eToro vs IC Markets 2025
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs IC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs IC 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.
eToro vs IC Markets: Both brokers were founded in 2007, and neither operates as a bank. eToro is publicly traded, while IC Markets is privately held. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro earns a 96/99 Trust Score (90–99 = highly trusted), and IC Markets scores 84/99 (80–89 = trusted). For context, 70–79 is average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted.
On regulation, eToro holds four Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted). IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. These credentials, along with public listing status, help signal each broker’s overall level of oversight and safety for clients.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
Comparing commissions and fees, IC Markets is generally cheaper than eToro for forex. eToro is a market-maker and lists a typical variable spread of 1.0 pip on EUR/USD—slightly above the industry average—with no extra commission on forex/CFDs. Many retail traders choose eToro for its user-friendly social copy trading rather than for the lowest spreads. For commissions and fees, eToro is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers.
IC Markets targets low all-in trading costs. Its Raw Spread accounts average 0.02 pips on EUR/USD; after commission, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader ($3 per side per 100k, $6 round turn) or 0.72 pips on MetaTrader ($3.5 per side, $7 round turn). The Standard account is commission-free with an average 0.62-pip spread. Active traders (100+ standard lots/month) can receive further discounts. IC Markets earned Best in Class for Commissions & Fees in 2024, is rated 5/5 stars, and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers.
Extras to consider: eToro’s VIP Club spans Silver to Diamond for balances of $5,000–$250,000, offering benefits like Trading Central access, discounted deposits/withdrawals, and a dedicated account manager. IC Markets pricing can vary by platform (cTrader vs. MetaTrader) and by entity (Cyprus, Australia, Seychelles). Bottom line: for tighter spreads and low commission pricing, IC Markets typically wins; if you value copy trading and VIP perks over headline spreads, eToro may be the better match.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $200 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 0.62 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.62 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
eToro offers a wider overall range of investments with 7,441 tradeable symbols versus 3,583 at IC Markets. IC Markets edges out eToro on forex pairs (61 vs. 55), and both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot, depending on your location). For stocks, eToro lets you buy and own U.S. shares like Apple, while IC Markets does not offer U.S. exchange-traded shares; both provide access to international exchange-traded equities.
Both platforms support copy trading. For crypto, eToro lets you buy real coins as well as trade crypto CFDs, while IC Markets offers crypto CFDs only (no delivered crypto). Reflecting the broader selection, eToro earns 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 for Range of Investments, compared to IC Markets’ 4.5 stars and #26 ranking.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 3583 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
eToro and IC Markets both offer free demo (paper) accounts, copy trading, web-based platforms, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. eToro provides a proprietary, in-house trading platform and focuses on a browser experience without a Windows desktop download, and it does not support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5). IC Markets does not have its own proprietary platform, but it does provide a Windows desktop download and supports both MT4 and MT5 alongside its web platform.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates eToro at 4.5/5 stars and ranks it #8 out of 63 brokers, while IC Markets earns 4/5 stars and ranks #16. Choose eToro if you want a streamlined, web-first platform with social features; pick IC Markets if you prefer the MetaTrader suite and a Windows desktop option. Both let you test the waters with a demo before trading live.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both eToro and IC Markets offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts to help you track market moves in real time. eToro adds watchlist syncing between mobile and web, so changes update across devices, while IC Markets does not sync watchlists.
For charting, eToro includes 104 technical studies in its app versus 30 with IC Markets. IC Markets, however, lets you draw trendlines and automatically saves chart drawings, features eToro lacks. eToro’s mobile app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #22. In short, choose eToro for more built-in indicators and synced watchlists, or IC Markets if drawing tools and saved annotations matter more.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing eToro vs IC Markets for market research, both brokers cover the essentials: daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones, Trading Central tools, sentiment data showing long/short positioning, and a clear economic calendar. The main differences lie in extras. eToro adds TipRanks for analyst ratings and stock insights, while IC Markets includes Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade idea alerts. Neither broker provides Acuity Trading tools.
On overall quality, eToro earns 4.5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets scores 4 stars and ranks #23. If you value analyst-driven stock research and social-style insights, eToro is the stronger pick; if you want automated chart pattern scanning, IC Markets stands out. Either way, both platforms supply reliable day-to-day market coverage and tools to inform your trading.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
If you’re new to trading, both eToro and IC Markets provide beginner-friendly education. Each runs at least one client webinar per month and offers 10+ beginner videos that explain core trading concepts in plain language. As you progress, both brokers also include 10+ advanced videos so you can keep learning without switching platforms.
In side-by-side ratings, eToro has the edge for education with 4.5/5 stars and a #5 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets earns 4/5 stars and ranks #16. That makes eToro the stronger choice for beginner education overall, though IC Markets still offers a solid lineup of webinars and videos to learn forex and CFD trading.
| Feature |
|
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|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| 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 eToro is better than IC Markets. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
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| Trust Score | 96 | 84 |
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eToro vs IC Markets: eToro lets you buy and hold actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies in addition to trading crypto CFDs, while IC Markets offers crypto exposure only via CFDs and does not provide access to delivered coins.
eToro supports ACH/SEPA transfers (IC Markets does not), and both brokers offer PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, while 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 | eToro | IC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 3583 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 0.62 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.62 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $200 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |
| Overall | eToro | IC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |