OANDA Review 2023

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4.3
/ 5
OANDA is #15 in our CFD broker rankings.

OANDA will serve traders looking for a trustworthy broker with a beginner-friendly platform, best in class research and straightforward account opening. The $0 minimum deposit makes it especially attractive to newer traders and those on a budget.

- DayTrading Review Team

OANDA is an award-winning global broker, established in 1996. The hugely respected brand offers competitive trading accounts and serves clients from 196 countries. It has proven a popular option with both beginners and experienced traders thanks to its user-friendly and sophisticated web platform, no minimum deposit and premium currency products and services. The company is also overseen by reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO.


Trusted

Demo Account

Beginner Friendly

Award Winning
$0
MT4, MT5, TradingView, AutoChartist
CFD, Forex, Crypto, Stocks, Spreadbetting
-
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD
Wire Transfer, Debit Card, Credit Card, Neteller, Visa
and 3 more

Forex Trading

OANDA offers 68 currency pairs, more than most forex brokers, covering majors, minors and exotics. The OANDA Trade platform also offers powerful technical analysis tools while average execution speeds are fast at 12 ms.

Stock Trading

Over 1600 shares are available from leading stock exchanges, including blue chip firms like Apple and Meta. There are also no commissions on US stocks and traders benefit from free expert insights and market reports.

CFD Trading

Speculate on popular financial assets covering forex, commodities, indices, metals and bonds. Clients can trade CFDs on the award-winning MT4 platform or the firm's beginner-friendly web trader.

Crypto Trading

OANDA offers trading on leading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. We rate the low fees which start at 0.25% and that you can place trades in the app hassle-free.

Spread Betting

OANDA offer spread betting via OANDA Europe Ltd to UK and Ireland residents only. Trade over 100 assets with no commission and no minimum trade size. The UK 100 is available from just 1 point and the GBP/EUR from 0.8 pips.

Awards

  • Best Trading Tools winner 2021 - Online Personal Wealth Awards
  • Awarded highest overall client satisfaction 2021 - Investment Trends US Leverage Trading Report, Margin Forex
  • Awarded highest client satisfaction for mobile platform/app 2021 - Investment Trends US Leverage Trading Report, Margin Forex
  • Voted Most Popular Broker 2021 - TradingView Broker Awards
  • Voted Best Forex and CFD Broker 2021 - TradingView Broker Awards

✓ Pros

  • Oversight from tier-one regulators make the broker a reliable and trustworthy broker
  • The guaranteed stop loss order (GSLO) is a useful risk management tool not available at many alternatives
  • We found the OANDA web platform easy to learn and rated the sophisticated charting tools
  • The brand has an excellent reputation and 25 years experience with a string of awards
  • No restrictions on trading strategies with scalping, hedging and netting permitted
  • The $0 minimum deposit will appeal to newer traders
  • With 68 forex pairs the broker will serve active forex traders
  • Spreads are tight and there are zero hidden fees

✗ Cons

  • There is a narrow range of payment methods with no PayPal
  • High-volume traders get limited fee rebates or perks
  • Weekend customer support isn't available
  • Social and copy trading tools aren't supported

In this review of OANDA, our experts assess the broker’s trading accounts, fee structure, platform features and more. We also consider how the brokerage compares to alternatives when it comes to market research, education and payment methods. Find out if OANDA is safe and trustworthy.

The OANDA Group has multiple subsidiaries who are licensed to offer products to clients around the globe. The OANDA subsidiary with whom a client contracts depends on their country of residence. Each subsidiary provides different products via different platforms, so clients will experience OANDA differently depending on their country of residence. Note, CFDs are not available to US traders.

Is OANDA Regulated?

OANDA is a heavily regulated broker with an excellent reputation. This should provide peace of mind to traders.

Retail investors can be assured of negative balance protection and segregated client funds. EU and UK traders also have access to investor compensation funds in the event of broker insolvency. The UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), for example, covers traders up to £85,000.

The brokerage is regulated by:

Importantly, our team did not find any evidence of major security breaches or scams during their research. However, we did find a few reports of clone firms trading under the OANDA brand name, so make sure you sign up with the correct entity.

Account Types

OANDA offers a Standard Account with access to all instruments and a choice of pricing models. This includes 68 forex pairs and CFDs on indices, energies, metals, and bonds.

We particularly rate the no minimum deposit, which makes the broker accessible to beginners. OANDA’s minimum lot size is one unit of the base currency of the quote.

The performance dashboard is also a useful feature not found at many alternatives. This is a good way to monitor your trades and overall returns.

On the negative side, there is no swap-free account for Muslim traders, which can be found at many alternatives, including AvaTrade.

Seasoned traders may also be disappointed by the lack of a loyalty program for high-volume traders, though a professional account is available upon request.

How To Open A Live Account

I found it straightforward to sign up for an OANDA account. It only took me 8 minutes to follow a few steps:

  1. Enter your email address in the application form, create a password and review and agree to the T&Cs
  2. Click ‘Fill Out The Form Manually’
  3. Add your personal details in the following screen (name, date of birth, citizenship, document type, and ID number)
  4. Provide your mobile number and verify your registration with an SMS code
  5. Complete your address details, country, and city of birth
  6. Confirm your tax residency details including the relevant identification number
  7. Submit the application

You will need to verify your identity and residency by uploading a copy of your passport, driving license, or alternative government-issued document. Once approved, you can deposit funds into your live account and start trading.

ID verification request when opening an OANDA account

Trading Fees

OANDA has a competitive pricing structure, offering a choice of spread-only trading or tighter spreads with a low commission.

The spread-only option will appeal to beginners, with a single cost to consider. When we used OANDA, we were offered competitive spreads of 0.8 pips on the EUR/USD and 1.1 pips on the USD/JPY. This compares well to other brokers, such as FXCM and FxPro.

The commission-based account will serve active traders. Again, fees are low with spreads from 0.1 pips plus a $40 commission per million traded. Upon testing, we received spreads of 0.1 pips on both the EUR/USD and USD/JPY.

OANDA Forex Spreads

Non-Trading Fees

On the negative side, there is a $10 monthly inactivity fee, though this doesn’t kick in for 12 months.

Traders should also note that there may be a currency conversion fee if the instrument you are trading is denominated in a different currency than your account.

Finally, overnight fees apply for open positions held after 5:00 pm (ET), which is fairly standard.

Payment Methods

We have reviewed dozens of brokers and OANDA offers a fairly narrow selection of funding methods. Clients can load their account with credit/debit cards and wire transfers, however there is a limited choice of popular e-wallets like PayPal.

For the fastest processing times, we would recommend Visa and Mastercard payments, which offer near-instant funding. We found that wire transfers are much slower and can take up to five working days.

When we used OANDA, we appreciated that there are no deposit or withdrawal fees, an advantage over many alternatives. The $0 minimum deposit requirement will also appeal to newer traders on a budget.

How To Make A Deposit

I found depositing money through the OANDA client terminal fast. To fund your account:

  1. Log in to the client area and select ‘Deposit’ from the dashboard interface
  2. Choose the trading account you want to add funds to from the dropdown menu
  3. Choose a payment method, such as a wire transfer or bank card
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the payment (this will vary by method; you will need to add card details for example)
  5. Review the payment information and confirm the request

Note that a $1000 deposit limit applies if you have not verified your personal information.

Assets & Markets

OANDA does not offer the largest suite of trading products, but there is enough for most retail traders to build a diverse portfolio and speculate on popular financial markets. You can trade 120 instruments through CFDs.

The selection of currency pairs is particularly strong, with over 65 assets available. This is more than most online brokers.

You can trade:

Execution

OANDA is classified as a market maker, or dealing desk broker. Market makers create liquidity in the market, and in return add a small markup to the buy and sell price of a security.

Our team were particularly impressed with the fast order execution speeds on the broker’s proprietary platform, with an average of 12 milliseconds. We consider anything below 100 milliseconds good.

Leverage

OANDA offers leveraged trading in line with regulatory requirements. For example, EU clients can trade forex up to 1:30 and commodities up to 1:10.

Traders will need to turn to offshore brokers for higher leverage, though this often comes with fewer safeguards. We also recommend beginners approach high leverage with caution, as losses can be magnified.

While using OANDA, we found that a margin call will be issued if your account balance falls to 50% of the margin requirement.

Platforms & Apps

I like that OANDA offers a choice of proprietary and third-party trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4 and TradingView.

The broker’s bespoke program is a web-based solution with powerful charting features and customization. There is also mobile app compatibility.

MetaTrader 4 (MT4), on the other hand, offers download, web browser, and mobile app access. This is one of the most used trading platforms in the world, thanks to its intuitive design and powerful analysis tools.

After testing the platforms, TradingView stood out for its user-friendly visuals and simple navigation. I would opt for the MetaTrader 4 platform if you want to trade from charts and conduct technical analysis.

The OANDA web terminal is a better pick for beginners, with straightforward access through popular internet browsers. My only issue with the terminal is that it feels a little clunky. Some functions, such as the latest news, also take a couple of minutes to load.

We have pulled out some of our favorite features of the different platforms below.

OANDA Trade Web

Screenshot of OANDA forex heat map

TradingView

MetaTrader 4

How To Place A Trade On OANDA Web

I thought it was straightforward to place a trade on the OANDA Web platform. The order screen was simple to follow, with risk parameters available.

  1. Click the buy or sell icons above the chart (blue/red) to open the new order screen
  2. Highlight the order type (market, limit or stop)
  3. Use the arrows to increase/decrease the number of units to trade
  4. Review the trade value and margin requirements (these will change as you input the order size)
  5. Add stop loss or take profit prices (optional)
  6. Click ‘Submit’ to confirm the order

Making a trade at OANDA

Tools

We have evaluated hundreds of brokers and OANDA offers one of the best selections of additional tools to enhance the trading experience.

This includes a spread calculator, lot size calculator, additional MT4 indicators, Dow Jones FX Select news bulletins, technical analysis from Autochartist, and advanced charting from TradingView.

Clients will also appreciate the margin call calculator, leverage calculator, live FX rates, and monthly average exchange rates information.

I have focused on some of the tools I found the most useful below.

Advanced Charts

TradingView charting is compatible with OANDA’s web terminal and offers some of the best functionality in terms of indicators, drawing tools and graphs.

One of the most competitive features is the choice of 11 customizable charts, which is significantly more than the three available within the MT4 terminal.

TradingView charts in OANDA web platform

Autochartist

We were also pleased to see a partnership with Autochartist, which provides chart pattern identification with 24-hour market monitoring.

We found the tool relatively easy to use, with automated alert functionality for emerging patterns and correlating signals. We found this especially useful for viewing real-time market volatility.

Economic Overlay

We also rated the economic overlay function offered by OANDA, which offers real-time updates of economic announcements that may influence your positions.

Alerts and notifications can be set up directly within the trading terminal or mobile app.

Education & Research

OANDA offers high-quality education for aspiring traders. Though not as extensive as the likes of eToro, there are plenty of resources to help you get the most out of your online trading experience.

Topics include fundamental and technical analysis, how to apply indicators and oscillators to trading and an introduction to trading with leverage.

We particularly rated the live market analysis webinars, which are hosted weekly with insights into forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrency markets. These events are available to customers with a live account only.

On the negative side, there are no integrated tutorial videos or more interactive learning mediums. The articles are also quite text-heavy which may deter some beginners.

Demo Account

OANDA offers a demo account. We appreciated that the free trial provides access to all trading platforms and up to $100,000 in virtual funds.

Importantly, there is no time limit on the demo account. Many brokers we review automatically close the simulator account after 30 or 60 days, but we prefer unlimited demo accounts so we can continue testing strategies alongside our real-money account.

How To Open A Demo Account

It only took me a couple of minutes to register for a demo account at OANDA. To get started:

  1. Click the ‘Demo’ icon found on the top right of the broker’s website
  2. Add your name, email address, and telephone number in the pop-out
  3. Review and agree to the T&Cs
  4. Click ‘Open Demo Account’
  5. Activate your account via the link sent to your registered email address

OANDA demo account application approval

Bonus Offers

OANDA does not offer a welcome bonus. However, we don’t consider this a major drawback – trading promotions are prohibited by several regulators. We never recommend picking a broker based on their bonus deals.

On the negative side, the lack of fee rebates or exclusive perks for high-volume traders is disappointing compared to alternatives. The only offer available is the option to request a rebate for up to three months of inactivity fees if you restart trading with the brand.

Customer Support

I appreciated the reliable and responsive customer service at OANDA.

Customer support is available via phone from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (CET). This includes agents in English, Spanish, French, and German. Alternatively, you can contact the broker by email or online chat 24/5.

I find that the live chat is the fastest way to get help. I received a response within three minutes each time I tested the broker.

To speak to OANDA:

Company Details & History

OANDA was established in 1996 in Delaware, by Dr Michael Stumm and Dr Richard Olsen. The brand become the first company to publish stock exchange rate information online for no fee with several financial firms registering for access to the system.

OANDA was acquired by CVC Capital Partners in 2018 before acquiring TMS Brokers to enhance its presence in the Eastern European and Baltic markets.

The European and UK subsidiary has an office presence in five locations including in the UK, Poland, Malta, and Germany.

The current executive team include Gavin Bambury (CEO), Kurt vom Scheidt (COO), and Emmanuel Coulon (CTO).

OANDA Group has been recognized with several global accolades including the Brokerage House of the Year at the Invest Cuffs awards and Best Forex and CFD Broker at the TradingView awards.

Trading Hours

OANDA trading hours vary by market, though trading is available from Sunday 10:00 pm to Friday 10:00 pm (GMT).

You can look at trading times for specific instruments by selecting the ‘Check Conditions’ icon on the product page list. For example, the EUR/USD currency pair can be traded Monday to Thursday between 12:00 am to 10:58 pm and 11:05 pm to 12:00 am and Fridays from 12:00 am to 10:55 pm. The DE 30 index, on the other hand, is available between 02:16 am and 9:59 pm.

Clear information regarding holiday trading hours and market closure dates is also available on the broker’s website. This includes upcoming public holidays and company announcements.

Verdict

OANDA is a hugely respected and top-rated broker. Experienced traders will appreciate the powerful trading platforms, additional tools, and competitive fee structure.

The unlimited demo account, no minimum deposit and good education also make the brokerage a great option for beginners.

Accepted Countries

OANDA accepts traders from Australia, Thailand, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and most other countries.

Traders can not use OANDA from United States.

Payment Methods

OANDA Details

Minimum Trade $0
Regulated By FCA, ASIC, MFSA, MAS, CIRO, FFAJ, BVI
Islamic Account No
Mobile Apps OANDA Trade, MT4
Margin Trading Yes
Margin Rate 2%
Volatility Index No
Spot Trading Yes
Perpetual Swaps No
ELWs No
REITs No
AI / Machine Learning No
Robo Advisor No
P2P Trading No
Negative Balance Protection Yes
VPS Hosting No
Tournaments No
Demo Competitions No
Managed Accounts No
Market Maker Yes
Auto Trading Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Social Trading No
Inactivity Fee $0
Guaranteed Stop Loss Yes
Stock Exchanges
  • Australian Securities Exchange
  • CAC 40 Index France
  • DAX GER 40 Index
  • Dow Jones
  • Euronext
  • FTSE UK Index
  • Hang Seng
  • London Stock Exchange
  • Nasdaq
  • Russell 2000
  • S&P 500
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Silver
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat

CFD Trading Details

FTSE Spread 1.0
GBPUSD Spread 1.4
Oil Spread 3.0
Stocks Spread Variable
Leverage 1:30

Forex Trading Details

GBPUSD Spread 1.4
EURUSD Spread 0.8
EURGBP Spread 0.9
Assets 68

Cryptocurrency Trading Details

Crypto Spread $100
Crypto Lending No
Crypto Staking No
Crypto Mining No
Crypto Auto Market Maker No
Crypto Coins
  • AAVE
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LINK
  • LTC
  • PAXG
  • UNI

Compare OANDA

Compare OANDA with similar brokers that accept traders from your location. Among available brokers these are the most similar to OANDA:

  1. IG Group – IG is an award-winning broker that has an excellent reputation globally. The brand-US offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across a comprehensive suite of markets. IG is also multi-regulated, provides a great trading app and has 50 years experience.
    Go to IG Group
  2. Just2Trade – Just2Trade is a reliable multi-regulated broker registered with FINRA, NFA and CySEC. The company has 155,000 clients from 130 countries and stands out for its huge suite of instruments and additional features, including a social network, robo advisors and a funded trader programme.
    Go to Just2Trade
  3. Kwakol Markets – Kwakol Markets is a Nigerian headquartered broker with strong regulatory oversight in Australia and Canada. A great selection of asset classes are available, including synthetic products that simulate realistic market activity. Clients can trade on the MT4, MT5 and cTrader platforms, as well as a copy trading solution whereby a fee is only paid on profitable trades.
    Go to Kwakol Markets

OANDA Comparison Table

Compare OANDA With Similar Brokers
OANDA IG Group Just2Trade Kwakol Markets
Rating 4.3 4.4 3.5 4.5
Markets Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Crypto CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting Stocks, ADRs, ETFs, Futures, Options, Commodities, Bonds CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
Demo Account Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit $0 $0 $100 $1
Minimum Trade $0 0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulators FCA, ASIC, MFSA, MAS, CIRO, FFAJ, BVI FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA CySEC, NFA, FINRA, Bank of Russia ASIC, FINTRAC
Bonus Up to $2,000 for professional accounts
Education Yes Yes No No
Platforms MT4, MT5, TradingView, AutoChartist MT4, AutoChartist, TradingCentral MT4, MT5, TradingCentral MT4, MT5, AutoChartist
Leverage 1:30 1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro) 1:20 1:1000
Payment Methods 8 6 20 4
Visit Visit Visit Visit
Review OANDA
Review
IG Group
Review
Just2Trade
Review
Kwakol Markets
Review

Compare Trading Instruments

Compare the markets and instruments offered by OANDA and its competitors. Please note, some markets may only be available via CFDs or other derivatives.

Compare OANDA Trading Instruments
OANDA IG Group Just2Trade Kwakol Markets
CFD Yes Yes Yes Yes
Forex Yes Yes Yes Yes
Stocks Yes Yes Yes Yes
Commodities Yes Yes Yes Yes
Oil Yes Yes Yes Yes
Gold Yes Yes Yes Yes
Copper Yes Yes No Yes
Silver Yes Yes Yes Yes
Corn Yes No No No
Crypto Yes Yes Yes Yes
Futures No Yes Yes No
Options No Yes Yes No
ETFs No Yes Yes No
Bonds Yes Yes Yes No
Warrants No Yes No No
Spreadbetting Yes Yes No No
Volatility Index No Yes No No

OANDA vs Other Brokers

Compare OANDA with any other broker by selecting the other broker below.

OANDA vs

The most popular OANDA comparisons:

  1. Oanda vs FXCM
  2. eToro vs Oanda
  3. Oanda vs FXPro

FAQ

Is OANDA A Good Broker?

OANDA is a good broker. The firm is overseen by tier-one regulators, including the UK Financial Conduct Authority, has low trading fees, more than 65 forex pairs, plus excellent tools from MetaTrader, TradingView, Autochartist, and its in-house web platform.

Is OANDA A Reliable And Trustworthy Broker?

OANDA is a trustworthy broker with strong regulatory credentials, thousands of clients, and multiple awards.

The broker also offers negative balance protection, segregates client funds, and facilitates access to compensation schemes (country dependent) for retail investors.

Our experts also did not uncover any reports of scams or malpractice associated with the broker.

Does OANDA Have Low Fees?

OANDA offers lower-than-average trading fees. Traders can choose from spread-only pricing or a tighter spread alongside a competitive commission.

When we used OANDA, we were offered the EUR/USD with a 0.8 pip spread or a 0.1 pip spread with a $40 commission per million.

Does OANDA Have A Mobile App?

OANDA offers a proprietary mobile app which facilitates on-the-go trading and straightforward account management. We rated the custom charting and access to historical price quotes. The application is available on Apple and Android devices.

Alternatively, MetaTrader 4 is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

For Specific Countries

Article Sources

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OANDA is an award-winning global broker, established in 1996. The hugely respected brand offers competitive trading accounts and serves clients from 196 countries. It has proven a popular option with both beginners and experienced traders thanks to its user-friendly and sophisticated web platform, no minimum deposit and premium currency products and services. The company is also overseen by reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO.