Raw Spread + Commission = the Only Number That Matters
When brokers advertise "spreads from 0.0 pips," it sounds attractive — but the truth lives in the second line of the pricing offer. Raw-spread accounts pass the interbank spread through nearly unadulterated, then charge a fixed commission per lot. These total costs — raw spread plus commission — are the only meaningful comparison figure for any EA trader, scalper, or day trader.
A EUR/USD example: 0.0-pip raw spread plus 7.00 USD round-turn commission (3.50 USD per side) equals effectively 0.7 pips on a standard lot (100,000 EUR). With 0.1-pip raw spread and a 6.00 USD round trip, the result is also ~0.7 pips. These numbers sound identical — but they are not, because the composition differs: when scaling down to 0.5-lot micro EAs, the spread advantage shrinks while the commission remains fixed.
Hidden costs such as requotes, inflated swaps, and concealed markups on the raw feed can quickly neutralise any spread advantage. Our comparison therefore evaluates not just the nominal spread but the entire cost structure including execution quality — because a nominally cheap broker with frequent requotes and 2-pip slippage is more expensive than a nominally pricier broker with clean execution.
What Distinguishes Raw/ECN Accounts from Standard Accounts
Classic standard account (no commission): The broker builds its margin directly into the spread. Typical EUR/USD spreads run 0.8–1.6 pips with an inflated ask-bid gap. Advantage: no visible commission. Disadvantage: higher effective costs, especially at scalping frequencies.
Raw/ECN account: The raw spread from the liquidity provider passes through nearly unchanged, with a transparent commission charged separately. At the best brokers, this sits between 2.00 and 3.50 USD per lot per side. The advantage: full cost transparency and predictable calculation for EAs trading fixed lot sizes.
ECN tiering (Prime, PRO, Institutional): Some brokers offer access to cheaper tiers above certain volume thresholds or deposit levels. RoboForex charges around 1.00 USD/side on the Prime account and ~2.00 USD/side on the ECN account; Vantage offers a PRO ECN account at 1.50 USD/side. Traders regularly moving large lot volumes should explicitly ask about such tiers.
Swaps as invisible costs. Overnight positions pay swap interest that — depending on the interest-rate differential and broker markup — can partially offset the spread advantage over weeks or months. For EAs holding overnight (e.g. swing EAs), the swap rate is just as critical as the spread.
Cost Comparison of the Strongest Raw/ECN Brokers
IC Trading charges 3.50 USD/lot/side on MetaTrader and 3.00 USD/side on cTrader for its Raw account. With a typical EUR/USD raw spread of 0.0–0.1 pips, all-in costs land at roughly 0.6–0.7 pips — top tier in the market. The IC Trading review covers every detail.
FP Trading offers 3.00 USD/lot/side on its Raw account — marginally below IC Trading — at comparable spread quality. That makes FP Trading one of the most cost-efficient options once you account for its offshore regulation. FP Trading full review.
RoboForex stands out with its Prime account at ~1.00 USD/lot/side — the lowest per-side commission in this comparison. The ECN account runs ~2.00 USD/side with slightly tighter raw spreads. For high-volume scalping EAs, the Prime model can be arithmetically hard to beat. RoboForex review.
Vantage PRO ECN charges 1.50 USD/lot/side — one of the cheapest Tier-1-regulated (ASIC/FCA) offerings on the market. Full Vantage review.
Which Spread Type Suits Which EA Strategy?
- Scalping EAs (M1–M5, many round turns): Raw/ECN account essential; commission structure is decisive. Target: all-in costs below 0.7 pips on EUR/USD.
- Trend-following / swing (H1–H4, few trades): A standard account can sometimes be cheaper if only 1–2 trades occur per week. Run the calculation in backtesting.
- Grid/martingale EAs: Every pip compounds exponentially. Raw account plus lowest possible commission is non-negotiable.
- News-based EAs: Spread spikes at data releases can hit the account hard; verify whether the broker adds a markup on the raw feed and whether a news filter is advisable.
