Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets vs ATFX, 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 ATFX, both prominent players in the online brokerage industry, offer different levels of trust and licensing. Established in 2010, ThinkMarkets holds five Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust. In comparison, ATFX, founded in 2017, is authorized with four Tier-1 licenses. This sets the stage for examining their respective Trust Score ratings by ForexBrokers.com. ThinkMarkets scores a commendable 92, placing it in the highly trusted bracket, while ATFX scores an 85, also considered trustworthy but slightly lower in comparison.
Neither ThinkMarkets nor ATFX is a publicly traded company, nor are they banks. Both brokers additionally maintain two Tier-2 licenses each, which are considered trusted. These licensing credentials and trust rankings demonstrate a significant level of regulatory oversight and reliability for both firms, although ThinkMarkets edges ahead with a stronger Trust Score and an additional Tier-1 license.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
When it comes to evaluating commissions and fees, ThinkMarkets stands out with a commendable four-star rating. This places it ahead of many competitors, securing the 47th position out of 63 brokers ranked by ForexBrokers.com in the Commissions and Fees category. Although specific average spread data isn't available, ThinkMarkets’ competitive ranking might suggest a favorable fee structure for traders looking for cost-effective options in the online brokerage landscape.
ATFX, on the other hand, garners a slightly lower rating of three stars for commissions and fees, positioning it at 60th among the same group of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. The absence of average spread data doesn't obscure the fact that ATFX’s lower ranking indicates relatively higher costs compared to its competitors. This might be a central consideration for budget-conscious traders seeking more competitive pricing structures.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $500 |
| 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 | No |
| 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 and ATFX for the range of investments they offer, ThinkMarkets clearly stands out with a broader selection. ThinkMarkets provides traders access to 4,000 tradeable symbols, significantly surpassing ATFX's 150 symbols. Both brokers offer similar opportunities in forex trading as CFDs, with ThinkMarkets providing 46 forex pairs and ATFX close behind with 44 pairs. Neither platform allows clients to buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as Apple shares, but ThinkMarkets does go a step further by offering securities on international exchanges like the London Stock Exchange. Additionally, both brokers support cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual delivery of cryptocurrencies.
Moreover, both ThinkMarkets and ATFX offer copy trading features to enhance traders' experiences. However, ThinkMarkets receives higher acclaim with a 4.5-star rating for its range of investments, compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. This is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ThinkMarkets is positioned at #23 out of 63 brokers, whereas ATFX is ranked at #57. Overall, ThinkMarkets offers a more comprehensive range of investment options, making it a more versatile choice for diverse trading activities.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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 offered by ThinkMarkets and ATFX, both brokers have several features in common but also display some noteworthy differences. Both ThinkMarkets and ATFX provide a free demo account, allowing users to simulate trades without risking actual funds, and support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. However, only ThinkMarkets offers a proprietary platform, while ATFX does not. They both provide options for desktop and web-based trading, ensuring access to a versatile trading environment from various devices. Additionally, copy trading is available with both brokers, which can be especially useful for beginners wanting to replicate the strategies of successful traders.
In terms of charting tools and customization, both brokers offer 15 drawing tools, but ThinkMarkets leads in providing 15 columns for watch lists compared to ATFX's 7. Moreover, ThinkMarkets allows for direct trades from stock charts, which ATFX also supports. However, neither broker currently offers features like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Ultimately, ThinkMarkets receives a higher rating of 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars. This difference is further highlighted in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ThinkMarkets stands at #28 out of 63 brokers, while ATFX is positioned at #62, reflecting the higher satisfaction among users of ThinkMarkets' platforms and tools.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 ATFX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, providing essential tools such as price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and multiple time frame viewing. However, ThinkMarkets has a clear edge with its offering of 94 technical studies for charting, compared to just 7 in ATFX's app. While neither app supports syncing watchlist symbols between the mobile and online platforms, both allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically save chart drawings.
In terms of user satisfaction, ThinkMarkets receives a higher rating for its mobile trading experience, scoring 4 out of 5 stars, while ATFX is rated at 3.5 stars. This distinction is further echoed in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ThinkMarkets stands at #20 among 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, whereas ATFX is positioned at #63. Consequently, for traders focusing heavily on mobile charting capabilities and overall app performance, ThinkMarkets presents a more compelling choice.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing ThinkMarkets and ATFX in terms of market research offerings, several differences come to light. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and maintain comprehensive economic calendars to keep traders informed of key global events. ThinkMarkets stands out for delivering high-quality forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, whereas ATFX does not match this level of news provision. Further distinguishing ThinkMarkets is a sentiment-based trading tool that gives insights into long and short positions across various instruments, a feature ATFX lacks.
Conversely, ATFX shines in providing advanced technical and fundamental analysis tools through partnerships with Autochartist and Trading Central, which ThinkMarkets does not offer. While neither broker collaborates with TipRanks for their market research, ThinkMarkets does incorporate research tools from Acuity Trading, offering resources like the Signal Centre, which are not available with ATFX. Overall, ThinkMarkets receives a slightly higher research rating of 3.5 stars, compared to ATFX's 3 stars, reflecting its broader offerings. In ForexBrokers.com's rankings, ThinkMarkets is placed at #50, edging ahead of ATFX's #54 ranking among 63 brokers evaluated for research capabilities.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing the educational offerings for beginners between ThinkMarkets and ATFX, both online brokers provide a solid start with at least 10 educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, ThinkMarkets stands out by offering monthly online educational webinars, which ATFX does not provide. Both brokers maintain a searchable archive of these recorded webinars, giving users access to a wealth of information at any time. For beginner traders, each platform offers a collection of video tutorials designed to guide newcomers through the basics of trading.
Advanced traders might lean towards ThinkMarkets, as they feature more advanced educational videos tailored for experienced users, a resource ATFX lacks. Both platforms provide an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, helping users navigate the world of trading with clarity. In terms of educational ratings, ThinkMarkets earns 3.5 stars, slightly edging out ATFX's 3-star rating. Interestingly, despite ThinkMarkets offering more comprehensive resources, it is ranked #52 by ForexBrokers.com for education, while ATFX holds a higher rank at #28 out of 63 brokers. This discrepancy might reflect individual broker emphasis on unique offerings beyond just the quantity of educational materials.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ThinkMarkets is better than ATFX. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
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
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 85 |
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Both ThinkMarkets and ATFX do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online brokers, both ThinkMarkets and ATFX do not support ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal for depositing or withdrawing funds, but they both offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options 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 | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $500 | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
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| Overall | ThinkMarkets | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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