Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs ATFX, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When it comes to choosing a reliable online broker, both Admirals and ATFX offer noteworthy options for traders. Founded in 2001, Admirals has built a strong reputation over the years and holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93, reflecting a high level of trust. While neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank, Admirals and ATFX each hold four Tier-1 licenses, indicating a solid regulatory backing. Additionally, Admirals holds three Tier-2 licenses, compared to ATFX's two, further enhancing its credibility.
In contrast, ATFX, established more recently in 2017, carries a Trust Score of 85, which ForexBrokers.com considers trusted. While both brokers are on even footing with their Tier-1 licenses, the difference in Tier-2 licenses may be a telling factor for those prioritizing trust. Ultimately, each broker's regulatory structure supports their credibility, offering traders the security necessary for confident market participation.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Admirals offers clearer, more competitive pricing than ATFX. Admirals lists typical spreads around 0.8 on the Admirals Trade account, with similar pricing on the Zero account type. ATFX does not provide average spread data, which makes it harder to gauge everyday trading costs or compare them directly.
Admirals’ transparent pricing helps it earn strong marks: 4.5 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and a #18 ranking out of 63 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com.
ATFX’s lack of published average spreads limits visibility into its pricing. Reflecting that, ATFX holds 3 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #61 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Admirals vs ATFX for range of investments: Admirals lists 8,702 tradeable symbols and 82 forex pairs, while ATFX offers 150 symbols and 44 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. Admirals also lets clients buy exchange‑traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), whereas ATFX does not offer exchange‑traded shares. Both provide copy trading. For crypto, neither broker offers actual coins, but both provide access to crypto derivatives.
Reflecting this wider lineup, ForexBrokers.com rates Admirals 4.5/5 for Range of Investments and ranks it #20 of 63 brokers; ATFX is rated 3.5/5 and ranked #58. If you want the broadest selection including exchange‑traded stocks alongside CFDs and forex, Admirals has the edge, while ATFX centers on a more streamlined set of markets.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Admirals vs ATFX: both brokers offer free demo (paper) trading, Windows desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and provides seven watchlist columns. Admirals also has its own proprietary platform, while ATFX does not. Neither connects to ZuluTrade. Details about DupliTrade and the exact counts of built-in indicators or drawing tools aren’t specified.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, Admirals is rated 4 stars and ranks 19th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ATFX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 63rd out of 63. If you want MetaTrader with an additional in-house platform and stronger category placement, Admirals is the stronger pick. If you just need MetaTrader with web and desktop access, copy trading, and a demo account, ATFX covers the basics.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Admirals and ATFX both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android with price alerts, real-time watchlists, multiple time frames, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. One drawback they share is the lack of watchlist syncing between the mobile app and the online account. The standout difference is charting depth: Admirals includes 30 technical indicators, while ATFX offers 7, making Admirals the stronger pick for traders who rely on built‑in studies.
In independent reviews, Admirals earns 4 stars for its mobile trading apps, compared with 3.5 stars for ATFX. ForexBrokers.com also places Admirals higher in its Mobile Trading Apps category (23rd) than ATFX (64th). If you want more indicators and slightly better ratings, Admirals has the edge; if you only need core tools on iPhone or Android, ATFX can still get the job done.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Admirals and ATFX both cover the basics for market research with daily market commentary and an economic calendar. Admirals goes further by streaming forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while ATFX does not. Both brokers offer Trading Central, but their toolkits differ elsewhere: ATFX adds Autochartist for technical scans, whereas Admirals provides a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions across instruments—something ATFX does not include.
When it comes to extra third‑party research, Admirals includes TipRanks and Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). For ATFX, TipRanks and Acuity Trading were not indicated. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Admirals 4 out of 5 stars for Research (ranked 15th of 63 brokers), while ATFX earns 3 out of 5 stars (ranked 55th of 63). In short, traders who want premium news, sentiment insights, and a wider set of research add‑ons may lean toward Admirals, while those who value Autochartist’s trading ideas inside a simpler package may prefer ATFX.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners between Admirals and ATFX, both online brokers provide a solid foundation with over 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Admirals, however, stands out by offering ongoing online educational webinars, held at least once a month, while ATFX does not supply this monthly feature. Both firms maintain a searchable archive of past webinars, facilitating convenient access to previously recorded educational content.
For beginner traders, both Admirals and ATFX come equipped with more than 10 educational videos on trading concepts designed for novices. Admirals takes it further with over 10 advanced educational videos for seasoned traders, giving them a slight edge in advanced learning. Additionally, both brokers host comprehensive investor dictionaries defining over 50 investing terms. Admirals’ commitment to broader educational offerings is echoed in its higher educational rating of 4 out of 5 stars compared to ATFX's 3-star rating, as well as its top 12 ranking out of 63 brokers for education, while ATFX holds the 28th position.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Admirals is better than ATFX. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
Traders choose Admirals for its excellent investor education and advanced MetaTrader features – such as the Supreme add-ons – alongside an extensive range of shares, forex and CFD markets, and premium research content.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 |
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Both Admirals and ATFX provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allows customers to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies.
In comparing online brokers, Admirals stands out by offering a variety of fund transfer options including ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas ATFX provides a narrower range of options, supporting only Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacking ACH, SEPA, and PayPal transfer capabilities.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Admirals | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Admirals | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | Admirals | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
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