Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026
We list the brokers that have won our awards, impressing our experts with their reliability and terrific service.
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1Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a top brokerage firm offering access to 150 markets in 33 countries and a range of investment services. With 40 years in the field, this company listed on Nasdaq strictly follows the rules set by authorities such as the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC. It's recognized as one of the most reliable brokers for global trading.
Interactive Brokers Awards
1 has won [2] awardsInteractive Brokers:
- Best US Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
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2NinjaTrader is a US-based brokerage regulated for trading futures. It offers three different pricing plans for varied needs and budgets, along with extremely low margins on popular contracts. The company's renowned charting software and trading platform provides extensive customization options and excellent technical analysis features.
NinjaTrader Awards
1 has won [2] awardsNinjaTrader:
- 2023 Benzinga Global Fintech Awards
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3Plus500US, a reputable broker since 2021, is authorized by the CFTC and NFA. It offers futures trading on forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and interest rates. With a quick 10-minute signup, a $100 minimum deposit, and an easy-to-use web platform, Plus500 is enhancing its services for traders in the US.
Plus500US Awards
1 has won [2] awardsPlus500US:
- Best US Broker Runner Up 2025 - DayTrading.com
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4IQCent is an offshore binary options and CFD broker in the Marshall Islands. It offers various account types with benefits like payout boosts, TradeBacks, and free rollovers. With over 175 assets, 24/7 trading, and 98% payouts, the firm attracts aspiring short-term traders.
IQCent Awards
2 has won [2] awardsIQCent:
- Most Comprehensive Binary Trading Experience 2025 - BinaryOptions.net
- Best Binary Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com
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5OANDA is a well-known broker that excels in quick trade executions, a low deposit requirement, and impressive charting and trading platform functions. The highly-regarded brand has over 25 years of expertise and is overseen by reliable authorities like the NFA/CFTC. It provides 24/7 support for traders and offers flexible contract sizes with automated trade executions.
OANDA US Awards
4 has won [2] awardsOANDA US:
- Best US Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com
- 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
Compare Brokers
| Broker |  |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | $100 | 1:50 | ✗ | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Desktop, GlobalTrader, Mobile, Client Portal, AlgoTrader, OmniTrader, TradingView, eSignal, TradingCentral, ProRealTime, Quantower | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF | Capitalise.ai, TWS API | ✓ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | 1:50 | ✗ | NFA, CFTC | Forex, Stocks, Options, Commodities, Futures, Crypto | NinjaTrader Desktop, Web & Mobile, eSignal | USD | NinjaScript or via Automated Trading Interface | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $100 | Variable | Variable | ✗ | CFTC, NFA | Futures on Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Agriculture, Forex, Interest rates, Energy, Equity Index future contracts | WebTrader, App | USD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $250 | $0.01 | 1:500 | ✓ | ✗ | Binary Options, CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto | Online Platform, TradingView | USD, EUR | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | 1:50 | ✗ | NFA, CFTC | Forex, Crypto with Paxos (Cryptocurrencies are offered through Paxos. Paxos is a separate legal entity from OANDA) | OANDA Trade, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist | USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Broker | |
USD Account |
Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Leverage |
Copy Trading |
Regulator |
Instruments |
Platforms |
Account Currencies |
Automated Trading |
AI |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Safety Comparison
Compare how safe the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026 are.
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✗ | ✗ | ✓ | |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | |
| Broker | Trust Rating |
Guaranteed Stop Loss |
Negative Balance Protection |
Segregated Accounts |
Mobile Trading Comparison
Compare the mobile trading features of the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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iOS & Android | ✓ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android via mobile web trader | ✗ | ||
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iOS & Android | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Mobile Apps |
iOS Rating |
Android Rating |
Smart Watch App |
Comparison for Beginners
Compare how suitable the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026 are for beginners.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | $0 | $100 | ✓ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $100 | Variable | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $250 | $0.01 | ✗ | ✗ | ||
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✓ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ✗ | ✗ | ||
| Broker | Demo Account |
Minimum Deposit |
Minimum Trade |
Education Rating |
Support Rating |
Fractional Shares |
Demo Competitions |
Comparison for Advanced Traders
Compare how suitable the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026 are for advanced or professional traders.
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Capitalise.ai, TWS API | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:50 | ✓ | ✓ |
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NinjaScript or via Automated Trading Interface | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | 1:50 | ✓ | ✗ |
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✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Variable | ✓ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:500 | ✗ | ✗ |
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Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | 1:50 | ✓ | ✗ |
| Broker | Automated Trading |
VPS |
API |
AI |
Pro Account |
Leverage |
Low Latency |
Extended Hours |
Accounts Comparison
Compare the trading accounts offered by Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✓ | USD: 4.8%, GBP: 4.7% | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
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✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Broker | Demo Account |
Interest on Cash |
Islamic Account |
Joint Account |
Managed Account |
PAMM |
MAM |
LAMM |
Pro Account |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Compare how we rated the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026 in key areas.
| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
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| Broker | Trust |
Platforms |
Assets |
Mobile |
Fees |
Accounts |
Research |
Education |
Support |
Fee and Cost Comparison
Compare the cost of trading with the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026.
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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✗ | $0 | 0.003 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value | 0.12%-0.18% | |
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✗ | $25 | ✗ | 1.3 | Floating | |
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✗ | $0 | ✗ | 0.75 | ✗ | |
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✗ | $10 | N/A | 0.3 | Variable | |
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✗ | $0 | ✗ | 1.6 | $100 | |
| Broker | Cost Rating |
Fixed Spreads |
Inactivity Fee |
CFD Stocks Spread |
EUR/USD Spread |
Crypto Spread |
Broker Popularity
See how popular the Best Award-Winning Brokers 2026 are in terms of number of clients.
| Broker | Popularity |
|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers |
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| NinjaTrader |
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Why Trade With Interactive Brokers?
Interactive Brokers is ideal for seasoned traders due to its robust charting platforms, updated data, and adaptability, especially with the IBKR Desktop application. Its exceptional pricing and advanced order features appeal to traders, and its variety of stocks remains unmatched in the market.
Pros
- Interactive Brokers has introduced ForecastTrader, a zero-commission service allowing users to trade yes/no Forecast Contracts on political, economic, and climate events. Contracts offer fixed $1 payouts, 24/6 market access, and a 3.83% APY on held positions.
- There's a large selection of free or paid research subscriptions available to all traders. If you subscribe to Toggle AI, you will also receive commission refunds from IBKR.
- IBKR is a highly regarded brokerage, regulated by prime authorities. This ensures the safety and reliability of your trading account.
Cons
- Customer service may take time to respond, and there may be delays in fixing problems based on tests. It could be difficult to reach the customer service promptly.
- TWS's platform may be difficult for beginners to grasp because of its complexity - we were overwhelmed during our initial tests by the sheer volume of tools, features and widgets.
- IBKR offers many research tools. However, the tools are not uniformly distributed across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page, causing confusion for the users.
Why Trade With NinjaTrader?
NinjaTrader consistently satisfies active futures traders with its low-cost service and high-quality analysis tools. It offers superior charting features, including hundreds of indicators and over 10 chart types.
Pros
- Traders can access a free platform and trade simulation capabilities with the unlimited demo.
- You can access thousands of applications and add-ons from developers worldwide for trading.
- NinjaTrader provides detailed charting software for active traders, complete with custom technical indicators and widgets.
Cons
- Some payment methods require a withdrawal fee.
- You need to register with partner brokers to trade in securities other than forex and futures.
- The advanced trading tools require an additional fee.
Why Trade With Plus500US?
Plus500US is an excellent choice for beginners, offering a user-friendly platform, low trading margins, and access to the Futures Academy to improve trading skills. Its powerful tools and reliable service earned it second place in DayTrading.com's annual 'Best US Broker' award.
Pros
- The Futures Academy is a useful resource for beginner traders due to its captivating videos and simple articles. Its unrestricted demo account is also beneficial for practicing trading strategies.
- The trading app offers an excellent user interface with an updated design, straightforward layout, and charts optimized for mobile use.
- Plus500 is a reputable publicly traded company with over 24 million traders and sponsors the Chicago Bulls.
Cons
- Testing showed fast response times for support, but phone aid is not available.
- Plus500US is expanding its investment options, but it currently only offers around 50+ futures and no stocks.
- The private trading platform is easy to use, but doesn't have the advanced analysis tools that platforms like MetaTrader 4 do.
Why Trade With IQCent?
IQCent offers customized binary assets with over 150 products, including 'Hype Pool' contracts that follow trends. It features short-term expiries starting at 5 seconds and payouts up to 95% (with up to a 3% bonus). A TradingView charting package with 100+ indicators makes it suitable for serious and fast-paced traders.
Pros
- IQCent, a binary options broker, provides a copy trading service suitable for traders who prefer a hands-off approach.
- The broker provides payouts up to 98% on binary options. This is higher than other options such as Pocket Option, which offers only up to 92%.
- The broker offers dependable and quick 24/7 customer support, with responses typically issued within a minute.
Cons
- IQCent imposes a $10 monthly fee if you don't conduct at least one trade per month.
- IQCent lags behind binary brokers such as Quotex, offering a narrow selection of about 175 assets with few stocks.
- The market analysis is simple, offering few technical overviews and limited opinions from analysts.
Why Trade With OANDA US?
OANDA is a reputable broker for US traders. It offers user-friendly tools for analysis and a simple sign-up process. It is very trustworthy due to heavy regulation.
Pros
- You can start trading as a beginner with no minimum initial deposit required.
- The broker provides clear pricing without any concealed fees.
- The OANDA web platform offers an exceptional charting environment with over 65 technical indicators provided by TradingView.
Cons
- The trading markets are limited to only forex and cryptocurrencies.
- Customer support is not accessible during weekends.
- Few payment options are available and e-wallets are not supported.
Filters
BrokerListings.com Broker Awards
The world of trading keeps changing and facing new challenges. The BrokerListings.com Awards celebrate the companies that have adapted, stayed innovative, and focused on their customers. These awards cover categories like Best Overall Broker, Best Forex Broker, and Best Trading App. There are also special awards for the top brokers in the unique trading environments of the US and Australia.
We looked at many factors to decide on these awards, such as:
– The range of markets and investments
– Customer service quality
– Trading costs and spreads
– The effectiveness of the trading platform
Since regulatory changes made by ESMA, we also focus on the overall health of the company and their support for responsible trading practices. Some brands have behaved poorly towards their customers, so we highlight those who treat their users well.
Below are the award winners and the reasons behind our selections. We also mention noteworthy close contenders. We welcome any feedback and look forward to selecting next year’s winners.
Best Forex Broker
Winner: Pepperstone
– Runners Up: Eightcap
Pepperstone stands out as an excellent choice for forex trading. They offer a reliable and fast platform and provide unique insights through their market analysts. Strong regulations, high user satisfaction, and a stable financial standing make them a top pick. While IC Markets and Eightcap also offer great forex services, Pepperstone takes the win in this category.
Best Binary Broker
Winner: IQ Cent
– Runner Up: Pocket Option
IQ Cent continues to expand its offerings. Despite increased scrutiny on binary and digital options, IQ Cent remains available to traders globally and enjoys a great reputation. Their platform is user-friendly and provides deep market insight, allowing traders to manage risk effectively. Pocket Option, last year’s winner, still provides a strong service.
Best US Broker
Winner: Forex.com
– Runner Up: Nadex
Forex.com provides a comprehensive service for US traders. Unlike many brands that offer limited options due to varying US regulations, Forex.com offers a broad array of choices. Even in a rapidly changing market, they maintain high customer satisfaction and professionalism, setting them apart in a segment often marked by controversies.
Best Australian Broker
Winner: Vantage
– Runner Up: Pepperstone
This new award focuses on the Australian market. Changing global regulations present unique challenges, and regional awards help compare similar services. Vantage, regulated by ASIC, offers excellent service in Australia with a wide range of assets, outstanding reliability, and low fees. They narrowly edged out Pepperstone for this title.
Best Crypto Broker
Winner: Eightcap
– Runner Up: eToro
Amid concerns following issues with exchanges like FTX and Binance, traders are wary about crypto trading. Eightcap, a traditional broker, provides reassurance through regulatory oversight and a solid reputation. They have added new crypto pairs as needed and offer customer support that outshines typical crypto exchanges. Their structured approach to risk management makes trading cryptocurrencies safer and easier through their platform.
Best Trading App
Winner: Avatrade
– Runners Up: Pepperstone
While many trading apps focus on gamification, Avatrade stands out by offering a reliable app that prioritizes user experience with a simple and functional design. Their app has high user ratings, excellent uptime, and is tailored to meet trader needs rather than just drive profits. Pepperstone also offers a fantastic app that remains a strong competitor.
Best MT4/MT5 Broker
Winner: Pepperstone
– Runners Up: IC Markets
Pepperstone excels in the category of MetaTrader platforms. They have consistently won awards over the years, and their current MetaTrader integration provides traders with comprehensive options without sacrificing platform reliability. Their dedication to providing multiple choices for traders has been evident with the introduction of MT4 and MT5.
Best Overall Broker
Winner: Eightcap
Eightcap wins the “Best Overall Broker” award this year due to their impressive performance across various trading areas. From forex CFDs to expanding crypto offerings, Eightcap consistently impresses. They have enhanced regulatory oversight, providing global traders with confidence. Their platform expansions and improved market liquidity contribute to their continuous growth.