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Independent cost & execution audit

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There's no single “cheaper.” The winner depends on how you trade — entry cost favours one style, overnight financing another. The comparison below is built from VeriLots audit history, not marketing figures.

Loading audited data… Free view · Pro unlocks audited snapshots & freshness Instrument Exposure Direction Hold Base

Scenario-specific example. Not a recommendation. Results vary by broker entity, account type, platform, liquidity and time. CFDs and leveraged products carry significant risk — this page is not investment advice.

Start here

How do you trade?

Your trading style decides which costs matter. Pick it first — the comparison below is read through that lens.

Trading style
Instrument
Exposure (lots)
What mattersFor your style

Spread + commission are your main cost; overnight holds add swap. Both weigh in the net below.

PREVIEW CONTROLS · FULL SCENARIO MODELLING (HOLDING, ACCOUNT TYPE, BASE CURRENCY, HISTORY) RUNS IN THE TRUE COST ENGINE

Selected audit window
Net P&L impact
Spread + commission + overnight swap, standardized per 1.0 lot.
vs
Selected audit window
Net P&L impact
Spread + commission + overnight swap, standardized per 1.0 lot.
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The full cost, line by line

Where the money actually goes

Cost component
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VERILOTS AUDIT HISTORY · HOW WE MEASURE INDICATIVE
Read thisBefore comparing

Swap shown covers the audit window's hold — hold for a week and it multiplies, which is how a swing trade can flip the winner. Each broker is shown on its audited account type, normalized all-in (spread + commission). Swap is directional: long and short differ, and the comparison can reverse for shorts. For a single-pair view, compare broker costs on the EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY leaderboards.

The flip point

When the cheaper broker reverses

One broker starts cheaper on entry; the other can gain ground every night through cheaper swap. Plot both cost lines and where they cross is the only “which is cheaper” answer that respects how you actually trade.

Flip point
Not available

The flip point is derived from each broker's audited direct cost and per-night financing in the standard audit case.

Long side shown, derived from the standard audit case (constant per-night financing). Swaps are directional — the short-side flip point differs. Triple-swap days shift it further. Full model in the methodology.

Execution under stress · this IS cost

What the headline spread hides under news

The cost above is steady-state. But an advertised “typical” spread is a marketing figure — around volatile macro events the spread you actually trade against can move sharply away from it. Below is each broker's highest-stress audited event inside the selected audit window.

Verified macro-event window · Historical audit window · worst audited event per broker
Historical audit window
Pre-eventBaseline
AuditedEvent peak
Historical audit window
Pre-eventBaseline
AuditedEvent peak
Stress audit: Limited data
BROKER-FEED AUDIT · VERILOTS AUDIT HISTORY · HISTORICAL AUDIT WINDOW
Historical example based on stored audit history. Not current live pricing. Results vary by broker entity, account type, platform, liquidity and time. Not a recommendation. See more events in advertised vs live spreads.
Audit this matchup across macro events →
Execution quality

Will you actually get the cheap price?

A tight advertised spread is worthless if pricing destabilizes when you need it. These stability signals come from each broker's audited spread history over the selected audit window — steadier is better.

Markup consistency (vs market median benchmark)
Spread volatility over the audit window (lower is steadier)
News-window stress (peak vs baseline in worst audited event)

TEAL BAR = STEADIER ON THIS SIGNAL · FROM VERILOTS AUDIT HISTORY · INDICATIVE · COMPOSITE RELIABILITY SCORING RUNS IN THE TRUE COST ENGINE

Counterparty

Who you're actually trading with

With CFDs, the entity that onboards you matters. Brokers run several entities — your country decides which one you get, and that can matter more than a fraction of a pip.

Audited account

Audited account

LEVERAGE & PROTECTION DEPEND ON THE ONBOARDING ENTITY AND YOUR JURISDICTION · CONFIRM DIRECTLY WITH THE BROKER

The verdict, by how you trade

Who wins for you

Lowest direct cost
Limited data
Cheapest overnight financing
Limited data
Steadier under news stress
Limited data
Lowest audited total (this scenario)
Limited data

So which should you trade?

It depends on your style, and that's the honest answer a single “cheapest broker” badge can't give you.

If you scalp or day-trade: the all-in direct cost (spread + commission) is the number that matters, since you're flat by the close and swap rarely applies.

If you hold overnight or swing: financing compounds every night and can overtake the entry-cost edge. Run your real account, instrument and holding period rather than trusting one benchmark.

Stop guessing. Audit your real cost.

Run this exact matchup on your instrument, account type, base currency and holding period in the True Cost Engine.

Run my scenario — free

If you open an account via links on this page we may earn a commission. Partners cannot pay to change rankings, figures, or conclusions — how we make money.

Common questions

This matchup, answered

Which broker is cheaper? +
The answer depends on instrument, holding period and account type. The audited scenario above shows the all-in cost for each broker in the standard audit case; swap-heavy overnight holds can narrow or reverse the gap.
Which has lower spreads? +
Compare like-for-like account types — raw and standard pricing models bundle spread and commission differently, so a tighter raw spread can carry a commission that a standard account folds into the spread. The direct-cost line in the ledger above normalizes both.
Which is better for holding overnight or swing trading? +
Financing can dominate total cost for swing traders. The flip-point section above shows where cheaper financing overtakes a tighter entry, based on each broker's audited swap in the standard audit case. Model your actual holding period and direction in the True Cost Engine before deciding.
Are these live spreads or advertised "typical" spreads? +
Figures come from VeriLots audit history. On the free view, spread-based figures reflect broker-published typical pricing; Pro unlocks audited scenario snapshots with freshness timestamps. Figures are indicative and can vary by account type, platform, session and jurisdiction.
Does regulation differ between them? +
Both operate one or more legal entities across regions. The regulator list is informational; your account will sit under a specific entity depending on your country and onboarding flow, which can affect leverage and protections.
Is this financial advice? +
No. VeriLots provides measurement and comparison only. Nothing here recommends trading or any specific product for your personal situation.