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eToro runs the largest copy trading network at an FCA-regulated broker, with Pepperstone and Axi behind it. FXCM routes copying through a third-party network (ZuluTrade), while Vantage and HFM publish no copy product on their UK-regulated entities: both run copy apps on offshore group companies only (checked 23 July 2026). Whichever you use, the FCA-authorised broker behind the account carries the FSCS cover and the leverage caps, never the copy network itself.
What is the best copy trading platform in the UK?
eToro is the best copy trading platform in the UK, running the most developed CopyTrader network at an FCA-authorised broker with no separate copy fee. Pepperstone follows with cTrader Copy on raw pricing, and FXCM routes to ZuluTrade, one of the oldest third-party networks. Network rows below are described only, not ranked.
Our six picks, ranked:
- eToro: largest CopyTrader network, no separate copy fee.
- Pepperstone: cTrader’s own Copy feature on a raw account.
- Axi: a copy app on a cost-led MT4 account.
- FXCM: copy routing through ZuluTrade.
- Vantage: no copy product on its UK entity.
- HFM: HFcopy is offshore-entity only, not on the UK account.
Comparison table: UK copy trading brokers and networks
The table below compares the six FCA-regulated brokers on their copy product, the copy fee, the platform behind it and the FCA entity that holds your account.
| Broker | Copy product | Copy fee | Platform | FCA entity (FRN) | UK status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eToro | CopyTrader | No separate copy fee; you pay the spread | eToro platform | eToro (UK) Ltd (583263) | Available |
| Pepperstone | cTrader Copy (the platform’s own feature) | Set by the strategy provider | cTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView | Pepperstone Limited (684312) | Available |
| Axi | Copy trading app | None published on its copy page | Axi app, MT4 | Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited (466201) | Available |
| FXCM | ZuluTrade routing | Varies by strategy provider | ZuluTrade over MT4, Trading Station | Stratos Markets Limited (217689) | Confirm current ZuluTrade access |
| Vantage | None on the UK entity (offshore app only) | Not applicable in the UK | MT4, MT5 | Vantage Global Prime LLP (590299) | Not available (UK entity), 23 Jul 2026 |
| ThinkMarkets | ThinkCopy app | Not separately published | ThinkCopy, ThinkTrader | Offshore group entities only, not the FCA-authorised UK company | Not available to UK clients |
| HFM | HFcopy (offshore entity only) | Not applicable on the UK entity | MT5, HFM app | HF Markets (UK) Ltd (801701) | Not available (UK entity), 23 Jul 2026 |
Copy product, fee and availability details were taken from each provider’s published UK pages, rechecked on 23 July 2026. The copy figures here are a desk-based assessment of each broker’s advertised UK pricing rather than fees captured on a live copy account, and copy fees change often. Vantage, HFM and ThinkMarkets publish no copy product on their FCA-regulated UK entities: ThinkCopy, HFcopy and Vantage’s social app run on offshore group companies only. Re-verify fees and availability on the broker’s UK site before you allocate money.
1. eToro: the largest copy network at an FCA broker
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 1 pips avg, Retail (spread-only), tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- eToro platform
- Minimum deposit
- US$50
- Regulation
- eToro (UK) Ltd (FRN 583263)
◎ Standout: the largest pool of strategy providers of any FCA-regulated broker here, with copying built into the broker's own platform.
Why higher here? Copy Trading Fit weights the copy product and its UK availability, which lifts eToro above its #27 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Why we recommend eToro
eToro (UK) Ltd runs CopyTrader inside its own platform, with thousands of strategy providers and no fee on the copying side (broker site, accessed 10 July 2026). Copying is proportional to your allocation, and you can stop or detach at any time. Our UK review scored it 68 out of 100, and eToro publishes a retail loss figure of 51% as of July 2026.
The trade-offs are cost and currency: the spread is what you actually pay, accounts are USD-denominated so GBP deposits carry a conversion cost, and a provider's losses copy as faithfully as their wins. New traders who want to follow others while they learn get the most from it; cost-focused active traders will do better on a raw account.
Pros & cons
- Largest strategy-provider pool at an FCA broker
- No fee on the copying side
- Social feed helps with provider research
- Accounts are USD-denominated, so GBP deposits pay a conversion cost
- Spreads sit wider than raw-account rivals
- Past performance does not predict a provider's future results
2. Pepperstone: cTrader Copy on raw pricing
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 0.1 pips avg, Razor (raw), tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- cTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView
- Minimum deposit
- £10
- Regulation
- Pepperstone Limited (FRN 684312)
◎ Standout: cTrader's own Copy feature runs on top of raw-account pricing, so the cost underneath the copying stays low.
Why we recommend Pepperstone
Pepperstone Limited gives cTrader users the platform's own cTrader Copy feature on top of a raw-account structure that keeps the underlying cost low. Pepperstone itself publishes no third-party copy-network integrations: its listed automation routes are cTrader Automate, trading APIs and MetaTrader expert advisors (Pepperstone integrations page, checked 23 July 2026). Fees on the copying side are set by the strategy provider you follow, typically on a performance or volume basis, so confirm them before you allocate. Our UK review scored it 90 out of 100.
The draw is cost: a copier on a raw cTrader account pays a tighter base spread than they would at a spread-marked-up network. The watch-out is that provider fees stack on top, so the all-in figure depends on which provider you follow.
Pros & cons
- cTrader Copy runs on the platform's raw account
- Raw-account pricing keeps copy costs down
- Automation via cTrader Automate, APIs and expert advisors
- Strategy-provider fees vary and add to the raw spread
- Fewer built-in providers than eToro's pool
- Commission applies on the Razor account
3. Axi: a copy app on a cost-led MT4 setup
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 0 pips avg, Pro (raw), tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- Axi app, MT4
- Minimum deposit
- None published
- Regulation
- Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited (FRN 466201)
◎ Standout: a copy app that mirrors providers into a standard Axi account, keeping the broker's cost-led MT4 pricing underneath.
Why higher here? Copy Trading Fit weights the copy product and its UK availability, which lifts Axi above its #13 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Why we recommend Axi
Axi Financial Services (UK) Limited runs a copy trading app that links to an MT4 account (broker site, accessed 10 July 2026), so copiers keep the broker's Pro-account pricing underneath. It suits traders who want copy exposure without leaving a cost-led MT4 setup. Our UK review scored it 78 out of 100.
Axi does not publish a fee on its copy trading page, so state the absence and confirm the current terms rather than assume there is no cost. The provider pool is narrower than eToro's, so it fits a trader who values the pricing more than the size of the network.
Pros & cons
- Copy exposure on a competitive MT4 account
- Keeps a cost-led setup for manual trades too
- Simple app linked to a standard account
- No copy fee is published, so confirm it rather than assume zero
- Smaller provider pool than eToro
- MT4-linked rather than a self-contained network
4. FXCM: copy routing through ZuluTrade
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 0.2 pips avg, Active Trader (raw), tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- ZuluTrade, MT4, Trading Station
- Minimum deposit
- £50
- Regulation
- Stratos Markets Limited (FRN 217689)
◎ Standout: access to ZuluTrade's large provider pool through an established FCA-regulated broker.
Why higher here? Copy Trading Fit weights the copy product and its UK availability, which lifts FXCM above its #18 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Why we recommend FXCM
FXCM, trading as Stratos Markets Limited (FCA FRN 217689), offers copy trading by routing through ZuluTrade, one of the oldest third-party copy networks, whose ranking data covers a far larger provider pool than most single-broker networks here. The broker holds your money; ZuluTrade supplies the copying layer on top. Our UK review scored FXCM 75 out of 100.
Because the copying runs through a third party, provider fees are set on ZuluTrade rather than by FXCM, and you should confirm current UK retail access to ZuluTrade accounts before you open. For a trader who wants the widest provider pool on an established FCA broker, the route is worth checking.
Pros & cons
- ZuluTrade covers thousands of strategy providers
- Established FCA-regulated broker behind the account
- Runs alongside MT4 and Trading Station
- Copying adds a third-party layer between you and the broker
- Provider fees vary and are set on ZuluTrade, not the broker
- Confirm current UK retail access to ZuluTrade before opening
5. Vantage: no copy product on its UK entity
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 0.08 pips avg, Raw ECN, tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- MT4, MT5 (no UK copy app)
- Minimum deposit
- £50
- Regulation
- Vantage Global Prime LLP (FRN 590299)
◎ Standout: the raw-account pricing is strong, but the copy and social app runs on Vantage's offshore group entities only; the FCA-authorised UK company publishes no copy product.
Why higher here? Copy Trading Fit weights the copy product and its UK availability, which lifts Vantage above its #8 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Why we recommend Vantage
Vantage Global Prime LLP is FCA-authorised (FRN 590299) for the raw-account pricing that earns it placements across this site's cost rankings, but it publishes no copy or social product on its UK-regulated entity. Four independent checks on 23 July 2026 (the platform nav, the site footer, a full link scan and on-site search) each returned nothing; the copy and social app belongs to Vantage's offshore group entities, not the UK company. Our UK review scored Vantage 82 out of 100 on its core forex and CFD offer.
If you want copy trading on a raw-account cost base, Pepperstone's cTrader route or eToro's CopyTrader network are the FCA-regulated options. Vantage's UK entity is not one of them today, which is worth knowing before you open an account expecting the copy app you may have seen on a non-UK page.
Pros & cons
- Raw-account pricing on its core MT4 and MT5 offer
- FCA-authorised UK entity (FRN 590299)
- Strong placements across our cost rankings
- No copy or social product on the UK entity (checked 23 July 2026)
- The copy app runs on offshore group entities only
- For copy trading, look to eToro or Pepperstone instead
6. HFM: HFcopy is offshore-entity only, not on the UK account
CFDs carry high risk. Retail leverage is FCA-capped.
- Average spread
- 0 pips avg, Zero (raw), tested July 2026
- Trading platforms
- MT5, HFM app (no UK copy)
- Minimum deposit
- £0
- Regulation
- HF Markets (UK) Ltd (FRN 801701)
◎ Standout: the HFcopy profit-share model is well designed, but it belongs to HFM's offshore company; the FCA-regulated UK account cannot open it.
Why higher here? Copy Trading Fit weights the copy product and its UK availability, which lifts HFM above its #17 sitewide position. See the ranking method ↓
Why we recommend HFM
HF Markets (UK) Ltd holds FCA authorisation (FRN 801701), but HFcopy is not available on the UK-regulated account. The HFcopy programme belongs to HF Markets (SV) Ltd, an offshore group entity, and HFM's UK /en/copy-trading path 302-redirects to a registration form rather than a live UK copy product (checked 23 July 2026). For a UK-regulated account, HFM copy trading is not available.
The underlying MT5 and app pricing is still competitive for manual trading, so MT5 traders can compare HFM against the best MT5 brokers UK. But if copy trading is the reason you are here, HFM's UK entity is not the route; eToro and Pepperstone are the FCA-regulated options.
Pros & cons
- Competitive MT5 and app pricing for manual trading
- FCA-authorised UK entity (FRN 801701)
- Well-designed profit-share model on the offshore product
- HFcopy is not available on the UK-regulated account (checked 23 July 2026)
- The programme belongs to an offshore group entity
- For copy trading, look to eToro or Pepperstone instead
How to start copy trading in the UK
Getting started with an FCA-regulated broker takes five steps.
- Choose the FCA-regulated broker first, not the strategy. The broker holds your money, provides FSCS cover up to £85,000 and applies the retail leverage caps.
- Open and verify the account, then start on a demo account or with a small allocation.
- Vet the strategy provider on track-record length, maximum drawdown and how they traded through losing months, not the headline return alone.
- Set the allocation and the stop. Most platforms let you cap the amount copied and detach automatically at a loss threshold.
- Review monthly. Past performance does not predict future results, and providers change style over time.
What is copy trading?
Copy trading is a form of automated trading where your account mirrors another trader’s positions. You allocate an amount to a chosen provider, and each trade they open is replicated in your account in proportion to your stake. Most UK copy trading now happens through a broker’s trading app rather than a desktop platform. It removes the need to make individual trade decisions, but it does not remove market risk, and a provider’s losing trades are copied as faithfully as their winning ones.
Copy trading in the UK splits into three structures. Broker-native networks, such as eToro’s CopyTrader and HFM’s HFcopy, keep everything inside one FCA account. Platform-level copy, such as Pepperstone’s cTrader Copy, ties copying to a platform rather than to a separate provider network. Third-party networks, such as FXCM’s ZuluTrade route, offer the widest provider pools but add a layer between trader and broker. Fees, minimums and FSCS treatment differ across all three, which is why the comparison table above sets them out line by line.
Third-party copy networks
Several copy networks sit on top of a broker rather than being brokers themselves. ZuluTrade, Darwinex, MyFxBook AutoTrade and DupliTrade connect a strategy provider’s signals to your broker account, often over MetaTrader. The regulatory status varies: Darwinex is FCA-regulated in its own right (Tradeslide Trading Tech Ltd, trading as Darwinex, FCA FRN 586466, which publishes a retail loss figure of 53% as of July 2026), while the others are signal-and-copy networks whose protection depends on the broker behind your account. None of these is in our review set, so we describe them rather than rank them, and the honest rule holds: the FCA-authorised broker carries your FSCS cover, not the network.
| Network | FCA-regulated? | How it works | Who protects your money |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZuluTrade | No, not a broker | Routes a provider’s signals to your broker account, often over MetaTrader | The FCA-authorised broker behind your account |
| Darwinex | Yes (Tradeslide Trading Tech Ltd, trading as Darwinex, FRN 586466) | Packages strategies as instruments you can allocate to | Darwinex, which holds its own FCA authorisation |
| MyFxBook AutoTrade | No, not a broker | Copies signals into your connected broker account | The FCA-authorised broker behind your account |
| DupliTrade | No, not a broker | Routes provider signals over MetaTrader to your account | The FCA-authorised broker behind your account |
Where a network charges, it is usually a spread markup or a profit-share fee on top of the broker’s normal spread, so confirm the total cost before you commit.
Pros and cons of copy trading
Copy trading lowers the skill barrier and saves time, but it carries real risk. The benefits are access to experienced strategies without building your own, automatic execution and a way to learn by watching. Set against that are full exposure to the provider’s losses, fees that eat into returns, and the temptation to chase past performance that may not repeat. Treat a provider’s track record as history, not a forecast.
Copy trading vs social trading
Social trading is the broader category; copy trading is one feature within it. It covers following other traders, discussing strategies and sharing ideas in a community, as eToro’s platform does. Copy trading is the specific mechanism that mirrors trades automatically. A platform can offer social features without automated copying, and the two terms are often used loosely, so check exactly what a broker means by it.
How we rank the six copy trading brokers
We rank on the strength of the copy tools, the cost of copying, the platform behind them and the FCA entity that holds the account. Scores come from our UK broker rating model and are shown out of 100. The cost figures on this page are a desk-based assessment of each broker’s advertised UK pricing rather than fees we captured on a live copy account, and copy fees in particular change often, so confirm the current terms before you allocate. Every broker here is assessed on demo and live accounts under our published process, and the full method sits in how we rate brokers.
Compare copy trading brokers by the factor that decides it
Different traders choose on different things. Start from the factor that decides it for you.
Start with the overall ranking
Our main UK list scores every FCA-regulated broker on cost and execution.
The platform decides it
Pick your trading software first, then compare the brokers that carry it.
Cost decides it
The same trade costs different amounts on different account types. These lists rank on the all-in figure.
You are starting out
Simple platforms and demo accounts to learn on before any money is at risk.
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About the author
Justin Grossbard is the co-founder and CEO at CompareForexBrokers. He has traded forex since 1998, leads UK broker research and has personally reviewed every FCA-regulated broker on this site. His work has appeared in Forbes, Kiplinger and Finance Magnates, and he holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Master of Marketing.