Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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 2014, Tickmill is an online broker with a Trust Score rating of 86 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, making it a trusted choice for traders. Although Tickmill is not publicly traded or classified as a bank, it operates under two Tier-1 licenses—deemed highly trusted—and two Tier-2 licenses, further establishing its credibility in the financial trading sector. Alpari, established in 1998, lacks the backing of Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, and with a Trust Score of 68, it falls into the high-risk category, requiring more caution from potential traders. Despite both companies being privately owned and not operating as banks, their regulatory standing distinguishes Tickmill as the more dependable option.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
If you’re comparing commissions and fees, Tickmill earns 5/5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari earns 4/5 stars and ranks #42/63. That snapshot suggests lower typical trading costs at Tickmill, especially for active forex traders.
Tickmill offers two pricing setups. The Classic account is commission-free but has higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips as of August 2023). The Raw account (which replaced the Pro and followed the VIP discontinuation) charges $3 per side per 100,000 units—$6 round trip per standard lot—paired with tight spreads. For EUR/USD, Tickmill lists a typical spread of 0.11 pips; adding the new commission equivalent of 0.60 pips brings the all-in cost to about 0.71 pips in normal market conditions. With just a $100 minimum, the Raw account remains attractive for cost-conscious, frequent traders.
Alpari’s pricing is harder to gauge because it does not publish average spread data, making pair-by-pair cost estimates difficult. Its 4/5 star rating and #42/63 ranking point to generally higher costs than Tickmill for spread-sensitive strategies.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Tickmill vs Alpari for range of investments: Tickmill offers 637 tradeable symbols and 63 forex pairs, while Alpari lists 105 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, provide copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (but not actual coins). Neither broker offers U.S.-listed, exchange-traded shares, though Alpari does provide access to international exchange-traded securities, whereas Tickmill does not.
For range depth, Tickmill earns 3.5 stars and is ranked 43rd by ForexBrokers.com in this category, while Alpari scores 3 stars and is ranked 64th. In simple terms: choose Tickmill if you want more symbols and forex pairs; choose Alpari if you specifically want access to exchange-traded shares on international markets (non-CFD).
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Tickmill and Alpari both cover the basics traders expect: free demo accounts for practice, web and Windows desktop platforms, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Each also lets you place trades directly from charts. A key difference is platform choice: Alpari offers its own proprietary platform in addition to MetaTrader, while Tickmill focuses on industry-standard MetaTrader tools without an in-house alternative.
In independent testing of trading platforms and tools, both brokers earned 4 out of 5 stars, yet their standings differ: Tickmill ranks #30 of 63 brokers, while Alpari ranks #56. Specific counts for built-in chart indicators and watchlist columns aren’t disclosed by either broker. If you want a broker with a higher category ranking and you’re happy with MT4/MT5, Tickmill fits well. If having a proprietary platform matters to you, Alpari adds that option alongside MetaTrader.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and Alpari both cover the essentials for trading on the go. Each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, plus stock and forex price alerts. Their mobile charting is comparable, with 30 technical studies apiece and the ability to draw trendlines. One key difference is drawings: the Tickmill mobile app auto-saves your chart annotations, while Alpari does not. Neither app supports watchlist symbol syncing with the online account, so any watchlist changes made on mobile won’t carry over to other platforms.
Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. However, in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings out of 63 brokers, Tickmill sits at #30 while Alpari is #57. If saved chart drawings matter to your workflow, Tickmill has the edge; if you mainly need price alerts and core chart tools on iPhone or Android, both apps can get the job done.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill vs Alpari for market research: Tickmill provides daily market commentary and a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning—features Alpari does not include. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources and offer an economic calendar. Alpari stands out for Autochartist pattern-recognition tools, which Tickmill lacks. Neither broker offers Trading Central. TipRanks is not offered by Tickmill, and Alpari’s access to TipRanks is not specified. Tickmill includes Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), while Alpari’s use of Acuity is not specified.
Bottom line: Tickmill earns 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #21 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari scores 3 stars and ranks #58. Choose Tickmill if you want daily analysis, sentiment data, Acuity signals, and premium news. Pick Alpari if Autochartist is a priority and you’re comfortable without daily commentary or sentiment readings.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing education for beginners, both Tickmill and Alpari offer at least 10 beginner-friendly videos that explain core forex and CFD topics in plain language. Tickmill goes further with at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to move beyond the basics, while Alpari does not meet that same advanced-video threshold. Tickmill also hosts educational webinars at least once a month, giving you regular chances to learn live; Alpari does not run monthly educational webinars.
Independent ratings back up these differences: Tickmill earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #48. If you want ongoing live sessions and room to grow into advanced topics, Tickmill is the stronger pick. If you only need a starter set of beginner videos, Alpari can cover the basics.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Tickmill is better than Alpari. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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Alpari
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 68 |
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Tickmill vs Alpari: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies with direct ownership, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
Comparing online brokers Tickmill vs Alpari: Tickmill does not support ACH/SEPA but does support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers (Visa/Mastercard not specified), while Alpari also does not support ACH/SEPA and its support for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire transfers is not specified.
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 | Tickmill | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | Alpari | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | 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) | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
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