Vantage is a multi award-winning Australian broker primarily known for its forex trading. Founded in Australia in 2009 and regulated by two internationally recognized institutions (both tier 1), Vantage offers you a reliable brokerage to trade CFDs on forex, commodities, indices, shares, and some cryptocurrencies. It offers good customizability on its web platform and also a mobile app that is somewhat secure and relatively easy-to-use.
Platforms
Vantage offer a variety of top trading platforms including the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) developed by MetaQuotes. MetaTrader is freely available on desktop (Windows / Mac), web and mobile (iPhone / iPad / Android / Tablet). All of the platforms update simultaneously so that you can open, manage and close positions in real time from multiple devices. The broker also has their own proprietary Vantage mobile trading app.
Vantage App
The Vantage App allows you to access the global markets and trade from anywhere at any time. It offers traders easy, yet powerful mobile access to hundreds of FX Pairs, Commodities, Indices, Share CFDs and more. The Vantage App is available for both iOS and Android devices and is equipped with a suite of trading and investing tools.
Vantage Mobile Trading App (photo)
I found it very user-friendly and easy to navigate. However, I felt that it didn’t have the advanced market analysis capabilities of the MetaTrader apps. That being said, it would be absolutely fine for checking market prices and managing positions from the comfort of your mobile device.
Security and Regulation
Trust and security are of vital importance no matter who you are trading with, or in which market. With a forex broker, this is also the case and an area that Vantage FX clearly treats as a top priority to ensure you the best possible trading environment.
The broker has in place regulation from several well-respected regulatory bodies around the world. These include oversight from ASIC in Australia, the FCA in the UK, and offshore from the CIMA in the Cayman Islands, and VFSC in Vanuatu. This positions them well as a broker with top-tier regulation in place but also allows them to offer a degree of flexibility through the additional offshore regulatory bodies.
Key Features
As a broker for more experienced traders, Vantage provides good features to help those that need support when opening an account, featuring copy traders, demo accounts, video tutorials, and many charting tools.
Demo Account
For a trial period users can download the desktop platform or trade on the web trader as a simulation. This offers valuable time to understand the platform and get to grips with the interface before putting in any of your money.
Copy Trading
There are four alternative platforms available for social copy trading that Vantage have partnered up with, including ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, MetaTrader Signals and Myfxbook.
Charting Tools
There is a good range of charting tools available to users like indicators, drawing tools, and trade form charting.
Commissions and Fees
When calculating the fees you will incur using Vantage, it’s crucial to know what account you are going to be using, as this will determine the rate you pay. There is a mix between low commission accounts with higher spreads and slightly higher commission accounts with better spreads but for heavier traders.
Check out the specific rates below:
- Standard STP: This account features zero commissions, but has the highest spreads (1.1 pips); on the other hand the standard account offers rebates of $8 per standard lot.
- Raw ECN: Spreads here are more favorable (0.08 pips), but incur a commission of $3 per side (totalling 0.68 pips).
- Pro ECN: The cheapest option; commission fees are $2 per side, and those that can deposit $20,000 or more will get the best rates. The Pro ECN is also competitive with many others in the industry.
Additionally, there are zero non-trading fees, which is a great feature for a broker (usually discouraging traders to hold assets for longer periods of time). In terms of cryptocurrency, the CFD trading stocks are average-high when compared to its market competitors. All deposits and withdrawals are free, but with some exceptions (details above).
Customer Support
Customer support on Vantage is average, while it has a live chat it’s not 24/7 and can be unreliable. Here are the features offered:
- Live chat (not 24/7)
- Phone Support
- Poor email support
- Contact time is Monday to Friday (9am-5pm)
Conclusion
Overall, Vantage is a multi-regulated CFD broker with a great choice of industry leading platforms and very powerful trading tools. There is everything you would need to conduct professional market analysis. You can copy other traders, develop your own strategies and run automated systems. I like that they have a reasonable selection of trading instruments across multi-asset classes but think they could perhaps add some more. That being said, you will find most of popular assets available to trade with accounts that have low spreads and no commission fees. I found the customer support to be prompt, polite and efficient. Finally, you can choose from a convenient selection of funding options.