“Professional is always better than Standard because it has lower spreads” is a common assumption when comparing EBC‘s two accounts — but reality is far more complex once you factor in the $4,950 deposit gap. This article works through each common misconception to help you decide correctly.
Myth 1: “Professional is always cheaper on total cost”
The truth: Only true at high enough trading volume. For 1 lot of EUR/USD: Standard costs about $11 (1.1-pip spread, no commission); Professional costs about $6 commission + near-zero spread = about $6-7. At this small volume, Professional is already cheaper — but you have to lock up an extra $4,950 in margin to access that rate, an opportunity cost that needs to be factored into the overall equation.
Myth 2: “The $5,000 deposit is just a technical figure with no real impact”
The truth: This is a costly misconception. $5,000 is real capital genuinely locked in the account, not earning returns elsewhere during that time. At an assumed reference rate of 5%/year, the opportunity cost of that amount is about $250/year — a figure that needs to be outweighed by real trading-cost savings from Professional before upgrading is genuinely beneficial overall.
Myth 3: “You need extremely high volume to justify Professional”
The truth: Not quite that extreme. With a cost difference of about $4-5/lot in Professional’s favor, offsetting the $250/year opportunity cost only requires trading about 50-60 lots/year — roughly 1 lot/week, an entirely achievable volume for many part-time traders, not just full-time professionals.
Myth 4: “Standard isn’t suitable for anyone with experience”
The truth: Standard remains a sensible choice for experienced traders with modest trading volume, or those who prioritize keeping capital flexible over optimizing cost down to the last dollar. Trading experience and the right account type are two independent variables — they don’t necessarily go together.
Myth 5: “Both accounts have the same product access and features”
The truth: Based on public information, both Standard and Professional have access to the full 200+ CFD range — this part is TRUE, a difference from some brokers that limit their expanded product range to a premium account only. However, confirm directly whether there’s any other service difference (priority support, a dedicated account manager) attached to Professional, since public information doesn’t detail these non-cost benefits.
Myth 6: “0.01 micro-lots are only available on Standard”
The truth: Public information doesn’t clearly distinguish this — a minimum order size of 0.01 lots is listed as a general EBC feature, likely applying to both account types. Confirm directly if this feature matters for your specific strategy on Professional.
Myth 7: “Leverage differs between Standard and Professional”
The truth: Based on public information, maximum leverage (up to 1:500 offshore, 1:30 for FCA/ASIC) applies by ENTITY, not by account type. This means choosing Standard or Professional doesn’t automatically change your available leverage — these two factors are independent, unlike some brokers that tier leverage by account level.
A concrete calculation at an average volume of 100 lots/year
At 100 lots/year (about 2 lots/week, fairly common for a serious part-time trader): estimated Standard cost is about $1,100/year (1.1-pip spread × 100 lots); estimated Professional cost is about $600-700/year ($6/lot commission + minimal spread). A gap of about $400-500/year in Professional’s favor — far exceeding the $250/year opportunity cost of the extra $5,000, making Professional a clearly more sensible financial choice at this volume level.
Comparison with the “premium account traps” analyzed at other brokers
Unlike EC Markets PRO ($5,000, unclear benefit versus $10 ECN) or Puprime ECN ($10,000, a small commission gap versus $1,000 Prime), EBC’s Professional shows a “more credible” model: the real trading-cost gap ($4-6/lot) is large enough to justify the extra deposit at moderate volume (50-100 lots/year), without needing to reach an extreme threshold like those other brokers. This is an example of a “premium account” structure where the economic logic actually makes sense, not just a marketing name.
The role of gold and index trading in the break-even calculation
The example figures in this article are based on standard forex (EUR/USD), but if your strategy focuses on gold or indices — which have different contract values and volatility — the real break-even point between Standard and Professional can shift significantly. Gold in particular has a much higher per-pip value than major currency pairs, meaning the spread gap between the two account types can create a much bigger financial impact on the same nominal trading volume. If gold is your main instrument, recalculate the break-even point based on each account’s specific gold spread instead of applying the forex example figures as-is.
How to track your own trading volume to time the decision right
Rather than subjectively estimating future volume, the most reliable approach is to keep a real trading log on your Standard account for the first 2-3 months, total the lots traded, then convert to an annualized rate (multiplying by 4-6x depending on the tracking period). If that converted figure exceeds the 50-60 lots/year threshold analyzed above, that’s a clear signal to consider upgrading to Professional based on real data rather than an initial guess.
Summary table: decide based on trading volume, not gut feeling
- Under 50 lots/year: Standard is usually better on total cost after factoring in opportunity cost.
- Over 60 lots/year: Professional starts to show a clear financial advantage.
- Unsure about future volume: start with Standard, track real volume for a few months before deciding to upgrade.
Frequently asked questions when comparing Standard and Professional
Can you open both accounts at once to test them? Yes, most brokers allow opening multiple account types under the same verified profile — the most practical way to compare directly on your own strategy.
If trading volume drops after upgrading to Professional, should you downgrade? Reassess periodically (e.g., every quarter) — if volume stays below the break-even threshold for a long period, withdrawing some capital back to Standard or allocating it elsewhere may make more sense financially overall.
Is the $6/lot commission one-way or round-turn? The exact terms can change over time — always confirm directly on the fee schedule shown inside your trading platform before calculating cost based on a wrong assumption.
Should you jump straight to Professional if you already have $5,000 idle? You shouldn’t decide purely based on “having enough money” — the decision should be based on your real expected trading volume. If you’re not yet sure about future volume, starting with Standard and tracking real data for a few months is the more cautious approach.
Is opportunity cost the only factor to consider for Professional? No — beyond opportunity cost, also consider capital-concentration risk (locking $5,000 into a single account at a single broker) and your personal liquidity needs (whether you might need access to that capital for other purposes in the short term).
Now that you understand the break-even math, ready to choose the right account at EBC? Both accounts have access to the full 200+ CFD range.
EBC currently has a welcome offer for new accounts for a limited time — terms may change, check directly when you register.
Forex and CFD trading involves leverage and carries a high risk of capital loss. The fee figures and break-even calculations in this article are illustrative based on reference data and may change — always check the latest official fee schedule. This is not investment advice. Learn more at FXM680’s Forex Academy.