The FBS demo account is a useful, free way to learn MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and basic order management with virtual funds. Its main drawback is account continuity: the statement that an FBS demo never expires is incorrect. FBS warns that inactive demos can be archived, and more detailed support guidance lists platform-specific validity limits.
For traders who practise intermittently, that changes the decision. A fresh demo may be easy to create, but it should not be treated as the same account with the same login, virtual balance, open positions or trading history. For UK readers, there is an earlier eligibility question: the international FBS Markets Inc. offering states that it does not provide financial services to UK residents.
Review update
What's New Since Our Last Update
The previous FBS demo guide promised unlimited access with no expiration. That is too broad: FBS distinguishes active use, MT4 demo validity periods and discretionary MT5 archiving, while its international offering excludes UK residents.
- Expiry corrected: An FBS demo is not guaranteed to remain available indefinitely. A replacement account is not a recovery of an expired account or its trade history.
- Platform rules separated: FBS's Help Centre lists 40 days for an MT4 Demo account and 25 days for a demo created directly in MT4, while MT5 closure is discretionary. Its newer product FAQs do not publish a universal inactivity countdown.
- Practical limits added: Virtual trading does not reproduce every live fill or cost, and FBS Markets Inc. states that it does not serve UK residents.
FBS Demo Account: Quick Verdict
Best for: learning MetaTrader, checking order types, practising risk limits and rehearsing a trading routine without real-money exposure. Less suitable for: traders needing an uninterrupted long-term demo track record, guaranteed preservation of their original demo or a realistic measurement of live fills and trading costs.
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Price | Free practice with virtual funds. FBS says no live deposit is needed to access its demo offering. |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5 and FBS app demo routes are described in FBS's current product materials; access depends on the available account-opening route and location. |
| Typical virtual balance | FBS advertises $10,000 in virtual funds on MT4 and MT5 demo pages, with top-up facilities. This is not withdrawable cash. |
| Account lifetime | Not unlimited. MT4 support material specifies 40-day and 25-day demo validity periods depending on how the account was opened; MT5 archiving or deletion is at the firm's discretion. Other FBS pages use different, less precise language. |
| Trading results | Simulated profits and losses. A demo track record does not establish real-money execution or profitability. |
| UK availability | FBS Markets Inc. lists the UK as a restricted jurisdiction. No alternative UK-accessible FBS demo entity has been established by the checked material. |
Does an FBS Demo Account Expire?
Yes, it can. The main FBS demo FAQ says a demo can stay active with regular use, but inactive accounts may be archived. It gives no firm number of inactive days. The separate FBS Help Centre account-archive instructions give more specific platform details, and those details are not identical to the broad landing-page message.
| Demo route | Published FBS position | What remains uncertain |
|---|---|---|
| General FBS demo | Regularly used accounts remain active; inactivity may lead to archiving. | No universal inactivity threshold or renewal rule is given on the main demo page. |
| MT4 Demo account | The Help Centre lists a 40-day validity period for the entry labelled "Demo" and says demo accounts are deleted after their applicable period. | The Help Centre does not clearly say that regular trading resets this 40-day period. It should not automatically be described as 40 days of inactivity. |
| Demo opened directly in MT4 | The Help Centre separately lists 25 days of validity for a demo opened from the MT4 platform. | This is an opening-route distinction, not proof that every MT4 registration has the same countdown. |
| MT5 demo | FBS says MT5 demos can be archived or deleted at its discretion; its MT5 demo FAQ warns of expiry after long inactivity. | No fixed, currently confirmed MT5 inactivity period applies to every account. |
The current MT4 product FAQ likewise says that demos may expire after long inactivity and that a new account can be opened. That wording does not explain how the Help Centre's 40-day and 25-day validity periods interact with regular use. A trader who needs the same demo for a long study should get the rules for the actual account type, registration route and server confirmed by FBS support.
Why does another FBS page mention 90 days?
An FBS educational article dated July 16, 2024, about the MetaTrader "Invalid account" error, says unused demo accounts are permanently deactivated after 90 days and their virtual balance resets to zero. That broad 90-day statement differs from the MT4 Help Centre's 40-day and 25-day validity table, as well as the current product pages' non-specific inactivity warnings. These published statements cannot be reconciled into one guaranteed period without clarification from FBS for the specific account.
The safest reading is not "all accounts expire after 90 days" and not "activity guarantees a permanent demo". Record the opening date, platform, account type and server, save any useful strategy statistics outside the platform, and check the expiry conditions before relying on uninterrupted access.
Archived, Deleted or Replaced: What Happens to the Same Account?
FBS's account-archive help shows a Restore option for an archived real MT4 account, but it separately says MT4 demo accounts are deleted at the end of their validity period and recommends opening a new demo. Do not transfer the live-account restoration instructions to a deleted demo.
- Account still active: use its existing trading login and server, and regularly save the test results that matter to you.
- Account shown as archived: check the FBS Trader Area and ask support whether that specific demo can be recovered. A restore button on a different account type is not a guarantee.
- Account deleted or expired: the published remedy is to open another demo. Expect a fresh account number and reset virtual account history rather than automatic restoration of old trades or positions.
- "Invalid account" message: expiry is only one possible explanation. Check the correct MetaTrader server, login credentials and platform version before assuming the demo has been removed.
A newly opened demo is suitable for further practice, but a new record is not a continuation of prior results. Maintain a separate journal with entry and exit prices, position size, intended stop, trading costs assumed, screenshots and notes if comparing strategies over many weeks.
How to Open and Use an FBS Demo Account
For eligible customers, the FBS demo registration instructions describe a simple process using a website sign-up or the FBS app. Check the contracting entity and country restrictions first.
- Open the official FBS demo page or app and create a user profile using the information required in that registration route.
- Select an available demo account and your preferred platform. FBS publishes separate MT4 and MT5 guides.
- Save the account number, server name, password and creation date. A MetaTrader trading login is not necessarily the same as the website profile login.
- Use virtual funds to practise order entry, stop-loss placement, position sizing and closing trades. Adjust the demo balance where the relevant product permits it.
- Keep an independent trade log, revisit the account regularly and confirm any inactivity or validity deadline before taking a long break.
FBS's platform pages advertise a $10,000 starting virtual balance and the option to replenish it. That can help with repeated learning, but an arbitrary large demo balance can also hide poor risk sizing. Set position sizes using the amount of real capital that a live trader could genuinely afford to risk, rather than taking maximum leverage because the money is simulated.
MT4 vs MT5: Which is more useful for practice?
MT4 is suitable for practising forex charts, pending orders and MQL4 Expert Advisors. Its specific account-opening route matters because FBS distinguishes direct-in-platform demos from other MT4 demo accounts in its validity guidance. MT5 adds more analytical tools and the multi-threaded Strategy Tester for MQL5 strategies, while the published demo expiry rule is less definite. Pick the platform you would actually use for a permitted live account; do not assume an MT4 strategy or Expert Advisor runs unchanged on MT5.
FBS also describes demo trading through its own app. The account and platform combinations displayed during registration, including any virtual-balance and server options, take precedence over generic promotional descriptions.
FBS Demo vs Live Trading: The Important Differences
The broker's demo pages describe access to real-time pricing, charts and market tools, but practice is still a simulation. Even when displayed prices look comparable, a demo is not a test of the execution quality a particular live account will receive.
| Consideration | Demo trading | Live trading |
|---|---|---|
| Money at risk | Virtual balance; simulated profit is not withdrawable. | Real funds can be lost, including through leverage and adverse price moves. |
| Execution | Practice orders in a simulated environment. | Fills depend on liquidity, market volatility and the broker's execution terms; slippage can affect entries and exits. |
| Costs | Displayed demo prices and any simulated fees are educational. | Actual spreads, commissions where charged and overnight financing affect net results. Verify the instrument and account schedule. |
| Margin | Useful for learning margin and stop-out displays, without a real monetary loss. | Live leverage, margin calls and stop-outs carry financial consequences and may vary by jurisdiction. |
| Continuity | Virtual account may expire, be archived or be deleted. | Separate contractual and inactivity rules apply to real accounts; those do not establish demo validity. |
Slippage means an order executes at a different price from the one requested. News announcements and low-liquidity periods make this particularly relevant. A strategy that appears profitable with rapid demo fills can become unattractive after realistic spreads, commissions and execution slippage. For an independent assessment, track the spread at entry and exit, the number of trades, average holding period, trading session and any overnight exposure before extrapolating practice results.
UK Residents and the Relevant FBS Entity
FBS's current corporate and jurisdiction disclosure identifies the operator of fbs.com as FBS Markets Inc., registered in Belize, and lists the United Kingdom among jurisdictions it does not serve. This is a material limitation for a UK reader, regardless of whether an international demo marketing page is accessible from a UK browser.
FBS refers to multiple local licenses, but the reviewed sources do not establish a separate FBS entity authorised to onboard a UK retail reader through this demo route. An international firm's licence should not be presented as FCA authorisation. Confirm the exact contracting entity and eligibility before considering a live account; a demo invitation is not evidence of legal access to live trading.
Who Should Choose an FBS Demo?
For an eligible trader who wants short, structured sessions on MT4 or MT5, FBS offers the basic tools needed to learn platform navigation, test order handling and keep a written strategy. The lack of a demo funding requirement is an advantage. The trade-off is an inconsistent public account-lifetime explanation, especially when the Help Centre's MT4 fixed validity periods are read alongside the main page's regular-use promise.
For longer-term testing, the main decision is whether FBS can confirm account retention for the exact platform and server. If uninterrupted account history is essential, compare demo-expiry terms across brokers and prioritise a provider that publishes clear rules. If live trading is the goal, compare legal eligibility and actual live costs separately, not just the availability of a free demo.
Risk warning: FBS demo trading uses virtual funds and does not expose those funds to financial loss, but trading leveraged forex and CFDs with real money can result in substantial losses. Demo results do not predict live returns or execution. Regulatory protections, product availability and account access depend on the authorised provider and the country of residence. FBS Markets Inc. states that it does not offer services to UK residents.
Final Assessment
FBS provides accessible MT4 and MT5 practice for eligible users, with free virtual funds and room to experiment. The earlier claim of a non-expiring demo should be removed. FBS's current guidance supports the more careful conclusion that demo accounts can expire, the published periods differ by platform and opening route, and a replacement is not the same account. Keep a copy of your practice history, check the precise expiry rules and do not rely on demo performance as a forecast of live results.
FAQs
Does the FBS demo account expire?
Yes, it can. FBS says inactive demos may be archived. Its Help Centre lists a 40-day validity period for the MT4 account labelled Demo and 25 days for one opened directly inside MT4; MT5 demos can be archived or deleted at the company's discretion. These do not establish one universal inactivity period.
What is the difference between 40 days, 25 days and 90 days for FBS demos?
FBS's account-archive Help Centre lists 40 days for the MT4 Demo category and 25 days for a demo opened directly inside the MT4 platform. A July 2024 educational article instead discusses 90 days of demo inactivity. The sources do not explain whether activity renews the MT4 validity period, so confirm the exact account and server rules.
Can an expired FBS demo account be restored?
Do not assume so. FBS distinguishes archived real accounts, which may have a Restore option, from MT4 demo accounts that it says are deleted after their validity period. It recommends opening a new demo in that case. A fresh demo is not a promise to recover old credentials, trades or trading history.
Does an FBS MT5 demo account expire?
FBS's MT5 demo FAQ warns about expiry after long inactivity, and its Help Centre says MT5 demos may be archived or deleted at the firm's discretion. A fixed, generally applicable number of days is not currently established by those sources.
Is an FBS demo account free, and is a deposit required?
FBS describes the demo as free and funded with virtual money, without a required real-money deposit. Registration details may be requested. A separate funded live account requires its own eligibility, verification and trading terms.
Are MT4 and MT5 available for FBS demo trading?
FBS publishes separate free demo offerings for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, along with an FBS app demo route. The specific demo availability, login/server setup and expiry rules depend on the platform and registration route.
How much virtual money is provided in the FBS demo?
FBS's MT4 and MT5 pages currently advertise $10,000 of virtual funds and describe top-up options. This is practice money only, not a minimum live deposit, a cash bonus or withdrawable profit.
Can a UK resident open an FBS demo or real account?
The fbs.com operator, FBS Markets Inc., explicitly excludes UK residents from its financial services. The checked sources do not verify a separate UK-accessible FBS contracting entity for this demo. A visible website or sign-up button should not be taken as proof of eligibility.
Will profitable FBS demo results match live trading?
No result is guaranteed to transfer. Demo funds are virtual and simulated orders do not prove live order fills. Real spreads, slippage, financing charges, account permissions and the emotional impact of monetary risk can change outcomes.
Jake Robins
Jake Robins is a Forex and cryptocurrency education contributor with over 10 years of experience helping readers better understand the financial markets. His work covers risk management, technical analysis, trading psychology, broker platforms, and scam awareness. Through clear, practical guidance, Jake helps traders approach the markets with greater discipline, caution, and confidence.