Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets 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.
ThinkMarkets and Alpari are both online brokers catering to traders with varied experience levels, yet they differ significantly when it comes to regulatory standing. ThinkMarkets, established in 2010, holds a competitive edge with its impressive five Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust in the industry. In contrast, Alpari, a broker in the market since 1998, lacks Tier-1 regulatory licenses entirely. Additionally, ThinkMarkets enjoys a Trust Score of 92 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its position as a highly trusted broker. Meanwhile, Alpari's Trust Score of 68 places it under high risk, signaling potential traders to proceed with caution.
Neither firm is publicly traded or a banking institution, which means they operate independently of stock exchange regulations. ThinkMarkets further distinguishes itself with two Tier-2 licenses, whereas Alpari holds none. The superior regulatory credentials of ThinkMarkets may offer potential investors more confidence in their trading services compared to Alpari. When evaluating brokers, paying close attention to the number and type of regulatory licenses can help traders make informed decisions about where to invest their finances securely.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
When comparing online brokers ThinkMarkets and Alpari for their commissions and fees, both are rated with four out of five stars, indicating a competitive edge in this category. However, ThinkMarkets is ranked at number 48 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari is slightly ahead, positioned at number 41. This ranking suggests that while both brokers are well-regarded, Alpari has a slight advantage in terms of cost-effectiveness when evaluated among a wider pool of brokers.
Both brokers do not provide specific average spread data, making it harder to analyze the precise costs you can expect when trading. While general information on spreads might be available from other sources, potential traders would benefit from directly contacting these platforms to obtain a clear understanding of associated trading costs. In the absence of average spread data, these ratings and rankings provide valuable insights into the pricing structures of both brokers.
Overall, if you're choosing between ThinkMarkets and Alpari based solely on commissions and fees, Alpari takes a narrow lead in ranking but both are considered efficient options for traders. Given the similar star ratings, your decision might hinge more on other features of the platforms, such as user interface, customer service, or trading tools available.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 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 ThinkMarkets to Alpari for their range of available investments, both brokers offer forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, with each providing access to 46 forex pairs. However, ThinkMarkets stands out significantly in terms of the total number of tradeable symbols, offering a diverse selection of 4,000 compared to Alpari's 105. This extensive variety allows ThinkMarkets traders to explore more investment options. Despite both platforms lacking the opportunity to purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, they do offer trading on international exchanges such as the London Stock Exchange. Both brokers also support copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, though direct cryptocurrency purchases are not available.
ThinkMarkets earns a higher rating for its range of investments, receiving 4.5 stars compared to Alpari’s 3 stars. This is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ThinkMarkets is positioned more favorably at #21 of 62 brokers, while Alpari falls to the bottom at #62. This distinction emphasizes ThinkMarkets as a more attractive choice for investors seeking a broader spectrum of trading opportunities beyond the typical forex pairs and offerings.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of ThinkMarkets to Alpari, both brokers offer an extensive range of features that cater to diverse trading needs. Both thinkMarkets and Alpari offer free virtual demo accounts for simulated trading, allowing users to practice without financial risk. They also provide proprietary platforms, Windows-based desktop platforms, and web-based trading options. Both brokers support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and offer the ability to trade directly from stock charts. However, neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. In terms of charting capabilities, both brokers present an equal number of drawing tools amounting to 15, although specific data on technical indicators is unlisted.
Despite the similarities, there are subtle differences in their offerings. ThinkMarkets shines with a more flexible watch list feature, providing 15 columns compared to Alpari's 7. This slight edge may appeal to traders who rely on extensive data tracking. However, both brokers have received a commendable 4-star rating for their Trading Platforms and Tools category. In a ranking of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets stands out at the 28th spot, whereas Alpari holds the 55th position, suggesting ThinkMarkets has a slight advantage in platform and tool offerings.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ThinkMarkets and Alpari offer iPhone and Android apps, making their platforms accessible for all users. They both provide features like stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines, with access to multiple time frames for charts. However, neither app offers the convenience of watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and the online account. While both allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, ThinkMarkets stands out in technical studies, offering 94 compared to Alpari's 30. Additionally, ThinkMarkets' app auto-saves drawings on charts, a feature Alpari does not provide.
Despite both brokers receiving a solid four-star rating for their mobile trading apps, their rankings in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com differ significantly. ThinkMarkets holds a stronger position at #20 out of 62 brokers, showing a more favorable reception compared to Alpari, which sits at #56. This suggests that while both apps are well-rated by users, ThinkMarkets may offer some advanced tools and functionalities that give it an edge in overall user satisfaction and functionality.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing ThinkMarkets and Alpari in terms of market research offerings, there are several key differences to consider for potential traders. ThinkMarkets distinguishes itself by providing daily market commentary and a sentiment-based trading tool, which gives insight into the ratio of long or short positions across different currency pairs and other instruments. Additionally, ThinkMarkets offers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, as well as tools from Acuity Trading. While Alpari also provides forex news from reputable sources and boasts tools from Autochartist, it does not match ThinkMarkets in offering sentiment tools or daily commentaries.
Both ThinkMarkets and Alpari supply their users with an economic calendar to keep track of global events. However, when it comes to research ratings, ThinkMarkets slightly edges out Alpari, earning 3.5 stars compared to Alpari's 3 stars. ThinkMarkets holds the 50th rank in research among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari ranks slightly lower at 57th. This suggests that traders prioritizing in-depth market analysis and varied research tools might lean towards ThinkMarkets, despite both brokers offering significant resources for informed trading decisions.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
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) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders eager to explore educational resources, both ThinkMarkets and Alpari offer a collection of materials on forex and CFDs, providing at least ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and webinars. When it comes to live learning sessions, ThinkMarkets stands out by offering monthly online webinars to enhance client knowledge, a feature that Alpari does not provide. Additionally, ThinkMarkets maintains a searchable archive of past webinars, giving traders the flexibility to learn at their pace. Both brokers support beginners with educational videos tailored to their needs, though ThinkMarkets extends these offerings to cater to more advanced traders as well.
For those looking to expand their trading vocabulary, both ThinkMarkets and Alpari provide an investor dictionary with over fifty investing terms defined. In terms of user ratings, ThinkMarkets scores 3.5 stars in education, slightly ahead of Alpari's 3 stars. However, in the ForexBrokers.com education ranking, Alpari edges out ThinkMarkets by a few spots, landing 48th compared to ThinkMarkets’ 52nd position out of 62 brokers. Overall, each platform brings valuable resources, though ThinkMarkets seems to offer a more comprehensive suite for both novice and advanced traders with its additional webinars and video content.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ThinkMarkets is better than Alpari. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #57.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 68 |
| Range of Investments |
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Both ThinkMarkets and Alpari do not provide options to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both ThinkMarkets and Alpari provide various fund transfer options including Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires; however, neither offers ACH, SEPA, or PayPal as deposit or withdrawal options.
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 | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $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 | ThinkMarkets | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ThinkMarkets | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | ThinkMarkets | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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