The fees
| Fee | When paid | Typical | Matters most to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spread | Every trade | 0.1 to 1.5 pips on EUR/USD | Frequent traders |
| Commission | Every trade on raw accounts | 3 to 3.5 dollars per side per lot | Frequent traders |
| Swap | Each night a position is held | Varies by pair and direction; tripled Wednesday | Multi-day traders |
| Withdrawal fee | On withdrawal | None to 30 dollars | Everyone, occasionally |
| Conversion | On deposits in another currency | 0.5 to 2 percent | Traders funding in a foreign currency |
| Inactivity | After months without trades | 5 to 15 dollars a month | Dormant accounts |
Adding them up
Work out the round-trip cost per lot on your pairs: spread plus commission on both sides, in pips. Add the swap for the nights you typically hold. Multiply by your monthly volume. Then add the occasional fees you would actually pay. Two brokers that look similar on the spread table can differ by hundreds of dollars a month for the same trading.
Standard versus raw
A standard account bundles the fee into the spread; a raw account shows the market spread and charges commission. For active traders in the majors the raw account is usually cheaper; for occasional traders the standard account is simpler and the difference is small.
What is not a fee
Leverage is not a fee; it is a limit. A bonus is not a discount; it is credit with conditions. And a broker's profit from your losses on a B-book is not a fee either, though it is a cost to think about.
Try it: Profit and loss calculator
Trading forex, CFDs and other leveraged products carries a high risk of losing money. This guide is general education, not advice.