Choosing a best spread betting brokers uk can be an arduous task for any trader. With brokers varying in price, market selection and trading platform, making a practical and sensible decision is often a drawn-out process. But, the highly competitive nature of the industry means brokers are constantly trying to outdo one another – and as such, they are forcing themselves to bend over backwards in order to offer traders better value and functionality.

For example, many spread betting companies allow you to open a free account with a limited number of markets, which can be very useful for new traders. Similarly, some brokers allow you to use live prices in their demo accounts. These are important features as they let you practice your strategy in real time and avoid the pitfalls of using delayed prices, which can be misleading.

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A regulated broker is also essential as it lowers the risks of malpractice and fraud. Regulated brokers are monitored by the UK Financial Conduct Authority or Ireland’s Central Bank and must adhere to strict rules.

In addition, a spread betting company should offer a good range of markets. Pepperstone, for example, offers a wide range of markets including 60+ currency pairs, 900+ stocks, 20+ ETF CFDs and 3 UK share indices, among other things. They are also FCA regulated and provide negative balance protection, segregation of funds and covered by the FSCS. In addition, they have low spreads, no commission and overnight charges.