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 |
When comparing commissions and fees, IC Markets comes out ahead of eToro for most traders who want lower trading costs. eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is a bit above the industry average, so it is usually chosen more for its social copy trading tools than for cheap pricing. eToro earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
IC Markets, by contrast, is built around low-cost trading. It offers a commission-free Standard account, plus Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts with very tight pricing. On EUR/USD, IC Markets lists an average spread of 0.02 pips, and even after commissions the all-in cost stays highly competitive. That helps explain why it earned 5 out of 5 stars and a strong #5 out of 36 ranking in the Commissions and Fees category.
For active traders, IC Markets is usually the better value, especially if you trade often or in larger volume, since it also offers discounts for those who trade more than 100 standard lots a month. eToro may still appeal to traders who value its platform and community features, but if your main focus is keeping costs low, IC Markets has the clearer edge.
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, eToro and IC Markets both give traders access to forex, with eToro offering 65 currency pairs and IC Markets offering 61. They also offer a similar total number of tradeable symbols, with eToro listing 7,441 and IC Markets 7,435. Both brokers support copy trading, and both let users trade cryptocurrency CFDs, making them useful choices for traders who want exposure to the crypto market without owning the coins directly.
eToro stands out for offering more ways to invest outside of CFDs. It lets clients buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, and it also supports buying actual cryptocurrency, not just crypto CFDs. IC Markets does not offer direct share dealing or spot crypto buying, so its lineup is narrower in that respect. Reflecting this difference, eToro earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers, while IC Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #22.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 7435 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing eToro and IC Markets for trading platforms and tools, both brokers give traders a free demo account, web-based access, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from a chart. eToro stands out for its own built-in platform, which is designed in-house and easy to use for newer traders, while IC Markets focuses more on choice and flexibility with both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 available, plus a Windows desktop platform for those who want a downloadable app.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, eToro has the edge with a 4.5-star rating and a #8 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with IC Markets at 4 stars and #17. In simple terms, eToro may appeal more to traders who want a streamlined, social-style platform, while IC Markets is a better fit for those who prefer the MetaTrader experience and a desktop trading 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 | 32 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
eToro and IC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That means either broker can work well if you want to trade or check markets from your phone. eToro also stands out with watchlist syncing, so changes you make in the app carry over to your online account, while IC Markets does not offer this feature.
When it comes to charting tools, eToro has a clear edge for mobile users, offering 104 technical studies compared with 30 at IC Markets. IC Markets does have one useful plus: it auto-saves chart drawings, while eToro does not. Overall, eToro is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets is rated 4 stars and ranks #22, making eToro the stronger choice for most mobile traders.
| 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.
When it comes to market research, both eToro and IC Markets give traders useful everyday tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows how traders are positioned, TipRanks research, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, and neither offers Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre.
The main difference is that IC Markets includes Trading Central research tools, while eToro does not. That extra feature helps give IC Markets an edge for research depth, though eToro still scores slightly higher overall, with a 4.5-star Research rating versus 4 stars for IC Markets. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, eToro places #12 for Research, compared with #21 for IC Markets.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn forex and CFD trading, both eToro and IC Markets provide a wide range of educational materials. Each broker offers at least 10 forex- or CFD-focused learning pieces, monthly educational webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can both find useful content. In practical terms, that means either platform gives learners plenty of ways to build basic knowledge and keep expanding it over time.
That said, eToro has the edge in education overall. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #16. If education is a key factor for you, eToro appears to offer a slightly stronger learning experience, though IC Markets still provides a solid set 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
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IC Markets
|
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 83 |
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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 | 97 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | IC Markets | |
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| 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 | 7435 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | 32 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | 97 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | IC Markets Review |
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