Spreadex Review for UK Traders
Reviewed by Phillip Ashdown
Last updated:
An independent, in-depth review of Spreadex, a long-established UK FCA-regulated specialist in spread betting and CFD trading with TradingView integration.
4.7/5 overall rating
Spreadex is one of the UK's longest-established spread betting and CFD trading specialists, founded in St Albans in 1999. FCA-regulated under firm reference 190941, the company offers spread betting and CFD trading across 10,000+ markets via its proprietary platform and TradingView, with no MetaTrader option.
Key Facts
- FCA regulated
- Yes (FRN 190941)
- Minimum deposit
- £5
- Platforms
- Spreadex Platform, TradingView
- Spread (EUR/USD)
- From 0.6 pips (variable)
- Account types
- Spread betting and CFD (single account)
Our Verdict
Spreadex has been operating in the UK financial spread betting market since 1999, with over 26 years of trading history. The company is FCA regulated under firm reference number 190941 and offers both spread betting and CFD trading from a single account. Its dual focus on financial markets alongside a separate sports betting division gives it a distinctive UK heritage that few competitors share.
The positioning argument for choosing Spreadex sits in its non-trading costs. The 61% retail loss rate disclosure is the lowest among UK FCA-regulated brokers we have reviewed, materially below IG and CMC at 68%, Pepperstone at 73%, Plus500 at 76%, and FxPro at 85%. No inactivity fee applies, joining Pepperstone and Trade Nation as the three brokers in our dataset that charge nothing for dormant accounts. Overnight funding sits at the Tom-Next rate (the standard FX interbank rate for rolling positions overnight) plus a 1.5% annualised charge, lower than the 2.5% applied by CMC and Trade Nation.
The platform stack is where Spreadex sits narrower than mainstream competitors. The proprietary Spreadex platform covers web and mobile with 35+ indicators, Pattern Recognition, ProTrend Lines, free price alerts, and Guaranteed Stops. TradingView integration is free for brokerage clients with the full 100+ indicator and backtesting feature set. There is no MetaTrader 4, no MetaTrader 5, and no cTrader. Traders running Expert Advisors or other automated algorithmic strategies will need to look elsewhere.
Market access is broad with 10,000+ global CFD instruments including 60+ forex pairs, indices, shares, commodities, bonds, options, ETFs, and interest rates. The genuine differentiator is depth on UK small-cap and AIM shares, where Spreadex offers leverage from 1:10 for professional clients on stocks down to £5 million market capitalisation. No other broker in our reviewed dataset offers this depth on UK small-caps.
Overall the Spreadex UK review verdict is consistent: a strong option for UK spread bettors who prioritise low non-trading fees, competitive overnight funding, and TradingView integration alongside a UK heritage broker. Traders who require MetaTrader, raw-spread Razor pricing, or an ISA product alongside CFD trading should look at Pepperstone, IG, or XTB respectively.
You can find full platform details on the official Spreadex website.
For more options, see our full list of the best FCA-regulated forex brokers in the UK.
Spreadex Account Types
Spreadex operates a single-tier account model, with both spread betting and CFD trading available from one unified account. There is no separate Razor, Standard, or ECN tier as you would find at Pepperstone or FxPro.
The spread betting product is the primary structure for UK retail clients. Profits are generally free from UK Capital Gains Tax and stamp duty for UK residents. The CFD account is available from the same login and uses the same platform, with CFDs falling under standard CGT treatment. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change.
Account currencies available are GBP, USD, and EUR, with other denominations considered on a case-by-case basis. There are no joining fees, no contracts to sign, and no obligation to trade. The application is online only with no phone applications accepted.
Professional client accounts are available to those meeting FCA professional client criteria, with reduced retail protections and access to higher leverage on AIM and small-cap shares. Some professional-only features exist around credit limits and combining sports and financials in one account; these do not apply to retail clients.
Spreadex Fees Explained
Understanding how Spreadex charges for trading is straightforward. All trading costs are built into the variable spread on standard accounts, with no separate commission applied to forex, indices, or commodity trades.
EUR/USD spreads start from 0.6 pips and GBP/USD from 0.9 pips. These are minimum spread floors rather than average spreads, and Spreadex states explicitly that spreads vary by market conditions, time of day, and trade size. Larger positions may attract wider spreads. Spread floors place Spreadex mid-table on majors: tied with IG at 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, undercut by CMC Markets and Trade Nation at 0.5 pips, but tighter than XTB at 0.8 pips or Pepperstone Standard at 1.0 pips.
Overnight funding follows the formula Tom-Next plus a 1.5% annualised charge, applied at 10pm UK time on weekday positions. The Tom-Next rate, short for Tomorrow-Next, is the standard FX interbank rate for rolling a position overnight from its planned settlement date to the next business day; it reflects the interest rate differential between the two currencies in the pair, plus the provider's markup. The 1.5% rate is lower than the 2.5% applied by CMC Markets and Trade Nation, providing a meaningful cost advantage for traders who hold positions overnight. Wednesday rolls carry a 3x Tom-Next charge reflecting T+2 weekend settlement, which is standard industry practice.
Margin requirements follow FCA retail limits: 3.33% on major currency pairs (1:30 leverage), 5% on minors and major indices (1:20), 10% on commodities (1:10), and 20% on shares (1:5). Larger position sizes may attract higher tiered margin requirements above certain stake thresholds.
Does Spreadex Charge an Inactivity Fee?
Spreadex does not charge an inactivity fee. The company states explicitly: 'We do not charge you for holding an account with Spreadex or charge inactivity fees like some providers.' There are no joining fees, no contracts to sign, and no obligation to trade.
This is a stronger position than most competitors. IG charges £12 per month after 24 consecutive months of inactivity. CMC Markets charges £10 per month after 12 months. Plus500 charges up to $10 per month after just 3 months of inactivity. XTB charges €10 per month under conditional criteria.
Spreadex joins Pepperstone and Trade Nation as the three brokers in our UK dataset that charge no inactivity fee at all. For traders who hold accounts but trade infrequently, this is a meaningful saving against most mainstream competitors.
Spreadex Minimum Deposit
Spreadex has a £5 minimum deposit, among the lowest in the UK broker market. Withdrawals share the same £5 minimum or the full available balance if lower.
Funding methods include Easy Bank Transfer (instant via banking app with no need to enter sort codes), debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, instant), Apple Pay and Google Pay (instant, app only), traditional bank transfer (usually within 2 hours during business hours), and cheque. All standard deposits and withdrawals are free of charge.
Spreadex publishes a notable operational performance statistic: 96.2% of withdrawals were processed in under 30 minutes during 2025. Card and e-wallet withdrawals are capped at £25,000 per transaction with multiple withdrawals per day permitted. Bank transfers requested before 4pm are typically next working day, otherwise within 2 working days.
Client funds are held in segregated accounts at Barclays Bank, a Tier 1 UK bank, per FCA Client Money rules. Funds are never merged with Spreadex's own working capital and are not used for the firm's business activities.
Is Spreadex Good for Spread Betting?
Spreadex is one of the UK's longest-established spread betting providers, founded in 1999, with spread betting positioned as its core product. The company's 61% retail loss rate disclosure is the lowest among UK FCA-regulated brokers we have reviewed.
For UK residents, spread betting profits are generally free from Capital Gains Tax and stamp duty, making it the tax-efficient structure for most UK retail traders. Spreadex offers spread betting across 10,000+ markets including 60+ forex pairs, UK and international indices, shares, commodities, bonds, options, ETFs, and interest rates. Round-the-clock spread betting is available on popular indices and select US shares such as Apple and Tesla outside standard market hours.
The most distinctive feature is depth on UK AIM and small-cap shares. Spreadex allows trading on UK equities down to £5 million market capitalisation, with leverage from 1:10 for professional clients. No other broker in our reviewed dataset offers this depth on UK small-caps.
For newer spread bettors, the £5 minimum deposit, no inactivity fee, and beginner-accessible proprietary platform make for a low-friction starting point. Award recognition for customer service across multiple years from Investment Trends and the City of London Wealth Management Awards provides supporting evidence of service quality.
Spreadex TradingView Integration
Spreadex offers full TradingView integration, free for brokerage clients. With no MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 support, TradingView is the natural choice for any Spreadex client who wants advanced charting, community-driven scripts, or backtesting capabilities.
The integration connects through the Spreadex Broker Profile on TradingView. Clients can log in to Spreadex and TradingView, link the two, and trade directly from TradingView charts using Spreadex's pricing, execution, and account management. All deposits, withdrawals, and account operations remain on the Spreadex side.
Features available through the integration include 100+ pre-built technical indicators, 50+ drawing tools, 12+ chart types, up to 8 synchronised charts in a single layout, multi-timeframe analysis, drag-and-drop bracket orders directly from charts, a responsive order dialog, 12 alert conditions on price and strategy, Paper Trading for simulated practice without risking real money, and backtesting with historical data.
Desktop apps are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux with 100% sync to the browser version. The integration is free for Spreadex clients; only standard Spreadex trading costs (spreads and overnight funding) apply. Optional TradingView Premium plans are available separately if you want TradingView's advanced features beyond what the broker integration includes.
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- ✓ 61% retail loss rate, the lowest among UK FCA-regulated brokers we have reviewed
- ✓ No inactivity fee, no joining fee, no obligation to trade
- ✓ Low £5 minimum deposit with 7 free deposit methods including Apple Pay and Google Pay
- ✓ Tom-Next plus 1.5% annualised overnight funding, lower than CMC and Trade Nation at 2.5%
- ✓ Full TradingView integration, free for clients, with 100+ indicators and backtesting
- ✓ Spread betting and CFDs from one account, with UK tax-efficient spread betting available
- ✓ 96.2% of withdrawals processed in under 30 minutes (2025 published data)
- ✓ Guaranteed Stops available on the proprietary platform
- ✓ Unique AIM and small-cap CFD depth (shares down to £5m market cap for professional clients)
⚠ Cons
- ⚠ No MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 support, excluding algorithmic and Expert Advisor traders
- ⚠ No cTrader support
- ⚠ TradingView is the only third-party platform option
- ⚠ Spreads are mid-table on majors; CMC Markets and Trade Nation are tighter on EUR/USD
- ⚠ No ISA product for tax-efficient long-term equity exposure
- ⚠ Privately held with less corporate transparency than LSE-listed competitors
- ⚠ Smaller global presence than international competitors
Spreads and Fees
Spreadex offers variable spreads on forex with floors from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD and 0.9 pips on GBP/USD. There is no separate commission on forex trades; all trading costs are built into the spread. Spreads are subject to variation, especially during volatile market conditions and outside peak trading hours.
| Fee Type | Details |
|---|---|
| EUR/USD Spread | From 0.6 pips (variable) |
| GBP/USD Spread | From 0.9 pips (variable) |
| USD/JPY Spread | From 0.7 pips (variable) |
| Commission (forex) | None |
| Overnight Funding | Tom-Next rate + 1.5% annualised |
| Inactivity Fee | None |
| Withdrawal Fee | Free (standard methods) |
| Minimum Deposit | £5 |
Fee Comparison
| Fee | Spreadex | IG | CMC Markets | Trade Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD Spread | From 0.6 pips | From 0.6 pips | From 0.5 pips | 0.5 pips (fixed) |
| Commission | None | None (standard) | None (standard) | None |
| Overnight Funding | Tom-Next + 1.5% | Interbank ± markup | Tom-Next + 2.5% | Tom-Next + 2.5% |
| Inactivity Fee | None | £12/mo after 2yr | £10/mo after 1yr | None |
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Min Deposit | £5 | £0 (BT) / £250 (card) | £0 | £0.01 |
Trading Platforms
Spreadex's platform stack is narrower than mainstream UK competitors, with two options rather than the four or five common at IG, Pepperstone, or FxPro. The trade-off is depth on each platform rather than breadth across many. There is no MetaTrader 4, no MetaTrader 5, and no cTrader.
- Spreadex Trading Platform: Spreadex's proprietary platform is available on web, iPhone, iPad, and Android. Features include 35+ technical indicators, Pattern Recognition, ProTrend Lines for automated trend identification, sophisticated drawing tools, 10+ years of price history, free price alerts via SMS, email, and push notification, one-click dealing, Force Open orders for simultaneous long and short positions, Price Tolerance Threshold for slippage control, and Guaranteed Stops. Award recognised for execution efficiency by Investment Trends.
- TradingView: Full TradingView integration is free for Spreadex brokerage clients. The integration includes 100+ pre-built indicators, 50+ drawing tools, 12+ chart types, up to 8 synchronised charts in a single layout, multi-timeframe analysis, drag-and-drop bracket orders directly from charts, Paper Trading for simulated practice, backtesting with historical data, and 12 alert conditions on price and strategies. Desktop apps are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux with 100% sync to the browser version.
Is Spreadex Safe?
Spreadex Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 190941, which you can verify on the FCA register. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at Barclays Bank, a Tier 1 UK bank, and are never merged with the company's own funds or used for business activities. UK retail clients receive negative balance protection as standard and may be eligible for Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection up to £85,000 per eligible claimant if the firm is unable to meet its obligations. FSCS protection does not cover trading losses.
Spreadex is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 190941), which you can verify on the FCA register.
Learn more about FCA regulation and how it protects UK traders.
Who Is This Broker For?
Best For
- UK spread bettors who prioritise low entry costs and no inactivity fees
- Traders who hold positions overnight (1.5% annualised funding edge vs 2.5% at CMC and Trade Nation)
- Occasional or sporadic traders who would be caught by aggressive inactivity-fee triggers elsewhere
- AIM and UK small-cap CFD traders seeking the £5m market-cap depth Spreadex uniquely offers
Good For
- TradingView users wanting an FCA-regulated execution partner with spread betting alongside CFDs
- Beginners wanting a simple single-account model covering both spread betting and CFDs
- Cost-conscious traders comfortable with variable spreads rather than fixed pricing
- Traders who want Guaranteed Stops alongside UK tax-efficient spread betting
Not For
- Algorithmic and Expert Advisor traders who require MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5
- Traders who rely on cTrader for automated or copy-trading strategies
- Raw-spread scalpers seeking sub-0.5 pip EUR/USD pricing with per-trade commission
- Traders wanting an ISA alongside CFD trading, where XTB is a better fit
Minimum Deposit
Spreadex has a £5 minimum deposit, among the lowest in the UK broker market. Funding methods include Easy Bank Transfer (instant via banking app), debit cards (Visa, Mastercard), credit cards (Visa, Mastercard), Apple Pay, Google Pay, traditional bank transfer, and cheque. All standard deposits and withdrawals are free of charge. Easy Bank Transfer and Apple/Google Pay are instant, with bank transfer typically arriving within 2 hours during business hours.
Ready to open a Spreadex account?
Spreadex is one of the UK's longest-established spread betting and CFD specialists. With a £5 minimum deposit, no inactivity fees, and competitive overnight funding rates, it's well-suited to UK traders prioritising low non-trading costs.
Your capital is at risk.
Final Verdict
Spreadex is one of the strongest UK options for spread bettors and CFD traders who value cost transparency, low non-trading fees, and TradingView integration alongside a proprietary platform. The 61% retail loss rate, the lowest in our reviewed UK brokers, supports the broker's claim of customer-friendly positioning. Traders who require MetaTrader, cTrader, raw-spread Razor pricing, or an ISA product alongside CFD trading should look elsewhere.