Forex broker with over 300,000 happy traders around the world.

AvaTrade’s mission is to be a trusted CFD broker among traders and investors. And they do that by offering advanced technology (7 trading platforms), optimal trading environment, competitive pricing from 0.9 pips for retail clients (and 0.6 pips for professional clients), and free educational resources (eBooks, articles, videos). 

In addition, AvaTrade is regulated to the highest standards by 7 financial regulators around the globe. Thus, offering one of the most secure Forex trading experiences in the market.

AvaTrade has a dedicated, multilingual, 24/7 customer support desk, sales centers, and offices all over the world including:

  • Paris
  • Dublin
  • Milan
  • Tokyo
  • Sydney
  • Malaysia
  • Mexico
  • Tokyo
  • Milano
  • Poland
  • Aby Dhabi
  • Johannesburg

AvaTrade offers a full spectrum of financial instruments (1,250+) including CFDs on:

  • Forex (Foreign Exchange)
  • Commodities
  • Indices
  • Stocks
  • Crypto

As an AvaTrade client, you can also trade vanilla options, read educational eBooks, access advanced trading tools, create a free demo account (with up to $100,000 in virtual funds) and many more. 

You also have the option to request a client categorization change — and switch from retail to professional — where you can trade with a higher leverage (up to 1:400).

AvaTrade awards

AvaTrade has won several awards throughout the years. Awards include (but are not limited to): 

  • Best Overall Broker by Day Trading in 2022
  • Best Fixed Spread Broker by Global Business Review Magazine in 2021
  • No1 in Education by Forex Brokers in 2020
  • Most Reliable Broker by Best Forex Broker in 2019
  • Best Affiliation Program by Global Banking & Finance Awards in 2019
  • No1 in Innovation by FX Empire in 2018
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Pros and cons

Pros

Award-winning Global Broker (Best Overall Broker, Most Reliable Broker, and many others)
Low Spreads & Low Commissions (from 0.6 pips on Professional accounts)
7 Trading Platforms (MT4, MT5, Web Trader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade)
CFDs on 1,250+ instruments (FX, Stocks, Crypto, Indices, and Commodities)
Licensed & Regulated (Ireland, Cyprus, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Abu Dhabi, and Israel)
Solid Research & Trading Tools (Social and Copy Trading)
University-Grade Education (Articles, Guides, Videos, eBooks)
Low Minimum Deposit (from $100 depending on the country of residence)
AvaTrade’s Pros

Cons

No real stocks (only CFDs)
No unlimited demo account ($100,000 only)
Inactivity fees after 3 months ($50/3 months)
No credit cards for Canadian clients
High spreads for retail clients (from 0.9 pips)
AvaTrade’s Cons

AvaTrade regulation and licensing in more detail

In our AvaTrade Forex review, thoughts.money goes over all the AvaTrade licenses. AvaTrade is a well-established brokerage firm that is heavily regulated and licensed in various countries including:

  • Ireland (Central Bank of Ireland)
  • Cyprus (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission)
  • Poland (Polish Financial Supervision Authority)
  • Australia (Australian Securities and Investments Commission)
  • British Virgin Islands (B.V.I. Financial Services Commission)
  • Japan (Financial Futures Association of Japan)
  • South Africa (South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority)
  • Aby Dhabi (Abu Dhabi Global Markets Financial Regulatory Services Authority)
  • Israel (Israel Securities Authority)

Every broker you see on thoughts.money is regulated and licensed for your own protection. We only recommend placing a trade with well-established and trusted regulated Forex brokers.

To avoid frustration — and being scammed — you should avoid unregulated brokers because they don’t offer any protection. You can lose your entire capital just by making a deposit to brokers who operate without a license. 

AvaAtrade holds several licenses and is regulated in many countries (as shown above). This provides you — and every potential client — with peace of mind. 

AvaTrade complies to strict compliance requirements including segregation of client funds, regular financial reporting, and negative balance protection. 


Is AvaTrade safe or scam?

AvaTrade Forex trading is not a scam. AvaTrade offers an optimal trading environment — both for pros and novices. You can choose one of the available AvaTrade account types to match your skills, needs, and ambitions.

Thoughts.money is here for you. To make it easy to learn everything there is about a specific broker and to also help you understand how to research and choose among Forex brokers. 

We understand that there are a lot of Forex brokers available and it’s not an easy task to select one. But don’t worry, this is why we are here. To help you get started the right way.

AvaTrade is a solid and legitimate Forex broker with more than 300,000 happy clients all over the world and regulated in 8 jurisdictions. AvaTrade regulation includes:

  • FCA (UK)
  • CySEC (Cyprus)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • ISA (Israel)
  • PFSA (Poland)
  • CBI (Ireland)
  • ADGM (Abu Dhabi)

If you are looking for a trusted global brokerage firm that holds 10+ international financial awards with strict regulation and protection, then look no further. 

AvaTrade is a solid FX broker that caters to both new and experienced traders.

When you open an account with AvaTrade, you gain access to all their trading platforms, educational resources, and round-the-clock worldwide support. 

If you want, you can also open a free demo account to test your strategies in a risk-free environment before you risk your own funds.


AvaTrade spreads and fees

AvaTrade spreads and fees are relatively in line with the rest of the industry for retail traders. If you qualify, you can switch to professional trading and enjoy premium trading conditions and ultra-tight spreads. Also, AvaTrade doesn’t charge any commissions on any trade.

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AvaTrade spreads

Spreads for retail clients start from 0.9 pips (EUR/USD). This is in line with the rest of the industry (although we’ve seen better).

As you can see below, AvaTrade clients have access to a plethora of financial instruments including CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, and Indices. You can trade vanilla options, ETFs, and bonds as well.

AvaTrade professional trading

Professional clients get better spreads from 0.6 pips instead. You can apply for professional trading through AvaTrade’s website. To qualify you must meet at least two of the following requirements:

  • Have a $500,000+ financial portfolio (including cash)
  • Have relevant experience in financial services
  • Have sufficient trading activity in the past 12 months

AvaTrade spread calculation

You can calculate the spread by following a simple formula: trade size (in secondary currency) x spread (in pips). 

Here is an example so you can see it in action. Let’s say you are buying 1 lot ($100,000) of EUR/USD with a spread of 1 pip (0.0001). 

So, the formula becomes $100,000 x 0.0001 = $100. So, every move of 1 pip your position moves by $100. Easy, right?

AvaTrade minimum deposit

The AvaTrade minimum deposit starts at $100 (depending on your country of residence) which is considered low. However, there are many brokers who removed the minimum deposit requirements so it’s up to each client to deposit as much as they want.

AvaTrade withdrawal fees

You can request a withdrawal through AvaTrade’s website or app. There are zero withdrawal costs and thoughts.money hasn’t uncovered any major AvaTrade withdrawal problems so far.

Most withdrawals are processed within 24-48 hours but can take up to 10 working days for the funds to appear on your account.

AvaTrade inactivity fees

AvaTrade has an inactivity fee after only 3 months ($50/3 months). There is also an administration fee after 12 months of inactivity ($100/year).

AvaTrade deposit fees

You can deposit without any fees. This means that you’ll receive exactly as much as you deposit. Payment methods include:

  • Bank/wire transfer
  • eWallet (Neteller, Skrill)
  • Credit/Debit card

Education

Trading is hard. Make no mistake about it. Fortunately, there is a vast array of educational resources — available for free — to every AvaTrade client. You (and every trader) can access the free trading education found on AvaTrade’s website. You can boost your trading skills by:

  • Watching videos 
  • Listening to webinars
  • Reading eBooks and articles

As you embark on your exhilarating Forex trading journey, AvaTrade is there for you along the way — to make sure that you have the right tools to succeed. 

And the best part is that you can apply what you learn in a risk-free environment with virtual funds up to $100,000. First-class educational resources and free demo accounts go hand in hand. 

Every trader (especially beginners) should try to learn as much as they possibly can and then put their skills to the test through a paper (demo) account before they switch to live trading.


Customer support

You may contact AvaTrade via email (online form), live chat (through AvaTrade’s website), and WhatsApp (+447520644093).

contact avatrade's support

Multilingual customer support is also available in many languages such as:

  • AvaTrade International
  • AvaTrade UK
  • AvaTrade France
  • AvaTrade Italiano
  • AvaTrade Español
  • AvaTrade auf Deutsch
  • AvaTrade Português
  • AvaTrade العربية
  • AvaTrade på svenska
  • AvaTrade Suomi
  • AvaTrade South Africa
  • AvaTrade Australia
  • AvaTrade 简体中文
  • AvaTrade 繁體中文
  • AvaTrade日本人
  • AvaTrade 한국어
  • AvaTrade России
  • AvaTrade Polski
  • AvaTrade Magyar
  • AvaTrade Nigeria
  • AvaTrade Монгол
  • AvaTrade Chile

You can talk directly to a customer support agent in your own language including:

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Europe:

  • Austria‎ +(43)69010280826
  • Cyprus: ‎+(35)725030235
  • Denmark: +(45)78755456
  • Finland: +(35)8942723482
  • France: +(33)170702052
  • Germany: +(49)8006644879
  • Greece: +(30)2111984889
  • Hungary: +(36)19989828
  • Ireland: +(353)15137861
  • Italy: +(39)0289038621
  • Netherlands: +(31)858887467
  • Norway: +(47)21031397
  • Poland: +(48)122518098
  • Portugal: +(351)308800273
  • Romania: +(40)312297018
  • Russia: +(7)4950493908
  • Slovenia: +(38)617778294
  • Spain: +(34)911876460
  • Sweden: +(46)844687023
  • Switzerland: + (41)225013040
  • United Kingdom: +(44)2033074336

Australia and New Zealand:

  • Australia: +(61)272018721

Africa:

  • South Africa: +(27)319800174
  • Nigeria: +(234)12278891

Asia:

  • China: +(86)4000737081
  • Hong Kong: +(86)4000737081
  • Malaysia: +(60) 378903866
  • Korea: +(82)7047326715
  • Singapore: +(65)8001205170
  • Taiwan: +(86)4000737081
  • Mongolia: +97676090909

South America:

  • Argentina‎: +(54)1152460420
  • Brazil‎: +(55)6140427290
  • Chile‎: +56 9 9575 5842
  • Colombia‎: +(57)6013824819

Middle East:

  • UAE: 97145285110

North America:

  • Mexico: +(52)5585250780

How to open an AvaTrade account

You can open an AvaTrade account in 3 easy steps:

  1. Register
  2. Verify your account (including KYC process)
  3. Make a deposit (from $100)

How to complete the KYC process

Completing the KYC process is easy. All you need to do is to upload a proof of identity (ID, passport), proof of address (water/electricity bill), and pass the appropriateness test (short questionnaire). Then, you can start trading on top trading conditions.

How to fund your AvaTrade account

Funding your AvaTrade trading account is easy through:

  • Bank/wire transfer
  • eWallet (Neteller, Skrill)
  • Credit/Debit card 

Countries excluded from trading with AvaTrade

AvaTrade is available to most countries excluding:

  • US
  • Belgium
  • Iran

Residents of the above countries who wish to explore the exhilarating world of online trading, can search for an AvaTrade alternative that is available in their home country instead.


AvaTrade trading platforms

AvaTrade offers 7 trading platforms (web, desktop, and mobile) to all their clients including:

  • MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
  • MetaTrader 5 (MT5) 
  • Web Trader (proprietary platform)
  • DupliTrade (for copy trading)
  • ZuluTrade (for social trading)
  • AvaTradeGO (for trading on the go)
  • AvaOptions (for options trading)

MetaTrader 4

You can download the AvaTrade MT4 trading platform through AvaTrade’s website. MT4 is one of the most popular trading platforms across the world. With MT4, you can easily:

  • Trade from anywhere, anytime
  • Customize the platform to your needs
  • Build Expert Advisors (EAs) with MQL4
  • Use all the trading strategies (scalping, hedging)

MetaTrader 5

You can also download MT5. MetaTrader 5 is an advanced, multi-asset trading platform with auto trading/copy trading capabilities, more technical tools, more indicators, more market orders, and more instruments than MT4. MT5 supports:

  • Expert Advisors (EAs)
  • Custom Indicators
  • Scripts
  • Libraries

MetaTrader 5 is available on:

  • iOS
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Web

Web Trader

Web Trader is ideal if you want an easy-to-use interface directly from your web browser. Trading Central comes fully integrated into the Web Trader platform as well. There is no installation needed and it’s available on every browser.

AvaTradeGO

AvaTradeGO is a mobile app that allows you to manage your portfolio anytime, anywhere. It was voted the best Forex trading app by the Global Forex Awards in 2020. With AvaTradeGO you can:

  • Enjoy a smooth trading experience
  • Access the global markets from the comfort of your phone
  • Buy or sell over 1,250 tradable assets including FX, Stocks, Crypto and more

Other trading platforms

As an AvaTrade client, you can access copy trading and social trading via:

  • DupliTrade (for copy trading)
  • ZuluTrade (for social trading)

AvaTrade Review FAQ

Can I try AvaTrade?

Yes, you can try AvaTrade by opening a free demo account ($100,000 in virtual funds) and experience AvaTrade stock trading before risking your own funds.

What funding methods does AvaTrade accept?

You can fund your AvaTrade account via:

  • Bank/wire transfer
  • eWallet (Neteller, Skrill)
  • Credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard)

Is AvaTrade safe?

AvaTrade is one of the safest Forex brokers with 7 licenses across 6 continents.

Is AvaTrade trading good?

AvaTrade’s interface is intuitive and easy to use with excellent educational and trading tools.

Is AvaTrade a good broker?

AvaTrade is a trusted Forex broker with more than 10 international awards.

What is the minimum deposit for AvaTrade?

The minimum deposit on AvaTrade starts from just $100 (depending on your country of residence).

Is my money safe with AvaTrade?

AvaTrade keeps your money safe in segregated bank accounts — just like every regulated brokerage firm. Nevertheless, you can still lose your entire capital when trading leveraged products.

How many people use AvaTrade?

AvaTrade currently serves more than 300,000 happy traders.

Does AvaTrade offer a demo account?

Yes, AvaTrade offers a free demo account that comes funded with $100,000 in virtual funds.


Final thoughts

If you are looking for a trusted Forex broker with several positive reviews, then AvaTrade might be the one for you. 

In this AvaTrade review, thoughts.money went through AvaTrade’s trading conditions, platforms, licenses and regulation, customer support, and educational resources. 

In addition, we tested the free AvaTrade demo account by exploring the tradable assets, spreads, market orders and order execution. 

Our job here at thoughts.money is to make it easy for you to compare the:

  • Spreads & Commissions
  • Minimum Deposit
  • Withdrawal Speed
  • Tradable Assets
  • Trading Platforms
  • And many more 

Thoughts.money finds AvaTrade.com to be a trustworthy Forex broker. If you are a beginner trader (or experienced investor) who appreciates premium trading conditions, optimal trading environment, and advanced technology, then consider AvaTrade. 

But remember, always start with a paper (demo) account and make sure you understand the risks associated with Forex trading before you risk your money.


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Pavlos Written by:

Hey — It’s Pavlos. Just another human sharing my thoughts on all things money. Nothing more, nothing less.