Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs ThinkMarkets, 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 comparing online brokers Admirals and ThinkMarkets, both companies showcase a strong regulatory framework, yet they have some differences. Admirals, founded in 2001, holds four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, supporting a Trust Score of 93 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. ThinkMarkets, established in 2010, possesses five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning a nearly equivalent Trust Score of 92, making both brokers highly trusted by industry standards.
Neither Admirals nor ThinkMarkets is publicly traded or operates as a bank, which aligns them in this regard. However, the presence of an additional Tier-1 license gives ThinkMarkets a slight edge in regulatory rigor, while Admirals holds a higher overall trust score. These attributes suggest that both platforms are secure choices for traders, appealing to retail and more cautious investors who prioritize safety and regulation.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing Admirals and ThinkMarkets based on commissions and fees, Admirals stands out with its competitive pricing. Admirals offers a typical spread of 0.8 on its Trade account, and similar pricing is available with the Zero account type. Due to this favorable pricing structure, Admirals receives an impressive 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #17 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, ThinkMarkets does not provide average spread data, making it more challenging for traders to anticipate trading costs. Despite this, ThinkMarkets earns a respectable 4-star rating in the commissions and fees category. However, it is ranked lower than Admirals at #47 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, while both brokers offer competitive options, Admirals is better rated and ranked due to its transparent pricing and lower typical spreads, providing greater cost efficiency for traders. Meanwhile, ThinkMarkets is a solid choice but lacks detailed spread information that could help traders make more informed decisions about trading costs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| 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.
When evaluating the range of investments offered by Admirals and ThinkMarkets, both brokers provide forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, allowing for versatile trading in this popular market. Admirals stands out with a larger selection of tradeable symbols, offering 8,702 options, whereas ThinkMarkets provides 4,000. Admirals also offers a more extensive choice in forex pairs, with 82 available, compared to ThinkMarkets' 46. One significant distinction is that Admirals allows clients to invest in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, like Apple and Vodafone, whereas ThinkMarkets only offers access to international exchanges.
Both Admirals and ThinkMarkets facilitate copy trading and support trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Admirals and ThinkMarkets received equal ratings of 4.5 stars for their range of investments, although Admirals is ranked slightly higher at #19 compared to ThinkMarkets at #22, according to ForexBrokers.com. These differences highlight Admirals as a more diversified platform for those seeking extensive investment opportunities, particularly in exchange-traded securities and a broader range of forex pairs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 46 |
| 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). | 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 ThinkMarkets both offer comprehensive trading platforms and tools that cater to a wide range of traders. Both brokers provide a simulated trading experience through free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice and refine their strategies without financial risk. They each have developed proprietary platforms and offer Windows-based desktop downloads, as well as web-based platforms accessible through browsers. Admirals and ThinkMarkets support the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, providing a familiar trading environment for many. Additionally, they both offer copy trading features, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
When it comes to charting and customization, Admirals stands out by offering an impressive 106 drawing tools compared to ThinkMarkets' 15. However, ThinkMarkets provides more flexibility in watch list customization with 15 columns, compared to Admirals' 7. Both platforms enable trading directly from a stock chart, which enhances user experience. Despite their differences, both brokers receive a 4-star rating for trading platforms and tools and are ranked competitively by ForexBrokers.com, with Admirals at #19 and ThinkMarkets at #28 out of 63 brokers. Each broker offers a solid choice for traders seeking versatile and intuitive trading solutions.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 15 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Admirals and ThinkMarkets, both platforms cater to iPhone and Android users, providing essential features like stock and forex price alerts. Admirals and ThinkMarkets offer the opportunity to draw trendlines on charts and manage multiple time frames, such as daily, weekly, and intraday views. Additionally, each app allows you to create watchlists with real-time quotes, but neither supports watchlist symbol syncing between devices. Admirals comes equipped with 30 technical studies for thorough chart analysis, whereas ThinkMarkets takes it up a notch with 94.
Both Admirals and ThinkMarkets have made it convenient for traders by auto-saving chart drawings on their mobile apps. According to ForexBrokers.com, Admirals has a four-star rating and ranks 23rd among 63 brokers for its mobile app. ThinkMarkets also holds a four-star rating but is ranked slightly higher at 20th. Whether you prioritize extensive charting tools or rank significance, both Admirals and ThinkMarkets provide solid options for mobile trading.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 94 |
| 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.
When comparing the market research offerings of the online brokers Admirals and ThinkMarkets, both platforms provide daily market commentary and supply forex news sourced from leading agencies like Bloomberg and Reuters. While neither broker offers tools from Autochartist, Admirals stands out by providing technical analysis features via Trading Central, a service not available with ThinkMarkets. Both brokers share the advantage of offering sentiment-based trading tools, helping traders gauge long or short market positions, and give access to research tools from Acuity Trading and an economic calendar to monitor global news events.
Admirals further distinguishes itself by incorporating market research tools from TipRanks, enhancing its appeal for detailed analysis. This range of research features contributes to Admirals receiving a 4-star rating for research, compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars. Admirals' commitment to providing comprehensive trading insights has earned it a respectable #15 ranking in the research category according to ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets ranks at #50. These differences highlight Admirals' marginally superior standing in market research capabilities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Admirals and ThinkMarkets both cater to traders looking for comprehensive educational resources. Admirals offers a range of tools designed to help beginners start their trading journey. They provide a wealth of educational materials, including over ten articles, videos, and recorded webinars focusing on forex and CFDs, along with at least ten beginner-specific videos. Admirals' educational offerings extend to monthly online webinars, with access to a searchable archive of past sessions, and an investor dictionary that defines over 50 investing terms. Admirals has earned itself a stellar reputation, receiving a 4-star rating in education and ranking 12th out of 63 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com.
ThinkMarkets is also committed to educating its users, with a solid variety of instructional content such as articles, videos, and archived webinars that emphasize forex and CFDs. Like Admirals, ThinkMarkets conducts monthly online webinars and maintains a considerable archive of these sessions for client reference. They also provide at least ten educational videos tailored for novice traders and ten for those more advanced, along with an investing glossary filled with over 50 term definitions. ThinkMarkets holds a 3.5-star rating in the education category, ranking 52nd out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. While both brokers support beginners with robust educational resources, Admirals slightly edges out ThinkMarkets with higher ratings and rankings.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 ThinkMarkets. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 93 | 92 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Admirals and ThinkMarkets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing online brokers, Admirals provides more diverse deposit and withdrawal options than ThinkMarkets, offering ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, while ThinkMarkets only offers Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires but lacks ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal support.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 92 | |
| 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 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 46 | |
| 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). | 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 15 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill