UK Spread Betting Reviews & Guides
Financial spread betting is a leveraged way to speculate on whether a market’s price will rise or fall, priced in £ per point and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Profits are free of Capital Gains Tax for most UK retail traders. Spread Bet UK compares all 14 FCA-regulated brokers still offering UK spread betting on their published spreads each month and explains the costs, the tax position and the risks before you open an account.
- 14FCA-regulated brokers ranked on the same criteria
- 20brands reviewed since 2024
- 1 Aug 2026the spread data this ranking is built on
- 61% to 76.6%published share of retail accounts losing money
Who we are
Why Trust Spread Bet UK
Justin Grossbard and Noam Korbl founded Spread Bet UK in 2024 after watching traders try to work out a provider’s spread betting terms from a page written about its CFD account. Justin has over 20 years trading and investing. Noam has over 15 years building fintech and business-finance ventures.
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Justin Grossbard Co-founder. Investing since 1998 and actively trading since 2014, with over 20 years experience. -
Noam Korbl Co-founder. Runs operations and the commercial side from Melbourne, with over 15 years in fintech.
We apply the same criteria to every broker and score each out of 100. Published average spreads are re-read every month; our current set is from 1 Aug 2026. Every other detail, from the FCA entity and reference number to the demo cost, is read from the provider’s own UK site and recorded with the date it was read. Where a provider publishes nothing quotable, the cell stays empty.
We are paid when a reader visits a partner site. The ranking is not for sale and scores are independent of what a broker pays. You can read the full arrangement on our about us page. Our head office is at 1/650 Inkerman Road, Caulfield North, Victoria, Australia, 3161.
- Founded
- 2024
- Brands reviewed
- 20
- Open FCA-authorised accounts
- 14
- Spread data re-read
- Every month
- Current spread data
- 1 Aug 2026
- Ranking scale
- Score out of 100
Method
How we score brokers
We open the trading accounts ourselves to see conditions and spreads first-hand.
Scoring starts with cost per trade, from the published average spreads we re-read monthly. We then assess platform quality: a wide range of platforms scores higher because automated, copy trading and chart trading each need something different. Funding and withdrawal terms and customer support are assessed next.
We add points for market analysis, rebate schemes and education. The result is a score out of 100 that reflects the value an account brings, not a feature list. The full criteria are in our methodology.
Tool
Spread betting calculator
Our calculator prices a spread bet end to end: the profit or loss on the move, the spread’s cost in pounds, the margin a broker must hold at the FCA cap, and the level where the 50% close-out rule would trigger.
It works from each broker’s own published average spreads on nine forex pairs, read 1 Aug 2026, plus the UK 100, US 500 and Germany 40 indices with your own level. A compare mode prices the spread’s cost at every broker we rank.
Capital at risk when spread betting.
Questions
FAQs
What is spread betting?
Spread betting is a derivative product for speculating on price movements without owning the underlying asset. Profit or loss depends on the accuracy of your prediction and the size of your bet.
It is the only derivative with tax-free status in the UK for most retail traders, carrying no Capital Gains Tax on profits and no Stamp Duty when placing a bet.
Are spread betting profits taxable?
Spread betting profits are not taxable for most UK individuals. HMRC treats spread betting as gambling, so no Capital Gains Tax and no Stamp Duty apply.
A professional-trader exception exists. Profits may be subject to Income Tax when spread betting is your main source of income, while remaining exempt from Stamp Duty. Individual circumstances differ, so speak to a tax professional about your own.
Is spread betting FCA regulated?
Spread betting is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. Only brokers licensed and authorised by the FCA can provide spread betting markets.
FCA-regulated brokers must hold segregated client funds, offer negative balance protection, and maintain transparent pricing.
Understand the risk
Spread bets are leveraged, and a leveraged position moves faster than the stake suggests. Across the 14 brokers we compare, the published share of retail investor accounts losing money runs from 61% to 76.6%.
Disclaimer: leveraged instruments are risky. Conduct your own research before trading on margin or with leverage. This page is not financial or tax advice. We are paid when you visit a partner site, and the ranking is not for sale.