Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs BDSwiss, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Admirals, established in 2001, and BDSwiss, founded in 2012, are both online brokers with a focus on providing trading services. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank, differentiating them from some other financial service providers. In terms of regulatory oversight, Admirals has secured a prominent position by holding four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a high level of trust and regulatory compliance.
In contrast, BDSwiss possesses one Tier-1 license and lacks Tier-2 licenses, aligning it with an average risk evaluation. According to ForexBrokers.com, Admirals earns a high Trust Score of 93 out of 99, signaling high reliability, whereas BDSwiss has a Trust Score of 73, indicating an average trust level. These scores and licensing details can be crucial factors for prospective traders when choosing between the two platforms.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When evaluating online brokers Admirals and BDSwiss based on their commissions and fees, Admirals emerges as a competitive choice with favorable pricing. Admirals offers a typical spread of 0.8 pips on its Trade account, aligning similarly with the Zero account type. Admirals' competitive pricing results in a strong reputation in the financial trading arena, earning it a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees. This recognition places Admirals at the 17th position among 63 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, BDSwiss exhibits reasonable order execution statistics but faces criticism for its relatively higher spreads compared to industry leaders. For instance, the Classic account with BDSwiss carries a spread of 1.5 pips on EUR/USD, which may be considered pricey. Their Raw account offers a spread of 0.3 pips combined with a $5 commission per side, leading to an effective total spread of 1.3 pips. The VIP account from BDSwiss offers a slightly better rate, clocking in at 1.2 pips. BDSwiss garners a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, and is ranked 30th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Join 239,000+ traders worldwide.
Regulated in 7 jurisdictions
When comparing Admirals to BDSwiss, Admirals stands out with a significantly wider range of investment options. Admirals offers an impressive 8,702 tradeable symbols, including 82 forex pairs, giving investors a broad selection to choose from. In contrast, BDSwiss provides 1,081 tradeable symbols with 53 forex pairs. Both brokers facilitate forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts and provide opportunities for copy trading. However, when it comes to accessing global markets, Admirals surpasses BDSwiss by offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. This means clients can easily invest in companies like Apple and Vodafone through Admirals, while BDSwiss does not offer direct access to these exchange-traded securities.
While neither Admirals nor BDSwiss offers the ability to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency, both allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives. The broader investment palette at Admirals is reflected in its rating, receiving 4.5 stars for Range of Investments compared to BDSwiss, which earns 4 stars. Admirals ranks 19th among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com in the Range of Investments category, whereas BDSwiss is positioned at 34th. This difference highlights Admirals as a more versatile choice for investors seeking a diverse array of trading and investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When considering the trading platforms offered by Admirals and BDSwiss, both brokers provide a comprehensive suite of tools catering to various trading preferences. Admirals and BDSwiss each offer proprietary platforms and support widely-used MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 software, providing traders with the option of trading on Windows-based desktops, or directly from any web browser. For those new to trading or eager to test new strategies, both brokers generously offer simulated trading via free virtual demo accounts, delivering a risk-free environment for exploration and practice.
In terms of charting capabilities, Admirals stands out with its extensive selection of 106 drawing tools, far surpassing the 15 offered by BDSwiss. Both brokers provide the ability to initiate trades directly from charts, enhancing convenience for active traders. Admirals and BDSwiss also cater to those interested in copy trading, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. With seven watchlist columns available, both brokers offer ample customization for monitoring market movements. Rated at four stars each by ForexBrokers.com for their Trading Platforms and Tools, Admirals ranks slightly higher at #19 compared to BDSwiss at #24 out of 63 brokers, reflecting subtle nuances in user experience and feature offerings.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Admirals and BDSwiss both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, equipped with features that cater to both stock and forex traders. Users can expect price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts within each app. Admirals and BDSwiss allow traders to create watchlists with real-time quotes, view multiple time frames on charts, and automatically save chart drawings. Admirals provides 30 technical studies for charting, matching what BDSwiss also offers. However, a limitation with both brokers is the absence of watchlist symbol syncing between mobile apps and online accounts.
In terms of user ratings, both Admirals and BDSwiss earn a solid four stars for their mobile trading apps. When compared among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Admirals edges out BDSwiss slightly, ranking at #23, with BDSwiss closely following at #24. While the two platforms offer a similar mobile trading experience, Admirals holds a slight lead in overall ranking.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, both Admirals and BDSwiss provide daily market commentaries, keeping traders informed with regular insights. While both brokers ensure access to Trading Central's technical analysis tools, Admirals stands out by delivering forex news from top-notch sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, which BDSwiss does not offer. Admirals also provides a sentiment-based trading tool, which BDSwiss lacks, giving traders additional insight into market positions. Admirals enhances its research suite by including market research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading like Signal Centre, whereas these features are absent from BDSwiss's offerings.
Both brokers offer an economic calendar to keep traders updated on global news events. Despite notable differences in specific tools, Admirals and BDSwiss share a consistent overall research rating of four stars. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks Admirals higher at number 15 for research excellence out of 63 brokers, compared to BDSwiss, which holds the 24th spot. This distinction highlights the more comprehensive market research services offered by Admirals.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to providing educational resources for beginners, both Admirals and BDSwiss excel in delivering comprehensive materials about forex and CFDs. Each offers a rich library of at least 10 educational pieces, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, specifically focused on trading these instruments. Admirals and BDSwiss both host regular online webinars, with a minimum of one session every month to assist clients in their trading journey. Plus, they both provide searchable archives of past webinars, allowing traders to revisit sessions at their convenience. New traders will benefit from over 10 dedicated beginner-friendly video tutorials from each broker, covering essential trading topics in digestible formats. Additionally, both platforms cater to advanced traders with a set of over 10 educational videos aimed at more experienced users.
Beyond video content, Admirals and BDSwiss each provide a valuable investor dictionary featuring definitions of more than 50 investing terms, ensuring all clients have access to crucial trading terminology and concepts. Both brokers have received a four-star rating for their educational offerings, indicating high-quality materials and services. However, there is a slight difference in their standings among competitors: Admirals ranks #12 in the Education category according to ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss holds the #19 position out of 63 brokers. This slight edge hints at Admirals' broader recognition in the education sector, though both brokers offer strong educational support to help beginners build a solid foundation in trading.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Admirals is better than BDSwiss. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
Traders choose Admirals for its excellent investor education and advanced MetaTrader features – such as the Supreme add-ons – alongside an extensive range of shares, forex and CFD markets, and premium research content.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Admirals and BDSwiss do not provide the capability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but they each offer the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Admirals and BDSwiss both support ACH/SEPA transfers, Skrill, and Visa or Mastercard for depositing or withdrawing account funds, but only Admirals offers PayPal, with both platforms also accepting bank wires.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Admirals Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | Admirals | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | BDSwiss Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill