The only way I would let someone else place trades on my account is through a MAM/PAMM account. It’s safe (and I don’t mean it’s safe from losses, but it’s safe that the person managing your capital can’t steal it), and it’s easy because the brokers take care of the setup and performance payouts.
That’s why MAM/PAMM is the most popular method for retail traders to have other professionals manage their money. But not all brokers are created equal, and they can have very different capabilities for their MAM/PAMM accounts. I have personally used MAM/PAMM accounts in my trading career for two very different types of trading. I found that when choosing, there were many options, which was helpful because I could find solutions for two different trading styles, but I also had a lot to sort through.
Our job at FXEmpire is to sort through these types of offerings and use our expertise to give you an overview of why some options may be better than others. So, let’s do that for MAM/PAMM services.
*AvaTrade doesn’t allow CFD trading in Spain; only Futures are available.
Our team of experts has identified each broker’s strengths and weaknesses using FXEmpire’s comprehensive methodology.
Now, let’s delve into the selected brokers.
Founded in 2009, Vantage is an Australian-based Forex and CFD broker. As you’d expect from an Australian-based broker, it holds an Australian regulatory license from ASIC, which most traders, including me, consider to be a Tier 1 regulator. Vantage also holds regulatory licenses in a bunch of other regions: another Tier 1 license with the UK’s FCA, plus licenses in other regions: South Africa (FSCA), Cayman Islands (CIMA), Mauritius (FSC), and Vanuatu (VFSC).
Vantage covers the popular markets most traders want: currency pairs, commodities, individual stocks, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Most of these are spot contracts, but they cover some of these markets with futures pricing and ETFs. (Their futures contracts are still CFDs that mirror futures pricing, and not actual futures contracts with the exchanges.)
MAM/PAMM Account Features:
I used their Raw ECN account to carry out my tests. It has spreads from 0.0 pips and a $6 round-turn commission per traded lot, which overall, narrowly beats the industry average. The ECN account has a minimum deposit of $50, which is low, especially for an ECN account.
All of Vantage’s platforms can be used as MAM/PAMM accounts. MT4 and MT5 will likely be the most popular choice for most traders for MAM/PAMM, given how popular their terminals are in general, especially MT4 for purely Forex-focused traders.
MT4/MT5 has decent capabilities for automated trading. But there are two reasons to consider the Vantage Web Trading platform over MT4/MetaTrader: first, it can route orders to brokers’ ECN networks through a direct connection, which makes it less susceptible to broker-side manipulation and potentially faster execution. Second, the Vantage platform has more customizable features. Its users rave about its hotkeys (the ability to program keys to carry out actions, e.g., buying, selling, and canceling orders) and its customizable multi-monitor layouts. These are things MT4/MT5 cannot do, and I’m often frustrated by MetaTrader’s rigidity.
For MAM/PAMM accounts with at least $1000, Vantage gives free VPS hosting. This brings the MAM/PAMM execution speed down to under 3 milliseconds. Faster execution speeds are always better, but these faster speeds will make the most difference to scalpers.
Founded in 2005, FP Markets is another Australian-headquartered broker, with Tier 1 regulation under Australia’s ASIC. It also holds Tier 1 regulation in Europe (through Cyprus’s CySEC), and it has other regulatory licenses in South Africa (FSCA), Kenya (CMA), Mauritius (FSCM), St. Vincent & the Grenadines (FSA), and Seychelles (FSA).
FP Markers covers Forex, share CFDs, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and bonds/fixed income.
MAM/PAMM Account Features:
I want to highlight that even though FP Markets offers several trading platforms, their MAM/PAMM accounts must use MT4 or MT5. Specifically for MAM/PAMM, I don’t see this as a significant restriction because the MAM/PAMM minimum deposit is low at $100 and allows for raw spreads. Plus, for sub-account holders, they’re usually more interested in the execution being available rather than any specific charting capabilities.
When I tested their live account, I consistently saw spreads close to 0 pips, as advertised. Their $6-per-round-turn commission is slightly better than the industry average.
Overall, FP Markets offers an efficient access point to MAM/PAMM accounts, with low spreads, fast execution, a wide selection of markets, and low minimum deposits.
Founded in 2006, AvaTrade has Tier 1 regulation in multiple jurisdictions: Australia (ASIC), Europe (through Cyprus’s CySEC), Ireland (CBI), and Japan (JFSA). It also has further licenses in South Africa (FSCA), Israel (ISA), Abu Dhabi (FSRA), and the British Virgin Islands (FSC). One of the things that makes AvaTrade unique amongst its peers on this list is that it’s one of the few large brokers that operates a market-maker/dealing desk execution model, i.e., it fills trades internally rather than directly with external liquidity providers.
MAM/PAMM Account Features:
One overlooked material advantage of a market maker/dealing desk model is that the broker can guarantee fills because it sets prices on both sides and controls the fills. The chart is a “what you see is what you get” environment. (That doesn’t necessarily mean a market maker will always fill at the displayed price, merely that it has the ability to do so.) However, some traders do not want a market maker broker because it can manipulate prices and fills.
In my live test with an AvaTrade MetaTrader account, the EURUSD spread averaged 0.9 pips, beating the industry average of 1.3 pips. Their MAM/PAMM accounts allow for up to 1,000 sub-accounts. AvaTrade does not restrict strategies or order types for MAM/PAMM accounts. Â Overall, I believe that AvaTrade is reputable enough to trust its market maker model and rely on its greater predictability to fill trades.
Founded in 2006, FxPro has several Tier 1 regulatory licenses, including regulation with the UK’s FCA, in Europe with Cyprus’s CySEC. It holds additional licenses in the Bahamas (SCB license) and Seychelles (FSA license). FxPro goes a step further by naming the banks holding its clients’ funds and its external auditors on its website.
FxPro offers Forex, indices, CFDs on shares, futures (CFDs, not direct futures contracts), metals, energy, and cryptocurrencies. In total, it offers 2,100 instruments, which is larger than average.
MAM/PAMM Account Features:
FxPro is one of the largest brokers on this list: $120 million dollars in company capital, 17 million client accounts, 300 employees and 12 liquidity providers. It is a non-dealing desk broker that has some of the fastest execution times in the industry at under 8 milliseconds.
When I tested their spreads using their commission-free live account, EURUSD averaged 1.2 pips, slightly better than the industry average of 1.3 pips.
FxPro offers MAM/PAMM on MT4 and MT5. It has a proprietary web platform too, but does not offer MAM/PAMM using it. FxPro is a solid choice for most traders. It’s clearly well-established, has plenty of trading instruments, and has fantastic execution speed. After reviewing it, I’m considering using it as my next broker.
OANDA is a forex industry pioneer with almost 30 years of experience. The company’s US entity is one of a small number of brokers providing US residents access to the spot forex market. With a $0 minimum deposit and an excellent range of available platforms and tools, OANDA US is a top choice for American traders.
MAM/PAMM Account Features:
OANDA US provides the popular MetaTrader 4 platform, which enables MAM/PAMM accounts for money managers. Clients can access a proprietary MT4 plug-in that features intraday market scanning, automatic chart pattern recognition, and alerts. 68 currency pairs, including major, minor, and exotic pairs, are available for trading.
My hands-on tests showed that OANDA provides spreads that range from average to competitive. Swap fees and account-related fees are standard for the industry. Substantially lower costs are available via the Elite Trader account type, and clients can earn cash rebates when minimum trading volumes are met.
OANDA really shines in its research and educational materials, which can cater to various experience levels. Reliable customer support rounds out this broker’s robust overall offering.
The forex and CFD analysts and editors at FXEmpire bring together seasoned trading professionals and experienced financial journalists. Many of our experts have been featured in leading publications such as Investopedia and Forbes, and all of them combine strong industry credentials with hands-on trading experience.
Dan Blystone began his career in the trading industry in 1998 on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Later, Dan gained insight into the forex industry during his time as a Series 3 licensed futures and forex broker. He also traded at a couple of different prop trading firms in Chicago. Dan is well-equipped to recommend the best forex brokers due to his extensive experience and understanding of the brokerage industry.
Jitan Solanki is a professional trader, market analyst, and educator. He day trades major currency and index markets and focuses on swing trading US equities and commodities. A qualified Market Technician, Jitan also works with trader education and brokerage companies on various projects. These include market analysis, live trading events, and broker reviews. As an experienced trader and educator, Jitan brings all his qualities in action when reviewing and recommending brokers.
Having been a retail trader since 2013, Plamen has gained an in-depth understanding of the challenges that novice traders face today. His expertise is swing trading and day trading with a heavy emphasis on psychological and fundamental analysis. Plamen’s favourite trading instruments include FX majors and gold. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and International Relations. Plamen's broad experience has equipped him with the expertise to recommend the best forex brokers.
In more than 15 years of trading in the financial markets, Vladimir dealt with a wide range of brokers and financial instruments. His career as a day-trader at a proprietary trading firm goes back to 2007. Later, Vladimir turned to longer time frames and became an independent trader and analyst managing his own portfolio. Using his experience, he helps traders find the best broker in his reviews.
Huzefa Hamid is a multi-asset technical swing trader and market commentator. He began trading equities and equity options in the early 2000s before expanding into Forex and commodities, focusing on liquid instruments suited to technical analysis. A process-oriented, multi-timeframe trader, Huzefa specializes in support and resistance, trend analysis, and classic chart patterns. Drawing on his experience as a trader, broker analyst, and trading educator, Huzefa has a deep understanding of the brokerage industry, giving readers confidence in his broker reviews and recommendations.
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