How we test brokers
Every score comes from a funded live account. The same four checks run on every broker, in the same order.
We open a retail account through the broker's public website, pass the same identity checks a reader would, and fund it with a deposit through a common payment method. We then trade on it, contact support and request a withdrawal. Only after the money is back do we write the review.
Regulation: which entity holds your money
- We name the legal entity that opens a client account in each region, not the group brand.
- We look the licence number up on the regulator's own register before we fund anything.
- Offshore entities are flagged as offshore, whatever the marketing page says.
Costs: what a trade really costs
- Spreads are recorded from our own live accounts at set times, not copied from a pricing page.
- Commission is converted to a round-turn cost per standard lot so accounts compare fairly.
- Swap, inactivity, conversion and withdrawal fees are listed where we met them.
Withdrawals: getting the money back out
- Every review funds a real account with a real deposit through a common payment method.
- We request a withdrawal and record how long it took and what was deducted on the way.
- Any friction, from extra identity checks to retention calls, goes into the review.
Platforms: where the trading happens
- We place live trades on the broker's desktop, web and mobile platforms.
- We note order types, execution model and anything that got in the way of a clean fill.
- Support is contacted with the same questions each time, and the answers are compared.
How the score works
Each broker gets an overall score out of 10, given to one decimal place. It is a judgement agreed by the desk after the four checks, not an automatic sum, and the review explains what pulled it up or down. Scores are compared inside a category first: a raw spread account for scalpers and a copy trading app answer different needs.
Keeping reviews current
Brokers change fees, entities and platforms. When we notice a material change we retest the affected part, update the review and show the new date. Corrections are printed at the end of the review they apply to.
What a score is not
A high score says a broker did what it promised during our testing. It is not a guarantee of future conduct and not a recommendation to trade. Lotsight does not give personal financial advice.