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.
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.
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 Markets.com and Alpari regarding commissions and fees, both platforms offer distinctive advantages. Markets.com, rated at 3.5 stars, stands at #50 among 63 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. Although detailed average spread data isn't available, Markets.com is recognized for offering competitive transaction costs within the industry standard. However, it has some room for improvement in its fee structure to better meet customer needs.
On the other hand, Alpari is rated slightly higher at 4 stars, ranking #41 out of the same 63 brokers. Like Markets.com, Alpari does not provide average spread data. Nevertheless, it maintains an edge by delivering a somewhat more favorable cost structure to its users. This includes transaction fees and other costs associated with trading, which are considered more aligned with traders' expectations.
In choosing between Markets.com and Alpari, potential traders might find Alpari's slightly higher rating and ranking appealing if commissions and fees are a significant factor in their decision-making process. Both brokers offer various features tailored to different trading preferences, but Alpari's position suggests it could be a more cost-effective choice in terms of commissions and fees.
| 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 and Alpari on their range of investments, both brokers offer clients the ability to trade forex as either CFDs or spot contracts, but Markets.com clearly leads with a much broader selection. Markets.com provides access to 2,179 tradeable symbols, significantly overshadowing Alpari's modest 105. If you focus on forex pairs, Markets.com continues to outshine with 57 pairs, compared to Alpari's offering of 46. While both brokers lack the option to directly purchase U.S. exchange-traded securities, Markets.com does not facilitate direct international share purchases either, a feature that Alpari offers for companies like Vodafone.
For cryptocurrency enthusiasts, both brokers allow engagement via derivatives but not in actual cryptocurrency purchases. Additionally, they both support the growing trend of copy trading. The stronger range of offerings secures Markets.com a 4-star rating in the Range of Investments category, while Alpari lags with a 3-star rating. ForexBrokers.com ranks Markets.com at #29 out of 63 brokers for its investment range, whereas Alpari falls to #63, marking a significant difference in their respective offerings and overall appeal to investors seeking variety.
| 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 comparing Markets.com and Alpari for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers offer a comprehensive suite of features appealing to both novices and seasoned traders. Each provides a free virtual demo account which allows users to simulate trading without any financial risk. Additionally, both brokers support their own proprietary platforms alongside the industry-standard MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, ensuring a wide range of capabilities and functionalities for their clients. Users can also access web-based and Windows-based desktop download platforms, ensuring flexible access to the markets. While neither broker offers ZuluTrade or DupliTrade, and both offer copy trading features, they differentiate when it comes to charting tools.
Alpari leads with 15 drawing tools compared to Markets.com's four, and also allows for trading directly from a stock chart, a feature that Markets.com lacks. Moreover, Alpari offers more fields for watch lists with seven columns compared to Markets.com's six. Despite these advantages, user ratings for overall trading platforms and tools are equal at four stars for both brokers. ForexBrokers.com ranks them differently, with Markets.com at #27 and Alpari at #55 out of 63 brokers. This ranking difference may suggest subtle distinctions in user experience and satisfaction across the platforms provided by each broker.
| 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.
When choosing between the mobile trading apps of Markets.com and Alpari, both brokers present unique advantages for traders on the go. Markets.com and Alpari both offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring that users have access on the most popular platforms. They also provide vital features like stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Markets.com, however, stands out with its watchlist symbol syncing feature, allowing for seamless integration and updates between the mobile app and the client's online account. Although Markets.com does not offer multiple time frame views on charts, which Alpari does, it compensates in other aspects of its user experience.
For traders who prioritize technical analysis, Alpari might offer an edge with its 30 technical studies available for charting within the app, compared to Markets.com where these features are not preset. However, neither app supports auto-saving of chart drawings. Both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, adding flexibility to monitor and respond to market changes. In terms of overall ratings, both apps score 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile trading capabilities. Despite this, Markets.com ranks higher at #33 compared to Alpari's #56, suggesting a slight preference for Markets.com among brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com.
| 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 comparing online brokers Markets.com and Alpari for their market research services, notable differences emerge. Markets.com excels in providing daily market commentary and features forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with timely information. Alpari, while also offering forex news from such esteemed sources, falls short by not including daily market commentary. For those interested in leveraging sentiment in their trading, Markets.com provides a tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across currencies—a feature Alpari lacks.
Both brokers offer economic calendars to track global news events, but Alpari has the edge with its inclusion of Autochartist tools for technical or fundamental research, a resource that Markets.com does not provide. Despite this, Markets.com is rated higher at four out of five stars for research compared to Alpari's three stars, reflecting a broader set of strengths. Aligning with this rating, Markets.com stands at the 17th position out of 63 brokers in the research category according to ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari ranks 57th, showcasing a significant distinction in their research offerings.
| 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.
For beginners exploring the world of online trading, both Markets.com and Alpari offer educational resources, though they differ in what they provide. Markets.com shines with its monthly online webinars and a comprehensive collection of educational videos designed for both beginners and advanced traders. This could be particularly beneficial for those who learn best through live sessions and video content. However, Markets.com lacks in the area of foundational articles or a vast library of resources focusing specifically on forex and CFDs, which can be a drawback for those who prefer a more traditional learning approach.
On the other hand, Alpari excels in offering more than 10 educational pieces focused on forex and CFDs, ideal for beginners who like to read and digest a variety of articles and other written content. They also provide a helpful investor dictionary, enhancing their appeal to those looking for quick, on-the-go explanations of trading terms. While Alpari does not offer monthly webinars or a broad range of advanced educational videos, their resources are well-suited for those just stepping into the trading arena. With Markets.com rated slightly higher in education, aspiring traders may weigh the types of materials they find most useful when deciding between these brokers.
| 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 63 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 #58.
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
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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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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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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