Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade vs IFC Markets, 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.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets were both founded in 2006, and neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank. Where they differ most is in regulation and trust ratings: AvaTrade holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99, which puts it in the highly trusted range. IFC Markets has 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, with a Trust Score of 73 out of 99, which falls into the average-risk category.
For traders comparing online brokers, the regulatory setup gives AvaTrade a clear edge on safety and oversight. IFC Markets is still a regulated broker, but its lower number of top-tier licenses and weaker Trust Score may matter more to cautious investors who want a higher level of protection.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
AvaTrade comes out slightly ahead on commissions and fees, with spreads that are close to the industry average at just under 1 pip, or 0.9 pips as of June 2024. That said, these prices are still a bit higher than what some rivals offer on their lowest-cost accounts. AvaTrade earns a 4.5-star rating and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while its Professional account can be more competitive at 0.6 pips for eligible traders.
IFC Markets is a little less competitive overall on pricing, with an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44, compared with the industry average of 1.08. Its newer ECN account improves the picture for active traders, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after commission is included. IFC Markets also helps offset costs by not charging inactivity fees and by offering active trader discounts.
In the Commissions and Fees category, IFC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #33 out of 36 brokers. For traders who care most about lower everyday trading costs, AvaTrade has the edge, while IFC Markets may appeal more to active users who can benefit from its ECN pricing and fee-friendly extras.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade offers a wider range of investments than IFC Markets, with 1,260 tradeable symbols compared with 630. Both brokers support forex trading, including 53 currency pairs at AvaTrade and 49 at IFC Markets, and both let clients trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts. They also both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows customers to buy actual cryptocurrency or exchange-traded U.S. shares directly.
The main difference is that IFC Markets also offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, such as shares listed outside the U.S., while AvaTrade does not. Overall, AvaTrade scores higher for range of investments, earning 4 out of 5 stars and ranking 27th out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars and 32nd-place ranking.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 49 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets both give traders a wide mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, browser-based trading, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can be helpful for faster order entry and easier trade management. For traders who want flexibility across devices and platform styles, both brokers cover the main bases well.
Where they differ is in overall standing and user rating. AvaTrade is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and is ranked #13 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #31. Since both brokers offer similar core trading tools, AvaTrade has the edge in this category thanks to its stronger rating and higher ranking.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 80 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, watchlist syncing, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That means both brokers give traders the core tools they need to monitor markets and manage trades from a phone or tablet. In this area, the two platforms are closely matched on basic mobile features.
The main differences show up in charting and overall app quality. AvaTrade offers 73 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, and AvaTrade is rated higher for Mobile Trading Apps at 4.5 out of 5 stars versus 4 stars for IFC Markets. AvaTrade also ranks #13 out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps, while IFC Markets ranks #36. One area where IFC Markets has an edge is that its app automatically saves chart drawings, while AvaTrade does not.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade edges ahead of IFC Markets for market research overall, with a 4-star Research rating and a #30 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at 3.5 stars and #33. AvaTrade stands out for offering daily market commentary, forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, and Trading Central tools, while IFC Markets does not provide these same extras. Both brokers do include a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, along with an economic calendar that tracks upcoming global events.
That said, both brokers are limited in some areas. Neither AvaTrade nor IFC Markets offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research. If you want more frequent commentary and access to well-known news and analysis services, AvaTrade has the stronger research package. If you mainly need the basics, such as market sentiment and an economic calendar, IFC Markets still covers those key research needs.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn about forex and CFDs, AvaTrade has a clear edge over IFC Markets. AvaTrade offers enough forex or CFDs education to meet the standard of at least 10 learning pieces, and it also provides online educational webinars every month. In addition, it has at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, making it a stronger choice for traders who want guided learning at different skill levels. Its education rating is 4 out of 5 stars, and it ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets also gives beginners useful video content, with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos available, but it falls behind AvaTrade in overall education support. It does not offer monthly educational webinars, and its forex or CFDs education does not meet the same standard of at least 10 dedicated pieces. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #26 out of 36 brokers, so while it still provides learning materials, AvaTrade is the better option for beginners who want more frequent and more complete educational support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that AvaTrade is better than IFC Markets. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #35.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, along with strong educational resources and copy trading support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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IFC Markets
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 |
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In the AvaTrade vs IFC Markets comparison, both brokers do not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies but do provide trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
AvaTrade vs IFC Markets: neither broker offers ACH or SEPA transfers, both support bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, only AvaTrade provides PayPal and Skrill (IFC Markets does not), and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 49 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review |
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