Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs TopFX, 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, stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a Trust Score of 93 according to ForexBrokers.com. Although not publicly traded and not a bank, Admirals demonstrates strong regulatory compliance, holding four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses. These credentials contribute to its reputation as a reliable choice for online trading.
In comparison, TopFX, founded in 2010, has a Trust Score of 67, indicating a higher risk level according to ForexBrokers.com. Like Admirals, TopFX is neither publicly traded nor a bank. However, it holds just one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, which may affect its perceived trustworthiness for those prioritizing regulatory oversight in their broker selection process.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, Admirals earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #18 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while TopFX earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #41. Both aim to keep trading costs low, but they structure pricing differently across account types.
Admirals posts typical spreads of about 0.8 pips on its Trade account, with similar pricing on the Zero account type. This straightforward setup helps keep all-in costs competitive on popular pairs like EUR/USD.
TopFX has two account types on MetaTrader and cTrader. The RAW account is commission-based, charging 2.75 EUR per side (5.50 EUR per round turn per standard lot), with average EUR/USD spreads of 0.33 pips in July 2024; after adding the commission (about 0.55 pips per round turn), the all-in cost comes to roughly 0.88 pips, which is around the industry average. The ZERO account is commission-free but showed higher average EUR/USD spreads of 1.03 pips in July 2024. Minimum deposit depends on your payment method. In simple terms, Admirals’ typical 0.8-pip pricing edges the TopFX ZERO account and sits just below TopFX RAW’s ~0.88-pip all-in cost.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | Depends on payment method |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.03 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.88 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 it comes to range of investments, Admirals offers a much wider selection than TopFX. Admirals lists 8,702 tradeable symbols and 82 forex pairs, compared with TopFX’s 655 symbols and 60 pairs. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot, offer copy trading, and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives (but not actual crypto purchases).
Admirals also stands out for stock trading: it lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while TopFX does not offer real share dealing. Reflecting these differences, Admirals earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #20 of 63 brokers for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com, whereas TopFX scores 3.5 stars and ranks #47. If you want the broadest selection and access to real shares, Admirals has the edge; if you’re fine with a smaller lineup, TopFX may suffice.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 655 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 60 |
| 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 TopFX both make it easy to get started with a free demo (paper) trading account. Each broker offers web-based and Windows desktop platforms, copy trading, the ability to place orders directly from charts, and MetaTrader 4 (MT4) support. Admirals adds a proprietary, in‑house platform and also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while TopFX does not. Neither broker offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Watch lists include seven fields at both brokers, and the number of built‑in indicators wasn’t specified.
For charting tools, Admirals lists 106 drawing tools compared with 15 at TopFX, which may matter if you rely on detailed markups. Both are rated 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools; however, in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings Admirals placed 19th out of 63 brokers versus 46th for TopFX, hinting at an edge for Admirals. Choose Admirals if you want MT5 and a proprietary platform alongside MT4; choose TopFX if MT4 and core features meet your needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 TopFX both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. You can set stock and forex price alerts, create watchlists with real-time quotes, and work with charts that include 30 technical studies. Both apps let you draw trendlines, switch among intraday, daily, and weekly time frames, and they auto-save your chart drawings. One shared limitation: watchlist symbols do not sync between the mobile app and your online account.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both mobile apps earn 4 out of 5 stars. Their rankings differ, though: Admirals is #23 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while TopFX is #52. On features, they’re very similar; if ranking influences your choice, Admirals holds the higher spot.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 vs TopFX: For market research, Admirals provides daily market commentary while TopFX does not. Both brokers offer forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), Trading Central tools, sentiment indicators that show long/short ratios, and an economic calendar. TopFX adds technical pattern recognition from Autochartist (not available at Admirals). Admirals, in turn, includes TipRanks research and tools from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), which TopFX does not list.
Ratings back up the difference: Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com, whereas TopFX holds 3 stars and ranks #61. If you value daily commentary and extra third‑party research (TipRanks, Acuity Trading), Admirals is the stronger choice; if Autochartist is a must-have, TopFX may fit your needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing education at Admirals vs TopFX, Admirals is the more complete choice. Admirals offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 articles and videos, runs client webinars at least once a month, and keeps a searchable archive of past sessions. New traders can learn from 10+ beginner videos and continue with advanced videos as they grow. There’s also an investor dictionary covering 50+ key terms to help build confidence with trading jargon. Admirals holds a 4-star Education rating and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers for Education, making it a strong fit for self-paced learning and live instruction.
TopFX, by contrast, does not meet the minimum thresholds in these areas. It lacks a library of 10+ forex or CFD education pieces, does not host monthly client webinars, and does not provide a searchable webinar archive. It also falls short on having at least 10 beginner or advanced trading videos and does not offer an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. TopFX holds a 3-star Education rating and ranks #62 out of 63 for Education. Beginners who want structured learning materials and regular webinars are likely to find Admirals the better match.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 TopFX. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while TopFX finished with an overall rank of #62.
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
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 67 |
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Both Admirals and TopFX do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing Admirals and TopFX, both online brokers facilitate deposits and withdrawals via PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but only Admirals offers the additional convenience of ACH and SEPA transfers for managing account funds.
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 | TopFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | TopFX Review |
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| Regulation | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 67 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | |||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 655 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 60 | |
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 1.03 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.88 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | Depends on payment method | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | TopFX Review |
| Overall | Admirals | TopFX | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | TopFX Review |
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