Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Markets.com vs Alpari, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Founded in 1999, Markets.com stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a Trust Score of 93 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, Markets.com has earned a solid reputation thanks to its three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, providing traders with confidence in its reliability and regulatory compliance.
In contrast, Alpari, which began operations a year earlier in 1998, has a Trust Score of 68. Alpari is also not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank. However, unlike Markets.com, Alpari lacks Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which indicates a higher risk profile as per ForexBrokers.com standards. This difference in regulatory credentials highlights the need for potential traders to thoroughly consider their options when choosing an online broker.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of Markets.com and Alpari, differences in user experience become apparent. Markets.com receives a 3.5-star rating in this category, placing it in the 49th position out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Although average spread data is not available, the rating suggests a middle-of-the-pack performance concerning fees and commissions. This indicates that while Markets.com might offer competitive rates, there may be more cost-efficient options available for traders.
On the other hand, Alpari performs slightly better with a 4-star rating, securing the 41st spot out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com's list. Again, despite the absence of specific average spread data, the higher ranking suggests that Alpari offers more favorable terms when it comes to fees and commissions. This might make it a more appealing choice for budget-conscious traders looking to optimize their trading expenses.
In summary, while both brokers provide satisfactory services, Alpari holds a slight edge over Markets.com in terms of cost-effectiveness. With these insights, prospective traders can make a more informed decision based on their budgetary needs and preferences.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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 comparing Markets.com to Alpari in terms of investment choices, Markets.com clearly emerges with a more extensive offering. Markets.com provides access to 2,179 tradeable symbols, significantly outpacing Alpari's 105. Additionally, Markets.com offers 57 forex pairs, giving traders more options compared to Alpari's 46. Both platforms do not support the purchase of individual U.S. exchange-traded securities, such as Apple shares, nor do they facilitate direct cryptocurrency investments. However, they each provide the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives. When it comes to international stocks, only Alpari allows its users to purchase non-CFD shares, such as Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange.
In terms of options for expanding an investment portfolio through copy trading, both Markets.com and Alpari provide this feature, making them appealing to traders interested in mirroring successful investment strategies. However, Markets.com stands out with a four-star rating for its range of investments, compared to Alpari's three-star rating. This is further reflected in their respective ranks according to ForexBrokers.com; Markets.com is positioned at #29, while Alpari lags behind at #62, indicating a broader and more diverse investment range offered by Markets.com.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both Markets.com and Alpari offer a solid array of options catering to different trader preferences. Each provides users with a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice their strategies without financial risk. Both brokers have developed proprietary platforms and support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Additionally, both Markets.com and Alpari allow traders to execute trades on Windows-based desktop applications and web-based platforms, making them accessible from various devices. However, neither broker provides access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade for copy trading, though they do support copy trading directly within their platforms.
In terms of charting tools, Alpari offers more drawing tools, coming in at 15 compared to Markets.com's 4. Alpari also allows trading directly from a stock chart, a feature not provided by Markets.com. However, Markets.com and Alpari both provide comprehensive watch list options, with Alpari offering one additional column for a total of 7. Both brokers have earned a commendable four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. Despite this similarity in ratings, ForexBrokers.com ranks Markets.com higher at #27 compared to Alpari's #55 out of 62 brokers, indicating a slight edge in their platform offerings and tool efficiency.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 4 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Markets.com and Alpari offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, providing a convenient way to engage in trading on the go. Both apps feature essentials like real-time stock and forex price alerts and the option to draw trendlines on charts. However, a notable difference is in their watchlist capabilities; Markets.com allows watchlist symbol syncing, which means any changes made on the app or online account will sync, a feature unavailable with Alpari. The user experience might be enhanced for Markets.com users in this regard.
When it comes to technical analysis, Alpari has the upper hand, offering 30 technical studies for charting, compared to none by Markets.com on their dedicated app. Alpari also supports multiple time frame views on a single chart, unlike Markets.com. However, neither platform auto-saves drawings on charts. While both apps are highly rated with four stars each, Markets.com ranks higher at #33 compared to Alpari's #56 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. These factors may influence traders seeking more in-depth charting capabilities or seamless syncing between devices in their mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Markets.com shines with its daily market commentary and real-time forex news sourced from renowned names like Bloomberg and Reuters. Additionally, Markets.com provides a sentiment-based trading tool that shows the ratio of long or short positions across various currency pairs, adding an insightful dimension for traders. The platform also includes an economic calendar featuring current and upcoming global news events. Although it lacks in offering tools from companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, it still earns a commendable 4-star rating for research, positioning it at 17th out of 62 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com rankings.
On the other hand, Alpari, while robust in providing forex news from top-tier sources, does not offer daily market commentary or sentiment-based trading tools. However, it does equip traders with Autochartist tools, which are valued for technical and fundamental research. Like Markets.com, Alpari offers an economic calendar. Lagging slightly behind in overall research resources, Alpari earns a 3-star rating and ranks 57th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Though Alpari has its own strengths in analytics, those seeking more consistent daily insights might favor Markets.com.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Markets.com and Alpari offer different strengths. Markets.com provides regular online webinars; you can join one each month to enhance your trading skills. The broker also offers a variety of educational videos targeting both beginner and advanced traders, making it a solid choice for those who prefer learning through visual means. However, Markets.com does not have a large collection of written resources or a dictionary, which might be a drawback for traders who prefer reading.
On the other hand, Alpari shines in its library of educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, boasting over ten resources in this area. Even though Alpari doesn't offer regular webinars, it compensates with a comprehensive investor dictionary, making it a useful tool for those who like to explore financial terms in detail. However, it lacks advanced video content for experienced traders. Rated 3 stars for education by ForexBrokers.com and ranked 48th out of 62 brokers, Alpari trails behind Markets.com's 4-star rating and 34th place ranking, offering a varied but less interactive educational experience.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Markets.com is better than Alpari. Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #57.
Thanks to its web-based MarketsX platform, Markets.com is easy to use and new trader friendly. However, Markets.com is pricey and lacks the feature-rich trading tools required to compete with the best trading platforms.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 |
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Both Markets.com and Alpari do not provide options to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, but they offer cryptocurrency derivatives for trading.
Both Markets.com and Alpari provide a variety of options for depositing and withdrawing account funds, including Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither offers ACH, SEPA transfers, nor PayPal as methods for financial transactions.
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 | Markets.com | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Regulation | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No |
| Investments | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | No | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 4 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Markets.com | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | No | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review |
| Overall | Markets.com | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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