B

Alfa Forex

6.1/10
First Trade logo

First Trade

7.5/10
3/10RegulationTied3/10
10/10FeesTied10/10
9/10PlatformsTied9/10
4/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Alfa Forex was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cyprus, while First Trade was established in 2008 and is based in USA. Both brokers are regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), among other authorities. Alfa Forex serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; First Trade has 10,000+. The minimum deposit is $0 at Alfa Forex and $5 at First Trade.

First Trade wins this category
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
Min. Deposit$0$5
RegulationSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Founded20112008
CountryCyprusUSA
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Alfa Forex and First Trade, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Alfa Forex has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $0 (vs $5 at First Trade). Both brokers charge withdrawal fees. Alfa Forex applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; First Trade does not. First Trade charges deposit fees; Alfa Forex does not. The two brokers are broadly comparable on fee structure.

Tied
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
Min. Deposit$0$5
Withdrawal FeesYesYes
Inactivity FeesYesNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesNoNo

Platforms

Alfa Forex offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while First Trade supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Alfa Forex supports social and copy trading features, which First Trade does not offer. The two brokers are closely matched on platform offering.

Tied
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
MT4YesYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMT4MT4,WEB

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Alfa Forex and First Trade compare. First Trade runs regular live webinars; Alfa Forex does not. Both provide video tutorials. First Trade publishes daily market commentary; Alfa Forex does not. Both integrate third-party research tools. First Trade maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. First Trade scores higher overall in education and research.

First Trade wins this category
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
Forex EducationYesYes
CFD EducationNoYes
Weekly WebinarsNoYes
Daily CommentaryNoYes
Trading CentralNoYes
AutochartistYesYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Alfa Forex accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while First Trade supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Both brokers support the same set of payment methods.

Tied
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoNo
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Alfa Forex and First Trade offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Both brokers offer support in 2 languages. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureAlfa ForexFirst Trade
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese