Written by ForexBrokers.com
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 and IC Markets are online brokers founded in 2007. eToro is publicly traded, while IC Markets is privately held; neither operates as a bank. In terms of regulation, eToro holds four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, signaling wide oversight across top-tier regulators. IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses.
According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro’s Trust Score is 97/99, placing it in the “highly trusted” range (90–99). IC Markets scores 83/99, which is considered “trusted” (80–89). Lower bands reflect higher risk (70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted).
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
If commissions and spreads are your priority, IC Markets generally comes in cheaper than eToro. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions & Fees category, eToro holds 4 stars and ranks #22 out of 63, while IC Markets earns 5 stars, ranks #5 out of 63, and received Best in Class honors for 2024.
eToro is a market-maker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is a bit higher than the industry average. Many retail traders choose eToro for its social copy trading rather than its spreads. For larger balances, the eToro Club offers five VIP tiers (Silver to Diamond) for $5,000–$250,000, with extras such as access to Trading Central, discounted deposit and withdrawal fees, and a dedicated account manager.
IC Markets focuses on low-cost pricing with three account types: a commission-free Standard account and two commission-based Raw Spread options (MetaTrader or cTrader). On Raw accounts, IC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.02 pips (Aug 2022); after adding commissions, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader ($3.00 per side per 100k, $6.00 round turn) or 0.72 pips on MetaTrader ($3.50 per side per 100k, $7.00 round turn). The Standard account averages about 0.62 pips with no commission. Pricing can vary by platform and by the IC Markets entity (Cyprus, Australia, Seychelles), and active traders who exceed 100 standard lots per month can qualify for additional discounts.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $200 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 0.62 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 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.
Comparing eToro vs IC Markets for range of investments, eToro offers a larger overall catalog with 7,441 tradeable symbols, while IC Markets lists 3,583. IC Markets edges out on forex pairs (61 vs 55), and both brokers support forex trading via CFDs and/or spot contracts. Copy trading is available on both.
For stocks, eToro lets you buy exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international markets, whereas IC Markets offers exchange-traded shares on international markets but not U.S. stocks. In crypto, eToro supports both actual coins and crypto CFDs; IC Markets offers crypto only as CFDs. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates eToro 5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #11 out of 63) and IC Markets 4.5 stars (ranked #22).
| Feature |
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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Comparing eToro vs IC Markets for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer a free demo account, web-based trading, copy trading, and the ability to place orders straight from charts. eToro stands out with a proprietary, in-house platform designed for social and copy trading, but it doesn’t provide a Windows desktop download and doesn’t support MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5. IC Markets takes the opposite route, offering a Windows desktop platform with MT4 and MT5 support, though it doesn’t have its own proprietary platform.
For ratings, eToro earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets scores 4/5 stars and ranks #17. Choose eToro if you want a streamlined web experience and built-in social features; choose IC Markets if you prefer MetaTrader’s ecosystem and a traditional desktop setup.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, so you can track markets on the go. The difference shows up in convenience: eToro syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while IC Markets does not. For overall quality, eToro’s mobile app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 10th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, compared with IC Markets at 4 stars and 22nd.
Charting tools also set them apart. eToro’s app includes 104 technical studies versus 30 on IC Markets, and both let you draw trendlines. If you mark up charts often, note that IC Markets auto-saves your drawings, while eToro does not. In short, eToro fits traders who want more indicators and synced watchlists, while IC Markets may suit those who value auto-saving chart edits.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
eToro and IC Markets both deliver strong market research for everyday traders. Each offers daily market commentary, top‑tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, research from Trading Central, sentiment tools that show long/short positioning, and an easy‑to‑use economic calendar.
The main differences are in third‑party tools. IC Markets adds Autochartist for pattern recognition, while eToro stands out with TipRanks analyst insights; neither includes Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro earns 4.5 stars for Research (ranked #13 of 63) versus IC Markets at 4 stars (ranked #21). Choose IC Markets if you want Autochartist built in, or eToro if TipRanks data is a priority.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both eToro and IC Markets provide plenty of forex and CFD education for beginners, easily clearing the bar of 10+ learning pieces. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and offers a sizable library of videos, including at least 10 beginner-focused lessons plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix of articles, videos, and webinars makes it simple to start with the basics and progress to more complex trading ideas.
For overall quality, eToro has the edge: it’s rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. IC Markets also performs well, earning 4 out of 5 stars and ranking #16. If you want one of the highest-rated learning experiences with frequent webinars and a deep video catalog, eToro is the stronger pick; if you’re comfortable with slightly lower ratings, IC Markets still delivers a wide range of beginner-friendly resources.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 #21.
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.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 97 | 83 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 97 | 83 | |
| 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 | 97 | 83 | |
| 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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 | 1 | 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 | Yes | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 97 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill