Spread Betting Firms Rankings

[jahual89]

The amount of Spread Betting Company's is increasing very quickly. But which one is the best. Let's put the vote to the people. List the five best Spread Betting companies you've used along with their advantages and disadvantages in your expereince in using them. The advantages and disadvantages are very important as if their are any inconsistencies with them we can easily notice and exclude the people who work for these companies.

The outcome of the result will be determined by adding a firms ranking order ie. if all 50 people that took part voted IG as their number 1, IG will ghave 50 points. So the firm with the least amount will be number one, the firm with the second least will be number 2 and so on.

Here's my top 5:

1. ETX Capital

Advantages: Easy to use platform, great customer service, tight spreads, fast execution, advanced charts.

Disadvantages: Platform may be slow sometimes.

2. IG Index

Advantages: Easy to use platform, very tight spreads, flexibility with order types ie. trailing stops, instant execution.

Disadvantages: Poor customer service, started to charge for advanced charts for non-users.

3. City Index

Advantages: Easy to use platform. from my experience customer service is ok.

Disadvantages: Offer no limited risk accounts so customers can end up owing them money, spreads aren't very good

4. ODL Markets

Advantages: Good customer service, easy to use platform, decent charts, offer various accounts.

Disadvantages: Orders take too much time to get filled, platform is sluggish and freezes up.

5. CMC Markets

Advantages: Probably the easiest platform to use.

Disadvantages: Poor charts, poor customer service, very hard to place stop orders.

 

[tar]

http://www.trade2win.com/boards/spread-betting/60140-best-spread-betting-broker-3.html

 

[shadowninja]

I think your 1) and 2) aren't correct at all.

ETX has bloody huge spreads compared to IG... and IG's spreads are not exactly tight. 2 pips on EUR/USD is not tight. 6 pips on their Forwards.

ETX's advanced charts are in fact the same as IG's basic charts.

ETX's platform is f'ing horrid. You know a geek's designed it.

IG's customer services are pretty good; due to a problem with my PC and Java they actually spent a few hours working with me and then working on my computer to sort out the problem.

 

[jahual89]

I would have to disagree with you; ETX's spreads although IG have tighter I wouldn't go as far as saying bloody huge. ETX have updated their charts so their advanced charts are exactly the same as IG's and don't have the cheek to start charging for them.. complete joke. Their platform has been significantly been improved and has a much better layout than IG's, locating different markets is probably twice as quick.

As for customer service, never in a million years I'd believe they spent that much time fixing your computer from the customer service I experienced. When I queried about charts, the gentleman on the phone was very helpful and patient. But on other occasions blunt and a total joke especially when you make money, they clearly don't hedge, they might as well slap a ladbrokes sign across their website and buildings.

ETX in my experience are the best, much better than IG. There's probably 5 spread betting companies out there better than IG. ETX is just one.

 

[shadowninja]

Interesting. I'll accept what you say about the spreads; I always thought they were pretty big compared to brokers.

I've never had a negative problem from the customer services side.

As for the design, the black and green thing is so '90s web style. User-interface-wise, never had a problem finding things on IG. There are a lot more, of course, which might make things more tricky.

Still disagree about ETX's "advanced" charts. They're the old IT-finance ones, not the proper advanced ones in IG from ProRealTime. I only have ETX's demo account, mind... can you confirm otherwise?

 

[jahual89]

You'll have to open a live account to access the advanced charts, they're the proper pro real time ones exactly like the advanced charts offered from IG.

 

[tar]

I would have to disagree with you; ETX's spreads although IG have tighter I wouldn't go as far as saying bloody huge. ETX have updated their charts so their advanced charts are exactly the same as IG's and don't have the cheek to start charging for them.. complete joke. Their platform has been significantly been improved and has a much better layout than IG's, locating different markets is probably twice as quick.

As for customer service, never in a million years I'd believe they spent that much time fixing your computer from the customer service I experienced. When I queried about charts, the gentleman on the phone was very helpful and patient. But on other occasions blunt and a total joke especially when you make money, they clearly don't hedge, they might as well slap a ladbrokes sign across their website and buildings.

ETX in my experience are the best, much better than IG. There's probably 5 spread betting companies out there better than IG. ETX is just one.

For me i give IG 7 stars and they r the best in this field http://www.trade2win.com/boards/spread-betting/60140-best-spread-betting-broker-3.html
and their customer service is excellent ...
Do ETX advanced charts has ( proscreener ) facility ?

 

[shadowninja]

You'll have to open a live account to access the advanced charts, they're the proper pro real time ones exactly like the advanced charts offered from IG.

But why does the demo version let me open the advanced charts with a "for investor accounts only" type message? Can you have a look at the demo version's advanced charts? They are IG's basic. Or give us a screen shot within context?

 

[jahual89]

They don't allow the users of the demo version to access their advanced charts.

 

[shadowninja]

Yes, I just said that. It has the outline and a message stating as such. And the advanced charts look exactly the same as the IG basic charts, I have said three times.

TBH I don't believe you are right but I don't care. If I worked for IG I would care, I guess.

 

[jahual89]

Here's a screen shot.

 

[shadowninja]

Now I believe you. Thanks.

Thing is, if you trade with IG, you also get the advanced charts free. ETX won't let you use any charts, basic or advanced.

What confuses me is why Spanish always used IG when ETX provided the same service.

 

[jahual89]

That's true, as long as your placing at least two trades a month IG will allow you to use their advanced charts, but what about the long term trader? ETX allow their users to use their advanced charts free. I think the main reason why the spanish always use IG is the same reason why everyone else does. IG are always putting the fact in everyones faces that the're the first to introduce spread betting to the market and are the largest spread betting company, that will obviously make people believe they're genuine, but they're far from that from what I've heard on these forums and what I've actually witnessed myself.

 

[tar]

Here's a screen shot.

Thery r not the same , check my screenshot , there is major diffrences :
The proscreener : very important if u deal with alot of instruments
The indicators alert ..
Also the ability to deal directly from the chart by drawing lines for entries ...

 

[Lightning McQueen]

Hey guys, chill, ETX have the same advanced charts as IG, fact.

I think you are all getting confused about this. IG currently have three chart levels - basic quick charts, advanced charts and (pro)realtime charts.

ETX advanced charts are at virtualy the same identical level to IG advanced charts, apart from a dozen or so volume! based indicators. ETX do not have the (pro)realtime style layout, although the realtime charts themselves from IG are the same as the advanced ones and have the same functions . Have I confused further?

 

[jahual89]

The majority of traders trade a lesser amount instruments. IG do have a few more additions, but it won't be too long before ETX and other firms catch up in this department. You clearly need to open your eyes and see that there are handful of firms better than IG; being obsessed with one, like most people are with IG will mean you will definately have a disadvantage to those that do their research and find the best.

 

[tar]

The majority of traders trade a lesser amount instruments. IG do have a few more additions, but it won't be too long before ETX and other firms catch up in this department. You clearly need to open your eyes and see that there are handful of firms better than IG; being obsessed with one, like most people are with IG will mean you will definately have a disadvantage to those that do their research and find the best.

Thats the point , there is diffrence between the 2 charts , the indicator alert is very good and the proscreener is perfect , especially if u trade stocks , how i will know which stock has my setup ? should i check every stock ?
I tried CMC CS and IG , and for me IG is the best here , thats me , and everyone has his opinion in this , but i am not ready to open a real account with every firm pops up , maybe i will deposit little yeah , but i will not fund it with real money like IG account ...

 

[shadowninja]

The funny thing is that I no longer require the advanced charts.

 

[trader_dante]

E*trade have tighter spreads than IG or ETX for everything I trade. Plus their order entry and execution is far superior in my opinion. Best SB broker I have used and I have an account with every single one.

 

[tar]

Etrade SB = Capitalspreads