Head to head

OANDA vs Skilling — which broker is better?

OANDA or Skilling? Fees, regulation, platform and product range compared side by side — with a verdict drawn from the data.

Risk warning: CFDs and leveraged products are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly. Investments can fall in value. Past performance is not an indicator of future results.

OANDA

Thirty years, six top-tier licences and the best mobile app in FX - attached to spreads you have to work around.

4,1

Group index 89/100Protection depends on your legal entity

CFTC/NFAFCAASIC+5

Stocks (per order): 0.06 %
Minimum deposit: None
EUR/USD spread: 1.7 pips

Visit broker Full review

Skilling

A Scandinavian-founded, Cyprus-licensed CFD broker with an unusually clean platform — and a currency charge that outweighs its spreads.

3,4

Group index 49/100Protection depends on your legal entity

CySECFSA

Stocks (per order): in the spread
Minimum deposit: €100
EUR/USD spread: 1.2 pips

Visit broker Full review

Advertising disclosure: where a partnership is active, we may earn a commission through broker links. The provider’s terms apply. Commissions do not influence our ratings; paid placements are separately labelled as sponsored.

The verdict in numbers

Four decision axes, each derived from the recorded data.

Overall OANDA takes it, 4.1 against 3.4 out of 5. OANDA is the cheaper of the two: a reference EUR 5,000 stock order costs €3.00 there against €5.00. OANDA scores 89 against 49 out of 100 on the group index. Your account's protection depends on its legal entity. OANDA covers more ground with 10 of 14 asset classes against 8. On platform and app OANDA is ahead, 4.4 against 3.9 out of 5. Which one is right depends on which of these axes matters for your trading profile.

Overall score

OANDA: 4.1 — Better
Skilling: 3.4

Costs

OANDA: €3.00 — Better
Skilling: €5.00

Group indexNo winner

OANDA: 89 of 100
Skilling: 49 of 100

Product range

OANDA: 10/14 — Better
Skilling: 8/14

Platform & app

OANDA: 4.4 — Better
Skilling: 3.9

Compare brokers side by side

Up to four brokers at once — every row a decision point.

Data as of: 30 Aug 2026

Best value in the row

OANDA · Skilling
Criterion	OANDA 4,1 Visit broker	Skilling 3,4 Visit broker

Overall score	4.1 — Better	3.4
Group index	89 of 100	49 of 100
Best for	BeginnersMobile-first tradersUS and Canadian residentsResearch-led discretionary tradingAPI and algo access	cTrader usersBeginners wanting a simple platformCopy-trading followersLow-deposit CFD tradersCrypto CFD traders

Regulation	CFTC/NFAFCAASICCIROMASJFSAKNFBVI FSC	CySECFSA
Top-tier licences	6 — Better	0
Investor protection	CA$1,000,000 — Better	€20,000
Listed group	No	No
Banking licence	No	No
Segregated client accounts	Yes	Yes
Negative balance protection	Yes	Yes
Audited financials	Yes	No
Disclosed regulatory actions	None	None
Founded	1996	2016
Headquarters	New York, US	Limassol, CY

Fees	3.5	3.6 — Better
Safety & regulation	4.7 — Better	3.0
Trading platform	4.2 — Better	3.8
Product range	3.5 — Better	3.3
Mobile app	4.5 — Better	4.0
Research	4.6 — Better	2.8
Customer support	3.9 — Better	3.4
Deposit & withdrawal	3.8 — Better	3.4
Account opening	4.3	4.4 — Better
Education	3.6 — Better	3.0

Reference order EUR 5,000	€3.00 — Better	€5.00
Minimum deposit	None — Better	€100
Stocks (per order)	0.06 %	in the spread
US stocks	0.06 %	n/a
ETFs	0.06 %	in the spread
Options	Not offered	Not offered
Futures	Not offered	Not offered
Crypto	in the spread	in the spread
Bonds (order)	in the spread	n/a
Funds (order)	n/a	n/a
EUR/USD spread	1.7 pips	1.2 pips — Better
Index CFD spread	1 points	n/a
FX conversion	1 %	0.7 % — Better
Inactivity fee	US$20 · after 12 months	n/a
Custody fee	n/a	n/a
Withdrawal fee	free	free
Deposit fee	free	free
Overnight financing	n/a	n/a
Other fees	EUR/USD spread (spread-only account): Advertised from 0.6 pips; ForexBrokers.com measured a 1.68 to 1.69 pip average in 2026 testing, and BestBrokers put it at 1.4 pips EUR/USD core pricing: From 0.0 to 0.4 pips plus commission - USD 7 per USD 100,000 per side in the US (OANDA states 0.70 per 10,000 units on each leg), USD 3 per 100,000 per side in Singapore. Round turn is double: USD 14 and USD 6 Core pricing eligibility: OANDA states it directly: core spread and commission pricing is available to clients with a balance of USD 10,000 or greater Currency conversion: 1.0 percent mark-up or mark-down on the mid-market rate (OANDA Europe Limited) Index CFD spreads: UK 100 from 1.0 point, Germany 40 from 1.2 points, USD/JPY from 1.3 pips Guaranteed stop-loss order: A fixed premium is charged only if the GSLO is actually triggered +2	Standard account: Commission-free. EUR/USD from 0.8 pips, roughly USD 8 per standard-lot round turn at that floor; independent measurement puts the account average nearer 1.2 pips. Minimum deposit EUR 100. Premium account: EUR/USD from 0.1 pips plus commission billed by volume: USD 35 per USD 1 million traded, or USD 40 per million on MT4 Premium. Skilling does not state whether that rate applies per side or per round turn, so a standard-lot round turn carries USD 3.50 to USD 7.00 in commission — at or below the all-in cost of the commission-free Standard account. Commission applies to forex and commodities only. Minimum deposit reported at EUR 5,000. Currency conversion: 0.70% on conversions into and out of the account base currency — high by industry standards and the single biggest hidden cost here Skrill / Neteller: 2.9% transaction charge on e-wallet funding Minimum withdrawal: EUR 50 Inactivity fee: Skilling's current schedule as reported in August 2026 shows none. An older secondary listing cites EUR 10 after 12 months of dormancy. We have not recorded a figure because the two sources disagree — confirm before leaving an account idle. +1

Asset classes (of 14)	10 — Better	8
Exchanges	n/a	n/a
Stocks	Yes	Yes
ETFs	Yes	Yes
Options	No	No
Futures	No	No
Forex	Yes	Yes
CFDs	Yes	Yes
Crypto	Yes	Yes
Bonds	Yes	No
Funds	No	No
Commodities	Yes	Yes
Indices	Yes	Yes
Warrants	No	No
Spread betting	Yes	No
Social trading	Yes	Yes

Platforms	OANDA Trade (web)OANDA Trade (mobile)MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5TradingViewAlgo Labs API	Skilling TradercTraderMetaTrader 4Skilling mobile apps
Demo account	Yes	Yes
Fractional shares	No	No
Maximum leverage	1:30	1:500 · Pro 1:500
Account opening	Online application, usually approved within one business day	Registration takes under a minute; live trading requires ID and proof of address, typically verified within one business day
Account types	Standard (spread-only)Core pricing + commissionPremium and Premium PlusSpread betting (UK only)Professional (UK)	StandardPremium

Payment methods	Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller	Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller
Account currencies	USDEURGBPAUDCADJPYSGDHKD	EURUSD
Deposit time	Instant on cards, 1-3 business days by bank transfer	Instant on cards and e-wallets; up to 7 business days on wire transfer
Withdrawal time	1-3 business days; bank wires can take longer	24 hours to 7 business days depending on the payment processor
Free withdrawals	n/a	n/a

Languages	EnglishGermanSpanishChineseJapanesePolish	EnglishSpanishFrenchPortugueseArabicRussianChineseMalayThai
Channels	PhoneEmailLive chat	Live chatEmailPhone
Availability	24/5	Monday to Friday, 04:00–22:00 — not the 24/5 coverage most CFD brokers offer

Strengths and weaknesses side by side

Editorial assessment based on the recorded data.

OANDA

Thirty years, six top-tier licences and the best mobile app in FX - attached to spreads you have to work around.

4,1

Pros

Regulated by six tier-1 authorities - CFTC/NFA, FCA (542574), CIRO, ASIC (AFSL 412981), MAS and the JFSA - a licence footprint almost nobody in retail FX matches
Trading since 1996, with client money segregated and FSCS cover up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients and CIPF cover up to CAD 1,000,000 in Canada
No minimum deposit at all - you can open and fund a live account with any amount you choose
The mobile app is the strongest in this comparison set: full order management, alerts and charting rather than a cut-down position viewer
Research rated 5 out of 5 by ForexBrokers.com - MarketPulse commentary, Autochartist integration, news feeds and podcasts, all in-house rather than bought in
Share CFD commission of 0.06 percent of notional per side with no minimum, which is cheap on small tickets where per-order minimums usually bite
Open REST and streaming API through Algo Labs, with no punitive volume threshold attached
Available to US, Canadian and Japanese residents, who cannot open accounts at most global CFD brokers

Cons

The default spread-only account is expensive: EUR/USD has been measured at 1.4 to 1.7 pips against roughly 0.8 pips all-in at raw-spread competitors
Core pricing closes most of that gap but is reported to require a USD 10,000 balance, so the cheap tariff is not available to the clients who need it most
A 1.0 percent currency conversion mark-up applies whenever the instrument currency differs from your account currency - the largest hidden cost in this review
Inactivity fee of up to USD 20 a month - GBP 20 at the UK entity - after twelve months without an open or active position, though up to three months are refundable once you trade again
No options, no futures and no mutual funds; outside the EU no share ownership either (the EU entity, OANDA TMS Brokers S.A., offers real shares and ETFs, held by a custodian in an omnibus account in OANDA TMS's name) - and the product list varies so much by entity that US clients get forex and spot crypto only
Support is 24/5 rather than 24/7, with narrower language coverage than the Australian competitors

Best for

BeginnersMobile-first tradersUS and Canadian residentsResearch-led discretionary tradingAPI and algo access

Skilling

A Scandinavian-founded, Cyprus-licensed CFD broker with an unusually clean platform — and a currency charge that outweighs its spreads.

3,4

Pros

Three platforms on one account: the beginner-friendly Skilling Trader, full cTrader with depth of market and cTrader Automate, and MetaTrader 4
EUR 100 minimum on the Standard account with commission-free pricing across forex, indices, equities, ETFs, commodities and crypto
Premium pairs EUR/USD spreads from 0.1 pips with commission of USD 35 per USD 1 million traded, which prices at or below the commission-free tier once volume builds
CySEC licence 357/18 brings ESMA retail leverage caps and Investor Compensation Fund cover of 90% up to EUR 20,000 for EEA clients
800+ instruments on cTrader and Skilling Trader, including a crypto list broader than most FX-first brokers carry
Account registration takes under a minute and the demo account has no time limit, so testing costs nothing
Negative balance protection applies, and MAM/PAMM structures are supported for portfolio managers
cTrader Copy provides copy trading without a separate app or a managed-fund wrapper

Cons

Premium commission is quoted per USD 1 million of traded volume without saying whether it applies per side or per round turn, so a standard-lot round turn costs anywhere from USD 4.50 to USD 8.00 all-in — and the tier is gated by a reported EUR 5,000 minimum
0.70% currency conversion is expensive: converting EUR 10,000 costs about EUR 70, where the cheapest brokers charge a fraction of that, and a 2.9% charge applies to Skrill and Neteller funding
Support runs Monday to Friday 04:00–22:00 only, with no weekend cover, while crypto CFDs trade through the weekend
Essentially no in-house research — no analyst desk, no screener worth using, no structured market coverage; you supply your own analysis
MetaTrader 4 is a restricted build with roughly 200 instruments and no third-party add-on support, and MetaTrader 5 is not offered at all
CFD-only with no real ownership, and no Abgeltungsteuer or KESt withholding for German and Austrian clients

Best for

cTrader usersBeginners wanting a simple platformCopy-trading followersLow-deposit CFD tradersCrypto CFD traders

Open an account with either

A demo account costs nothing and answers the platform question in ten minutes.

Visit broker: OANDA Visit broker: Skilling

More comparisons

Alternatives people weigh up alongside these two.

OANDA vs Skilling — which broker is better?

OANDA or Skilling? Fees, regulation, platform and product range compared side by side — with a verdict drawn from the data.

The verdict in numbers

Four decision axes, each derived from the recorded data.

OANDA · Skilling
Criterion	OANDA 4,1 Visit broker	Skilling 3,4 Visit broker

Overall score	4.1 — Better	3.4
Group index	89 of 100	49 of 100
Best for	BeginnersMobile-first tradersUS and Canadian residentsResearch-led discretionary tradingAPI and algo access	cTrader usersBeginners wanting a simple platformCopy-trading followersLow-deposit CFD tradersCrypto CFD traders

Regulation	CFTC/NFAFCAASICCIROMASJFSAKNFBVI FSC	CySECFSA
Top-tier licences	6 — Better	0
Investor protection	CA$1,000,000 — Better	€20,000
Listed group	No	No
Banking licence	No	No
Segregated client accounts	Yes	Yes
Negative balance protection	Yes	Yes
Audited financials	Yes	No
Disclosed regulatory actions	None	None
Founded	1996	2016
Headquarters	New York, US	Limassol, CY

Fees	3.5	3.6 — Better
Safety & regulation	4.7 — Better	3.0
Trading platform	4.2 — Better	3.8
Product range	3.5 — Better	3.3
Mobile app	4.5 — Better	4.0
Research	4.6 — Better	2.8
Customer support	3.9 — Better	3.4
Deposit & withdrawal	3.8 — Better	3.4
Account opening	4.3	4.4 — Better
Education	3.6 — Better	3.0

Reference order EUR 5,000	€3.00 — Better	€5.00
Minimum deposit	None — Better	€100
Stocks (per order)	0.06 %	in the spread
US stocks	0.06 %	n/a
ETFs	0.06 %	in the spread
Options	Not offered	Not offered
Futures	Not offered	Not offered
Crypto	in the spread	in the spread
Bonds (order)	in the spread	n/a
Funds (order)	n/a	n/a
EUR/USD spread	1.7 pips	1.2 pips — Better
Index CFD spread	1 points	n/a
FX conversion	1 %	0.7 % — Better
Inactivity fee	US$20 · after 12 months	n/a
Custody fee	n/a	n/a
Withdrawal fee	free	free
Deposit fee	free	free
Overnight financing	n/a	n/a
Other fees	EUR/USD spread (spread-only account): Advertised from 0.6 pips; ForexBrokers.com measured a 1.68 to 1.69 pip average in 2026 testing, and BestBrokers put it at 1.4 pips EUR/USD core pricing: From 0.0 to 0.4 pips plus commission - USD 7 per USD 100,000 per side in the US (OANDA states 0.70 per 10,000 units on each leg), USD 3 per 100,000 per side in Singapore. Round turn is double: USD 14 and USD 6 Core pricing eligibility: OANDA states it directly: core spread and commission pricing is available to clients with a balance of USD 10,000 or greater Currency conversion: 1.0 percent mark-up or mark-down on the mid-market rate (OANDA Europe Limited) Index CFD spreads: UK 100 from 1.0 point, Germany 40 from 1.2 points, USD/JPY from 1.3 pips Guaranteed stop-loss order: A fixed premium is charged only if the GSLO is actually triggered +2	Standard account: Commission-free. EUR/USD from 0.8 pips, roughly USD 8 per standard-lot round turn at that floor; independent measurement puts the account average nearer 1.2 pips. Minimum deposit EUR 100. Premium account: EUR/USD from 0.1 pips plus commission billed by volume: USD 35 per USD 1 million traded, or USD 40 per million on MT4 Premium. Skilling does not state whether that rate applies per side or per round turn, so a standard-lot round turn carries USD 3.50 to USD 7.00 in commission — at or below the all-in cost of the commission-free Standard account. Commission applies to forex and commodities only. Minimum deposit reported at EUR 5,000. Currency conversion: 0.70% on conversions into and out of the account base currency — high by industry standards and the single biggest hidden cost here Skrill / Neteller: 2.9% transaction charge on e-wallet funding Minimum withdrawal: EUR 50 Inactivity fee: Skilling's current schedule as reported in August 2026 shows none. An older secondary listing cites EUR 10 after 12 months of dormancy. We have not recorded a figure because the two sources disagree — confirm before leaving an account idle. +1

Asset classes (of 14)	10 — Better	8
Exchanges	n/a	n/a
Stocks	Yes	Yes
ETFs	Yes	Yes
Options	No	No
Futures	No	No
Forex	Yes	Yes
CFDs	Yes	Yes
Crypto	Yes	Yes
Bonds	Yes	No
Funds	No	No
Commodities	Yes	Yes
Indices	Yes	Yes
Warrants	No	No
Spread betting	Yes	No
Social trading	Yes	Yes

Platforms	OANDA Trade (web)OANDA Trade (mobile)MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5TradingViewAlgo Labs API	Skilling TradercTraderMetaTrader 4Skilling mobile apps
Demo account	Yes	Yes
Fractional shares	No	No
Maximum leverage	1:30	1:500 · Pro 1:500
Account opening	Online application, usually approved within one business day	Registration takes under a minute; live trading requires ID and proof of address, typically verified within one business day
Account types	Standard (spread-only)Core pricing + commissionPremium and Premium PlusSpread betting (UK only)Professional (UK)	StandardPremium

Payment methods	Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller	Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller
Account currencies	USDEURGBPAUDCADJPYSGDHKD	EURUSD
Deposit time	Instant on cards, 1-3 business days by bank transfer	Instant on cards and e-wallets; up to 7 business days on wire transfer
Withdrawal time	1-3 business days; bank wires can take longer	24 hours to 7 business days depending on the payment processor
Free withdrawals	n/a	n/a

Languages	EnglishGermanSpanishChineseJapanesePolish	EnglishSpanishFrenchPortugueseArabicRussianChineseMalayThai
Channels	PhoneEmailLive chat	Live chatEmailPhone
Availability	24/5	Monday to Friday, 04:00–22:00 — not the 24/5 coverage most CFD brokers offer

Criterion

4,1

3,4

Overall score

4.1

3.4

Group index

89 of 100

49 of 100

Best for

BeginnersMobile-first tradersUS and Canadian residentsResearch-led discretionary tradingAPI and algo access

cTrader usersBeginners wanting a simple platformCopy-trading followersLow-deposit CFD tradersCrypto CFD traders

Regulation

CFTC/NFAFCAASICCIROMASJFSAKNFBVI FSC

CySECFSA

Top-tier licences

Investor protection

CA$1,000,000

€20,000

Listed group

Banking licence

Segregated client accounts

Negative balance protection

Audited financials

Disclosed regulatory actions

None

Founded

1996

2016

Headquarters

New York, US

Limassol, CY

Fees

3.5

3.6

Safety & regulation

4.7

3.0

Trading platform

4.2

3.8

Product range

3.5

3.3

Mobile app

4.5

4.0

Research

4.6

2.8

Customer support

3.9

3.4

Deposit & withdrawal

3.8

3.4

Account opening

4.3

4.4

Education

3.6

3.0

Reference order EUR 5,000

€3.00

€5.00

Minimum deposit

None

€100

Stocks (per order)

0.06 %

in the spread

US stocks

0.06 %

n/a

ETFs

0.06 %

in the spread

Options

Not offered

Futures

Not offered

Crypto

in the spread

Bonds (order)

in the spread

n/a

Funds (order)

n/a

EUR/USD spread

1.7 pips

1.2 pips

Index CFD spread

1 points

n/a

FX conversion

1 %

0.7 %

Inactivity fee

US$20 · after 12 months

n/a

Custody fee

n/a

Withdrawal fee

free

Deposit fee

free

Overnight financing

n/a

Other fees

EUR/USD spread (spread-only account): Advertised from 0.6 pips; ForexBrokers.com measured a 1.68 to 1.69 pip average in 2026 testing, and BestBrokers put it at 1.4 pips
EUR/USD core pricing: From 0.0 to 0.4 pips plus commission - USD 7 per USD 100,000 per side in the US (OANDA states 0.70 per 10,000 units on each leg), USD 3 per 100,000 per side in Singapore. Round turn is double: USD 14 and USD 6
Core pricing eligibility: OANDA states it directly: core spread and commission pricing is available to clients with a balance of USD 10,000 or greater
Currency conversion: 1.0 percent mark-up or mark-down on the mid-market rate (OANDA Europe Limited)
Index CFD spreads: UK 100 from 1.0 point, Germany 40 from 1.2 points, USD/JPY from 1.3 pips
Guaranteed stop-loss order: A fixed premium is charged only if the GSLO is actually triggered
+2

Standard account: Commission-free. EUR/USD from 0.8 pips, roughly USD 8 per standard-lot round turn at that floor; independent measurement puts the account average nearer 1.2 pips. Minimum deposit EUR 100.
Premium account: EUR/USD from 0.1 pips plus commission billed by volume: USD 35 per USD 1 million traded, or USD 40 per million on MT4 Premium. Skilling does not state whether that rate applies per side or per round turn, so a standard-lot round turn carries USD 3.50 to USD 7.00 in commission — at or below the all-in cost of the commission-free Standard account. Commission applies to forex and commodities only. Minimum deposit reported at EUR 5,000.
Currency conversion: 0.70% on conversions into and out of the account base currency — high by industry standards and the single biggest hidden cost here
Skrill / Neteller: 2.9% transaction charge on e-wallet funding
Minimum withdrawal: EUR 50
Inactivity fee: Skilling's current schedule as reported in August 2026 shows none. An older secondary listing cites EUR 10 after 12 months of dormancy. We have not recorded a figure because the two sources disagree — confirm before leaving an account idle.
+1

Asset classes (of 14)

Exchanges

n/a

Stocks

ETFs

Options

Futures

Forex

CFDs

Crypto

Bonds

Funds

Commodities

Indices

Warrants

Spread betting

Social trading

Platforms

OANDA Trade (web)OANDA Trade (mobile)MetaTrader 4MetaTrader 5TradingViewAlgo Labs API

Skilling TradercTraderMetaTrader 4Skilling mobile apps

Demo account

Fractional shares

Maximum leverage

1:30

1:500 · Pro 1:500

Account opening

Online application, usually approved within one business day

Registration takes under a minute; live trading requires ID and proof of address, typically verified within one business day

Account types

Standard (spread-only)Core pricing + commissionPremium and Premium PlusSpread betting (UK only)Professional (UK)

StandardPremium

Payment methods

Bank transferSEPACredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller

Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNeteller

Account currencies

USDEURGBPAUDCADJPYSGDHKD

EURUSD

Deposit time

Instant on cards, 1-3 business days by bank transfer

Instant on cards and e-wallets; up to 7 business days on wire transfer

Withdrawal time

1-3 business days; bank wires can take longer

24 hours to 7 business days depending on the payment processor

Free withdrawals

n/a

Languages

EnglishGermanSpanishChineseJapanesePolish

EnglishSpanishFrenchPortugueseArabicRussianChineseMalayThai

Channels

PhoneEmailLive chat

Live chatEmailPhone

Availability

24/5

Monday to Friday, 04:00–22:00 — not the 24/5 coverage most CFD brokers offer