Top 7 Best Practice Demo Trading Accounts & Apps in 2025

Finding a new trading platform can be intimidating, especially when real money is at stake. That’s where demo accounts come in – offering a risk-free environment to practice and fine-tune your strategies with virtual funds. 

We’ve spent countless hours testing dozens of demo accounts, so you don’t have to. Our rankings are based on key factors like scope, usability, real-time data integration, and availability of tools to help you transition smoothly from a demo to live trading. 

Let’s get to it. Scroll down to find the best demo trading accounts and apps available today.

Our favorite demo accounts of 2025

What are the best demo trading accounts to practice with?

Here are our top choices:

4.6

eToro

Min. Deposit $100

Fees 1%

No. assets 3600+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

eToro review

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

4.5

Plus500

Min. Deposit $100

Fees From 2%

No. assets 2800+

Demo account Yes

Visit site

Plus500 review

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

Best demo trading accounts

Min. Deposit n/a

Fees -

No. assets n/a

Demo account -

Visit site

1. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

Copy link to section

4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

3,600

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s an easy place to trade the currency markets. Forex can be intimidating, but eToro strips back the complexity to give you a platform where you can trade 50+ currencies at competitive prices and with up to 30x leverage*.

*CFDs trading is restricted for US users.

As well as being a broker that offers lots of investor protection, eToro offers a very social trading experience. You can easily see how all the major and minor forex pairs are performing every day, track how investors feel about every one of those currencies, and copy other people’s trade suggestions from your desktop or the eToro app.

The fees: eToro charges a fee on currency trades through the spread. Spreads are variable depending on the currency and start from 1 pip for EUR/USD trades, 1.5 pips for EUR/GBP, and 2 pips for GBP/USD. Overnight and weekend fees apply.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	3600+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs, NFTs, Crypto
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	ASIC, FCA, CySEC, FinCEN

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes, on certain assets
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes, on CFDs
Withdrawal fees	Yes
Spreads	Yes, on certain assets
Conversion fees	Yes, for non-USD currencies

Pros & Cons

Great for beginners, simple to set up and get started Competitive, industry-leading commissions Popular ‘Copy Portfolios’ function lets you follow top traders Excellent customer service, with live chat support provided

Comparatively high fees for withdrawals and account inactivity Does not integrate with the MetaTrader platform High spreads on some assets

Read review Visit eToro

51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

Copy link to section

4.5

Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.8%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you make a trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures contracts for some of the biggest indices.

Plus500 has something for all types of traders, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements (starting at $100) and different contracts make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	2800+
Min. Deposit	$100
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	Yes
Supported assets	Stock CFDs, ETF CFDs, Forex CFDs, Crypto CFDs, Index CFDs, Commodity CFDs
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	FSA, ASIC, FMA, FCA, CySEC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	No
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Free demo account for every user Secure broker, licensed by top-tier regulators Wide variety of CFDs to trade Several good risk management tools

No support on trading information and education Website isn’t brilliantly designed to help users find answers to their questions No MetaTrader trading platform compatibility

Read review Visit Plus500

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

3. Public. Best for AI analysis

Copy link to section

4

Ratings

$20

Min. deposit

Spreads

Fees

9,000

No. assets

No

Demo account

Overview

We love Public because it makes use of cutting-edge AI technology to enhance your trading and investing experience. Public’s AI-powered feature, Public Alpha offers personalized insights and recommendations through its natural language interface in real time. 

Public’s AI technology helps you make more informed decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data and providing actionable insights. These AI-driven insights are easily accessible and give users access to the latest advancements in financial analysis and trading. 

Not only do can you use AI to help your investments, Public is one of the lowest cost brokerage firms out there. You can invest in stocks and ETFs commission free. You can also buy and trade fractional shares and if you want to diversify, you can explore a range of alternative investments including music and film royalties. 

The fees: There are no fees for investing in stocks during regular trading hours in the US – 9.30am-4pm EST. There is a $2.99 fee for trades outside of regular hours. 

Highlights

No. of tradable assets	9,000 +
Min. Deposit	$20
ID verification required	Yes
Free demo account	No
Supported assets	Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, , ,
Mobile trading app	Yes
Web trading platform	Yes
Regulatory bodies	SEC, FINRA, SIPC

Fees & Costs

Trading fees	Yes
Inactivity fees	Yes
Rollover/overnight fees	No
Withdrawal fees	No
Spreads	Yes
Conversion fees	Yes

Pros & Cons

Commission free stock and ETF investing Share and compare your portfolio on a social trading platform Trade crypto, fractional shares, and alternative investments

You can't trade on margin or use leverage No forex, options, funds, metals, or bonds

Read review Visit

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What is a demo trading platform?

It’s simply a practice account an online trading platform offers. You can place trades using virtual funds in a simulated trading environment – which is to say, everything looks as if you’re trading, but you’re not really using real money. 

Demo accounts are also called paper trading accounts, a relic of a time before the internet when you had to write down the trades you wanted to make and track the performance on paper – some progress over 30 years! 

Demo accounts are perfect if you’ve never placed a trade before or to test strategies, but they are also ideal for getting a feel for the platform. I always use demo accounts before depositing money; not two platforms are the same, and it’s often ridiculously easy to make a mistake while placing trades. 

How does a demo trading app work?

It simply swaps real financial markets for a simulated version. You can use virtual money in that simulated environment to buy virtual stocks (or whatever asset is available). You usually get a virtual amount (ranging from $10,000 up to a million) to trade with. 

Most demo apps use real or near-real-time data from actual markets – this means that you’ll see the same price movements, charts, and market conditions that a live trader is experiencing. This way, you can also practice making timely trading decisions. 

Usually, you’ll also get access to all types of orders and analysis tools the broker normally offers to live traders: you can place market orders, limit orders, stop-loss orders, and so on. This is the best time to really play with these tools. 

The account will also track your trades so you can track the performance of your virtual portfolio over time. You can monitor gains and losses as if you’re actually trading with real money. You’ll also see key metrics like your balance or unrealized profits/losses – these are the things you’ll need to be comfortable with when real money is on the line. 

Tips on using a demo trading app effectively 

Think of a demo account as your trading playground – where you can mess around, test strategies, and learn the platform without risking a dime. It’s not just for beginners either; even if you’re more experienced, it’s a great way to sharpen your skills. The trick is to treat it like real trading.

Below, I’ll walk you through how to get the most out of it, from getting a feel of the platform to developing your trading discipline.

Using the demo account to test the trading platform 

A demo account aims to introduce you to the trading platform and help you understand whether it meets your needs. Exactly what you’re looking for will boil down to your specific needs, but here’s a list of checks we tick off while reviewing demo accounts that you may find useful:

Explore the interface 

We start by navigating every section of the platform. We see how quickly we can move between charts, order books, and your portfolio. A clean and intuitive interface is essential, especially when making quick decisions – but you’ll want to reach more advanced tools quickly as well. 

eToro’s interface is very simplistic and designed for beginners, for example. But we also checked how easy it is to access those tools without being overwhelmed. 

Tip: If you plan to trade frequently, see how smoothly the platform allows you to place multiple trades and switch between them in the portfolio view.

Test different order types

We place trades using all the available order types on the platform, like market orders, limit orders, stop-loss, and trailing stops. We test how easy it is to set these up and, more importantly, how fast the system responds. 

Tip: Compare how quickly the platform executes limit and stop-loss orders during news releases, as this will give you an idea of its reliability under high pressure.

Asses latency and speed

Latency can significantly affect your trading performance, especially if you’re into short-term trading. That’s why we place trades during periods of high activity, such as the opening of the New York Stock Exchange or during an earnings release, and monitor how quickly orders are executed. Slippage or delays in order placement 1 www.investopedia.com https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/slippage.asp could be a massive red flag.

Tip: Test execution speed by placing trades in fast-moving assets, such as forex pairs or volatile stocks.

Play around with charting tools and indicators 

Firstly, we make sure that the platform offers a variety of indicators (e.g., moving averages, MACD, RSI) and drawing tools (like trend lines, Fibonacci retracements). But this will be more of a personal choice for you. 

Then, we apply multiple indicators and customize the layout and settings in different ways, assessing ease of use along the way. 

Tip: Assess how the platform handles customization. Can you save your favorite chart setups for quick use later?

Test risk-management tools 

I cannot overemphasize the importance of properly working risk-management tools, which typically include stop-loss, trailing stop-loss, and take-profit orders. We always prioritize brokers with solid tools in place and use demo accounts to test their effectiveness. 

We place trades with different risk profiles and see how the platform will manage our positions and whether the tools offered are suitable for the assets we are trading. Plus500’s guaranteed stop-loss feature, for example, has been a blessing for cryptocurrencies, a notoriously volatile asset. 

Tip: Track how accurately the platform triggers your stop-loss orders during volatile conditions to ensure your risk is properly managed.

Ultimately, the goal is not just to practice trading but also to understand the platform thoroughly. Explore all available tools, like charting features and risk management settings, and see how they fit your trading style. Try different strategies and simulate different market conditions using your demo account. The more time you spend experimenting, the more confident you’ll feel when you’re ready to go live.

My biggest advice here is not to rush the process. Whether you take weeks or months, what matters most is that you feel completely comfortable with both your trading strategies and the platform itself before committing to real capital.

Using the demo account to learn to trade  

My advice is to be strategic and mindful when using a demo account. 

• Set realistic trade sizes. The virtual money amounts are ridiculously high. I’d recommend starting with the amount you’d actually use in real life. If you plan on starting live trading with $500, don’t trade with $100,000 in your demo. Instead, adjust the virtual capital to match your real-life scenario so that your risk management practices align with your actual account size. This will give you a true sense of how your strategy performs within realistic limits and prevent reckless risk-taking that often happens with inflated virtual funds. 
• Develop and stick to a strategy. Day trading, swing trading, and using technical indicators – there are so many strategies you can employ; just take your pick and stick with it. Demo accounts are the perfect playground to test your approach and see how markets react, as well as build confidence in the strategy. 
• Track your progress. Reflect and review your trades at the end of every week. You can set realistic targets for yourself to stay focused on progress. Try to spot patterns and link them with market conditions. When I started periodic reviews, I also got deeper into key metrics beyond profit/loss – focusing on metrics like win rate or R-multiple (how much you’re gaining in proportion to how much you’re risking) gave me a more solid understanding of my performance. 
• Practice emotional control. This is key while trading and arguably the most important takeaway from your practice sessions. A demo account naturally lacks the real fear of loss; by giving yourself psychological constraints, you can simulate the very real pressures of live trading. Start by setting very clear profit/loss targets and limiting trades after a loss. 

How should I choose a demo trading account?

There are two major considerations here: the demo account should offer you the most realistic experience to understand the platform, and the trading platform that offers it must meet your needs. That’s why I will tackle this in two parts. 

What to look for in a demo account 

The main thing about a demo account is that it should feel as close to real-life trading as possible. I love eToro and Plus500 mostly because of that – the data on demo accounts are either real-time or near-real-time (hard to tell the difference), and you can access all of the order types as well as features as a normal trader. These are essential in mimicking the actual trading conditions. 

There are also other considerations that you may find useful: 

• Check for any time limits. Some demo trading apps may impose a time limit (like a month or two) – I suggest going for unlimited access (like with eToro). There’s no rule of thumb on how long you need to use a demo account; you just need to keep practicing until you’re 100% comfortable with the platform and your choices. Having a time limit may pressure you or give you a false sense of security that you’ll definitely be ready at the end. Plus, it’s always nice to have a demo account there if you want to practice any strategy. 
• Look for those you can sign up without ID verification. It’s not really ideal to supply all your personal details just for demo trading; look for platforms like Plus500, where minimal verification is required for demo accounts. This also helps you jump straight into practicing without going through a lengthy process.
• Virtual capital flexibility. Some practice accounts offer inflated virtual balances, which may not mirror your actual trading experience (unless you have a spare $1 million lying around). Try to look for a demo that lets you adjust the amount of virtual money to reflect your intended capital. This makes practice more realistic and helps develop proper risk management habits. 

What to look for in a platform 

As I said multiple times already, a demo account is primarily there to help you understand whether you like the platform or not – so it’s only natural that you do your due diligence on the platform beforehand to make sure it has all the bells and whistles (and other, less glamorous qualities) you need. 

Again, choosing the best trading platform for yourself is a personal choice, but it’s very helpful to know the points of comparison to understand what suits you. We delve deeper into these in our guide to the best trading platforms, but here is a quick summary of what we look into while comparing brokers: 

• Regulation. Arguably, the most important thing is that we make sure that the brokers we recommend are regulated by major institutions (the more, the merrier). In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates trading platforms. 
• Range of assets. Beyond stocks and funds, we prioritize brokers with a large range of assets simply because they offer more chances of optimizing one’s portfolio across different asset classes. Even if you’re a beginner and just interested in stocks, it’s worth considering what you may need if and when you grow as a trader. 
• Fees and charges. Many trading platforms today operate on a no-commission basis, giving the wrong impression that they are completely free – which isn’t true. You should also look for spreads, platform charges (like inactivity fees), deposit/withdrawal fees, and so on. 
• Educational resources. It’s often very useful to have helpful blogs, videos, or even podcasts explaining trading concepts and strategies in the platform, especially for beginners, as you’ll have all the help you need in a single place. 
• Support and community. You want to know that help is available when you need it. We prioritize platforms that offer 24/7 customer support and bonus points if there’s a local landline. It’s also a great plus when a trading platform has a forum where you can interact with and learn from other traders. For example, eToro’s social trading network is a great tool for learning from more experienced traders through copy trading.

What to consider before moving from a demo account to real money

The leap from virtual funds to real capital carries more risk and responsibility. You’ll need to make sure you are fully prepared before transitioning to a live account. Here are some key points to consider before making the switch. 

Are you consistently profitable? 

Before going live, ask yourself: Have I been consistently profitable in my demo account for at least 1-2 months? Make sure that you’re not confusing profitability with a winning streak – it’s about testing your strategies across a range of market conditions, like high volatility around major economic reports or during low-liquidity periods like pre-market hours. This will help you see whether your approach works across varying conditions and not just in a favorable market. You don’t want to rush into live trading just because you’ve had a couple of good weeks on your demo. 

My advice? Don’t just focus on profit, but also track your win rate, risk/reward ratio, and how well you manage drawdowns. If you haven’t tested your strategy across various climates (e.g., post-earnings market volatility), you might be setting yourself up for unexpected surprises when you go live.

Are you ready, psychologically?

Demo trading doesn’t involve the same emotional pressure as trading with your own funds. 

You may not notice it, but emotional triggers can sneak in when real money is on the line. 

After a winning streak in a demo account, you might overestimate your skills and overtrade when you go live, a phenomenon known as overtrading. On the flip side, after a loss, many traders engage in revenge trading, trying to recover their losses too quickly. It’s important to recognize these behaviors early in your demo account so you can manage them when the stakes are real.

My advice? Set up trading rules for yourself in demo mode, like limiting the number of trades you place per day, and practice sticking to them. This helps build discipline and prevents emotional decisions when transitioning to live trading.

Slippage and fills

Demo accounts often offer near-instant execution and minimal slippage, but live trading is a different beast. Slippage can catch you off guard, especially in fast-moving markets like forex or cryptocurrencies. 

If you’re trading during major economic announcements or market openings, prices may move faster than the platform can execute your trade. In these cases, the price you see on the screen might not be the price you get. This is where risk management becomes crucial – adjusting your stop-loss to account for a few pips of slippage can save you from bigger losses.

My advice? Try practicing with different stop-loss strategies in your demo account. For example, set a wider stop-loss if you’re trading during volatile periods or use a trailing stop to lock in profits as the price moves in your favor. Experimenting with these strategies will give you a better idea of how to protect your positions when trading live.

Hidden costs

Live trading isn’t free. Like, at all. You’ll need to account for fees like commissions, spreads, and overnight financing charges – things you don’t really have to worry about while trading on your demo. 

My advice? Before transitioning to live trading, calculate the impact of fees on your strategy. If you are day trading, for example, your fees will pile up quickly. If you’re more of a swing trader, overnight financing costs might eat into your profits. Familiarize yourself with many costs of trading and use your demo account to estimate how fees will impact your returns when going live.

The goal is to avoid prematurely transitioning to live trading before addressing these key differences. Patience and practicing proper habits on a demo can pay off with consistency when you make the switch.

What are the risks of using a demo account?

One of the biggest risks is that a demo stock trading account can encourage a more aggressive trading style simply because it lacks the pressures of a live trading environment. 

That’s why it’s really important to trade or put limits on yourself as if you do have something to lose. Otherwise, you might make reckless trades as you transition into real-money trading. 

A hot streak on a trading app with a demo account can also turn into a frustrating experience.

However hard it is – and I know it can be really difficult – just accept that every experience is unique, gather your lessons, and don’t kill yourself over trying to recreate that performance on your main trading account.

Best demo trading accounts: user reviews

One of the most important ranking factors in our rating of the best demo apps and accounts was user reviews and ratings. We place a high premium on how real people have found using a particular app, and the pros and cons they highlight about each service.

I was a complete beginner when I started on eToro but have found it very user-friendly. Lot’s of information on there and easy to navigate. If ever I’m unsure of anything my account manager Varun is always able to help me out.”

Lindsay C, Trustpilot

We regularly gather user feedback about each of the demo trading apps listed on this page. You can compare how Invezz users rate and review each app below.

If you have any feedback about a demo trading account on this page or an app you’ve used, contact [email protected]. We’ll use it to help update our rankings in the future.

Methodology: How did we choose the best demo trading apps?

Helping people make better financial decisions is at the heart of our mission at Invezz. 

We’re a team, so our results are based on a collective effort of several individuals. The raw facts also play into the results – we store lots of data on each broker, so there’s no debate about which platform has the lowest fees. 

Our reviewing panel includes industry experts, including our Director, Michael Charalambous, our Senior Editor of News, Harsh Vardhan, expert trader Prash Raval, and me, James Knight, Editor of Education. The panel also includes an independent fact-checker, Richard Stutely.

To properly test the products, we all have accounts on each, and we all place a series of different trades. 

For example, I tested eToro by placing a series of intraday trades on Tesla stock with different amounts of leverage, regularly investing in an S&P 500 ETF over the course of a few months, and have also played around with shorting and copying other people’s trades to my account.

Each stock market demo account is awarded a final score based on 130+ data points across eight ranking categories: cost, reliability, user experience, deposit and withdrawals, investing options, range of products/markets, research and analysis tools, and the availability of educational and learning resources.

We work closely with individual brands to ensure all factual information displayed here is accurate. All data is then fact-checked by an independent reviewer. You can learn more about our expert panel and how we test, rate, and review platforms in our review process.

You can also ask questions of our reviewing panel or ask for clarifications by emailing [email protected].

FAQs