Define the two services you are comparing
FP Markets and Eightcap both offer forex and CFD trading. Start with the instrument you need, the platform you intend to use and the company named in the agreement. A leveraged share CFD is a different product from an account that holds the actual share. The same trading brand can also lead to different agreements in different countries.
This comparison uses the international account pages and their published forex pricing. It separates USD-account commission for the same lot size from services priced differently. A local UK or EU account should be assessed under its own terms. Write down the entity, account type and platform on each side before comparing prices.
Raw commission: compare each side in the same currency
For forex on FP Markets’ MT4 and MT5 Raw accounts, the USD-account commission is USD 3 per lot per side. Eightcap’s international Raw table lists USD 3.50 per standard lot per side. Applying two sides to the same lot gives USD 6 versus USD 7 in commission alone. That is a one-dollar commission difference, not a guaranteed difference in total trade cost.
| Published measure | FP Markets | Eightcap |
|---|---|---|
| USD-account Raw commission, per side per lot | USD 3 | USD 3.50 |
| Two-sided commission, calculated for the same lot | USD 6 | USD 7 |
| Starting Raw spread | From 0.0 pip | From 0.0 pip |
| Starting Standard spread | From 1.0 pip | From 1.0 pip |
Actual spread, financing and slippage are outside this table. A zero starting spread is not an all-day average. For EUR or GBP accounts, read the rate in that currency rather than converting the USD rate yourself. Compare the same pair, volume and direction during your intended trading hours.
Check Standard pricing and share CFDs separately
At both brokers, Standard forex pricing builds the broker’s charge into the spread instead of listing a separate commission. That can make the cost structure easier to read, but the trade still has a cost. Frequent short-term traders should compare spread and commission together; less active traders also need to consider financing and transfer costs.
Share CFDs need a separate check. Eightcap explicitly excludes them from its general commission-free Standard description. FP Markets publishes market-specific share commission tables for MT5 and cTrader, including minimum charges in some markets. A forex-lot commission is therefore unsuitable for calculating a share trade. Use the symbol specification and the chosen platform’s fee schedule.
TradingView: check the connection as well as the charts
FP Markets’ international account page lists TradingView under Raw. Its connection guide describes signing in with the allocated cTrader ID, or cTID, and selecting FP Markets from TradingView’s broker list. Eightcap’s instructions call for an account configured for TradingView, then selecting Eightcap in the Trading Panel and entering the relevant trading-account credentials.
These are different connection workflows. Access to an existing MetaTrader account does not establish its TradingView compatibility. Eightcap also supports a free TradingView plan and a compatible demo account. For the first check, confirm the selected account and whether the connected broker can trade the chart’s symbol. TradingView’s general chart universe is larger than any individual broker account’s tradable offering.
Your existing tools may decide the platform choice
Both brokers advertise MT4 and MT5. FP Markets also offers cTrader, while Eightcap now lists TradeLocker. If you already use a MetaTrader indicator or EA, check which version it was written for and which instruments it supports before moving. MQL4 code may need adaptation for MQL5, so moving from MT4 to MT5 can require more than copying a file.
Someone who prefers cTrader has a practical reason to examine FP Markets’ offering first. Its cTrader Raw forex and metals rate is USD 3 per lot per side, converted into the account’s base currency. That platform-specific pricing should be kept separate from MetaTrader’s account-currency rate table.
The brand name is not the agreement
Eightcap publishes separate documents for the Bahamas, Seychelles and Mauritius, and also identifies companies in Australia, the UK and Cyprus. Under the Bahamas agreement, Eightcap Global Limited is the product issuer; companies providing MetaTrader technology are not necessarily parties to that agreement. FP Markets’ international website identifies Saint Lucia-registered FP Markets Ltd alongside other group entities with their own licenses.
A group company’s license does not automatically govern every account. Compare the entity responsible for client funds, complaint process, negative-balance terms and instrument restrictions under the relevant agreement. A referral link or Hebrew interface does not establish acceptance of an Israeli resident. The application must fit the country and entity actually offering the service.
Holding for several days changes the cost comparison
If a position remains open past rollover, entry and exit commission is only part of its cost. FP Markets explains that long and short swaps differ and can both be charges. Eightcap’s Bahamas agreement bases financing on liquidity-provider rates with a possible company markup. In both cases, check the instrument and charging schedule, including any multi-day rollover.
Eightcap’s Bahamas agreement also has an inactivity mechanism: after 12 months without client-initiated ledger activity across accounts with a balance, funds may move into a holding account where a monthly charge of 10 units of its currency can apply. Read the balance and closure provisions when planning a long break, as well as the price of the next trade.
Choose around your actual workflow
Start with one concrete requirement: an existing MetaTrader EA, a cTrader workflow, or analysis and orders inside TradingView. Then compare the same instrument in the same account currency: spread, two-sided commission and financing for your intended holding period. When both accounts meet the requirement, the connection and order-management workflow may matter as much as a single price line.
Use a supported demo to practise finding a symbol, entering an order, modifying it and checking history. A demo helps you learn the process; it does not guarantee identical live execution. With real money, leverage and gaps can produce losses, and a stop-loss does not guarantee an execution price. For Eightcap’s connection steps and checks, continue to the platform guide.
This information is for learning and comparison, not investment advice. Verify product details and eligibility conditions against the current source.
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