The result of copy trading is what is left after costs — and costs come from two places: the broker and the copy service. This guide lists every common copy trading fee, shows how to compare them, and explains why "free copy trading" rarely is.
Broker costs (you pay these anyway)
Spread
The difference between the buy and sell price, paid on every trade. On major pairs it may be a fraction of a pip; on exotic pairs or during news it can be many pips.
Commission
Raw-spread accounts charge a commission per lot instead of a wider spread — often the cheaper option for active strategies.
Swap (overnight financing)
Positions held past the daily rollover pay or receive a swap. Many brokers offer swap-free accounts for religious reasons (see is copy trading halal?).
Account fees
Inactivity fees, currency conversion and deposit or withdrawal fees vary by broker.
Copy service costs
| Model | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Performance fee | A share (often 20–30%) of profits above a high-water mark | How the high-water mark resets |
| Subscription | A monthly price per strategy | Paying in losing months |
| Spread mark-up | "Free" copying paid through wider spreads | Costs hidden in every trade |
| Management fee | A yearly percentage of the balance | Charged whatever the result |
| Package fee | A fixed price for a defined job | What happens if the job is not done |
Is free copy trading really free?
"Free" usually means no separate fee — the platform earns from the spread, from the broker relationship, or from payments to the traders you copy. That can be perfectly fair. Just compare the total cost per trade, not the headline.
Other costs to count
- VPS — if you keep MT5 online on a server (see forex VPS).
- Payment network fees — when you top up or withdraw in crypto.
- Slippage — not a fee, but a real cost on every copied fill.
What CopyTradingSystem costs
- Opening an account: free.
- The package: $25 per MT5 account, paid from your wallet. If the $50 target is not reached within 7 days, the $25 is refunded automatically.
- The VPS (optional): $25 per account per month.
- Network fees: blockchain fees may apply when you top up or withdraw; they are shown before you confirm.
No performance fee, no subscription, no management fee. Your broker's own costs still apply. Full detail: Terms, section 7, and the package.
Low fees do not lower the risk of the trading itself: a cheap service copying a risky strategy can still lose more than an expensive one. Compare costs only between options whose risk you have already accepted — see copy trading risks.
How to compare two services fairly
- Estimate trades per month and lots per trade.
- Add spreads and commissions for that volume.
- Add the service fee at a realistic result — and at a losing one.
- Compare what you would keep in both cases.
Worked example: one month of costs (illustrative)
A $1,000 account copies 40 trades in a month, each 0.02 lot on EUR/USD.
| Cost | Standard account | Raw account |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | 1.2 pips × $0.20 × 40 = $9.60 | 0.2 pips × $0.20 × 40 = $1.60 |
| Commission | — | $7 per lot round turn × 0.80 lots = $5.60 |
| Swaps | Depends on holding time | Depends on holding time |
| Broker total | about $9.60 | about $7.20 |
Then add the copy service: with a 25% performance fee on a $60 gross profit, that is $15; with a $30 subscription, $30 whatever the result; with our package, $25 if the $50 target is reached and $0 if it is not. Spreads, commission and swaps differ by broker and pair — use your broker's real figures.
Spread vs commission: which is cheaper?
For a strategy with many short trades, a raw-spread account with commission is usually cheaper, because the spread is paid on every trade. For a strategy with few trades, a standard account is often simpler and costs about the same. Ask your copy service which account type its results were measured on.
Costs you can reduce
- Choose an account type that matches the strategy's trade frequency.
- Avoid holding positions over weekends if swaps are high (only if your strategy allows).
- Use a VPS only if you need it — or ask your broker about a free one.
- Top up and withdraw in a coin and network with low fees.
Frequently asked questions
Are there hidden fees in copy trading?
The most common hidden cost is a spread mark-up on "free" copying. Ask for the typical spread on the pairs that are traded.
Do I pay the package fee if I lose money?
If the $50 target is not reached within 7 days, the $25 fee is refunded. Trading losses in your broker account are not refunded.
Is a performance fee better than a fixed fee?
A performance fee is paid only on profit but can be large in good months; a fixed fee is predictable. Compare both against realistic results.
