The best brokers for scalping
Pepperstone is our top pick for scalping: its Razor account averaged 0.1 pips on EUR/USD in August 2026, commission is $7 round turn on MT4/MT5 and $6 on cTrader, and it pairs that with top-tier regulation. IC Markets matches its published 0.1-pip raw average and is a close second. Tickmill has the lowest MetaTrader commission we track ($6 round turn), and Eightcap suits scalpers who also chart on TradingView. Figures were verified November 2026.
Our picks
- Pepperstone: published 0.1-pip raw average, $6 round turn on cTrader, ASIC/FCA/CySEC/DFSA licences.
- IC Markets: raw average 0.1 pips plus $7 round turn, cTrader and MetaTrader, 2,850+ instruments.
- Tickmill: $6 round-turn commission on its Raw account, FCA and CySEC licensed.
- Eightcap: raw from 0.0 pips plus $7 round turn, with MT4, MT5 and native TradingView.
Scalping broker comparison
| Broker | Score | EUR/USD raw cost | Platforms | Minimum deposit | Regulation tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | 92/100 | Razor avg 0.1 pips + $7 RT (MT4/MT5), $6 RT on cTrader | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, Pepperstone platform | $0 | Top-tier |
| IC Markets | 88/100 | Raw avg 0.1 pips + $7 RT (MT4/MT5) | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, IC Social, ZuluTrade | $200 | Mixed |
| Tickmill | 84/100 | Raw from 0.0 pips + $6 RT | MT4, MT5, TradingView, Tickmill Trader | $100 | Mixed |
| Eightcap | 83/100 | Raw from 0.0 pips + $7 RT | MT4, MT5, TradingView, TradeLocker | $100 | Mixed |
1. Pepperstone: best overall for scalping
Scalpers pay the spread and commission many times a day, so the most useful number is a published average, not a "from" price. Pepperstone publishes one: its Razor account averaged 0.1 pips on EUR/USD in August 2026. Commission is $7 round turn on MT4/MT5 and $6 on cTrader, which makes cTrader the cheaper way to scalp here. It supports MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, has a $0 minimum deposit, and is licensed by ASIC, the FCA, CySEC and the DFSA. It scores 92/100 overall and 23/25 for costs.
Drawback: not available to US residents, and some international clients are onboarded through the Bahamas entity, which offers fewer protections than the ASIC, FCA or CySEC entities.
2. IC Markets: best for raw-spread volume on MetaTrader and cTrader
IC Markets (now branded IC) is a long-standing choice for high-volume traders. Its Raw account averages 0.1 pips on EUR/USD plus $7 round turn on MT4/MT5, and it offers cTrader alongside MetaTrader and TradingView, with 2,850+ instruments. It scores 24/25 for costs, the highest cost score among the brokers on this page, and 88/100 overall. Its ASIC and CySEC entities are top-tier.
Drawback: IC's global site onboards clients through Raw Trading Ltd, regulated by the FSA Seychelles, with leverage up to 1:5000. That is far above top-tier limits, and offshore entities offer fewer protections. Official pages also give conflicting standard-account spreads, and the minimum deposit is $200.
3. Tickmill: lowest commission on MetaTrader
Tickmill charges $6 round turn on its Raw account, $1 less than Pepperstone's and IC's MetaTrader rate. For a scalper trading many lots, that difference adds up. It is regulated by the FCA, CySEC, DFSA and FSCA, offers MT4, MT5, TradingView and Tickmill Trader, and has a $100 minimum. It scores 84/100.
Drawback: Tickmill publishes only "from 0.0 pips" spreads, not averages, so you cannot confirm its all-in cost from published data. There is no cTrader, the range is narrower (180+ instruments), and global accounts are offered by its Seychelles entity with leverage up to 1:1000.
4. Eightcap: best for scalpers who chart on TradingView
Eightcap's Raw account is quoted from 0.0 pips plus $7 round turn, and it runs MT4, MT5, TradingView and TradeLocker. It holds ASIC, FCA and CySEC licences, has a $100 minimum and no inactivity fee. It scores 83/100.
Drawback: like Tickmill, it publishes only minimum spreads, not averages. Its global site lists only its offshore entities (Bahamas, Seychelles, Mauritius), so confirm which entity will hold your account.
A worked example: the cost of a scalping day
On EUR/USD, one pip on a standard lot (100,000 units) is worth about $10. At Pepperstone's 0.1-pip Razor average, the spread costs about $1 per lot, so one round turn on MT4/MT5 costs about $1 + $7 = $8, or about $1 + $6 = $7 on cTrader. IC Markets, with the same 0.1-pip average and $7 commission, also comes to about $8 per lot.
A scalper placing 20 one-lot round turns a day would pay about $160 a day on MetaTrader at either broker, or about $140 on Pepperstone's cTrader. Tickmill's commission on the same 20 lots is $120, plus spreads it does not publish as an average. If its spread averaged the same 0.1 pips, the total would be about $140, but that figure is not verified. Use the pip value calculator to check other pairs and sizes.
How we chose
We started from our editorial broker ranking (see the methodology), then filtered for what scalping needs: a raw-spread account with a separate commission, and MetaTrader or cTrader support. We ranked by published all-in cost first, giving credit for published averages over "from" prices, then by regulation, with the WizardTrader score as a tiebreaker. Interactive Brokers has lower commissions (about $4 to $5 round turn per 100k on interbank quotes) but offers no MT4, MT5 or cTrader, so it does not fit this brief. IG, OANDA and XM were left out: IG's retail forex is spread-only, OANDA's US core pricing costs $14 round turn and needs a $10,000 balance, and XM's Zero account (EU) charges $7 round turn without a published average spread.
What to check before you open an account
- Your entity. All four brokers can place some international clients with offshore entities. Check the legal entity on your account agreement.
- Average, not minimum, spreads. "From 0.0 pips" tells you little about the cost of a busy session. Read what a spread is.
- Commission by platform. Pepperstone charges less on cTrader than on MetaTrader. Compare the platforms in our platform guide.
- Your strategy's edge after costs. A 3-pip target loses more than a quarter of its value to a 0.8-pip all-in cost ($8 per lot). Our scalping strategy guide covers how to size targets around costs.
- Leverage. High offshore leverage magnifies losses on fast trades.
Sources
Provider data on this page was verified November 2026 against these sources:
Pepperstone
- Pepperstone: licensing and regulation
- Pepperstone: trading accounts
- Pepperstone: who we are
- Pepperstone Financial Services Guide (PDF)
IC Markets
Tickmill
Eightcap
Trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone. Leveraged products can lose money quickly. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This page is general information, not financial advice. Rankings are editorial and not paid. Read our risk disclaimer and advertiser disclosure.