How We Test & Rate Brokers
Every broker review on KolaTrading is based on a real funded account, live spread measurements and an independent withdrawal test. Here’s exactly how we do it.
Our Testing Philosophy
We do not accept broker data at face value. Every metric in our reviews — spreads, execution speed, withdrawal times — is measured using a real funded account, not sourced from the broker’s marketing materials.
Our methodology is designed to simulate the experience of a real Australian retail trader. We open accounts the same way a reader would, fund them with real AUD, trade during real market hours, and test the withdrawal process from start to finish.
We also explicitly look for the things brokers don’t advertise: how spreads widen during volatile sessions, what support is like when you’re actually stuck, and whether the withdrawal process is as simple as claimed.
Our 7-Step Testing Process
Account Opening & KYC
We complete the full account opening process as a retail Australian client — including identity verification, suitability questionnaire and initial setup. We time the process and note any friction points. We also verify the broker’s ASIC licence on the ASIC Connect register before proceeding.
AUD Deposit Testing
We deposit real AUD via the most common methods: bank transfer, credit/debit card and where available, PayID or POLi. We record processing times and any fees applied. We test at least two deposit methods per broker.
30-Day Live Spread Measurement
We record live spreads on EUR/USD, AUD/USD, GBP/USD, XAU/USD and one major index at least three times per session across London open, New York open and Sydney morning sessions. We calculate averages from this data — not from the broker’s published “typical spread” figures, which are often not representative of real conditions.
Execution Quality Testing
We execute real trades and measure fill speeds, slippage and requote frequency. We specifically test during higher-volatility periods such as major economic data releases (NFP, RBA rate decisions, US CPI) where execution quality often deteriorates. We record and report any consistent requotes or excessive slippage.
Platform Testing
We test every available platform (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary) on desktop and mobile. We assess charting quality, order management, stability during volatile sessions, and mobile app usability. We specifically test features relevant to Australian traders: AUD-denominated P&L display, ASX instrument availability where applicable.
Customer Support Testing
We contact support via all available channels (live chat, phone, email) with genuine questions — not planted softballs. We time response speeds and evaluate answer quality. We test at minimum twice: once during regular business hours and once during an off-peak session to get a representative view.
AUD Withdrawal Test
We process a real AUD withdrawal from every broker we review and record the time from request submission to funds arriving in our Australian bank account. We also verify whether the stated zero-fee withdrawal is genuinely fee-free end-to-end.
How We Score Brokers
Each broker is scored across six dimensions. The overall score is a weighted average of these six dimension scores.
Independence & Conflicts of Interest
KolaTrading earns affiliate commissions when readers open accounts via our links. This is how we fund our testing. However, commercial relationships do not influence our scores in the following ways:
- Brokers cannot pay to be ranked higher or to receive a better score
- Brokers cannot request we remove or modify negative findings
- Brokers with no commercial relationship are included if they merit it
- We disclose affiliate relationships on every page where they exist
For full details on our commercial relationships, see our How We Make Money page.
How Often We Update Reviews
- Spread data: Updated monthly using fresh live measurements
- Fee changes: Updated within 2 weeks of a confirmed change
- Platform updates: Updated when new platforms are added or removed
- Regulatory events: Updated immediately when a material regulatory event occurs
- Full review cycle: Every review is comprehensively re-tested at least annually
Each review page displays its last-updated date in the hero section. If you believe a review is out of date, please contact us.