General information, not financial advice. CFDs are complex, leveraged products and your capital is at risk. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you, and we only link to platforms we have reviewed.
Pepperstone vs Eightcap: the short answer
These are two of the brokers we rate most highly, and they are genuinely close. Both are Australian-founded, both offer raw spreads from 0.0 pips at roughly the same commission, and both are multi-regulated including a CySEC/EU entity. The honest split is:
- Pepperstone for platform breadth (it adds cTrader), the deepest regulatory footprint, and a $10 minimum deposit.
- Eightcap for native TradingView execution on a live account and a much wider crypto-CFD range.
Pick the one whose strengths match how you actually trade. Because we review and can earn from both, we have no reason to tilt the scales — this is a like-for-like read.
At a glance
Pepperstone — founded 2010; FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, SCB; $0 minimum; Raw 0.0 pips + $3.50/side; MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView; 1,200+ instruments; 72.9–79.6% retail loss rate depending on entity (Jul–Sep 2026).
Eightcap — founded 2009; ASIC, FCA, CySEC (Eightcap EU Ltd, 246/14), SCB, FSA; $100 minimum; Raw 0.0 pips + $3.50/side; MT4, MT5, TradingView, WebTrader; 800+ markets including 250+ crypto CFDs; 71.28% EU retail loss rate (Eightcap EU Ltd, 2026 — entity-specific).
| Pepperstone | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 | 2009 |
| Regulators | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, SCB | ASIC, FCA, CySEC via Eightcap EU Ltd, licence 246/14, SCB, FSA |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Raw spreads | From 0.0 pips plus $3.50 per side | From 0.0 pips plus $3.50 per side |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView | MT4, MT5, TradingView, WebTrader |
| Instruments | 1,200+ | 800+ markets, including 250+ crypto CFDs |
| Published retail loss rate | 72.9–79.6% depending on entity, July–September 2026 | 71.28% for Eightcap EU Ltd in 2026, entity-specific |
Cost: effectively a tie
Both charge $3.50 per side ($7 round turn) on their raw accounts and both advertise EUR/USD from 0.0 pips. There is no meaningful, durable cost advantage between them on major FX — anyone who tells you one is decisively cheaper is usually quoting a single snapshot. If tight all-in cost is your priority, both belong on the same shortlist as the field in our low-spread forex brokers guide, and you can see how Pepperstone stacks up against another raw-spread giant in Pepperstone vs IC Markets.
Platforms: the real dividing line
This is where the two separate.
Pepperstone offers the widest platform set — MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. cTrader is the differentiator: Level-II depth-of-market and cAlgo (C#) automation that neither Eightcap nor most peers match. For platform detail, see MetaTrader 5 vs cTrader.
Eightcap skips cTrader but leans into TradingView: you can execute on a live Eightcap account directly from TradingView charts, which is a genuinely strong workflow if TradingView is already your analysis home. It is one of the reasons Eightcap features in our best forex brokers for TradingView roundup.
Markets: Eightcap's crypto edge
If you want crypto CFDs alongside forex, Eightcap is the clear pick — 250+ crypto CFDs versus a much smaller selection at Pepperstone. That breadth is why Eightcap anchors our best crypto trading platforms comparison. Remember that EU/EEA retail crypto-CFD leverage is capped at 2:1 (the tightest ESMA band), so this is about range, not high leverage.
Regulation and who onboards you
Both hold ASIC, FCA and CySEC licences, so both can serve EEA/UK retail through a regulated EU entity — a meaningful advantage over offshore-only brokers. Pepperstone's seven-regulator footprint (adding BaFin, DFSA, Kenya's CMA and the SCB) is broader, and its FCA arm brings FSCS eligibility for UK clients. With either broker, the specific entity that onboards you is decided by your country at sign-up, so confirm the terms that apply to you. Our guide to choosing a forex broker covers how to verify a licence in two minutes.
Deposit and account types
Pepperstone asks for a $10 minimum deposit; Eightcap asks for $100 on both its Standard and Raw accounts. Both offer a commission-free Standard account (wider spreads) and a raw account (tight spreads + commission). Beginners should start on a demo — see demo accounts — before funding either.
Who should pick which
Choose Pepperstone if you want cTrader or algorithmic tooling, you value the broadest regulatory footprint, or you prefer the lower $10 entry point. Open a Pepperstone account · full review.
Choose Eightcap if you trade primarily from TradingView, you want a wide crypto-CFD range, and a $100 entry is fine. Open an Eightcap account · full review.
Verdict
There is no loser here. Pepperstone edges it on platform breadth and regulatory depth; Eightcap edges it on TradingView-native execution and crypto range. Map those strengths to your own workflow and you will pick correctly. For the wider field, start at our best forex brokers for 2026.
Risk warning
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Around 75% of Pepperstone retail accounts and 71.28% of Eightcap EU retail accounts lose money — figures are entity-specific and updated periodically. This article is general information, not financial advice.
