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Account types, in plain terms
Brokers name their accounts differently, but a few of those names describe real differences our desk records per broker. Here is what each one means, and where the record stops.
Swap-free and Islamic accounts
An Islamic, or swap-free, account replaces overnight interest with a structure that complies with Sharia. Whether a broker offers one is a fact in its account terms, and our desk records it per broker with the page it was read from.
- Is a swap-free account free of all charges?
- Often not. Many brokers replace the overnight swap with a fixed administration fee after a grace period, and some apply the exemption only to certain instruments. We do not publish either figure yet, so read the account terms before you open one.
- Why are brokers without a swap-free account still listed?
- Because our list is the published record set, and a broker we have not checked is not a broker that refuses. Each row states what the desk found, including "not checked".
Cent accounts
A cent account denominates your balance in cents rather than dollars, so a position size that would be unaffordable on a standard account becomes tradable. Whether a broker offers one is a term our desk records per broker.
- Is a cent account a demo account?
- No. The money is real; only the unit of account is smaller, which makes small positions practical. The risk of loss is exactly as real as on any other live account.
- Why is there no minimum deposit column?
- Because our research hub does not publish that field yet. We render what the hub sends and name what it does not, rather than copying a figure off a broker's marketing page.
What our records do not settle
We record whether an account type is offered, read from the broker's own terms on a stated date. We do not publish the minimum deposit, the smallest position, the leverage cap, or the fee that replaces a swap. A term nobody has checked is never published as a term the broker does not offer.