Leverage isnt a bad thing since trading forex without leverage feels kinda bad since you won't be making any profit at all and requires more capital investment. IMO 1:100 is good enough for beginner.
I think all new traders should start with demo account. That is pretty the best place to practice what you learn and develop a strategy that can be successful for you.
i dont think there is arguably best broker. Each brokers have their own perks that might be suitable for different type of traders. There are some tips to looking for a good broker like regulated license ASIC/CySec/FCA.
Without tracking your performance then you cant see if you are making a consistent profit each month which is one of the goal for all trader. Trading is long term and consistency is the key.
Leverage depends on trader risk tolerance. Generally, new traders should aim at lower leverage so they can manage their trade and avoid blowing their accounts quickly.
Don't be afraid to check out multiple brokers and compares between them. Each broker will have its own perks that can be suitable for different types of traders. However, never trade with an unregulated broker as you want to avoid scam broker.
demo account is only for an absolutely new trader that knows nothing about the market or trading. It's a risky free environment to learn and develop a strategy. Otherwise, i agree, moving to a micro account is much better.
stock trading can be easier than the forex market if you are focusing on a particular stock then you only need to care about what affects that company whether trading forex pairs will require both technical and fundamental analysis to understand what affecting the currency and economy of countries.
check out aximtrade, they are decent for trading commodities like gold and their indices are ok too. Read their aximtrade review for detail on their services if you are interested.
You definitely want a broker that is regulated by ASIC, CySec or FCA as those are the big 3 licenses. An unregulated broker is very likely to be a scam broker and you risk losing your money to them.