B

Bell Direct

5.6/10

z.com

7.9/10
3/10RegulationWinner7/10
6/10FeesWinner10/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
6/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Bell Direct was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in New Zealand, while z.com was established in 2008 and is based in UK. Bell Direct holds licences including Financial Markets Authority (FMA), while z.com is regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) among others. Bell Direct serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; z.com has 10,000+. The minimum deposit is $100 at Bell Direct and $50 at z.com.

z.com wins this category
FeatureBell Directz.com
Min. Deposit$100$50
RegulationFinancial Markets Authority (FMA)Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)
Founded19832008
CountryNew ZealandUK
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Bell Direct and z.com, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Bell Direct has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $100 (vs $50 at z.com). z.com charges withdrawal fees while Bell Direct does not, giving Bell Direct an edge for frequent withdrawers. Bell Direct applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; z.com does not. z.com charges deposit fees; Bell Direct does not. Overall, z.com scores higher on fees in our assessment.

z.com wins this category
FeatureBell Directz.com
Min. Deposit$100$50
Withdrawal FeesNoYes
Inactivity FeesYesNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesYesYes

Platforms

Bell Direct offers MT5, cTrader, while z.com supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. z.com supports social and copy trading features, which Bell Direct does not offer. z.com edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

z.com wins this category
FeatureBell Directz.com
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsAndroid,WEB,Desktop,iPhone,MacDesktop,Android,Tablet,iPhone

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Bell Direct and z.com compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. z.com scores higher overall in education and research.

z.com wins this category
FeatureBell Directz.com
Forex EducationNoYes
CFD EducationYesYes
Weekly WebinarsYesYes
Daily CommentaryYesYes
Trading CentralYesYes
AutochartistNoYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

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

Tied
FeatureBell Directz.com
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 Bell Direct and z.com 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
FeatureBell Directz.com
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese