eToro vs IFC Markets 2025
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs IFC 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 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.
eToro vs IFC Markets: eToro, founded in 2007, is publicly traded and not a bank; IFC Markets, founded in 2006, is privately held and also not a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score—where 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted—eToro scores 96 (highly trusted), while IFC Markets scores 73 (average risk).
Regulation is a key difference. eToro holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 1 Tier-2 license, compared with IFC Markets’ 0 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license. This stronger regulatory footprint helps explain eToro’s higher Trust Score and can matter to traders seeking a well-regulated online broker.
Feature |
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|
---|---|---|
Year Founded | 2007 | 2006 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
Bank | No | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 0 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is slightly higher than the industry average. Many retail traders choose eToro more for its social copy trading features than for ultra-low spreads. eToro also runs a five-tier VIP program (eToro Club) for balances from $5,000 to $250,000, offering perks like access to Trading Central, discounted withdrawal and deposit fees, and a dedicated account manager. For commissions and fees, eToro earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
IFC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44, above the industry average of 1.08. Active traders can lower costs with IFC Markets’ ECN account, where effective spreads are about 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission on both sides of each trade. The broker does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which can further reduce expenses. IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #40 out of 63 on ForexBrokers.com.
In short, eToro’s appeal lies in copy trading and VIP-style benefits, while IFC Markets can trim costs for frequent traders through its ECN setup and lack of inactivity fees. Both brokers’ default EUR/USD pricing sits above the industry average, so the better fit depends on whether you value social features and membership perks (eToro) or an ECN option and potential discounts for active trading (IFC Markets).
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $1 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1 | 1.44 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments at eToro vs IFC Markets, eToro offers far more choice with 7,441 tradeable symbols versus 630 at IFC Markets. For currency traders, eToro lists 55 forex pairs while IFC Markets lists 49, and both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs or spot. Copy trading is available at both, and each supports cryptocurrency derivatives.
Where they differ is access to actual assets: eToro lets clients buy real, exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, and it also supports purchasing actual cryptocurrencies in addition to derivatives. IFC Markets offers exchange-traded shares on international markets but not U.S. shares, and it does not support buying the underlying crypto. Reflecting this broader menu, ForexBrokers.com rates eToro 5/5 for Range of Investments (ranked 11 of 63) versus IFC Markets at 3.5/5 (ranked 44 of 63).
Feature |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 630 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 49 |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No |
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
Comparing eToro vs IFC Markets for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer free demo (paper) accounts and their own proprietary platforms. eToro focuses on a clean, web-based platform and social features like copy trading, but does not provide a Windows desktop download or MetaTrader support. IFC Markets offers both web and Windows desktop platforms, supports copy trading, and adds MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, indicator totals aren’t specified, but eToro lists 73 drawing tools versus 15 at IFC Markets, and both let you place trades directly from charts. Watchlists are customizable with six columns at eToro and seven at IFC Markets. In independent ratings for Trading Platforms and Tools, eToro scores 4.5/5 (ranked #8 of 63), while IFC Markets scores 4/5 (ranked #37 of 63). Choose eToro if you want a streamlined web experience and social trading; pick IFC Markets if you need MetaTrader and a downloadable Windows platform.
Feature |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
DupliTrade | No | No |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 73 | 15 |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both eToro and IFC Markets offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports real-time quotes, price alerts, synced watchlists across devices, and multiple chart time frames. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, eToro earned 4.5 stars and ranked #10 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while IFC Markets earned 4 stars and ranked #53.
For charting, eToro packs in 104 technical indicators, making it appealing if you lean on indicator-driven analysis. However, it does not support drawing trendlines and it doesn’t auto-save drawings. IFC Markets offers fewer indicators (30) but adds helpful extras for manual chart work, including trendline drawing and auto-saving of drawings. If you want deep indicator choice, eToro stands out; if you prefer sketching trendlines and keeping your annotations saved, IFC Markets is the better fit.
Feature |
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Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing eToro vs IFC Markets for market research, both brokers deliver daily market commentary, sentiment tools that show long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. The differences show up in third‑party content: eToro streams forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones, while IFC Markets does not. eToro also adds Trading Central tools and TipRanks stock research; IFC Markets lacks both. Neither broker offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools.
These features help explain the ratings: eToro earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #41. If you want richer news and third‑party analytics, eToro is the stronger pick; if your needs are basic commentary, sentiment, and a calendar, IFC Markets covers the essentials.
Feature |
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
Autochartist | No | No |
Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
TipRanks | Yes | No |
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners on eToro and IFC Markets, both platforms provide a solid foundation with a wide array of materials, including at least ten pieces each focused on forex or CFDs. Additionally, each offers more than ten beginner educational videos covering essential trading topics. Where eToro stands out is in its commitment to providing ongoing learning opportunities through monthly online webinars and a comprehensive archive of past sessions. This feature enhances accessibility and allows learners to revisit valuable content at their own pace, giving eToro an edge in interactive education.
Both eToro and IFC Markets cater to more experienced traders with a robust selection of advanced educational videos, ensuring continued education beyond the beginner level. Each platform also features an extensive investor dictionary, making these terms easily understandable. In a broader context, eToro achieves a higher education rating (4.5 stars) compared to IFC Markets (3.5 stars), reflecting its richer and more dynamic educational offerings. Rankings by ForexBrokers.com place eToro in the top tier, ranking it 5th out of 63 brokers for education, indicating a stronger emphasis and execution of educational resources, while IFC Markets lands at 30th. This suggests that beginners might find eToro a more engaging and comprehensive option for learning about online trading.
Feature |
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Client Webinars | Yes | No |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 IFC Markets. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
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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Overall Rating |
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Trust Score | 96 | 73 |
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In comparing online broker platforms, eToro offers the ability to purchase both actual cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas IFC Markets provides options solely for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online brokers, eToro offers a more extensive range of deposit and withdrawal options than IFC Markets, providing ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, and Skrill alongside Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas IFC Markets only supports Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transactions.
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 5Overall Rating | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | eToro Review |
Broker Screenshots | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
Year Founded | 2007 | 2006 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
Bank | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 0 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
Investments | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 630 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 49 | |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | No | |
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1 | 1.44 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 | |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
Funding | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $1 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
cTrader | No | No | |
DupliTrade | No | No | |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Trading Tools | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 73 | 15 | |
Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
Mobile Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
Research | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
Autochartist | No | No | |
Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
TipRanks | Yes | No | |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Major Forex Pairs | eToro | IFC Markets | |
---|---|---|---|
GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
Review | eToro Review |
Overall | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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Overall Rating |
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Commissions & Fees |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading |
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Research |
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Education |
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Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | eToro Review |