Offshore forex account types can be organised into four broad families: Standard (no commission, wider spreads), Cent (small trade units), Pro (no commission, tighter spreads) and Zero, Raw Spread or ECN (extremely tight spreads with a separate commission). Names differ from broker to broker, but the four things to look at are the spread, the trading commission, the minimum deposit and the trading platform.
This article explains the differences between account types and gives a worked example of all-in cost, which adds the spread and the round-turn commission together for comparison. It also lists representative accounts at XS, HFM, Axi, Exness and AXIORY, the brokers listed on this site, from the verified data on this site (each with its verification date). Figures change and conditions may be revised, so check each broker's official page before opening an account.
What are offshore forex account types? Organising them into 4 families
At offshore forex brokers, even a single broker offers several account types, and the spread, commission, minimum deposit, available trading platforms and bonus eligibility vary by account. Choosing the wrong account type can change your costs significantly for the same trades, so the first choice matters.
Names vary widely, such as Standard, Pro, Zero, ECN, Nano and Elite, but accounts can be divided into the following four families by how commission is charged and by trade unit. These are general tendencies, and actual conditions must be checked on the broker's official page for each account.
- Standard family: no trading commission. The cost is included in the spread, which makes the numbers easy to understand
- Cent family: a smaller number of units per lot, so you can try trading with a small amount. Spreads are often similar to regular accounts
- Pro family: no trading commission, with spreads tighter than Standard. The minimum deposit may be higher
- Zero, Raw Spread and ECN family: spreads as tight as around 0.0 pips, in exchange for a separate commission per lot
ECN originally names a trading method that routes orders to market liquidity providers, but in offshore forex it is often used to mean a commission-based, tight-spread account, and whether it appears in an account name is up to the broker. Judge by the spread and commission figures in the official account comparison table, not by the name.
Standard vs Zero accounts: spreads, commissions and minimum deposits
The difference between a Standard account and a Zero account is whether you pay trading cost through the spread alone, or in two parts: a tight spread plus a commission. The table below compares the general characteristics of each family. The tendencies vary by broker and account.
| Family | Spread | Trading commission | Who it may suit | Points to note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Wider | None | First accounts; people who want costs to be easy to understand | Spreads add up if you trade short-term repeatedly |
| Cent | Similar to Standard | None | People who want to get used to the platform with small amounts and small trade units | Supported platforms and maximum leverage may differ from other accounts |
| Pro | Tighter | None | People who want to keep costs down without calculating commission | Some brokers have a higher minimum deposit |
| Zero, Raw Spread, ECN | Extremely tight (from around 0.0 pips) | Yes (per lot) | People who trade often and want to manage costs closely | Once commission is included, it can cost more than Standard |
※ Spreads fluctuate with market conditions, and the basis of the figures shown officially (minimum, average and so on) differs by broker. 0.0 pips is the minimum figure displayed and does not mean the spread is always that value.
Looking only at the spread figure, Zero-type accounts can appear better than Standard, but once the round-turn commission is added the gap narrows or can even reverse. When comparing account types, always look at the total of spread plus round-turn commission.
How to compare all-in cost: converting spread plus round-turn commission into pips
All-in cost is found as the spread (in pips) plus the round-turn commission converted into pips. Because commission is often shown in US dollars, you divide it by the value of 1 pip for the currency pair to put both in the same unit. The basics of lots and pips are covered in a separate article.
How to calculate pips, lot size and required margin →
Calculation steps
- 01Check the round-turn commission
In the official account comparison table, check whether the per-lot commission is per side or round turn. If it is shown per side, double it to get the round-turn figure.
- 02Divide by the value of 1 pip
For 1 lot (100,000 units) of USD/JPY, 1 pip is about 1,000 yen. Convert the commission to yen and divide by 1,000 yen to get pips. For dollar-denominated pairs such as EUR/USD, 1 pip on 1 lot is about 10 dollars.
- 03Add the spread
The commission converted into pips plus the spread is the all-in cost (the round-turn cost).
Worked example: 1 lot of USD/JPY at 1 dollar = 150 yen (assumed)
The table below is an estimate per lot, assuming 1 dollar = 150 yen, using the minimum spreads and round-turn commissions in this site's verified data. For example, for Axi Premium the round-turn commission is 4.5 dollars x 150 yen = 675 yen, and dividing by 1,000 yen gives 0.675 pips. Added to a 0.0-pip spread, the all-in cost is about 0.68 pips (about 675 yen).
| Account | Spread | Round-turn commission | Commission in pips | All-in cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axi Standard | 0.7 pips | None | 0 pips | about 0.70 pips (about 700 yen) |
| Axi Premium | 0.0 pips | 4.5 dollars (about 675 yen) | about 0.68 pips | about 0.68 pips (about 675 yen) |
| HFM Zero | 0 pips | 6 dollars (about 900 yen) | 0.9 pips | about 0.9 pips (about 900 yen) |
| AXIORY Nano | 0.2 pips | 6 dollars (about 900 yen) | 0.9 pips | about 1.1 pips (about 1,100 yen) |
| Exness Standard | 0.2 pips | None | 0 pips | about 0.2 pips (about 200 yen) |
※ The estimates use the officially displayed minimum spread and an assumed rate of 150 yen, and do not show actual execution cost. The reference currency pair and the range of variation differ by broker, and spreads widen with market conditions. For a dollar-denominated pair such as EUR/USD, 1 pip on 1 lot is about 10 dollars, so 4.5 dollars is 0.45 pips and 6 dollars is 0.6 pips.
An official minimum spread may be the value for the most favourable moment or currency pair. When comparing, use data on the same currency pair, the same basis (average or minimum) and the same time of day, and check your own trading hours using the official real-time spread display or a demo account.
Account type examples at listed brokers: XS, HFM, Axi, Exness and AXIORY
For the five brokers listed on this site, we set out representative accounts of the no-commission type and the commission type. Values are taken as they stand from this site's verified data, and the verification date differs by broker (XS: 2 August 2026; HFM: 1 September 2026; Axi: 10 September 2026; Exness: 3 September 2026; AXIORY: 19 September 2026).
| Broker | Account name | Spread | Trading commission | Minimum deposit | Trading platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | Standard | 1.1 pips on average | Free | No limit | MT4, MT5 |
| XS | Elite | 0.1 pips on average | 6 dollars round turn | 500 dollars | MT4, MT5 |
| HFM | Premium | From 1.4 pips | None | 0 dollars / 0 euros / 0 yen | MT4, MT5 and others |
| HFM | Zero | From 0 pips | FX 6 dollars round turn per standard lot | 0 dollars / 0 euros / 0 yen | MT4, MT5 and others |
| Axi | Standard | From 0.7 pips | None | No benchmark (only the minimum for each deposit method, such as 30 USD for cryptocurrency) | MT4, MT5, Axi app |
| Axi | Premium | From 0.0 pips | 4.5 dollars round turn per lot | 500 dollars (first deposit only; no limit on the second and later) | MT4, MT5 |
| Exness | Standard | From 0.2 pips | None | Depends on region | MT4, MT5 |
| Exness | Raw Spread | From 0.0 pips | Up to 3.50 USD per side per lot | Depends on region | MT4, MT5 |
| AXIORY | Standard | Variable (official cost comparison example: USD/JPY 0.5 pips) | None | Only the minimum for each deposit method | MT4, cTrader |
| AXIORY | Nano | Variable (official cost comparison example: USD/JPY 0.2 pips) | 3.00 USD per side (6 USD round turn) per lot | Only the minimum for each deposit method | MT4, cTrader |
※ AXIORY has announced the introduction of MT5 to the Standard, Nano and Max accounts, but check the official account types page for the introduction date and support status. The basis of the figures differs by broker: XS's average is for EURUSD, Axi's is the minimum spread for EUR/USD, and AXIORY's is the official cost comparison example for USD/JPY. Leverage and eligible bonuses also differ by account.
Even among accounts described as having no commission, XS Standard shows an average spread of 1.1 pips while Exness Standard shows from 0.2 pips, so the figures cannot be compared directly because the basis of display differs. Details of each broker's accounts can be checked on the broker pages.
View XS account types and conditions →
View HFM account types and conditions →
Deposit bonuses and prize draw campaigns may be limited to certain account types (for example, at HFM the Top-Up Bonus account is eligible for the deposit bonus). Before deciding on an account type, check the eligible accounts for the promotion you want to use in the official terms.
How to choose an offshore forex account type: a purpose-based approach
Which account suits you depends on your funds, how often you trade and the tools you use. Rather than recommending a particular account, this section sets out the points to base your decision on.
For a first account or starting with a small amount
No-commission Standard-family accounts or Cent-family accounts are the ones to consider. The breakdown of costs is easy to understand, and some have a low minimum deposit. Because the trade unit is small, Cent accounts suit getting a feel for lot sizes. However, leverage and platform support differ by account, so check the account comparison table.
For frequent trading and close cost management
In a style that trades several times a day, small differences in cost per trade add up. Zero and Raw Spread accounts are candidates, but use the calculation in the previous section to convert to an all-in figure and confirm that the cost is really lower than a Standard-family account before choosing.
For using EAs or specific tools
For EAs (automated trading), the available trading platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader and so on) differ by account type. Some brokers, such as AXIORY, support different platforms for each account, so check platform support first.
- Checked whether the spread is a minimum or an average
- Checked whether the trading commission is per side or round turn, and the amount per lot
- Calculated and compared the all-in cost (in pips) myself
- Checked the minimum deposit and the minimum for each deposit method
- The account supports the platform I want to use (MT4, MT5 or cTrader)
- Checked whether the account is eligible for the bonus or campaign I want to use
At many brokers you can open an additional account after opening your first and try a different type (whether additional accounts are allowed, and the limit, depends on the broker). If you cannot settle on one from the start, you can try with a small amount, measure actual trading costs and then switch. Offshore forex carries the risk of magnified losses through leverage and does not guarantee profit.
Offshore forex minimum deposit comparison: accounts that are easy to start with small amounts →
Frequently asked questions
Q. How many account types are there in offshore forex?
A. It differs by broker. In this site's verified data, XS has 5 types (Standard, Cent, Pro, Elite and VIP), HFM has 6, Axi has 3 (Standard, Premium and Elite), Exness has 5 and AXIORY has 6. Names differ, but they can be organised into four families: Standard, Cent, Pro and Zero.
Q. What is the difference between a Standard account and a Zero account?
A. A Standard account has no trading commission and the cost is included in the spread, while a Zero account has a spread as tight as around 0.0 pips in exchange for a commission per lot. For example, Axi Standard is from 0.7 pips with no commission, and Premium is from 0.0 pips with 4.5 dollars round turn per lot. Compare them by the combined cost.
Q. Which offshore forex account should I choose?
A. It depends on your funds, how often you trade and the tools you use. To start with a small amount, no-commission Standard or Cent accounts are worth considering, and if you trade often and want to manage costs, Zero-type accounts are candidates. Compare by total cost including commission and also check the eligible accounts for any bonus.
Q. How do I calculate cost including commission?
A. Add the round-turn commission converted into pips to the spread (in pips). For 1 lot of USD/JPY, 1 pip is about 1,000 yen, so at 1 dollar = 150 yen a 4.5-dollar round-turn commission is 675 yen / 1,000 yen = about 0.68 pips. The converted value changes with the exchange rate.
Q. Can I change my account type later?
A. Whether you can change the type of an existing account, or must open an additional account instead, depends on the broker. Check each broker's official help pages or your account screen for how to change or add accounts and for any limit.
Sources and conditions
- XS official: account types (verified by this site on 2 August 2026) →
- HFM official: trading accounts (verified by this site on 1 September 2026) →
- Axi official: trading accounts (verified by this site on 10 September 2026) →
- Exness Help Center: account types (verified by this site on 3 September 2026) →
- AXIORY official: account types (verified by this site on 19 September 2026) →
- Spread and commission basics (beginner guide) →
- Offshore forex spread comparison (column) →
FX Textbook is an independent information site, not a broker or provider of personal investment advice. Forex and CFDs involve risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital. No trading result is guaranteed.
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