How to Find the Best Forex Signal Providers

If you are new to the world of Forex trading, you may have thought about using Forex trading signals to help you speculate on the currency markets. Indeed, following the best Forex trading signal providers can not only save you a lot of time and energy, but it can also help to teach you new trading methods and strategies.

The main task for any beginning Forex trader is to learn how to trade efficiently and gain an understanding of the Forex market. Intermediate traders, on the other hand, have likely encountered several different Forex signal providers.

Even though Forex trading signals are more commonly used by intermediate traders, the knowledge of what Forex trading signals actually mean for a trader, and how to apply them, is useful for traders of all proficiency levels. The most difficult aspect is finding the best Forex signals providers.

In this article, we will give an overview of the services offered by these providers along with some of the current providers on the market in 2023 and what they offer.

We will also explain what automated Forex signals are along with the benefits and potential risks of using them. Additionally, we're going to explain how to generate your own Forex trading signals to become an autonomous trader. This will equip you with the knowledge needed to use Forex trading signals to your advantage!

Let's get started!

What Are Forex Trading Signals?

Before discussing the best Forex signal providers and how to use Forex trading signals, we first must understand what they are.

These signals are provided by experienced traders or specialised companies through written messages, which are given either free or for a fee. Trading signals help novice traders by providing them with accurate transaction details recommended by real-time signal providers.

Trading signal providers will tell you when to buy or sell an instrument, and at what level to set your take profit and stop loss. The best Forex signals providers will also share with you the reasons behind their position.

This means it is a great way to try new strategies and see how other traders make their decisions. Most Forex trading signals in the UK and elsewhere can be split into two distinct groups:

1. Fundamental FX Trading Signals

The first entry in the list of Forex trading signals in the UK is the fundamental approach to Forex signals. Fundamental analysis relates to economic events and market news, all of which can influence the price movements of financial instruments. A fundamental signal is simply one of those events, such as an interest rate announcement, which a trader can use to make informed trading decisions.

To access fundamental signals, traders will need to keep an eye on the news and on company announcements. An economic calendar is a useful tool for staying up to date with upcoming events, helping traders to ensure they are ready to act as soon as the news breaks. At Admirals UK Ltd, clients can also see breaking news provided by Dow Jones in the MetaTrader trading platform.

Example: If the European Central Bank (ECB) President's speech was favourable for the Euro, the Forex signal will then aim to buy the Euro against the US Dollar (EURUSD).

2. Technical FX Trading Signals

While fundamental analysis looks at news and economic events, technical analysis focuses on historical price movements and chart patterns. By seeing how instruments have behaved in the past, traders can predict how they might behave in the future - should similar patterns present themselves.

A technical signal is when a chart pattern indicates that an instrument's price is going to move in a certain direction. Traders can generate their own signals using historical data and indicators. They can also choose to use FX robots or subscribe to signal services for automated alerts, which we will discuss later in this article.

Technical Forex signals are frequently issued along with different risk management strategies, in order to ensure minimal losses occur if the current plan does not turn out as expected. Most online Forex signals in the UK and elsewhere tend to fall under this category, which can make searching for the best Forex trading signal provider a long task.

Example: EURUSD breaks above a bullish resistance level as part of a bullish trend. This can be a trading signal to take a long position with the currency pair.

How Can I Find the Best Forex Signals? How to Find Forex Signals

Finding the best Forex signals providers in the UK and elsewhere can be a daunting task, and for good reason. There are thousands to choose from, and some of these may well be Forex scams.

For starters, it is necessary to differentiate between choosing the best free Forex trading signals in the UK and the best paid-for trading signals in the UK. This is an important first step because they are two different products that are difficult to compare directly.

We can then look at some key data from the signal providers in the UK. This will include the subscription price of paid trading signals, seniority and the existence of a verified track record. This is one of the most important items to look for when trying to find free forex trading signals from the best Forex signal provider. The results must be verified by an independent third party and made available to the public.

You should also read as many reviews as possible about the provider you are researching, in order to have a clear idea of what real traders think of their services. 

After compiling all this information, you can begin to evaluate the best providers for you. However, caution is still advised. There will certainly be offers that seem too good to be true, which, as you should already know, means that they usually are. Be wary of any extravagant promises of high earnings and profits (especially if they also claim to be low risk). You need proof. Search their websites for verified backtests and be very careful before committing yourself.

We will now look at some different types of free Forex trading signals.

Types of Forex Signals - In the UK and Elsewhere

The type of Forex trading signal in the UK most other places is determined by the particular function it may have and how it generally operates. Technically, there are two types of FX signals in the UK that are permanently available in the Forex market, and they are:

• Manual Forex signals
• Automated Forex signals

Manual Forex Signals - How to use forex trading signals

When using manual Forex trading signals in the UK and anywhere else in the world, a trader has to sit in front of the computer for an extended period of time searching for signals to make a final decision on whether to buy or sell a certain currency.

The decisions made by a trader are all based on the trader's interpretation, and that can potentially be a time-consuming process. The use of these Forex trading signals in the UK has an interdependent connection with manual trading.

A human trader is able to assess the foreign exchange market in a way that programs cannot - they can see when it is moving in an unpredictable manner, and therefore are able to pull out of trades. A trader has certain skills and experience, and is not limited to codes and programmed settings like automated systems, so they can get a feeling of whether certain trades will be profitable or not.

Automated Forex signals - How to use forex trading signals

Automated Forex trading signals in the UK and most other places are signals where the trader asks the software to seek out certain signals to look for. The human emotion involved in the process is completely eliminated.

As a result, the software will automatically interpret which action to choose (i.e. to buy or sell a currency pair). Trading with Forex trading signals in the UK in this manner can be quite accurate, as long as the program has been properly written by a professional.

Forex robots can process much more data compared to a human. This means that you are able to manage several different currency pairs at one time, and you will also be able to monitor all the charts you desire 24/7, without missing any significant signals.

Nevertheless, the most successful application of signals is often achieved by using a hybrid of both types, which is what most Forex gurus do.

Where can I Get Forex Trading Signals? How to Find Manual and Automated FX Signals

As for the purchased signals, both manual and automatic Forex trading signals in the UK and most other locations can be acquired online. When you intend to buy, check first that the Forex signal provider offers you a free trial. Legitimate businesses will allow you to test the information first, and make sure it is of good quality prior to buying it.

It is also important to only work with companies that are willing to provide previous, evaluated results.

Furthermore, those firms that validate their information are much easier to trust, rather than companies that refuse to grant traders a free trial and access to audited results. That is definitely a policy of the best Forex signal providers.

There are four main ways to receive these Forex trading signals in the UK. Your choice will depend on your objective, available time, level of activity, desired level of control and your personal risk profile.

1. Message

In this case, the best Forex signals in the UK and elsewhere are communicated to the trader by providers via a message, which can be in the form of an email, SMS or via a mobile messaging app, such as Telegram or Whatsapp. It is then up to the trader to do the rest. This is often a paid signal service.

In this case, the trader always manages their own trading account and simply follows the signals by entering the recommended positions on their own trading platform.

This allows the trader to have a greater feeling of security, as a third party will not have any control over their trading account.

However, this trader will have to bear a psychological risk. For example, when the signal provider suffers a series of losses, it is sometimes difficult for the trader to continue to follow them and thereby potentially miss the moment when the gains return.

2. MetaTrader Software and Copy Trading

A copy trading service simplifies the use of Forex signals in the UK, as well as most other locations in the world. Using this method, the account of the provider and the trader's account are linked. When an operation is placed by the signal provider on their account, it is automatically entered into the account of the client trader.

The MetaTrader trading platforms (both MT4 and MT5) provided by Admirals, offer trading signal software and allow copy trading. This is an intermediate solution as trading becomes automated.

The supplier remotely enters positions in the customer's account, using a special password that only allows them to filter through trades and not access any account services like deposits or withdrawals, etc. In this instance, the trader also retains control by being able to intervene freely if they wish.

With the MetaTrader trading platform, users can access a wide variety of trading indicators and technical tools, trade directly from the chart and even become a signal provider themselves.

Admirals offers the following MetaTrader platforms, which are all free to download:

• MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
• MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
• MetaTrader WebTrader

Click on the banner below to start your free download of MetaTrader 5, which will prove to be very helpful in following through some of the live examples later on in this article.

3. Automatic FX Trading Signals

The trader can also use automated trading software such as the MetaTrader platform and its Expert Advisors (EAs), which will automatically generate trading signals in real-time or even automatically enter positions.

EAs, also known as trading robots, are for free or for sale on MetaTrader platforms and can also be sold by Forex signal providers.

Automated trading signals manage the account by entering positions, while semi-automated Forex signals highlight trading opportunities, but it is up to the trader to decide whether to enter these trades or not.

4. Account Management Forex Signals

The managed Forex account allows a sort of 'fund management' opportunity where the supplier, or trading manager, has full control over the trading operations of the account. They generally do not communicate much about their trading decisions but rather the reasoning behind positive or negative results in the past.

Admirals does not provide account management products or services.

What the Best Signal Services Offer

The best providers of free Forex trading signals and paid ones offer several elements of trading, including:

• The exact levels of entry, stop-loss and exit positions.
• Analysis or comments in support of their signals.
• A history of transactions showing gains and losses, and statistics regarding historical results. Preferably verified by a third-party external service.
• The ability to interact with them.

While these are the main services of the best Forex signal providers, it is by no means a complete list.

Forex Signals Software for MetaTrader

Alongside the best Forex signals providers is a range of software programs you can use to generate trading signals, the main one being MQL signals.

MQL signals - What are the best MQL5 signals?

What are the best MQL5 signals? MQL signals are trading signals within the MT4 and MT5 trading platforms. The first crucial thing to mention is that MT4 and MT5 trading signals allow you to mechanically follow or copy the trades of FX signal suppliers, directly out of the MetaTrader platform. Additionally, signal suppliers are able to share their signals inside the wide community of various users.

There are many easy-to-use Forex trading signals in the UK to be followed, which are easily accessible in your MT4/MT5 account underneath the tab labelled 'Signals'. If you decide to turn them on, the only thing you need to do is to sign up for an MQL5 community account (which you can do directly from the MetaTrader trading platform).

After authorisation, you can enter it with all the necessary settings in your trading platform. There are also advantages to social trading for FX traders, one of which is that it makes it easier to find accurate Forex signals. You can also save in fees and the risk is diversified. If you have your own manual strategy or, for instance, an Expert Advisor that works well, the MQL may approve it and thus share it.

If you do not want to build your own strategy (as it can often be quite a difficult and time-consuming process) you can instead opt to follow a particular trader whom you deem to be trustworthy. Your account is also protected, so you do not have to worry when you make a decision to follow a trader, as only you can control your account.

There are two more important features of MQL. The tireless amounts of paperwork are now a thing of the past, so you can start copying reliable Forex signals immediately.

Finally, there are low barriers to entry, so as you can see, utilising the MQL can really prove useful for your trading.

Viewing Signals in Real-Time on MetaTrader Charts

It is possible to view a supplier's trading signals directly from the MetaTrader trading chart to study the effectiveness of their strategy.

Depicted: Admirals MetaTrader 5 - EURUSD H1 Chart - Signals Tab & Visualise on Chart. Date Range: 31 August 2020 - 8 September 2020. Captured 8 September 2020. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

This is accessible from MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 in the "Toolbox" using the "Signals" tab where you can analyse the trading signals in different ways:

1. The signal provider's history. This is important to assess whether the strategy that provides the signal is reliable in the long run.
2. The signal provider's statistics, which inform you of the number of gains and losses and how profitable the forex signal provider has been in the past.
3. The signal provider's entry and exit levels to determine the reliability of the Forex signals

From the "Toolbox" area you can also:

• Register an MQL5 Account. This is an essential step in order to subscribe to the FX trading signals provided in the MQL5 Signals tab.
• Add the provider's profile to your favourites. When searching for the best Forex signals providers you can bookmark several profiles that seem relevant to your criteria.
• Subscribe to the signals directly via the green "Subscribe for free" button. Once your choice is made you can validate it by clicking directly on this key to launch the copy trading programme.

Before subscribing to signals on a live account, it is important to test the quality of a signal provider by first using the signals on a demo account. This allows you to test their services in real-life trading conditions but without risking your capital, until you are ready to transition to live trading

Traders that choose Admirals will be pleased to know that they can trade completely risk-free with a FREE demo trading account. Click the banner below to open your FREE demo account today:

How to Find the Best Forex Signals Providers

The profile page of a Forex trading signal provider on MetaTrader has a lot of very useful and practical information to evaluate whether they are indeed the best. It also shows the strength of their approach and trading strategy, which is essential in making the decision to copy a free Forex signal service or a paid-for service.

While the "Signals" tab provides a lot of useful and detailed information to evaluate a trader's performance, logging in to the signal providers webpage on the MQL5 website provides much more detail, as shown below:

Source: https://www.mql5.com

The following examples are taken from different signal providers and are given for information only and to demonstrate the different sections provided on a signal provider's profile page on the MQL5 website. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

Here is a list of things to consider when trying to find the best Forex signal provider:

1. Check the Numbers

Source: https://www.mql5.com

So what do these numbers mean? Let's take a look:

• Growth: The gain or loss performance in percentage terms
• Profit: The monetary gain or loss of the system
• Equity: The capital amount of the signal provider, including unrealised gains and losses
• Balance: The balance of the trading account of the trader
• Initial deposit: The amount originally deposited in the MQL5 trader's account
• Withdrawals: The monetary value of withdrawals made from the trading account
• Deposits: The monetary value of new deposits on the MetaTrader account

2. Check the Account Statistics

Source: https://www.mql5.com

• Trading Days: The number of days traded by the trading system or by the trader
• Latest Trade: The date or time of the last trade
• Trades per Week: The number of trades per week
• Avg Holding Time: The average duration of a position
• Subscribers: The number of registered subscribers to this copy trading signal service
• Weeks: The number of weeks since the account was opened
• Started: The date the account started

3. Check the Account Statistics Visual Table

Source: https://www.mql5.com

• Reliability index: A reliability index from MetaQuotes to quickly judge the efficiency and robustness of the trading system or the trader
• Total funds of real accounts indicate the number and total amount of accounts that follow and copy the trader's transactions

4. Check the trading statistics

Source: https://www.mql5.com

• Algo trading: The percentage of trades executed by an Expert Advisor (EA)
• Profit trades: The success rate in percentage terms
• Loss trades: The loss rate in percentage terms
• Trading Activity: The percentage of time when positions are opened on the account
• Max deposit load: The maximum deposit amount reached
• Maximum drawdown: The largest capital loss (drawdown) on the trading account

You will then find a "Copy for XX USD" button on which the price of the subscription is written to track and copy the trader's transactions.

Source: www.mql5.com

Comparing the profiles of suppliers of the best MT5 and MT4 signal providers and their statistics provides insights into the most successful Forex signals available on MetaTrader.

Even with this research signal providers should be treated with caution.

Comparison of Forex Signals Providers

The comparison of the best Forex signals providers can be further elaborated on by analysing more data related to the performance of their signals. This additional data can be found by browsing the different tabs related to the provider directly from the MetaTrader platform, under the "Signals" tab in the "Toolbox" section as shown below:

Depicted: Admirals MetaTrader 5 - Signals tab and Profile section of a signal provider.

This section from the MetaTrader trading platform offers a variety of useful statistics and information such as the:

• Growth: The graphical evolution of the performance of trading signals
• Balance: The graphical evolution of the account's assets
• Equity / Drawdown: The graphical evolution of Equity and Drawdown as a function of time

In particular, the "Trades" section is very useful in providing statistics one can use to compare different signal providers, as shown below:

Depicted: Admirals MetaTrader 5 - Trades section from the Profile section of a signal provider.

So what does this information tell us?

• Trades: The number of trades since the opening of the trading account
• Profit trades: The number of winning positions and the corresponding success rate
• Loss trades: The number of losing positions and the corresponding loss rate
• Best trade: The monetary value of the best trade
• Worst trade: The monetary value of the worst trade
• Gross profit: The gross monetary gains made on the account
• Gross loss: The gross monetary losses realised on the account
• Maximum consecutive wins: The consecutive number of winning trades
• Maximal consecutive profit: The maximum run of profit in monetary terms
• Sharpe ratio: This measures the reliability of the account relative to the risk. It's a ratio used by fund managers where anything above one is considered good
• Recovery factor: The amount of money risked by the strategy to make the profit it obtained
• Long trades: The number of long trades the strategy has taken
• Short trades: The number of short trades the strategy has taken
• Profit factor: This shows how many times the gross earnings have exceeded the gross losses - it must be the highest possible
• Expected payoff: the expectation of earnings at each new position
• Average profit: The average monetary gain per position
• Average loss: The average monetary loss per position
• Maximum consecutive losses: The consecutive number of losing trades
• Maximal consecutive losses: The maximum run of losses in monetary terms
• Monthly growth: The monthly growth of the trading account in percentage terms
• Annual Forecast: The annual forecasted growth

There are also some additional tabs which could be useful to analyse when trying to find the best Forex signals. This includes a Risks, Distribution, Description, Reviews and News section as shown below:

Depicted: Admirals MetaTrader 5 - Reviews section from the Profile section of a signal provider.

This section is particularly helpful in finding the best Forex signals. Learning about other people's experiences can give you a good understanding of the reality of trading with a particular strategy provider.

Advantages of Using Automated Forex Signals

While there are some clear risks with copying other people's trades, there are also some benefits of using an automated Forex signal service:

• Save time: You do not need to spend time building your own trading strategy. Developing your own strategy can be a long process, so you may instead choose to follow a trader with a similar risk profile to your own. You also save a huge amount of time placing trades and monitoring different markets.
• Diversify your risk: You can select multiple FX strategy providers so that your outcome does not rely on the performance of only one strategy.
• Highlight more trading opportunities: If you have a current strategy or an EA, you can quickly add supplementary strategies to your trading mix by adding Forex automated signals.
• Save on fees: Social trading is a low-cost alternative to well-known traditional money management.
• Low barriers to entry: You are not obliged to possess a minimum account balance to begin social trading. As a matter of fact, anybody with access to the MetaTrader platform is able to do it.
• No paperwork: There is no complicated and boring paperwork to go through in order to get started with copying signals.
• Maintain control of your account: The account you use for social trading is in your name, so you do not have to give power of attorney to anyone.
• You are well protected: When you decide to follow a trader, you choose how much to distribute to their strategy and can place a stop-loss on your MetaTrader platform and trading account in case they do not perform in the way you expect.
• Share your success: You can even share your successful strategies.

There are also some extra features specific to using the MetaTrader trading platform "Signals" service and MQL5 website, as highlighted below:

• There are thousands of different strategies to follow and copy on MetaTrader
• The identity of a trader is verified
• You can test the MT5 and MT4 signals on a demo trading account
• There is no interface to install, copy trading is possible directly from the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platforms
• You can directly evaluate a trader's history in a transparent and concrete way
• Comments from other trading signal followers are available to help you judge the profile of a trader
• Affordable costs with most around the €30 per month price level
• You always have control of your trading account from the MetaTrader platform

Of course, as we have already mentioned, there are also some risks and disadvantages of using a Forex signal provider.

Disadvantages of Using Automated Forex Signals

• Past performance does not indicate future results
• It is necessary to stay connected to the MetaTrader platform permanently unless you use a VPS server so that the trades and actions of the supplier are copied all the time to your trading account
• Performance is not the basis of signal providers' remuneration
• You can only subscribe to one signal provider per trading account
• Note that some trading signal providers use demo accounts, which might lead them to take on more risk than they would in a live account
• If you have a different broker than your signal provider, the actual results on your account may be different depending on the slippage or spread that is different for each broker

Questions to Ask Before Using a Forex Signal Service

Before following free Forex trading signals in the UK, it is important to understand the style and behaviour of the strategy. Do not just look at the end result!

A Forex signal provider can generate a lot of profits, but at what price?

In trading, the more we take risks, the more we can win big, but what we often forget is that we can also lose big too and that's what happens most of the time for many inexperienced beginner traders.

That's why before following any Forex trading signal in the UK or anywhere else in the world, you have to be able to answer at least some of these questions:

1. What Type of Strategy Is It? Is It a Breakout Strategy, a Strategy of Range or Trend?

This is important as you may be able to identify, based on current market conditions, whether you should or should not follow a particular strategy.

Example: If the strategy of the signal provider is to trade ranges, then you will know that in times of trend you will not win, or you will lose money. Therefore, you will have to be psychologically prepared for that or even consider switching to a different provider during that market condition. Do not forget here that financial markets range 75% of the time!

2. Is It Swing Trading, Day Trading or Scalping?

Short-term trading is more responsive and takes many more trading positions, unlike swing trading which may only take a few positions a week or even a month. What is your preference? The signal provider you choose should be designed for your preferred trading style.

3. What Is the Provider Risking to Get Their Results? Is It a Risk That You Are Ready to Take?

Example: If the Forex signal provider uses a swing trading strategy with large stop-losses on a volatile pair like the British Pound against the Japanese Yen (GBP/JPY) - you need to make sure you have enough capital to take this type of position. If the stop loss is 250 pips and your account is €500, a risk of €20 is not possible on this trade because the stop loss is too big!

How to Share Your Own Signals

Any trader can become a signal provider. To do this, they must provide a piece of identification and be aware that their first and last names will be made public as sellers of trading signals.

In addition, each person is subject to a test period, a trial period of one month during which it is not possible to have subscribers.

Whether you are an experienced trader with a solid strategy, or not, you can become a trading signal provider and potentially increase your trading income! If you do become a provider, other traders will be able to copy your trades and pay you in return.

Here are the steps to becoming a Forex signal provider:

1. Create an account on MQL5.com
2. Submit your personal data as part of signing up as a signal seller
3. Register your trading account as a source of trading signals
4. Set subscription prices

After checking these items, your profile becomes available to all MetaTrader users.

How to Create a Forex Signal System

Forex trading signals all around the world can use a variety of inputs from multiple disciplines. Generally, technical analysis is a major component, but fundamental analysis, quantitative analysis and economic analysis can also be factors. They can also include sentiment measures and even signals from other trading signal systems.

The goal is to give investors and traders a mechanical, emotionless way to buy or sell a currency pair. In addition to simple buy and sell signals, trading signals can be used to modify a portfolio by determining when to buy more of a particular instrument and to lighten another.

There is no limit to the complexity of a free Forex trading signal in the UK or elsewhere. However, the best traders tend to keep things simple by using only a handful of tools. For practical reasons, it is much easier to manage a simple signal system and test it periodically to see which components need to be adjusted or replaced.

Too many tools would introduce complexity, which would require more time than a trader may have to offer. As markets evolve over time, complex strategies could be rendered obsolete even before the tests are completed.

Forex Signals Template

The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a free Forex trading signal in the UK, but traders tend to just want to automate their thinking. Here are some of the most common signals. Traders can combine them as they wish to meet all the criteria they use to select trades.

1. A chart pattern breakout system: These can be triangles, rectangles, head and shoulders and trend lines.
2. A moving average crossover system: Many traders track short-term moving averages crossing above or below long-term moving averages. For example, the 50-period moving average crossing above the 200-period moving average is seen as a bullish sign.
3. Changes in volatility using the Average True Range (ATR) indicator: There are many ways to measure volatility. The most popular is the ATR. Extreme up or down movements of volatility can trigger changes in the trend of the market.
4. Extreme sentiment analysis. This is used as a contrarian indicator. Extreme positioning on one side of the market (long or short) can end up in very large price swings as markets unwind positions.

Final Thoughts - Do forex trading signals work?

This article has introduced you to how to find the best Forex signals providers that you can start using today. However, a particularly important warning must be issued and taken seriously regarding Forex trading signals displaying outstanding performance.

It is recommended to try and find the best, most reputable Forex trading signal providers, which can often be paid signals. 

Trade Forex with Admirals

If you're ready to trade on the live markets, a live trading account might be the next step for you. Admirals offers traders the ability to trade with 80+ currencies, with access to a range of Forex majors, Forex minors, and exotic currency pairs. Click the banner below to open an account today:

About Admirals

Admirals is a multi-award winning, globally regulated Forex and CFD broker, offering trading on over 8,000 financial instruments via the world's most popular trading platforms: MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Start trading today!

This material does not contain and should not be construed as containing investment advice, investment recommendations, an offer of, or recommendation for, any transactions in financial instruments. Please note that such trading analysis is not a reliable indicator for any current or future performance, as circumstances may change over time. Before making any investment decisions, you should seek advice from independent financial advisors to ensure you understand the risks.