Best Trading Platforms in UAE For Beginners

Page Summary

Are you just starting out and you’re looking for the best trading platforms in UAE for beginners? There are numerous brokers available on the UAE market and it is often hard to separate the “wheat from the chaff” when you are getting started.

When you are new to trading, it is important to choose a platform based on beginner friendly buy/sell options, low minimum deposit, great customer support, and extensive educational materials.

For this guide, we have analysed and compared the top 5 trading platforms in UAE for beginners across 8 major categories. We have listed their pros, cons, and key features to help you get the full picture and make the right decision.

Top 5 Trading Platforms Beginners in UAE

  1. eToro – Best Trading Platform and App in UAE for Beginners
  2. Sarwa – Best Full Service Stock Broker in UAE
  3. Pepperstone – Best CFD Platform
  4. AVAtrade – Best Trading Platform For Beginner Forex and CFD Traders
  5. IG Trading – Best Trading Platform for Beginner Stock and ETF Traders

RANKBROKERGENERALPLATFORM SCOREBEST FORWEBSITE
#1eToroEasy to use and easy to navigate 4,9/5Best Trading Platform and App in UAE for Beginners Official website
#2SarwaVery competitive trading fees 4,2/5Best Full Service Stock Broker in UAE Official website
#3PepperstoneLow trading fees4,9/5Best CFD PlatformOfficial website
#4AVAtradeChoice of different trading platforms 4,9/5Best Trading Platform For Beginner Forex and CFD Traders Official website
#5IG TradingVery good on research and education 4,2/5Best Trading Platform for Beginner Stock and ETF Traders Official website

Our Top 5 Choices in Overview

Below is a detailed break down of the top 5 trading platforms in UAE for beginners including their pros, cons and key features.

1. eToro – Best Trading Platform and App in UAE for Beginners

eToro logo

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: $200

Fees: 4.8

Assets available: 4.8

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

79% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. eToro AUS Capital Ltd ACN 612 791 803 AFSL 491139. OTC Derivatives are speculative and leveraged. Not suitable for all investors. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD

With an easy-to-use trading platform, great educational materials and social/copy trading features, eToro is an interesting choice to be considered by beginners and casual traders.

Beginners can choose from over 5,000 financial instruments including:

  • 2800 Shares & 2800 Stocks as CFDs
  • 264 Funds and ETFs
  • 32 Cryptocurrencies
  • 49 Forex pairs
  • 54 Commodities & 250 Indices

Most of them are available as “real assets” and also as CFDs.Trading-wise eToro only offers a web and mobile platform (Web Trader and Mobile Trader). Both are smooth, easy to use, and of course extended with copy trading abilities – it’s the feature that allows beginners to follow professional traders and copy their exact trades. Trading features are simple and include one-click trading, price alerts, and excellent charting.

eToro supports beginners with great research tools such as Tip Ranks, The Bull Club, and eToro Plus, which provide insights from leading analysts and financial institutions, a broad range of technical indicators and dynamic charting features.

Users can choose between 4 different account types, which include a beginner (retail) account with a low minimum deposit ($50), 1:5 leverage on CFDs, and access to all tradable assets. Keep in mind that as a beginner you can also make use of the free demo account and the $100,000 virtual money to test your trading strategies before investing real money.

eToro also offers great customer support around the clock in Arabic and English.

Pros

  • Easy to use trading platform
  • Broad range of educational material and research tools
  • Excellent social trading services for all kinds of traders

Cons

  • Some research tools are only available to VIP members
  • Platform lacks features for professional traders such as advanced order types and MetaTrader 4 and 5 compatibility
  • Relatively high fees on crypto trades (1%) compared to other brokers

Key features

  • Great Social Trading platform for beginner and advanced traders
  • Over 5,000 tradable assets
  • More than 10 different payment methods to fund your account
  • Super-fast registration and KYC process
  • Commission-free stock trading
  • Beginner-friendly trading platform and app

2. Sarwa – Best Full Service Stock Broker in UAE

Sarwa logo

Rating: 4,2/5

Min Deposit: $5

Fees: 4.5

Assets available: 4.5

Total Fees:

Sarwa is a full-service broker based in Dubai, that allows users to trade and invest in 4,000+ different US stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, indices, and cryptocurrencies. 

With combining automated investing, self-directed trading, and financial advisory services from the same dashboard, Sarwa makes it easy for beginners to enter the market. Those can either let professionals trade on their behalf or trade on their own with support from a financial advisor.

With commission-free stock trading, 0,50% – 0,85% advisory fees on investment services, and 0,75% spreads on cryptocurrency transactions, Sarwa’s fees are low. Users are also allowed to make deposits in AED without paying any extra transaction or conversion fees.

Sarwa’s trading platform is intuitive and easy to use, featuring basic buy/sell options, watch lists and search features which is great for beginners. Those can also make use of five pre-made portfolios: Conventional, Halal, Socially Responsible, Conventional Crypto, or Socially Responsible Crypto without having to do any research.

The Sarwa customer service is available 24/7 in  English and Arabic by email, live chat, and phone. Users  can also visit one of Sarwa’s physical offices in the UAE and speak with their financial advisors directly.

Sarwa is regulated by two top-tier financial regulators from the UAE including the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi (FSRA), which makes it a safe broker to trade with.

Sarwa Account Types and Features
Sarwa Invest Account Type / Features Starter Standard Premium Platinum
Personalized Financial Advice
Low-cost, Globally Diversified Portfolios
Easy Rebalancing
Dividend Reinvesting
Free Financial Education
Access to Expert Financial Advice 1 Free Call
Financial Planning
Lower Advisory Fees

Pros

  • No minimum deposit requirement to open account
  • Access to financial advisors and long-term investment services
  • Beginner-friendly trading and investing platform

Cons

  • No demo account available
  • You cannot choose your own long-term investments
  • Even crypto portfolios have only 5% exposure to crypto

Key features

  • Trade or invest in over 4,000 US stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies
  • 5 Differently diversified portfolios available to invest in
  • Physical offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
  • Well-suited for both beginners and advanced traders and investors
  • Multiple order types available (Limit, Market, and Stop Limit)
  • Access to historical and real-time price data
  • Commission-free stock trading and no transaction fees for depositing AED from UAE bank accounts

3. Pepperstone – Best CFD Platform

Pepperstone logo

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: $200

Fees: 4.9

Assets available: 4.8

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Pepperstone is an Australian CFD broker, founded in 2010. Their platforms offers access to 180 + financial instruments including forex and CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies.

Trading platforms available on Pepperstone are listed below.

  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • TradingView
  • cTrader

The platform charges zero spreads on most forex pairs and a fixed commission of $3,50. Peppesrtone is a reputable broker regulated by top-tier financial authorities including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Pepperstone’s customer support is available 24/7 in English and Arabic. They are reachable through email, live chat, and phone.

Pros

  • Algorithmic trading features
  • Multiple third party integrations (MT4, MT5, cTrader, Tradingview)
  • Competitive fees
  • Social trading features
  • Excellent education and research materials

Cons

  • Limited video educational resources
  • Limited advanced order types
  • Customer not available in Arabic

Key features

  • 60+ Forex pairs and 700+ different CFDs
  • MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader trading platforms
  • TradingView integration
  • Zero spreads on a few forex pairs including EUR/USD
  • Special set of tools for professional traders
  • Islamic swap-free account available

4. AVAtrade – Best Trading Platform For Beginner Forex and CFD Traders

AVAtrade logo

Rating: 4,9/5

Min Deposit: $100

Fees: 4.9

Assets available: 4.9

Total Fees: 0.9 pip

Open account Read review

71% of retail CFD accounts lose money

AvaTrade is a DFSA-regulated forex and CFD broker that provides users access to over 1,250 CFDs and 44 forex pairs. Users can start trading with as low as $100 or practice with a free $100,000 funded demo trading account. The maximum leverage ratio at AvaTrade is 30:1 and they also offer negative balance protection through AVAprotect.

AvaTrade users have access to 8 different trading platforms and beginner friendly add-ons including DupliTrade and ZuluTrade. Those allow beginners to copy trades from advanced traders instead of investing on their own. They also feature beginner friendly buy/sell options and technical analysis tools such as indicators, drawing tools, and an economic calendar.

Beginners have access to an extensive selection of educational resources which include guides, Ebooks and video tutorials on CFD and forex trading.

With no commissions charged on CFDs and an average spread during peak trading hours of only 0,22, AvaTrade is one of the cheapest brokers to trade with. 

AvaTrade’s customer service is available 24/7 in English, Arabic via email, live chat, WhatsApp, and by phone. The UAE customer support number is 97-145-285-110.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly trading platform
  • Up to 30:1 leverage, low spreads, no commissions, and instant order execution
  • Broad range of educational material and research tools

Cons

  • Not all educational material is aimed at beginners
  • Only offers CFD trading
  • Charges inactivity fees of $50 after 3 months of inactivity and $100 administration fee after 1 year of inactivity

Key features

  • Over 1250 CFDs and 44 forex pairs available
  • Beginner-friendly social trading platform
  • Intuitively designed mobile trading app
  • Low trading fees
  • Well-suited for beginner traders
  • Compatible with MetaTrader 4 and 5 and other external trading software

5. IG Trading – Best Trading Platform for Beginner Stock and ETF Traders

IG Trading logo

Rating: 4,2/5

Min Deposit: $5500

Fees: 3.7

Assets available: 4.5

Total Fees:

Open account Read review

75% of retail CFD accounts lose money

With access to over 17,000 stocks and ETFs across 25 different global markets, IG is one of the largest stock and ETF brokers in the industry. They also offer access to CFDs, options, forex, indices, crypto, and commodities. 

IG users can choose between multiple trading platforms available for both beginner and advanced traders:

  • IG WebTrader
  • IG Android and iOS Apps
  • ProRealTime
  • L2 Dealer Desktop

 

All of the platforms  have a beginner friendly interface and are compatible with MetaTrader 4 and other external trading platforms and Expert Advisors through APIs. Users can easily place orders and manage their risk using stop-loss and take-profit orders. It is also possible to set up price alerts so you get notified whenever an asset reaches a certain price.

You can open an IG live trading account from $250 or practice with the freely available $20,000-funded demo account first. The broker accepts bank wire transfers, credit/debit card, and e-wallet deposits and doesn’t charge any transaction fees.

IG provides all of its users with a wide range of educational material such as daily market update videos, trading tutorial guides, and technical and fundamental analysis case studies. Personalized support and broker-assisted trades are available to premium users.

IG’s share dealing services are commission-free.

The English and Arabic-speaking IG customer service is available from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday in Dubai time by email ([email protected]), live chat, and phone (+971-455-921-08).

Pros

  • Great research tools, in-depth market analysis, and trade ideas for beginner traders
  • Intuitive and easy to use desktop trading platform and mobile trading apps
  • Broad range of educational material freely available to all users

Cons

  • Live chat is not always available
  • No Islamic swap-free account available
  • High fees on stock CFDs compared to other brokers

Key features

  • Over 17,000 available stocks, ETFs, and other financial instruments
  • Well-established, globally operating broker since 1974
  • Regulated by multiple tier 1 regulatory bodies, including the DFSA
  • Unlimited free demo paper trading account
  • Trading signals and price alerts to find favorable trading opportunities

How to Pick a Beginner-Friendly Trading Platform in UAE? 

To select the best trading platforms for beginners in UAE our team of analysts compared 105 different online brokers across 10 different categories. With special attention on research & education, customer support and trading features for beginners like copy trading, our team considered the following criteria: assets available, platforms, costs, withdrawal & deposit, regulation, mobile apps and islamic accounts. Below we break down what exactly was considered in more detail:

Research & Education

Brokers are more than a trading platform and should include research and educational material with an account. Make sure your broker delivers the information you need.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Educational Resources Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Webinars Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Daily News Updates Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Personal Training and Room Access Yes No No No Yes No No Yes No Yes No
Market In-depth Analysis Yes No No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes
Market Research Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Trading Signals Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Asset

Any broker you consider should have a range of tradable assets, like ETFs, stocks, futures, forex, mutual funds, bonds, commodities, indices, and cryptos.Any broker you consider should have a range of tradable assets, like ETFs, stocks, futures, forex, mutual funds, bonds, commodities, indices, and cryptos.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Optio Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Shares 0 0 4000 10000 60 0 0 2800 0 30000 16500
ETF and Funds 0 0 1 1000 9000 0 0 0 0 5900 35000
Crypto 0 0 1 0 26 0 0 30 0 9 4
Commodities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Indices 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3052
Options 1 0 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 3000 50000
Futures 0 0 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 300 245
Bonds 2 0 1 0 53000 0 0 0 0 4200 1000000
Forex 59 33 0 80 80 60 61 49 91 200 115
CFD Stocks 100 194 0 12000 0 600 730 2800 9500 19000 8000
CFD Commodities 15 3 0 6 12 31 22 54 22 50 2
CFD Crypto 14 19 0 10 12 17 18 32 8 0 0

Trading Platforms

Brokers have dedicated trading platforms, and also offer MT4 and MT5. You need to understand the platform before you start trading, and all the features it has.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Generic Platforms Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No
Proprietary Platform Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Desktop version Yes Trader Workstation, Client Portal Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Web version Yes Yes (Trader Workstation) Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Mobile App Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes
MetaTrader4 Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No
MetaTrader5 Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No
cTrader Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No Yes No
Other Generic Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No No No

Fees

Trading fees add up, and some brokers offer 0% trading fees. When you choose a broker, look at the fees, and if you are a frequent trader, keep the fees low.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Optio Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Deposit Fee 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Withdrawal Fee 0 0 0 0 $10 0 0 $5 0 0 0
Inactivity Fee $50 quaterly after 3 months Yes 0 Yes 0 0 0 $10 monthly after 1 year $15 per month (after 12 months) $100 – 6months 0
Overnight Fee Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 2.5% Yes Yes on CFD’s
Cost Per Trade 0 0 0 0 0 0 $3.5 per lot 0 0 0 0
Cost Per Month 0 €10 0 $18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stock and ETFs 0 0.48 pips 0.85% 0.3 pips $9 0 0 0 0+spread $1 $0.005 per share
FOREX (EURUSD) 0.9 pips 4.7 pips 0 0.6 pips 1.6 pips 0.6 0 1.1 pips 0.8 pips 1 0.2 pips + 0.08 to 0.20 bps times trade size commission
Crypto 0.35% 127.14 pips 0.75% 0 0.50% 0 0 0 0 0 0.12% to 0.18% of trade value
CFD (gold) 3.4 pips 4.8 pips 0 0.3 pips 5.37 pips 0.05 pips 0.0 pips 5 pips 0.8 pips 0.6 pip 0.02

Deposit & Withdrawal

Deposits and withdrawals should be free, so look and make sure your broker has a fee structure that works for your deposit and withdrawal preference.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Minimum in UAE $100 $10 $5 $5500 $0 $200 $200 $200 $100 $2000 0 ($2000 for margin account)
Bank Wire Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cash No No No No No No No No No No No
Credit/Debit Card Yes $50 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Check No No No No No No No No No No Yes from a US bank account
Islamic Account Transfer Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No
E-Paymenst Yes Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No No
Paypal No Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No No
Skrill Yes Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No No
Neteller Yes Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No

Social / Copy Trading

Social and copy trading gets you into the market fast. Social and copy trading are available with major brokers.

 

Customer Support

Customer Support

You need a broker with 24/7 customer support in a language you understand. Choose a broker that speaks your language, and has contact options that work for you.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Email Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Phone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Live Chat Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
24/7 support Yes Yes No No No No Yes Yes No Yes No
Multilingual Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Personal Account manager No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Regulations

Only choose brokers regulated by the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. Don’t bother with brokers that aren’t compliant with regulations in a top-tier market.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Regulators ASIC, FSA, FSCA, CBI FFAJ, ADGM CySEC, FCA, Consob, CNMV, Regafi, AFM, FSA, CNB DFSA DFSA, FCA, BaFin, ASIC, JFSA, MAS, INMA, FTC, CFTC, NFA, FCA, DFSA ASIC, CySEC, FCA, DFSA, BAFIN, CMA, SCB FSA, ASIC, CySEC ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCS IIROC, SFC, CySEC, FSA, NFA, FTC, MAS, CIMA, ASIC, FCA ASIC, SFC, JFSA, MAS, Finma, FCA NYSE, FINRA, SIPC

Mobile Trading

Mobile trading keeps you in the markets from anywhere your mobile device works. Every broker offers different mobile trading features, so make sure you understand your broker’s mobile platform.

Feature AVAtrade IQ Option Sarwa IG Swissquote Pepperstone IC Markets eToro Forex.com Saxo Bank Interactive Brokers
Android Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Apple Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Watchlist (mobile) Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Economic Calendar (mobile) No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Charting Tools (mobile) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Islamic Accounts

All of the brokers from our list offer Islamic accounts. This gives users access to trading strategies that are in compliance with the Sharia law requirements.

The below table breaks down how all of the brokers from our list performed in each of the tested categories:

BrokerTrading instrumentsCustomer supportTrading conditionsResearch and EducationOverall for Beginners
eTorro4.25.04.45.05.0
IG Trading4.74.75.04.64.9
Pepperstone4.15.05.05.04.9
Ava Trade3.54.54.85.04.6
Sarwa4.74.94.84.04.5

What Should Beginners Look out for When Choosing a Broker in UAE?

New investors need to start by defining their goals and looking for a broker that works for their investing needs. For example, an investor that wants to hold stocks for the long term would need a different kind of broker compared to a new trader that wants to learn how to day trade. 

In addition, beginners should look for educational resources and copy trading platforms. There is a lot to learn about investing, and if it is possible to get that education for free, all the better. 

It is very important to understand fees because the amount an investor pays to buy, sell, and hold positions has an impact on profits. It is possible to gain exposure to US stocks with CFDs, but the cost to hold that position will be more than if an investor buys the same exposure via a broker that offers US stocks to investors in the UAE. 

Final Verdict

After analysing and comparing 105 online brokers available to users from the Middle east across 9 major categories, we consider eToro as the best trading platform for beginners in UAE. They offer a high “ease of use” level, seamless and simple on-boarding, great customer support in Arabic and industry leading social trading features. This broker scored high in each of those areas, making it a great fit for novice traders who want to step into the markets confidently.

FAQ

How much money do I need to start investing?

Every broker has a different minimum deposit, and there are brokers who allow account opening with $0.

Can I lose money in the markets?

It is possible to lose money investing, and stocks are volatile. It is a good idea to own a range of assets, so a single weak asset doesn’t ruin your investment portfolio.

Are stocks safe?

Buying single stocks isn’t a safe way to invest, and looking at diversified investments like ETFs is a much safer way to start investing.

What is the best kind of broker?

Your financial goals will determine the best kind of broker for your needs, so take time to make an investment plan before you choose a broker.

Disclaimer

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.

Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Past performance is not an indication of future results. Trading history presented is less than 5 complete years and may not suffice as basis for investment decision.

Copy trading is a portfolio management service, provided by eToro (Europe) Ltd., which is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cryptoasset investing is unregulated in some EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Your capital is at risk.

eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.

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