Brokers with trailing stop loss orders enable traders to set a stop at a certain percentage or number of points below a security’s market price. As the name suggests, the stop loss then trails behind the asset when the price shifts in an advantageous direction. The free risk management tool is commonly used when trading volatile assets, such as commodities and exotic forex pairs.
This guide explains how to set up a trailing stop loss using examples. We also list and review the best brokers with trailing stop losses in 2026. Read on to find out whether the popular risk management tool is good or bad.
Brokers With Trailing Stop Loss
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- Demo account
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Min. deposit: $5
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- Demo account
- Regulator: FSC
- Platforms: R StocksTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView
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- Demo account
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, BVI FSC
- Platforms: Web Platform, MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
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- Demo account
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Indices, Shares, Commodities
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSC
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- Demo account
- Regulator: FMA, FSA
- Min. deposit: $0
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- Demo account
- Regulator: CySEC, MISA
- Platforms: MT4, MT5
Learn how we test brokers and why you can trust our ratings.
This is why we think these brokers are the best in this category in 2026:
- XM 4.8/5 XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 20+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been delivering low trading fees across its growing roster of 1000+ instruments. It also offers a comprehensive MetaTrader experience that we've observed firsthand placing test trades.
- RoboForex 4.5/5 RoboForex is an online broker, established in 2009 and registered with the FSC in Belize. Traders can choose from five accounts (Prime, ECN, R StocksTrader, ProCent, Pro) catering to different needs with trades from 0.01 lots and spreads from 0 pips. RoboForex has also enhanced its offering over the years, adding CFD instruments and launching its stock trading platform, plus the CopyFX system.
- Markets.com 4.4/5 Established in 2008, Markets.com is a long-standing, multi-regulated broker with oversight from the CySEC and FSCA. It offers unique features to track hedge fund moves and insider trades, while providing stock signals to alert traders to market opportunities. Its choice of accounts (Classic to Professional) caters to all levels of active trader. 72.3% of retail accounts lose money.
- FBS 4.3/5 Founded in 2009, FBS is an award-winning CFD broker operating in over 150 countries with a client base exceeding 27 million traders. Traders are supported at every stage of their journey with 24/7 assistance, market analytics, trading calculators, and competitive pricing with zero commissions.
- BlackBull 4.5/5 BlackBull is a New Zealand-based CFD broker providing diverse trading opportunities on over 2,180 instruments. After undergoing a rebrand in 2023, it now sports a modern look and feel complete with professional-grade trading tools and ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 20ms.
- FXCC 4.6/5 FXCC is an established broker that’s been offering low-cost online trading since 2010. Registered in Comoros Union and regulated by the CySEC, it stands out for its ECN trading conditions, no minimum deposit and smooth account opening that takes less than 5 minutes.
Community Sentiment
See how users rate these brokers based on the average customer ratings submitted on DayTrading.com, plus ratings from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play.
| Broker | Our Users' Rating | Trustpilot Score | Trustpilot Reviews | iOS App Rating | Android App Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XM | 3077 | ||||
| RoboForex | 775 | ||||
| Markets.com | 1258 | ||||
| FBS | 10222 | ||||
| BlackBull | 3519 | ||||
| FXCC | 224 |
XM
With a low $5 minimum deposit, advanced charting platforms in MT4 and MT5, expanding range of markets, and a Zero account offering spreads from 0.0, XM provides all the essentials for active traders.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
XM quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Thematic Indices, Precious Metals, Energies
- Regulator
- CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, SCA, FSA, FSC-Belize, FSC-Mauritius, CMA-Kenya, CMA-UAE
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Minimum Deposit
- $5
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, ZAR
Pros
- XM has rolled out platform upgrades with integrated TradingView charts and an XM AI assistant, delivering faster execution, smarter analysis, and a sleeker, more intuitive trading experience.
- XM stands out for its commitment to trader education, with a wealth of well-presented resources, including webinars, tutorials, and even real-time trading sessions through XM Live.
- XM’s customer support has delivered over years of testing, with 24/7 assistance in 30 languages, response times of under 2 minutes and a growing Telegram channel.
Cons
- While the XM app stands out for its usability and exclusive copy trading products, the selection of technical analysis tools needs to be improved to meet the needs of advanced traders.
- XM is falling behind the curve by not offering cTrader, which is favored over MetaTrader by some serious traders for its smoother user experience and superior charting package.
- Although trusted and generally well-regulated in some regions, XM also has global entities registered with the weak regulators like FSC (Belize) and FSA (Seychelles), whilst UK clients are no longer accepted, reducing its market reach.
RoboForex
RoboForex is great if you want a vast range of 12,000+ day trading markets with ECN accounts, powerful charting and loyalty promotions. It also stands out for stock traders with its user-friendly R StocksTrader platform, featuring 3,000+ shares, fees from $0.01 and sophisticated watchlists.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
RoboForex quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Crypto
- Regulator
- FSC
- Platforms
- R StocksTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView
- Minimum Deposit
- $10
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR
Pros
- In 2026, RoboForex introduced swap-free trading across all accounts, removing overnight interest charges, and potentially appealing to swing forex traders, though spreads and commissions may still apply.
- RoboForex is known for its tight spreads starting from 0 pips and low minimum deposits from $10, making it accessible to those on a budget. The ability to trade with micro lots further lowers the barrier to entry for new traders.
- RoboForex secured the 'Best Forex Broker 2025' title in DayTrading.com's Awards after broadening their FX offering, cutting spreads and opening up services in various countries.
Cons
- RoboForex provides a variety of account types, which, while offering flexibility, can be overwhelming for newer traders trying to choose the most suitable option for their trading style. Alternatives, notably eToro, provide a smoother entry into online trading with one retail account.
- While RoboForex offers competitive spreads, some of its account types come with high trading commissions up to $20 per lot, trailing the cheapest brokers, such as IC Markets.
- RoboForex now restricts base currency options to USD and EUR. This limitation may inconvenience day traders preferring to manage their accounts in other currencies, while potentially leading to conversion fees.
Markets.com
Markets.com is best suited to retail investors who trade frequently but don’t want to calculate commissions, thanks to its spread-only pricing (EUR/USD around 1.3 pips). It especially appeals to short-term traders who value fast execution, flexible asset choice spanning 2,200+ instruments and proprietary tools like hedge fund confidence indices and insider trade alerts.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Markets.com quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Crypto, ETFs, Bonds
- Regulator
- ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, BVI FSC
- Platforms
- Web Platform, MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Minimum Deposit
- $200
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, ZAR, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, PLN, CZK
Pros
- Within the 2,200+ CFDs, Markets.com offers thematic baskets like the Warren Buffett Blend and Cannabis Blend, which behaved like ready-made mini-ETFs during testing, saving the work of balancing weights manually.
- Switching between the proprietary web platform (great for alerts and quick analysis) and MT5 (strong for algorithmic EAs) was smooth in our tests; positions synced across desktop, web, and mobile without gaps or re-quotes.
- Markets.com provides commission-free trading on most assets with spreads starting from around 0.6 pips on major forex pairs, making it cost-effective for casual traders.
Cons
- Inactivity charges kick in after just 3 months, while variable spreads are wider than top ECN brokers during testing, which may deter day traders and high-frequency traders.
- While CySEC and FSCA oversight is solid, the SVGFSA and BVIFSC entities offers 1:500 leverage under a light-touch framework, meaning protections like compensation schemes and strict conduct rules lag behind the strictest regulatory standards.
- During sign-up, we hit unclear account type explanations and got stuck in an email verification loop that locked us out for an hour - way less streamlined than other brokers we’ve tested.
FBS
FBS is an excellent choice for day traders at every level and budget, with just a $5 minimum deposit and intensive academy for aspiring traders alongside access to MT4 and MT5.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
FBS quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Indices, Shares, Commodities
- Regulator
- ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSC
- Platforms
- FBS App, MT4, MT5
- Minimum Deposit
- $5
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, AUD, JPY
Pros
- FBS strikes the balance between robust features and ease of use, with a sign-up process taking <10 minutes, an intuitive app, advanced research through Market Analytics & more recently VIP Analytics, plus immersive education through the FBS Academy and Trader’s Blog.
- FBS offers lightning-fast execution speeds from just 10 milliseconds, placing it among the industry leaders for highly active traders like scalpers who demand rapid order processing.
- The trading firm has picked up over 90 awards and amassed more than 27 million clients, making it one of the largest and most established brokers globally.
Cons
- Although the FBS app offers a terrific mobile trading experience for aspiring traders and MT4/MT5 cater to advanced traders, the absence of cTrader and TradingView, which are increasingly offered by alternatives like Pepperstone, will deter day traders familiar with these platforms.
- Despite enhancing the selection of currency pairs, now providing over 70, FBS still trails industry leaders like BlackBull Markets in its market offering with a particularly narrow selection of commodities and indices.
- There are only four base currencies available - EUR, USD, AUD and JPY (region dependant) - which isn't practical for minimizing currency conversion fees for many global traders, and is especially striking given the broker’s user base spans over 150 nations.
BlackBull
After improving its trading infrastructure with Equinix servers in London, reducing latency for traders, BlackBull is an obvious choice if you want to day trade stock CFDs with ECN pricing. With competitive spreads and no commission on a growing roster of digital tokens paired with USD, BlackBull also works for active crypto traders.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
BlackBull quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Crypto
- Regulator
- FMA, FSA
- Platforms
- BlackBull Invest, BlackBull CopyTrader, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, ZAR, SGD
Pros
- BlackBulls’s research is superb, especially the daily ‘Trading Opportunities’ articles that break down complex market movements into easy-to-understand insights, making it simpler to capitalize on emerging trends.
- With two ECN-powered accounts (Standard and Prime), plus Prime+ - an active trader rewards program offering trading rebates - BlackBull accommodates beginners through to high-volume active traders.
- After partnering with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook, alongside improvements to its own CopyTrader, and finally enabling cTrader Copy, BlackBull offers one of the most comprehensive copy trading experiences we've seen.
Cons
- Although the Education Hub now features improvements like webinars and tutorials, the courses we’ve explored need more focus on explaining the wider economic factors influencing prices.
- Unlike most top brokers, BlackBull charges an irritating $5 withdrawal fee, which can detract from the overall cost-effectiveness, especially for active traders who frequently move funds.
- Despite a growing selection of 2,180+ assets, including additions to its Asia Pacific indices, they are mainly stocks with an average selection of currency pairs and indices.
FXCC
FXCC continues to prove itself an excellent option for day traders with a particularly strong selection of 70+ currency pairs, ultra-tight spreads from 0.0 pips during testing, and a free VPS for qualifying traders.
Jemma Grist, Reviewer
FXCC quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Metals, Energies, Crypto
- Regulator
- CySEC, MISA
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD
Pros
- FXCC has stepped up its offering over the years, adding MT5 to its suite of platforms, hundreds of stocks and more cryptos to its product line-up, plus a copy trading feature and greater margin trading opportunities.
- Customer support still relies on human agents with response times of under three minutes on live chat during our tests and knowledgeable reps - a welcome break from the frustrating AI chatbots increasingly offered by brokers.
- The free VPS for qualifying traders and the ability to build or buy EAs on MetaTrader make FXCC a strong option for algo traders.
Cons
- Although the economic calendar has benefited from a facelift, FXCC still offers very little in terms of market research beyond basic daily technical analysis and aggregated market news, with no tools like Autochartist or social sentiment data.
- FXCC charges steep withdrawal fees on many of its payment methods, including $45 for bank transfers and 2% crypto transfers, which may cut into the returns of traders making regular withdrawals.
- Although regulated by the CySEC, FXCC’s offshore entity operates with weak regulatory oversight from MISA and may not provide safeguards like investor compensation in the event of broker insolvency.
How Does A Trailing Stop Loss Work?
The definition and purpose of a trailing stop loss is to limit losses or lock in returns by pulling out of the market before the value of an asset moves too far in an unfavorable direction. The investor essentially defines a percentage by which the price of a security would need to fall to automatically close out the position. The stop loss will remain active until either the trader cancels the order or the position is liquidated.
- If a trader is going long, the trailing stop should be placed below the current price
- If a trader is going short, the trailing stop should be placed above the current quote
The trailing stop should not be confused with a standard stop loss which is similar but set at a fixed amount/price rather than a percentage/number of points that moves in tandem with the position. Some day traders manually move a standard stop loss to replicate the benefits of trailing stop loss alerts and notifications, but this is time-consuming and unnecessary.
The trailing stop is particularly useful when there is market growth in your favour but then pulls back, because your trailing stop will move with the positive price trend but it won’t head in the other direction.
Note, a trailing stop loss will close the trade at the next available price which means there is a chance of slippage. To avoid this, a trader can set a guaranteed stop loss.
Example
To help understand how brokers with trailing stop loss orders work, let’s look at an example…
A swing trader buys one ounce of gold at $1,750. But instead of using a classic stop loss to sell their holdings if the price falls below $1,487.50, the investor places a trailing stop loss order at 15% below the current price.
Now if the price of gold falls to $1,487.50, the broker would automatically exit the position. But if the value of gold climbs, the trailing stop-loss would follow suit, staying 15% below the market value.
This means if the price of gold climbs to $2,500, the trailing stop loss would increase to $2,125. If the value of gold did then subsequently fall to $2,125, the position would be closed and the trader would take home a profit of $375 ($2,125 – $1,750). Note, this doesn’t take into account any broker fees.
Setting Up Tips
Consider the tips below when setting up a trailing stop loss:
- Try not to set trailing stops at a threshold that will trigger unnecessarily. A sensible amount is beyond 1.5 times the lowest price drop in the asset’s current range.
- Trailing stops should reflect a market’s current volatility, so if there is little movement in the value of an asset then the trailing stop will likely be closer to the current price.
- When using trailing stops on stocks that are experiencing significant price swings, moving averages are helpful to overlay. This can help to prevent a trailing stop from triggering unnecessarily due to a low swing in price.
- Don’t be overly reliant on trailing stops. Keep an eye on momentum as it could be worth adjusting the trailing stop if the asset is reaching an all-time high, for example.
- Trailing stop losses can also be used in premarket and after hours trading sessions. Just check your futures broker, for example, supports extended hours.
Other Risk Management Tools Explained
Interactive brokers with trailing stop loss orders also tend to offer other useful risk management tools. One popular solution is a take profit order which sets the price to sell an asset to safeguard any profits which have been made on a trade. The trader can continue to benefit from the price moving in a favourable direction but if the market was to swing in a way that could jeopardise profits, then the trailing stop can be used for damage control.
Another popular form of risk management is hedging. This is essentially the practice of taking out opposing positions on similar assets to cover any losses on original trades. Used correctly, a hedge can be an effective way to minimize risk exposure.
One strategy that can also be used in collaboration with the tools and strategies above is the 1% rule. This is where you do not risk more than 1% of your total portfolio on any single trade. You could invest slightly more than that, however, the key is to be disciplined and not to risk a small amount of your overall capital or deposit. This will mean that several bad trades won’t erode all your trading funds.
Bottom Line
Brokers with trailing stop loss orders provide an effective risk prevention tool. Trailing stops are available on most popular trading platforms and algorithms, including MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader. Some brands also offer trailing stop options on their own in-house trading terminals. Trailing stops are available at several popular brokers, including Webull.
To prevent trailing stops from being triggered unnecessarily, research assets using moving averages and previous trends. This will help you choose thresholds which protect you from crashes, rather than cashing out during a dip that could be recovered from.
Use our list of top brokers with trailing stop loss orders to start trading today.
FAQ
What Is The Meaning Of A Trailing Stop Loss?
A trailing stop loss is a percentage-based threshold that can be set by the trader. If the value of an asset drops below this amount then it will be liquidated, though it does not guarantee execution at that exact price due to slippage. Importantly, the trailing stop should move in tandem with the original position if the market moves in the trader’s favour.
Is A Trailing Stop Loss A Good Idea?
Used correctly, brokers with trailing stop loss orders can help reduce risk exposure. Just make sure you have your trailing stop set beyond a level that could be triggered by ordinary market trends. This will help to avoid preemptive losses that could be easily recovered.
What Can I Do About Trailing Stop Losses Not Working?
If your trailing stop loss did not work, the best thing to do is to head to a demo account to refine your approach. You can also consider other risk management strategies.
Are Trailing Stop Losses A Suitable Form Of Risk Management For Beginners?
As long as you learn how to use them effectively, trailing stop losses can be a useful tool for all levels of traders. If you are new to trading, practice using brokers with trailing stop loss orders in a demo account first. You can then upgrade to a real-money account when you feel confident.
Which Is Better Stop Loss Or Trailing Stop Loss?
This will ultimately come down to trader preference. A standard stop loss is arguably easier to understand, but trailing stops provide greater flexibility – they will move with the market when it shifts in your favour but limit losses if it turns the other way.
How Long Does A Trailing Stop Loss Last?
Traders can decide how long they want a trailing stop loss to run on their platform. With that said, a trailing stop loss will usually run until the investor cancels the order or the position is liquidated.