Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs IFC Markets, 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.
Admirals and IFC Markets are both online brokerages serving traders worldwide. Admirals, established in 2001, stands out with a high Trust Score of 93 as rated by ForexBrokers.com, indicating it is highly trusted. Admirals holds four Tier-1 licenses, which are the most trusted regulatory certifications, and three Tier-2 licenses. Even though Admirals is not publicly traded or a bank, its regulatory standing provides an added layer of trust and security for its users.
In comparison, IFC Markets has been operating since 2006 but holds a lower Trust Score of 73, placing it in the average risk category according to ForexBrokers.com. IFC Markets holds no Tier-1 licenses and has only one Tier-2 license, which makes it less regulated compared to Admirals. Like Admirals, IFC Markets is neither publicly traded nor a bank. This regulatory difference might be a notable factor for traders when deciding between the two brokerages.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to evaluating commissions and fees, Admirals impresses with competitive pricing across its accounts. The typical spread on Admiral's Trade account is 0.8 pips, which is appealing to traders seeking cost efficiency. Their Zero account also offers similar pricing structures, making Admirals an attractive option for both new and experienced traders. Admirals has earned a 4.5-star rating in this category and is ranked #17 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Conversely, IFC Markets presents an average spread for the EUR/USD pair at 1.44 pips, which is notably higher than the industry average of 1.08 pips. However, IFC Markets provides a more favorable option for active traders through its new ECN account. Here, the effective spreads drop to 1.1 pips after considering a 0.005% commission for both sides of a trade. Additional advantages include the absence of inactivity fees and active trader discounts, which can further reduce trading costs for frequent users. IFC Markets is rated with 4 stars and holds the #39 position among 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, Admirals appears to be the superior choice for traders who prioritize low spreads and competitive fees, reflected in its higher rating and ranking. Meanwhile, IFC Markets offers distinctive benefits for more active traders who can take advantage of its specific account features, despite its less competitive average spread.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Admirals and IFC Markets both offer the opportunity to engage in forex trading, providing traders with contracts for differences (CFDs). Admirals, however, takes the lead with an impressive offering of 8,702 tradeable symbols compared to IFC Markets' 630. With 82 tradeable forex pairs, Admirals further enhances its allure for forex enthusiasts, whereas IFC Markets provides 49 pairs in comparison. For those interested in exchange-traded securities, Admirals allows clients to purchase shares on U.S. exchanges, including high-profile companies like Apple, a feature IFC Markets lacks on U.S. exchanges but offers similarly on international exchanges like the London Stock Exchange.
Both platforms support copy trading and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither allows purchasing actual cryptocurrencies. Admirals has earned a commendable 4.5-star rating for its range of investments, ranked 19th among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IFC Markets garners a 3.5-star rating and holds the 43rd position in the same category. Admirals' extensive portfolio offers a wider selection in most areas, providing traders with more diverse investment opportunities than IFC Markets.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Admirals and IFC Markets both offer rich features for traders looking to leverage online platforms. Each broker supports simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts. Admirals and IFC Markets both provide proprietary platforms, along with accessible Windows-based and web-based trading options. For those interested in the popular MetaTrader suite, both brokers cater to this preference with full support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). While neither broker offers integrations with DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, they both allow copy trading, which is essential for those wanting to replicate the strategies of seasoned traders.
Admirals stands out with a more extensive selection of 106 drawing tools for charting compared to IFC Markets' 15. Both brokers allow users to trade directly from stock charts and offer a uniform seven columns for watch lists. Rated four stars for their trading platforms and tools, Admirals takes the edge with a higher ranking at 19th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas IFC Markets sits at 36th. Whether you're new to trading or seeking advanced tools, both brokers offer strong platform choices that cater to different trading needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Admirals and IFC Markets cater to iPhone and Android users, offering comprehensive solutions for on-the-go trading. Both brokers provide essential features such as stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and options to view multiple timeframes. Admirals and IFC Markets each offer 30 technical studies for charting, enabling traders to conduct in-depth analyses from their mobile devices. Furthermore, both platforms allow traders to create watchlists featuring real-time quotes, with auto-saving ensuring that your charts' annotations remain intact.
Despite these similarities, there are some key differences to consider. While both platforms boast a solid four-star rating for mobile trading apps, Admirals offers a notable advantage in terms of industry ranking, coming in at #23 compared to IFC Markets' position at #52 out of 63 brokers, according to ForexBrokers.com. Additionally, IFC Markets offers a sync feature for watchlists between its mobile app and online account, providing users with seamless access to their customized lists across devices—a feature Admirals does not support. Whether your priority is ranking or seamless sync, both Admirals and IFC Markets offer compelling options for mobile trading enthusiasts.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| 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.
Both Admirals and IFC Markets provide daily market commentary, ensuring traders stay informed of market movements. Admirals shines with its offering of forex news from renowned sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, unlike IFC Markets. Admirals stands out further with advanced analytical tools from Trading Central and sentiment analysis capabilities. While both brokerages offer sentiment-based trading tools, Admirals goes the extra mile with insights from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading. Both platforms provide comprehensive economic calendars covering significant global events, so traders never miss a beat.
When comparing their overall research capabilities, Admirals takes the lead with a commendable four-star rating. This is reflected in its strong performance, ranking 15th among 63 brokers in the research category on ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, IFC Markets earns a decent 3.5-star rating, placing 40th. Admirals offers a more comprehensive suite of research services, appealing to traders seeking thorough market insights and tools.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Admirals and IFC Markets both provide a wealth of materials to help newcomers learn about forex and CFDs trading. Admirals stands out with its comprehensive offerings, including more than ten educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex and CFDs. Admirals also excels by hosting monthly online client webinars and maintaining a searchable archive of past webinars, allowing users to revisit learning materials whenever needed. Their educational suite is completed with specialized videos tailored for both beginners and experienced traders, along with an investor dictionary offering definitions of over 50 investing terms. Consequently, Admirals earns a high rating of 4 out of 5 stars for education and is ranked #12 in the education category by ForexBrokers.com.
In comparison, IFC Markets also provides a solid educational foundation with over ten articles, videos, and archived webinars on forex and CFDs, along with beginner and advanced educational videos. However, it falls short by not offering monthly online educational webinars or a searchable archive of webinars, which can limit accessibility to live learning opportunities. Despite having an investor dictionary to clarify investing terms, these gaps reflect in its rating, with IFC Markets receiving 3.5 stars for education. Ranked #30 by ForexBrokers.com, it still serves as a valuable resource, though Admirals offers a more enriched educational experience to support beginner traders.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 IFC Markets. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
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
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 |
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Both Admirals and IFC Markets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers Admirals and IFC Markets, Admirals provides more deposit and withdrawal options including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, and Skrill in addition to the shared options of Visa or Mastercard and bank wires, whereas IFC Markets lacks ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and Skrill availability.
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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
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| Regulation | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.1 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 106 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
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