Which broker is better for Italy traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For Italian retail traders comparing FBS vs RoboForex in 2025, the choice depends on your trading style and payment preferences. FBS holds a higher overall score of 3.7/5 compared to RoboForex's 3.2/5, reflecting stronger local payment integration and lower trading costs. Both brokers accept Italian residents and offer EUR-denominated accounts, but they operate without direct CONSOB regulation, meaning traders must accept higher risk. FBS stands out with support for PostePay, SEPA transfers, and bank transfers, making it easier for Italian traders to fund accounts. RoboForex offers a wider range of account types including cent accounts for low-capital traders. This comparison focuses on what matters most to Italian retail traders: spreads, deposit methods, regulation awareness, and platform usability. Whether you trade part-time or full-time, understanding how these brokers serve Italy's trading community will help you make an informed decision.
| Instrument | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | RoboForex |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | RoboForex |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | RoboForex |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | RoboForex |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $5 | $10 | RoboForex |
FBS offers lower overall trading costs for Italian traders, especially on EUR/USD pairs. The Standard account has spreads from 0.7 pips with no commission, while the Zero Spread account starts at 0.0 pips with a small commission of $6 per lot round turn. RoboForex's Standard account has spreads from 1.2 pips with no commission, and its ECN account starts from 0.0 pips but charges commissions of $4 per lot per side. For a typical Italian trader executing 10 lots per month on EUR/USD, FBS saves approximately €15-20 in spread costs. Both brokers offer leverage up to 1:30 for retail clients under ESMA rules, but higher leverage is available for professional clients. FBS also provides a spread calculator in EUR, which helps Italian traders estimate costs upfront.
| Account Type | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✓ |
| Zero spread account | ✗ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $5 | $10 |
| Entity / Asset | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (offshore) | Up to 1:3000 | Up to 1:2000 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:3000 | 1:2000 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
| Asset Class | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | FBS |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | FBS |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | FBS |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | ✗ | RoboForex |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Platform | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
Both FBS and RoboForex offer MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, the most popular platforms among Italian traders. FBS also provides its proprietary FBS Trader app, which is optimized for mobile trading and includes one-click trading and economic calendar features. RoboForex offers cTrader alongside MT4/MT5, which is preferred by scalpers for its advanced order management. For Italian traders who trade on the go, FBS's mobile app has better Italian language support and local payment integration. RoboForex's platforms are more suitable for algorithmic traders using Expert Advisors (EAs) because of deeper backtesting capabilities. Both brokers support demo accounts in EUR, allowing Italian traders to test strategies risk-free.
| Factor | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | RoboForex |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | FBS |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
FBS offers market execution with no requotes on most account types, with average execution speed under 0.5 seconds for EUR/USD orders. RoboForex uses a hybrid execution model combining instant and market execution, with speeds around 0.7 seconds. For Italian day traders and scalpers, FBS's faster execution and lower slippage on major pairs provide a slight advantage. Both brokers have 99.9% uptime for their trading servers.
| Safety Factor | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | IFSC | IFSC |
| Top-tier regulated | ✗ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Neither FBS nor RoboForex is regulated by CONSOB, Italy's financial regulator. FBS is regulated by the International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) of Belize, while RoboForex is regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Belize. This means Italian traders do not benefit from negative balance protection or investor compensation schemes under EU regulations. CONSOB has issued warnings about unregulated brokers, so Italian traders should only deposit funds they can afford to lose. FBS has been operating since 2009 and processes over 1 million trades daily, while RoboForex has been active since 2011. Despite lacking EU regulation, both brokers have established reputations in emerging markets. For maximum safety, Italian traders should consider EU-regulated alternatives, but these brokers remain popular for their flexibility.
| Payment Method | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
| Withdrawal time | Electronic Wallets / Systems: Credited immediately to 30 minutes (processed 24/7 by the financial department).Cryptocurrency: Instant, though subject to blockchain network confirmations.Credit / Debit Cards: Average of 3 to 4 business days (internal processing takes 15–20 minutes, plus bank clearance).Bank Transfers: Usually processed within 7 to 10 business days. | 1 to 5 business days |
Italian traders have several convenient deposit and withdrawal options at both brokers. FBS supports SEPA bank transfers in EUR with zero fees and processing within 1-2 business days. It also accepts PostePay, Italy's popular prepaid card, with instant deposits and no extra charges. Bank transfers via Italian banks like Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit are also supported. RoboForex accepts SEPA transfers but does not support PostePay. Both brokers accept Visa and Mastercard for instant deposits. Minimum deposit is $10 (about €9) at both brokers. Withdrawals are processed within 24 hours to 3 business days depending on the method. FBS has a slight advantage for Italian traders because of PostePay support, which is widely used in Italy for online payments. Both brokers charge no internal fees for deposits or withdrawals, but bank fees may apply.
| Islamic Account Feature | FBS | RoboForex |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Both FBS and RoboForex offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Italian Muslim traders who require Sharia-compliant trading. FBS provides swap-free accounts on request for all account types, including Standard, Cent, and Zero Spread accounts. RoboForex offers Islamic accounts on Standard, Cent, and ECN accounts with no swap charges on overnight positions. Neither broker charges additional fees for maintaining Islamic status. However, some instruments may have a holding period after which swap fees apply, so traders should check the terms. For Italian traders who observe Islamic finance principles, both brokers are suitable, but FBS offers more account type flexibility for swap-free trading.
| Support Feature | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | FBS |
FBS offers 24/7 customer support in Italian via live chat, email, and phone. The Italian-language support team is responsive and knowledgeable about local payment methods like PostePay. RoboForex provides support in English and Russian, with limited Italian-language assistance. Response times for RoboForex average 2-3 hours via email, while FBS typically responds within 15 minutes via live chat. For Italian traders who prefer native-language support, FBS is clearly the better choice.
| Mobile Feature | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | FBS |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | FBS |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Resource | FBS | RoboForex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | Weekly | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | FBS |
Choose FBS if you...
Choose RoboForex if you...
For most Italian retail traders, FBS is the better choice in 2025 due to its higher score, lower spreads, and superior local payment support including PostePay and SEPA transfers. The ability to deposit with PostePay makes FBS particularly accessible for Italian traders who prefer using Italy's most popular prepaid card. The Italian-language support team adds further convenience. RoboForex remains a solid option for traders who need cent accounts or cTrader, but its limited local payment methods and lack of Italian support reduce its appeal. Both brokers operate without CONSOB regulation, so Italian traders should be aware of the risks and only trade with capital they can afford to lose. Overall, FBS offers a more tailored experience for Italian traders, while RoboForex caters to niche needs like micro-trading and advanced platforms.