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, both founded in 2006, offer online trading platforms but differ significantly in regulatory standing. AvaTrade holds a notable advantage with four Tier-1 licenses, which ForexBrokers.com considers highly trusted, alongside three Tier-2 licenses. This contributes to AvaTrade's impressive Trust Score of 94 out of 99, indicating it's highly trusted in the industry. In contrast, IFC Markets does not possess any Tier-1 licenses and holds only one Tier-2 license, resulting in a Trust Score of 73. This places IFC Markets in the average risk category for traders.
Neither AvaTrade nor IFC Markets is publicly traded or operates as a bank, which is common among many online brokers. However, AvaTrade's superior regulatory approvals and higher Trust Score could offer greater assurance to traders seeking a secure trading partner. While both platforms enable access to a wide range of financial markets, AvaTrade's regulatory credentials and trust ratings might make it a preferred choice for those prioritizing safety and reliability.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
AvaTrade’s typical spread on EUR/USD is about 0.9 pips (June 2024), which is close to the industry average and a touch higher than entry-level pricing at CMC Markets and Tickmill. For commissions and fees, AvaTrade earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, above the 1.08-pip industry average. More active traders can opt for the ECN account, where the effective spread is about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides. IFC Markets also charges no inactivity fees and offers active-trader discounts. It holds a 4/5-star commissions-and-fees rating and ranks #40 of 63 on ForexBrokers.com.
Bottom line: On standard pricing, AvaTrade is generally cheaper than IFC Markets (0.9 vs. 1.44 pips). If you qualify as a professional, AvaTrade’s Professional account tightens spreads to 0.6 pips, comparable to FP Markets. If you trade frequently and prefer an ECN model, IFC Markets’ ECN pricing can narrow costs to about 1.1 pips while keeping fees straightforward.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.1 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade vs IFC Markets: both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, support copy trading, and offer cryptocurrency derivatives (but not actual coins). AvaTrade lists 1,260 tradeable symbols with 53 forex pairs, while IFC Markets offers 630 symbols and 49 pairs. That larger catalog gives AvaTrade a slight advantage for traders who want more markets under one roof.
When it comes to exchange-traded securities, neither broker offers direct access to U.S.-listed shares, but IFC Markets does provide access to select international shares, whereas AvaTrade does not offer direct stock investing on any exchange. For range of investments, AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #33 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #44. Consider AvaTrade if you want more instruments, or IFC Markets if international exchange-listed stocks are important to you.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 49 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker provides a free demo account, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus both web and Windows desktop platforms. Copy trading is available at both, but AvaTrade goes further with DupliTrade and ZuluTrade integrations, which IFC Markets does not offer. You can place trades straight from charts on either broker, making it easy to act on ideas without leaving the chart. This makes AvaTrade vs IFC Markets a close matchup for everyday platform needs.
For charting, both include a wide range of technical indicators, plus drawing tools (AvaTrade offers 13; IFC Markets offers 15). Watchlists are comparable with seven data fields at each broker. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s testing of trading platforms and tools, AvaTrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks 13th out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets scores 4 stars and ranks 37th. In short, pick AvaTrade if you want more third-party copy trading networks, and pick IFC Markets if you value a few extra drawing tools—otherwise the core platform coverage is similar.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and watchlist syncing between mobile and your online account. For charting, both let you draw trendlines and switch among multiple time frames, making it easy to track forex pairs or stocks on the go.
When it comes to technical tools, AvaTrade packs 73 built-in indicators compared with IFC Markets’ 30. IFC Markets counters with automatic saving of chart drawings, while AvaTrade does not auto-save annotations. In editorial ratings, AvaTrade scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, whereas IFC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #53. If you want more indicators, AvaTrade has the edge; if autosaving your chart work matters most, IFC Markets is attractive.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets take different paths with their market research. AvaTrade earns 4 stars and ranks #35 out of 63 for Research by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds 3.5 stars and ranks #41. AvaTrade stands out with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, plus Trading Central tools for technical and fundamental analysis. Both brokers provide an economic calendar and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions. IFC Markets, however, delivers daily market commentary—something AvaTrade does not. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
Choose AvaTrade if you want premium forex news and added research depth from Trading Central to support your trading ideas. Pick IFC Markets if frequent, easy-to-digest daily commentary is more important to your routine. In both cases, you get a sentiment gauge and an economic calendar to track market-moving events.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
AvaTrade and IFC Markets both provide a comprehensive range of educational resources aimed at helping beginners delve into the world of forex and CFDs trading. They each offer a minimum of ten educational pieces such as articles and videos focused on forex or CFDs, allowing newcomers to gain foundational knowledge. Additionally, both platforms provide over ten beginner videos specifically crafted to ease newcomers into trading topics. AvaTrade, however, stands out with its offering of monthly online educational webinars and a searchable archive of recorded sessions, a feature not available with IFC Markets. This can be particularly beneficial for those looking for interactive learning and the opportunity to revisit past sessions at their convenience.
For more advanced learners, both AvaTrade and IFC Markets supply a range of over ten advanced educational videos designed to further enhance trading skills. An investor dictionary provided by each platform includes more than 50 investing terms to assist users in understanding essential concepts. Although both brokers excel in their educational offerings, AvaTrade consistently receives higher ratings, with a four-star education rating compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. In rankings, AvaTrade holds a prestigious #2 position among 63 brokers for education, whereas IFC Markets is positioned at #30, indicating a stronger overall educational package and user experience for AvaTrade.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 AvaTrade is better than IFC Markets. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #13, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, as well as exceptional educational content that helped it nab Best in Class honors for Beginners in the ForexBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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IFC Markets
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| Trust Score | 94 | 73 |
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Both AvaTrade and IFC Markets do not allow the purchase of actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but do offer the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers AvaTrade and IFC Markets, AvaTrade stands out by offering PayPal and Skrill as options for depositing or withdrawing account funds, in addition to Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while IFC Markets, also allowing for Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, does not provide the option to use PayPal or Skrill; neither broker supports ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | 94 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 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 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC 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) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank 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. 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). |
| Cost | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.1 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review |
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