Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets vs IronFX, 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.
When comparing online brokers, BlackBull Markets and IronFX offer distinct profiles. Founded in 2014, BlackBull Markets holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 78, which places it within the average risk category. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, BlackBull Markets benefits from having one highly trusted Tier-1 license, enhancing its credibility for potential investors.
On the other hand, IronFX, established in 2010, boasts a higher Trust Score of 83, indicating it is a trusted broker. Like BlackBull Markets, IronFX is neither publicly traded nor a bank. However, IronFX stands out by possessing three Tier-1 licenses, suggesting a stronger regulatory framework. These licenses may offer clients greater confidence in IronFX's operations and protections.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets comes out looking sharper overall than IronFX. BlackBull Markets earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #19 of 63 for Commissions & Fees (ForexBrokers.com), while IronFX earns 4/5 stars and ranks #47 of 63. In short, BlackBull’s pricing is about average for the industry and can be quite competitive on its Prime account, whereas IronFX’s pricing appears higher than average across common setups.
At BlackBull Markets, account choice drives your costs. The Standard account is commission‑free with higher spreads and no minimum deposit. The Prime account requires a $2,000 minimum but offers tighter pricing: in March 2024 the average EUR/USD spread was 0.16 pips, working out to about 0.76 pips all‑in after a $3‑per‑side ($6 round‑turn) commission per lot—making Prime the better value for active traders. For larger deposits, the ECN Institutional account starts at $20,000 with lower commissions of $2 per side ($4 round‑turn).
IronFX lists a typical 1.8‑pip spread on its Standard variable spread account (no time range provided). Its Zero fixed‑spread account starts at 0.0 pips but adds an $18 per‑lot commission, and spreads widen to 3 pips overnight, which can raise total trading costs. Taken together, IronFX’s structure tends to price higher than the industry average, trailing BlackBull Markets on both star rating (4/5 vs. 4.5/5) and category ranking (#47 vs. #19).
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.71 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.71 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
BlackBull Markets vs. IronFX: for overall market access, BlackBull Markets offers far more choice with about 26,000 tradeable symbols, while IronFX lists around 340. BlackBull also lets you buy exchange-traded shares directly on both U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone in London), not just CFDs—IronFX does not offer direct share dealing. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD/spot), copy trading, and cryptocurrency via CFDs; neither allows purchasing actual, delivered crypto.
If your focus is strictly on currency pairs, IronFX lists slightly more forex pairs (83) than BlackBull Markets (72). For the broader range of investments, however, ForexBrokers.com rates BlackBull Markets 5 out of 5 stars and ranks it #6 of 63 brokers, while IronFX earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #52 of 63.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 83 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
BlackBull Markets and IronFX both make it easy to get started with a free demo (paper) trading account. Neither broker offers its own in-house platform, but both provide a Windows-based desktop download and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available with both brokers, and each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4). A key difference: BlackBull Markets also offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while IronFX does not. Both brokers let you place trades directly from charts, which is helpful for quick decisions.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates BlackBull Markets 4 stars and IronFX 3.5 stars. In the same category, BlackBull Markets ranks #31 out of 63 brokers, while IronFX ranks #62. If you want MT5 alongside MT4, BlackBull Markets is the better fit; if MT4 is all you need, both brokers cover the basics with desktop and web access, demo accounts, copy trading, and chart-based trading.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| 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 IronFX both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with core features traders expect: forex and CFD price alerts, 30 technical indicators for charting, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart notes. The standout difference is watchlist syncing. BlackBull Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the web platform, while IronFX does not, which means changes you make on one may not appear on the other.
For overall quality, BlackBull Markets is rated 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks 33rd out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. IronFX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 63rd out of 63. If you want cross-device watchlists and a higher-rated mobile experience, BlackBull Markets may be the better pick. If you just need the basics—iPhone or Android access, alerts, and standard charting tools—both apps deliver.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| 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 IronFX both deliver daily market commentary and maintain an economic calendar, earning each a 4 out of 5 Research rating from ForexBrokers.com. That said, BlackBull ranks higher overall (#18 of 63) than IronFX (#29 of 63). A key difference is news: IronFX streams forex news from major wires like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones, while BlackBull does not include top‑tier news feeds.
Toolsets also diverge. BlackBull provides Autochartist and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, but it lacks Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. IronFX offers Trading Central and top‑tier news, but does not include Autochartist or a sentiment tool; access to TipRanks and Acuity Trading wasn’t confirmed. In short, choose IronFX if you value wire news and Trading Central; pick BlackBull if Autochartist signals and sentiment data are higher on your list.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner trading education, both BlackBull Markets and IronFX provide forex and CFD learning content with at least 10 beginner-focused videos. BlackBull goes further by running client webinars at least once a month and offering 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up, while IronFX does not provide monthly webinars and lacks a larger advanced video library.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Education, but their standings differ: BlackBull Markets ranks #29 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, whereas IronFX ranks #44. If you want live learning and a clearer path from beginner to more advanced topics, BlackBull has the edge. If you mainly want a set of beginner videos, IronFX can still fit the bill.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 BlackBull Markets is better than IronFX. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #24, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
BlackBull Markets is a plain-vanilla MetaTrader broker with a growing range of products and support for a handful of third-party social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
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IronFX
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| Trust Score | 78 | 83 |
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In our BlackBull Markets vs IronFX comparison, both online brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but each offers cryptocurrency trading via CFDs, enabling traders to speculate on crypto prices without owning the underlying asset.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options at online brokers BlackBull Markets and IronFX: both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, BlackBull Markets offers Skrill and bank wire but not PayPal, while IronFX’s support for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire was 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 | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 78 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 83 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.71 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.71 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
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