Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs IronFX, 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, established in 2001, and IronFX, founded in 2010, are two online brokers you might consider. Neither are publicly traded or banks, but they differ significantly in their regulatory standing. Admirals holds four Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high level of trust, alongside three Tier-2 licenses. These licenses contribute to Admirals achieving a commendable Trust Score of 93 out of 99, as rated by ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, IronFX holds three Tier-1 licenses but does not have any Tier-2 licenses, resulting in a Trust Score of 83. While both brokers are considered trusted, Admirals' higher Trust Score and additional licenses provide a stronger sense of security for potential investors. Whether prioritizing regulatory oversight or years of service, Admirals has the edge in terms of trust and reliability.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Admirals generally looks more cost-effective than IronFX based on quoted spreads. Admirals holds a 4.5/5 star rating and is ranked #18 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com, while IronFX is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #47 out of 63.
Admirals lists typical spreads of 0.8 pips on its Trade account, with similar pricing available on its Zero account type. This competitive pricing can help active traders keep costs down, though actual spreads still vary with market conditions.
IronFX indicates a typical spread of 1.8 pips on its Standard variable spread account, which appears higher than the industry average. Pricing differs across account types: the zero fixed-spread account starts at 0.0 pips with a $18 per lot commission, and spreads widen to 3 pips overnight. IronFX does not provide a date range for its typical spread data, and actual costs can change with market volatility.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Admirals vs IronFX: When it comes to the range of investments, Admirals lists 8,702 tradeable symbols, far more than IronFX’s 340. IronFX offers a slightly larger set of currency choices with 83 forex pairs to Admirals’ 82, and both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs or spot. Each supports copy trading and provides access to cryptocurrency through derivatives, but neither allows buying actual crypto.
If you want to buy real shares, Admirals is the only one here that offers exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges; IronFX does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, this breadth helps Admirals earn a 4.5/5 rating and a #20 rank out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while IronFX holds 3.5/5 and ranks #52. In short, Admirals suits investors seeking more markets and real stock ownership, while IronFX fits traders focused mainly on forex and CFDs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 83 |
| 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 and IronFX both make it easy to test the waters with a free paper trading demo, and each offers Windows desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Admirals goes further with its own proprietary platform and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while IronFX does not offer either. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, Admirals lists 106 drawing tools versus 15 at IronFX; indicator counts weren’t specified. Both let you trade directly from charts and provide seven watchlist columns. In ForexBrokers.com testing, Admirals earned 4 stars and ranked 19th of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IronFX received 3.5 stars and ranked 62nd—suggesting Admirals has the clearer edge if platform choice and charting tools are priorities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 | No |
| 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.
Admirals and IronFX both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with real-time watchlists and price alerts, plus solid charting tools. Each app includes 30 technical studies, drawing tools like trendlines, multiple time frames (intraday to weekly), and auto‑saved chart annotations. One limitation is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and your online account for either broker.
For overall mobile experience, Admirals holds a slight edge: it’s rated 4 stars and ranked #23 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps by ForexBrokers.com. IronFX is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #63 out of 63. If you want similar features with higher third‑party scores, Admirals may be the better pick; if you already trade with IronFX, you’ll still find comparable tools on its mobile app.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| 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.
Admirals and IronFX both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, Trading Central analytics, and a clear economic calendar. Neither offers Autochartist. Where they diverge is breadth: Admirals provides a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning across instruments, and it includes research from TipRanks and tools from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). IronFX does not list a sentiment tool, and its access to TipRanks or Acuity Trading is not specified.
On quality, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for research. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, Admirals is 15th out of 63 brokers, while IronFX is 29th. If you want sentiment data and extra third‑party insights, Admirals may have the edge; if you only need the core research pillars—news, commentary, Trading Central, and an economic calendar—IronFX delivers those.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to providing educational resources for beginners, both Admirals and IronFX offer solid options for those new to forex or CFDs. Admirals excels by offering more frequent online educational webinars, clocking in with at least one each month, which unfortunately IronFX does not match. This could make a difference for learners who value interactive sessions as part of their educational journey. Both brokers provide a comprehensive collection of educational materials like articles, videos, and archived webinars aimed at beginner traders. Admirals goes a step further by also offering advanced educational videos for seasoned traders, which is another area where IronFX falls short.
In terms of additional resources, both brokers offer an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, which is a handy tool for beginners meeting new jargon. In education rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Admirals holds a stronger position, ranked as the 12th out of 63 brokers, compared to IronFX's 44th place. Despite both brokers receiving a 4-star rating for their educational offerings, Admirals might cater better to those seeking continuous learning and deeper exploration into trading complexities. Whether you choose Admirals or IronFX may depend on how much value you place on live webinars and advanced educational content.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 IronFX. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
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
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IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 83 |
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Both Admirals and IronFX do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they each offer the ability to trade in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Admirals provides a broader range of deposit and withdrawal options compared to IronFX, offering ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas IronFX lacks ACH or SEPA and PayPal options but supports Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Admirals | IronFX | |
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| Regulation | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 83 | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
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