Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets 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.
BlackBull Markets (founded 2014) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Both can be compared on regulation and overall safety for traders.
Each broker holds one Tier-1 regulatory license (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and no Tier-2 licenses. BlackBull Markets has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 77/99, while IFC Markets scores 73/99; on that scale, 70–79 is viewed as average risk (80–89 trusted, 90–99 highly trusted).
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
BlackBull Markets offers pricing that is about average for the industry, but its costs depend on the account you choose. The commission-free Standard account has no minimum deposit, though spreads are wider. The Prime account is usually the better pick for active traders, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.16 and an all-in cost of about 0.76 pips after commission, but it requires a $2,000 minimum deposit. The ECN Institutional account is aimed at higher-volume traders with at least $20,000 to deposit, and it charges $2 per side, or $4 round turn per lot. BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
IFC Markets is a bit less competitive on standard trading costs, with an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44, which is above the industry average of 1.08. Its newer ECN account improves pricing for active traders, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. IFC Markets also stands out for not charging inactivity fees and for offering active trader discounts, which can help reduce overall costs. IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In short, BlackBull Markets is the stronger choice for lower trading costs overall, especially if you want tighter spreads and do not mind meeting the deposit requirement for its better-priced accounts. IFC Markets can still work well for some active traders, mainly through its ECN account and fee perks, but its standard spreads are higher. For commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
BlackBull Markets offers a much wider range of investments than IFC Markets, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more market access in one place. BlackBull provides 26,000 tradeable symbols and 72 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers offer forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.
One key difference is that BlackBull Markets also offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as Apple shares, while IFC Markets does not. This broader product lineup is reflected in the ratings too: BlackBull Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. For investors who value choice, BlackBull Markets has the clear edge.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web trading, Windows desktop downloads, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for people who want a faster trading flow. In the Trading Platforms and Tools category, both are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing that they offer a solid set of features for everyday traders.
The key difference is that IFC Markets offers its own in-house platform, while BlackBull Markets does not. That proprietary option may appeal to traders who want something built specifically by the broker. Still, BlackBull Markets holds the edge in the ForexBrokers.com ranking for this category, placing #25 out of 36 brokers compared with IFC Markets at #29. For traders comparing platform choice and tools, both brokers are competitive, but BlackBull Markets has a slight ranking advantage while IFC Markets stands out with its own platform.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 109 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets both give mobile traders a very similar experience. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart drawings. Both mobile apps also include 30 technical studies, which gives traders a useful set of tools for chart analysis while on the move.
When it comes to mobile trading app ratings, both BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets are rated 4 out of 5 stars. The main difference shows up in their ForexBrokers.com ranking for mobile trading apps, where BlackBull Markets places higher at #27 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets ranks #34 out of 36. Overall, both apps cover the basics well, but BlackBull Markets has the edge in third-party ranking.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
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 | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets both cover the basics well for market research. Each broker provides daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with global events. Neither one offers forex news from major wire services like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and neither includes research from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
The main difference is that BlackBull Markets adds Autochartist, giving traders extra technical and chart-based analysis that IFC Markets does not have. This edge shows in its research scores as well: BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #17 out of 36 brokers for Research on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #30. For traders who want a bit more research support, BlackBull Markets has the stronger offering overall.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | 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 forex and CFD trading, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead of IFC Markets in overall education support. BlackBull Markets offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, holds online educational webinars at least once a month, and provides more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. It is also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and is ranked #24 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
IFC Markets also gives beginners useful learning material, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, and it offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces. However, it does not provide monthly educational webinars, which may matter to new traders who want live guidance. Its Education rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars, and it is ranked #25 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, placing it just behind BlackBull Markets overall.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
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 BlackBull Markets is better than IFC Markets. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.
BlackBull Markets is a growing broker best known for its broad platform support, including MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView, and copy trading tools, along with a large range of tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 77 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Online brokers BlackBull Markets and IFC Markets do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing funding options, BlackBull Markets supports ACH/SEPA, Skrill, and bank wire transfers (no PayPal; Visa/Mastercard not specified), while IFC Markets offers bank wire only (no ACH/SEPA, Skrill, or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard 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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BlackBull Markets | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | 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 | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 77 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill