CFD trading has grown in popularity over recent years, with the vast array of choice in one broker platform more fitting to the modern trader. The ability to speculate on the price of Australian stocks, commodities, forex, indices, and other financial instruments, all without actually owning the underlying asset has it’s perks.
Yet there are also the inevitable drawbacks that can occur when risk management is not correctly applied to leveraged trading.
Picking market direction, and becoming a successful CFD trader is hard enough, but making the right choice in where you trade, and which broker you trade with will give you the best possible starting point. A trusted broker, with a trading platform that suits your goals, and a tight fee structure, will help you to focus on the trading.
Enter our list of best CFD brokers and trading platforms to help you cut through the noise, and take the right first step.
Best cfd brokers
To make our list, it is essential that they are ASIC regulated for trust, have a good trading platform interface for usability, and offer a low fee structure indicating treating customers fairly. If you can get all those elements, along with one that has a proven track record with customer service, and strong existing user reviews, you are getting closer to finding the best.
- 8 Brokers shortlisted
- CFD Trading Platforms
- Execution,Trust,Cost
- June 2026 Latest update
Fees, platform features and market access can change. Check provider terms before applying.
Compare the top CFD brokers
There are many CFD brokers on the market, so in this article we will pay attention to only the best CFD trading platforms in Australia. Each broker and platform to make our shortlist is a solid choice, but these four come out top.
Pepperstone
Low-spreads, with fast execution
Best for: Choice to trade on MT4, MT5, cTrader, or TradingView, with top class execution and cost.
A top all around Australian broker, with an excellent reputation.
- Minimum Deposit $0
- Spreads From 0.09
- Founded 2010
IC Markets
Excellent spreads and execution speeds
Best for: Scalping, and high volume trading
IC Markets has a strong reputation for fast and reliable trade execution, and offers both MT4 and MT5 platforms.
- Minimum Deposit AUD 200
- Spreads 0.1
- Founded 2007
AvaTrade
User friendly choice, with innovative auto trading features
Best for: Trading Crypto CFDs alongside shares and other instruments
Protect your trading positions against losses, with novel AvaProtect feature.
- Minimum Deposit AUD 100
- Spreads 0.8
- Founded 2006
How we picked these brokers
Methodology
We rated the top Australian CFD platforms using a combination of cost, barrier to entry (both financial, and usability), trust rating, and user reviews. With CFD trading being quite broad in that some will trade crypto CFDs, whilst others will be looking at shares or commodities, the range of products on offer under one platform plays a more important role in the selection here than in other instruments. In the end, different users may naturally prefer one over another, yet the security of funds, and the regulation of the broker should never be in doubt.
CFD trading is popular in Australia due to its flexibility and accessibility, as well as the potential for high returns, yet that same volatility that works with leverage also needs to be considered moving against you, and amplifying losses.
Unlike traditional investing, with CFD trading you have the option to both speculate on the price of a share falling, as well as increasing. Traders should be well aware though of the possibility of experiencing losses while trading CFDs.
Whether you are a seasoned trader or just starting out, trading with a trusted CFD broker will put you in the best possible position to have a successful trading experience and help you avoid the pitfalls that can befall those who trade with unscrupulous actors in the market.
CFD Trading Platforms Side-By-Side
| CFD Trading Platform | Minimum Deposit | CFD Commission | Platforms | Product Selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | $0 AUD | $5 AUD or 0.08% | MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 cTrader TradingView |
ASX Shares, Global Shares, Indices, Commodities, Forex, Cryptocurrencies |
| IC Markets | $200 AUD | 0.1% per side | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader |
ASX Shares, Global Shares, Forex, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities |
| AvaTrade | $100 AUD | No commission | WebTrader AvaTradeGO MT4 MT5 AvaOptions |
Indices, FX, Shares, Commodities, Cryptocurrency, ETPs, Options, Interest Rates, Bonds |
| City Index | $150 AUD | Variable | MetaTrader | Forex, Shares, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities |
| Vantage | $50 AUD | Variable | MetaTrader | Forex, Shares, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities |
| GO Markets | $200 AUD | No commission | MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 WebTrader Mobile |
Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto |
| Plus500 CFD Service. Your capital is at risk. |
$100 AUD | No commission | Plus500 Trading Platform | Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Forex, ETFs, Options |
The Best CFD Trading Platforms in Australia
Choosing between the best CFD trading platforms to find one that fits your needs as a trader is important. The variety of platforms on offer, and the range of different instruments that can be traded as CFDs means there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The good news is there is plenty of choice, so much so that it could become overwhelming. Our aim is to help you narrow down your options to the most trusted local brands.
Trading Australian shares is a popular investment option with many people looking to build their wealth. A popular way of doing this is with contracts for difference trading, or CFDs, through a CFD trading platform. They are a contract between the trader and their broker to pay the difference in price between the opening and closing prices of the trade.
Top CFD Platforms
All the brokers featured are user friendly, and trusted, but what features make the leading names stand out from the pack?
Best trading platform choice
Pepperstone
Strong all-round mix of pricing, quality, and platform choice.
Read review
Best for scalpers
IC Markets
Rapid execution, and tight spreads make IC Markets one for the shortlist.
Read reviewIf you are still looking for a more detailed look, read on below for an overview of what each of the best CFD trading platforms Australia has to offer.
Pepperstone: Best CFD Platform Choice Right Now
Having taken a fresh look at the market heading into the second half of 2026, Pepperstone is our personal pick of the best CFD trading platform in Australia right now. The all around proposition, from a broker that began it’s journey here at home has expanded over the years, whilst remaining focused on delivering a trusted place to trade. They offer traders a comprehensive suite of CFD trading services, and win out across multiple categories across TheBull.
Pepperstone’s platform carries advanced technology and fast execution speeds, which enable traders to execute trades quickly and efficiently. They were also one of the first brokers here in Australia to offer CFD platforms from cTrader, TradingView, and MetaTrader all in one place. This highlights the emphasis that the company puts on it’s users, ensuring they are getting both the interface they want, with the execution quality they need.
Pepperstone also provides traders with a range of financial instruments, including forex, commodities and cryptocurrencies, as well as advanced trading tools such as real-time charts and technical analysis. These features enable traders to make informed decisions and stay ahead of market trends.
As of 2026, Pepperstone has over 900,000 registered traders across the world. Pepperstone is an award-winning broker that will ably support your trading requirements.
It’s relationship with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and ASIC ensures the safety and security of traders’ funds.
Overall, Pepperstone is an excellent choice for traders looking for a reliable and technologically advanced trading platform. With a range of financial instruments, advanced trading tools and competitive trading costs, Pepperstone provides traders with a robust and seamless trading experience.
To start trading on Pepperstone, click on the link below.
IC Markets: Best CFD Broker For Scalping
IC Markets is a reputable and trusted brokerage platform in Australia that provides traders with a range of financial instruments, including CFDs. IC Markets is certainly one of the best CFD trading platforms in Australia.
The platform is known for its low spreads and fast execution speeds, making it a top choice for traders who value efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Their platform uses sophisticated trading technology, which includes a range of trading tools and features such as advanced charts, technical indicators and automated trading capabilities.
These features allow traders to make informed decisions and execute trades quickly and efficiently.
IC Markets also offers a range of account types to suit different trading styles and needs, including a Raw Spread account that offers raw spreads with no markups, and a True ECN account that provides access to deep liquidity and fast execution speeds.
IC Markets is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), ensuring the safety and security of traders’ funds. Furthermore, they are a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and has banking relationships with top-tier Australian banks.
Overall, they are an excellent choice for traders looking for a reliable and efficient trading platform.
With low spreads, fast execution speeds and advanced trading tools, IC Markets provides traders with a competitive edge in the markets.
To start trading on IC Markets, click on the link below.
AvaTrade
AvaTrade is a globally recognised brokerage platform and one of the best internationally regulated CFD brokers around. It offers traders a range of financial instruments, including crypto CFDs, options, and bonds.
AvaTrade also offers a range of advanced trading tools, such as real-time charts and technical indicators, as well as automated trading capabilities. Traders can choose from a range of platforms including MT4, MT5, WebTrader and the award winning AvaTradeGO app. Whilst AvaTrade may not necessarily be the cheapest to trade with, the broad range of assets, along with the usability of it’s platforms and features put it right up there amongst the best when you are considering the all round proposition.
As of 2026, AvaTrade has more than 300,000 clients from over 150 countries, with a monthly trading volume of over $70bn USD.
Whilst some of the other names really specialise in forex trading, or offering investing instruments alongside CFD trading, AvaTrade is a straight up CFD platform, optimising for what it does best. As a leading CFD broker, AvaTrade is regulated across multiple jurisdictions, including the Central Bank of Ireland and ASIC, ensuring the safety and security of traders’ funds.
The AvaProtect feature is particularly innovative, allowing traders to take out what amounts to downside risk insurance against any positions against a fee. This type of risk management tool can be vital for ensuring the longevity of your trading account, especially if you are trading with leverage as CFDs do.
If you know exactly what you intend to trade, and want to find more of a specialist in that area, there may be more optimal choices for you below, but if you are looking for a range of financial instruments, advanced trading tools and a platform with an innovative mindset, AvaTrade provides a really strong all around offering, and make it one to shortlist.
To start trading on AvaTrade, click on the link below.
Vantage
Vantage is a trusted name in CFD trading, offering Australian traders access to a wide range of instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Vantage has built a solid reputation for reliability and transparency.
The platform features tight spreads, fast execution, and integration with MetaTrader 4 and 5, making it suitable for both beginners and seasoned traders. Regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Vantage ensures high standards of client fund protection and operational integrity.
Whether you’re looking to trade global indices or commodities, Vantage provides a secure, feature-rich environment.
City Index
For Aussie traders diving into CFDs (Contracts for Difference), City Index is a strong contender, offering a feature-rich platform that caters to both beginners and seasoned traders. The trading platform, or app are intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy to explore CFDs on a wide range of markets, including indices, forex, commodities, and shares.
What sets City Index apart is its suite of advanced tools like real-time charts, technical analysis indicators, and risk management features, including stop-loss and guaranteed stop-loss options. For those conscious of costs, City Index offers competitive spreads, ensuring traders get value for money.
A major reassurance for Australian users is that City Index operates under the regulation of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), one of the most respected financial regulators globally. This provides peace of mind that the platform adheres to strict compliance standards, including client fund protection and transparency.
Overall, City Index offers a secure, well-regulated environment for CFD trading in Australia, combining ease of use with powerful trading tools. Whether you’re just starting out or trading at a professional level, the platform is a trustworthy and solid choice.
Quadcode Markets
Quadcode Markets is a brokerage platform that offers traders a comprehensive suite of CFD trading services and is worthy of being on the list of the best CFD brokers in Australia.
The Quadcode Markets platform is a user-friendly interface, which is designed to provide a seamless trading experience for both novice and experienced traders.
One of the main advantages of trading on Quadcode Markets is the platform’s low trading costs, which are designed to provide traders with a competitive edge in the markets.
The platform also offers excellent customer support, with a team of dedicated professionals available 24/5 to assist traders with any issues they may encounter.
The Quadcode Markets CFD trading platform is regulated by ASIC, ensuring customer protection and safety.
Overall, Quadcode Markets is an excellent choice for traders looking for a reliable and cost-effective trading platform. With a range of financial instruments, advanced trading tools and competitive trading costs, Quadcode Markets provides traders with a robust and seamless trading experience.
GO Markets
GO Markets is an Australian CFD broker that offers traders a range of CFD trading services. One of the key benefits of trading on GO Markets is the platform’s low trading costs, which make it an affordable option for traders of all levels.
GO Markets also provides traders with a range of advanced trading tools, such as real-time charts and technical analysis, as well as an intuitive and user-friendly interface. These features enable traders to make informed decisions and execute trades quickly and efficiently.
GO Markets has over 15 years of experience and is regulated by ASIC, ensuring trader safety.
With a range of financial instruments, advanced trading tools and low trading costs, GO Markets provides traders with a robust and seamless trading experience.
Plus500
Plus500 is a great starting place from which to make your first moves into the financial markets.
Founded in 2008, it is something of a newcomer to the industry and takes advantage of that by offering a service that is in many ways different and which now hosts over 1 million trading accounts. With a global outlook, it is available to traders in over 50 countries, provides trading services in over 30 languages and offers in excess of 2,000 CFD markets, covering asset classes that include stocks, forex, indices, ETFs, options, commodities and cryptocurrencies.
The service is very streamlined and during this Plus500 broker review, we found the trading platform easy to get to grips with and packed full of intuitive functionality. Navigating through the trading dashboard is particularly user-friendly and clients that get through to execution will see that one of Plus500’s major selling points is the tight bid-offer spreads.
The user-facing parts of the platform illustrate the willingness of the firm to invest in the latest technological tools to enhance the trading experience. Behind the scenes, the operation is supported by a regulatory structure that involves the firm holding licenses with a host of reputable global regulators, including ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission).
There is everything needed to get started trading, and a few innovative features as well.
How to spot CFD brokers to avoid
Having taken the time to look through the best CFD brokers and platforms on the market, we also need to consider some of the factors that might help you avoid making a big mistake. That means knowing what red flags to avoid, how to check the legitimacy of a broker, and understanding how different types of brokers make money.
The absence of warning signs do not make a broker the best, but it does at least remove a few potential obstacles in knowing that your counterparty has (until now) been one that has treated it’s traders fairly.
What red flags should traders avoid when choosing a CFD broker?
The red flags that should ring alarm bells for a trader start with any broker that promises guaranteed returns, or have a history of pressuring clients to deposit more money. Any aggressive unsolicited trading advice or payment requests to personal accounts or cryptocurrency wallets should also raise more than an eyebrow.
Other red flags might involve taking a little extra time to run through previous user reviews to look for signs of unclear fees, withdrawal problems, missing legal documents, or pressure to give up retail protections by becoming a wholesale client. Always confirm that the company named in the broker’s legal documents matches the entity listed on ASIC’s registers, and that deposits are going to the same.
ASIC keep a register of public warning notices that is worth keeping an eye on, alongside a list of infringement notices that have been issued in the same area. Whilst these are very helpful in identifying bad actors, the lack of inclusion in itself does not necessary make a broker trustworthy. Check registration directly, again looking to ensure there is a match between the entity listed and the broker you are considering.
How do I check if a CFD broker is legitimate and ASIC-regulated?
To check if a CFD broker is regulated by ASIC, and legitimate, start by taking the broker’s full Australian legal entity name and Australian Financial Services Licence number in its website footer, Product Disclosure Statement or Financial Services Guide. Then go to the website and search those details through ASIC’s Professional Registers to confirm that the licence is current and covers the relevant financial products.
This is one of those moments where you can make sure the company name, ABN or ACN and website details all match. Whilst an AFS licence provides regulatory oversight, it is not an endorsement or guarantee of safety, and this should be one step in the broader decision making process to ensure the broker is acting in the best interests of clients.
How do CFD brokers make money from retail traders?
CFD brokers generally earn money from traders through spreads, trading commissions, overnight financing charges and currency-conversion fees. Some providers also act as market makers and set the bid and ask prices offered through their platforms, which has the potential to create conflicts where user profits equate to broker losses if proper hedging is not carried out.
Using a broker that has STP, or ECN accounts can in theory make them more ‘neutral’, although again this may not be a determining factor. ASIC has found that CFD issuer revenue is primarily linked to client trading activity, meaning brokers typically earn more when customers trade frequently or open larger positions.
Is a low-cost broker always the better choice for CFD trading?
No, low cost brokers are not always the better choice, simply due to the variance in the way fees are presented. A CFD broker that advertises very low spreads may charge higher commissions, overnight financing or currency-conversion fees elsewhere. The comparison on fee structure alone needs to consider the total cost of opening, holding and closing a position rather than focusing on one headline rate.
Fees and spreads can also be magnified by leverage, and can widen with some brokers more than other when markets are particularly volatile. Competitive conditions during ‘normal’ trading conditions do not necessarily translate into the same when the stock or instrument you are trading is reacting to material news. Execution speed, slippage, platform reliability, available risk-management tools, customer support and withdrawal processes are also important in the bigger picture, giving you a better holistic view of how ‘ethical’ a broker is towards it’s clients.
Do CFD brokers in Australia offer negative balance protection?
Yes, since ASIC-regulated CFD providers must offer negative balance protection to Australian retail clients, any broker that does not would be a big red flag for us. Negative balance protection means that CFD losses cannot exceed the funds held in your trading account and is important for any retail trader. However, it’s important to note that this protection may not apply to professional or wholesale clients, who can potentially lose more than their initial deposit. Do not get pulled into trading the wrong type of account.
The Roundup
Pepperstone is our strongest all-round CFD broker pick, combining competitive pricing, fast execution and a choice of MetaTrader, cTrader and TradingView. IC Markets stands out for scalpers and high-volume traders, while AvaTrade remains a strong user-friendly option with a broad product range and additional risk-management features.
Whichever broker you choose, do not judge it by headline spreads alone. Check the total cost of trading, including commissions, overnight financing, currency conversion and withdrawal fees. Confirm the broker’s exact legal entity and regulatory status, test its withdrawal process and avoid firms promising guaranteed returns, pressuring you to deposit more or encouraging you to surrender retail protections for higher leverage.
The best CFD broker in the end will not simply be the cheapest, or the one offering the most leverage. You are more likely to find it is the one whose regulation, execution, costs and platform best match how you intend to trade, whatever the market condition.
CFD FAQs
What Are CFDs?
Contracts For Difference, or CFDs for short, are a form of derivative that allow traders to speculate on price movements of different financial instruments without owning the underlying asset.
How are CFDs Taxed in Australia?
CFDs are classified and regulated as financial products in Australia and, therefore, may be subject to Tax. You should consult with a Tax professional if you intend to trade CFDs.
Which CFD brokers in Australia are safest during high volatility?
The safest CFD brokers during high volatility will be those that have a history of maintaining strong execution, spreads, and reliability even when markets make things difficult. Pepperstone, and IC Markets have both proven themselves adept at this over the years.
Are CFDs Good For Beginners?
Trading CFDs presents a lot of opportunities to speculate on short-term price movements and can be very lucrative. However it is very risky and beginners can lose more than they deposit if they are not prepared. It is advisable for newcomers to spend time trading in a demo account before trading with their own money.
Can You Trade CFDs with $100?
Yes, you can start trading CFDs with $100. Many brokers will have minimum deposit limits lower than this. CFDs also utilize leverage which means you can control larger positions with smaller amounts of money.
Can I Make $1,000 a Month Trading CFDs?
Yes, it is possible to make $1,000 per month trading CFDs, though it will require considerable skill, experience and a sizable account balance. Sticking to a sensible monthly profit target of 10%, making $1,000 per month would requite an account balance of $10,000.
