Vantage: Standard STP or RAW ECN, which is really cheaper

Vantage has five account types, but for most people the real choice is between two:
Standard STP and RAW ECN. The same $50 minimum, and entirely different in
where the cost sits.

Five account types

Source: the account-type table on the
Vantage page. Vantage publishes its rebate by product rather than by
account type, so the rebate column is left blank here.

The core difference

• Standard STP — spread from 1.0 pips, no commission. All the cost is inside the
  spread.
• RAW ECN — spread from 0.0 pips, $6 round-turn commission per lot. The cost is separated
  out.

But the rebate reverses the comparison

This is the decisive part, and the part most comparisons leave out. Vantage’s published rebate, by
product:

• Gold XAU/USD — Standard $11.30/lot, RAW $1.60/lot
• EUR/USD — Standard $6.12/lot, RAW $1.60/lot
• USD/JPY — Standard $7.02/lot, RAW $1.60/lot

Standard pays three to seven times what RAW ECN does. The reason: partner commission comes
out of the markup inside the spread, and RAW has almost no
markup. Before settling on an account type, it is worth reading whether Vantage is regulated for your account and which entity holds it.

The EUR/USD calculation

Assume real spreads of 1.2 pips on Standard and 0.2 on RAW:

• Standard: 1.2 × 10 = $12, less $6.12 rebate → $5.88 net
• RAW ECN: 0.2 × 10 + 6 = $8, less $1.60 rebate → $6.40 net

On these numbers Standard is cheaper — the complete reverse of what you would conclude from the
advertised spread alone. But these are
assumed spreads; substitute the ones you measure in the hours you actually trade.

When RAW ECN is still the right choice

• Strategies that need fills close to the quote — a tight spread reduces slippage, and for
  scalping that matters more than a few dollars of rebate.
• Running a high-frequency EA — a wide spread eats
  into a small target faster than commission does.

The other three

• Premium Unlimited — $500–3,000 depending on region. Worth considering only with
  substantial capital and regular trading.
• Cent — small converted volume, for practising with real money.
• Swap-Free — no overnight financing, but administration fees can apply. Not entirely free,
  despite the name.

This article is for information only and is not investment advice. Conditions and fee levels are published by the brokers and can change at any time — check with the broker you actually use. Leveraged forex and CFD trading carries a high level of risk and can cost you your entire deposit.