Broker review methodology

There is no such thing as the "best broker for everyone". But there is a repeatable method that lets you compare two brokers side by side honestly — and that is the method we have been using since 2007. Every one of our reviews is built around the same eight evaluation dimensions, each with its own weight.

Eight dimensions on which we evaluate a broker

Every broker reviewed on forex-basics.com goes through the same checklist. We never shorten the list, even when a broker asks for a faster publication. We never change the weights, even when a particular dimension hurts an affiliate partner. The dimensions and their weights are as follows:

  • Regulation and client-fund safety (weight 25%) — whether the broker holds an FCA, CySEC, ASIC, KNF or other reputable licence; the deposit-protection scheme; whether client accounts are segregated.
  • Total cost of trading (20%) — typical spread on EUR/USD and GBP/USD, commission per lot, overnight swap, inactivity fees, withdrawal fees. We compute the real round-trip cost of one lot.
  • Trading platform (15%) — availability of MT4, MT5, cTrader and a proprietary web app; stability, execution latency, demo accounts without artificial time limits.
  • Education and analysis (10%) — whether the broker offers honest webinars, training materials, an economic calendar and market commentary written by named analysts rather than an anonymous marketing team.
  • Deposits and withdrawals (10%) — methods available to international clients (SEPA, cards, e-wallets), withdrawal time in business days, hidden FX fees.
  • Customer service (10%) — language support, response time over email and chat, agent competence (we test this by sending specific technical questions).
  • Country-specific availability (5%) — local-language interface, country-specific tax documents in the client area, year-end statements.
  • History and reputation (5%) — years in operation, any serious regulatory incidents, how the broker handles public complaints, available audit reports.

The weighted 1–10 scale

Each of the eight dimensions receives a score from 1 to 10. We then multiply each score by its weight and sum the result. The maximum is 10.00, the minimum is 1.00. A broker scoring below 6.0 lands in the "do not recommend" bucket. A broker in the 6.0–7.4 range is acceptable for experienced traders. Above 7.5 — a broker we can recommend to a beginner. Above 8.5 — our TOP shortlist, which we publish as a quarterly ranking.

The full scoring sheet is public — we show partial scores, not just the total. If a broker has 7.8 overall but scores 4/10 on "Total cost", that information appears in the review on the first screen. The reader sees where a specific broker is weak before forming an overall opinion.

Affiliate transparency in rankings

Ranking position is determined by points alone. There are no paid placements. If broker A scores 8.7 and broker B (with whom we have an affiliate agreement) scores 8.2, broker A appears higher in the ranking. Affiliate links may sit next to a position, but they never affect the order itself.

The full partner list and the mechanics of affiliate links are documented on a separate page: Affiliate disclosure. That page also explains which commissions we receive and what it means for you as a reader (short version: nothing — the review reads the same).

Update cycle

Broker reviews are updated quarterly. Spreads change, a broker may lose a licence, or it may add new deposit methods — and our review needs to reflect that. Every update is timestamped in the review header. If a broker changes something material between quarterly cycles (for instance, a regulator imposes a fine), we update immediately and call out the change inside the body of the review.

All verified data — spreads, minimum deposit, available instruments — is pulled from official KIDs or directly from the broker's trading platform, not from marketing materials. Whenever a marketing claim contradicts a KID, we flag the discrepancy and show both values to the reader.