Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of iFOREX vs Alpari, 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.
iFOREX and Alpari are online brokerage firms catering to the needs of forex traders, each with their unique features and regulatory standings. iFOREX, established in 1996, carries one Tier-1 license and has a Trust Score rating of 75, indicating average risk according to ForexBrokers.com. Being a privately held company, iFOREX is not listed on any stock exchange and is not a bank. In contrast, Alpari, founded in 1998, holds no Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses and has a Trust Score rating of 68, suggesting a higher risk for traders.
Neither iFOREX nor Alpari are publicly traded entities or banks. Despite their similarities in being privately owned and non-banking institutions, iFOREX stands out with its regulatory compliance, possessing one highly trusted Tier-1 license, whereas Alpari lacks this credential. For traders prioritizing trust and regulatory backing, iFOREX may present a slightly more reliable option compared to Alpari, based on the data provided by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing trading costs between iFOREX and Alpari, Alpari comes out ahead based on independent ratings. Alpari is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked 42nd out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. iFOREX holds a 3 out of 5 star rating and ranks 62nd out of 63 in the same category.
Average spread data is not available for either broker, so a direct, point‑by‑point price comparison isn’t possible from published spreads alone. That makes third‑party ratings useful as a signal of overall pricing, while still leaving room to verify specifics like any commissions, swap rates, or non-trading fees.
Bottom line: If keeping trading costs low is your priority, Alpari’s higher rating and better ranking suggest a more cost-friendly profile than iFOREX. Always confirm current fees on each broker’s website and consider testing execution and costs with a demo before deciding.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
iFOREX offers a wider range of investments than Alpari, with 750 tradable symbols versus 105. Forex traders get 88 currency pairs at iFOREX compared with 46 at Alpari, and both let you trade forex via CFDs or spot contracts. Both brokers support cryptocurrency CFDs but do not offer direct, delivered crypto. Neither provides access to U.S.-listed shares as actual securities, but Alpari does offer some international exchange-traded shares, while iFOREX does not. Alpari also includes copy trading; iFOREX lacks this feature.
Reflecting these lineups, ForexBrokers.com rates iFOREX 3.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments (ranked 42nd of 63), ahead of Alpari’s 3 out of 5 (ranked 64th). Choose iFOREX if you want more symbols and forex pairs; consider Alpari if you want international exchange-traded shares and built-in copy trading.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 750 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 88 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
iFOREX and Alpari both provide proprietary, web-based trading platforms and let you place trades directly from charts. The key differences come down to features: Alpari offers a free demo account, copy trading, a Windows desktop platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while iFOREX offers none of these. Despite that, both brokers earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with iFOREX ranked #55 and Alpari ranked #56 by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
Details like the exact number of chart indicators and watchlist columns weren’t specified for either broker. If you want MT4/MT5, a desktop app, copy trading, or a demo account to practice, Alpari is the better fit. If you prefer a simple, in-house web platform and don’t need a desktop install or demo mode, iFOREX may suit you—while also holding a slightly higher category rank.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | No | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 57 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
iFOREX and Alpari both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so you can trade on the go. Each app holds a 4-star rating for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, iFOREX ranks 56th out of 63 brokers, just ahead of Alpari at 57th. Neither app syncs watchlists between mobile and the online platform, which may matter if you manage symbols across devices.
For trading tools, Alpari stands out. It supports price alerts, includes 30 technical studies, and lets you draw trendlines on charts. iFOREX does not provide price alerts, trendline drawing, or a published list of mobile technical studies. Both apps do not auto save chart drawings. If you want stronger charting and alerts, choose Alpari; if those features aren’t essential, either app covers basic mobile trading needs.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | N/A | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, iFOREX leans on daily insights and trader tools, while Alpari focuses on premium news and pattern scanning. iFOREX offers daily market commentary, Trading Central research, and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions. Alpari skips daily commentary, sentiment, and Trading Central, but delivers forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and includes Autochartist for technical pattern analysis. Both brokers provide an economic calendar covering global events.
If you want day-to-day commentary and sentiment-driven ideas, iFOREX may suit you. If you prefer headline-driven trading and Autochartist signals, Alpari is appealing. According to ForexBrokers.com, iFOREX earns 3.5 out of 5 stars for research and ranks 49th out of 63 brokers, while Alpari scores 3 stars and ranks 58th.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | ||
| Acuity Trading | ||
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing forex and CFD education, both iFOREX and Alpari provide a solid starting point with at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos. However, neither broker runs monthly educational webinars, and neither offers 10 or more advanced-level videos. That means each brand can help you get comfortable with the basics through on-demand content, but live learning and deeper, advanced lessons are limited.
Looking at third-party evaluations, iFOREX earns a 3.5-star Education rating, while Alpari receives 3 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, iFOREX ranks 53rd out of 63 brokers, and Alpari ranks 48th. If you want a slightly higher education rating, iFOREX has the edge; if you care more about where each broker sits within the wider field, Alpari is placed higher. In both cases, expect beginner-friendly videos but no regular webinars and fewer resources for advanced traders.
| Feature |
iFOREX
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that iFOREX is better than Alpari. iFOREX finished with an overall rank of #52, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
iFOREX is operated by a long-standing company, previously known as Vestle, with regulatory status in a growing number of jurisdictions, offering forex and CFDs through its proprietary platform. The biggest drawback is the lack of markets you can trade with fewer than 200, compared to the best multi asset forex and CFD brokers.
| Feature |
iFOREX
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Alpari
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 75 | 68 |
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In a head-to-head comparison of online brokers iFOREX vs Alpari, neither supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies with direct ownership, while both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
iFOREX vs Alpari: both online brokers do not support ACH or SEPA transfers for deposits or withdrawals, and details on PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire funding options are not provided.
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 | iFOREX | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 75 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 75 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 750 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 88 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | |||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | No | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 57 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | No | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | N/A | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | |||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | iFOREX | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review |
| Overall | iFOREX | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 75 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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