I completely agree with your frustration — many demo simulators feel too “soft” and don’t replicate real market conditions accurately. I once used a platform where slippage and spread were almost non-existent, and I got burned badly when switching to live markets. What helped me was checking out https://forextester.com/blog/best-demo-trading-simulators/ on Forex Tester — it catalogs simulators that closely mimic real behavior, with variable spreads, execution delays, and realistic order fills. After trying a couple from their list, I found one that taught me risk management rather than false confidence. Now I treat demos as serious training sessions, not just toy environments. If possible, pick a simulator from that list, test small-time strategies, and see if your performance holds when you go live.