Forex Account Types: Standard, Raw, ECN and Cent Accounts Compared
How accounts differ on spread, commission, minimum deposit and execution — and how to work out which is genuinely cheaper for your strategy.
Most brokers run three or four account types, and the real difference is how the broker takes its cut.
Standard
Marked-up spread, no commission. EUR/USD around 1.0–1.6 pips. Minimum deposit typically $100–200. Suits traders taking a few positions a week who would rather track one cost line than two.
Raw / Zero / ECN
Raw spread from 0.0–0.3 pips plus $3–3.5 per lot per side. Minimum deposit is higher, usually $500–1,000. It pays off at volume: scalping, algos, large size.
Cent account
Balance denominated in cents. A $50 deposit shows as 5,000, letting you trade micro size with the psychology of a real account. The trade-off is wider spreads and weaker execution, since these accounts rarely reach real liquidity.
Swap-free
No overnight interest, originally for clients whose faith prohibits it. Often replaced by a flat holding fee after a few days — read the terms.
How to choose
Take your actual statistics: how many lots you turn over per month. Multiply by the round-turn cost of each account type. A 0.3-pip difference on 5 lots a month is $15 — not worth switching brokers for. On 200 lots it is $600.
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Frequently asked questions
Standard or Raw — which is cheaper?
Compare total round-turn cost. A Standard account at 1.2 pips costs about $12 per lot. A Raw account at 0.2 pips plus $7 commission costs about $9. The gap only appears when the raw spread is genuinely tight.
What is a cent account for?
The balance is shown in cents, so $10 displays as 1,000. It lets you test a strategy with real money at minimal risk. Execution quality is usually worse.
Does account type affect leverage?
Normally no — leverage is set by jurisdiction, not account type. Some brokers do apply different caps to professional and Raw accounts.
- Min. deposit
- $100
- Spread
- from 1.2 pips
- Commission
- $3.5 per lot per side
72% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs
- Min. deposit
- $50
- Spread
- from 1.0 pip (Standard STP)
- Commission
- $3 per lot per side (Raw ECN)
CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money
- Min. deposit
- $100
- Spread
- from 1.1 pips (Standard STP)
- Commission
- $3 per lot per side (Raw ECN)
CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money