Cost tables look simple until you trade. A raw-style account can show a tight spread and still cost more once you add commission. A standard account can look “free” until you notice the markup in the quote.
Three lines, not one
Spread is the gap between bid and ask at that moment. It is not a lifetime promise.
Commission is the extra ticket fee some raw accounts charge per lot (or per side). Ignore it and the “from 0.0” line is marketing.
Swap / overnight is what you pay or receive if you hold past the rollover. Weekend funding on a crypto CFD can dwarf the spread — crypto CFD weekend gap. Scalpers who flatten before that still need to know it exists.
How to compare two names
Pick the same pair, the same session, and the same account type. Write down spread plus commission on a round turn. Then check inactivity fees and withdrawal fees — they are still costs.
Use our compare worksheet as a shortlist tool, then confirm live numbers on the broker’s site. Peak Pips does not quote your fill.
Do the round-turn on the same pair and session. Raw-style examples sit in the IC Markets review and the Pepperstone review; a standard retail quote path is closer to the XM review. Live tables still win.
