Hidden broker fees: which one surprised you the most?

The spread is the obvious cost, but the full bill can include commissions, swap, inactivity fees, conversion charges when your account currency differs from the pair, and withdrawal fees.

Hidden broker fees: which one surprised you the most? — bid-ask spread diagram
The bid-ask spread on a currency pair

Which fee caught you out as a beginner?

  • the fee, roughly how much it cost you
  • whether it was clearly disclosed in the broker's documents
  • how you check costs now
Hidden broker fees: which one surprised you the most? — risk-reward diagram
A risk-reward ratio of 1 to 2

The trading costs guide shows how the three main costs add up per trade.

Background: The real cost of a forex trade: spread, commission and swap

Every trade has costs, and they are easy to underestimate. Here is how to add up the spread, commission and overnight swap on a position.

What is a spread in forex?

The difference between the bid (sell) and ask (buy) price. You pay it every time you open a trade, and it widens when the market is less liquid.

Is a raw spread account cheaper?

Not automatically. Add the spread and the round-trip commission together and compare the total with a spread-only account's typical spread on the pairs you trade.

Read the full guide

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