Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs Exness, 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.
IC Markets and Exness are two well-regarded online brokers, each offering unique regulatory standings that influence their trust and reliability. Founded in 2007, IC Markets holds a Trust Score of 84 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the "trusted" category. This broker possesses 2 highly trusted Tier-1 licenses, underscoring its commitment to stringent regulatory standards, although it holds no Tier-2 licenses. Meanwhile, Exness, established a year later in 2008, scores 81, also within the "trusted" range. Exness similarly holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and additionally maintains 3 Tier-2 licenses, offering a slightly broader regulatory backing.
Both brokers are privately held, meaning they are not listed on any stock exchange, and neither operates as a bank. These attributes provide an insight into their operational frameworks, offering confidence in their financial dealings without the complexity of public ownership or banking activities. Choosing between IC Markets and Exness largely depends on individual preferences for regulatory depth and trust score, as both offer solid trust credentials and regulatory adherence in the trading industry.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
Looking strictly at commissions and fees, IC Markets generally comes out cheaper for forex trading than Exness. IC Markets earned 5 stars and ranks #5 of 63 for Commissions & Fees (Best in Class, 2024), while Exness earns 4 stars and ranks #36 of 63. Both brokers offer spread-only and commission-based pricing, but IC Markets’ raw pricing and small effective spreads often lead to lower all-in costs, especially for active traders.
IC Markets has three accounts: Standard (spread-only), Raw Spread on MT4/MT5, and cTrader Raw. Commissions are $3.0 per side ($6 round turn) on cTrader Raw and $3.5 per side ($7 round turn) on MT4/MT5 Raw. IC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.02 pips on raw quotes; with commission, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader (about 0.72 on MetaTrader). The Standard account averages about 0.62 pips with no commission. Spreads can vary by platform, account type, and the IC Markets entity (EU, Australia, Seychelles). Active traders who clear 100+ standard lots per month can get discounts, and the low deposit for commission accounts helps keep entry costs down.
Exness offers five main account types: Standard Cent and Standard (both spread-only), Pro (lower spreads; instant or market execution), and two commission accounts—Zero Spread and Raw. Zero Spread uses market execution and charges a per-trade commission of $0.05. The Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn per lot ($3.5 per side) with lower spreads and market execution. Zero and Raw have no leverage or stop-out restrictions, with margin calls at 30%. While Exness can be competitive on its Raw and Zero Spread accounts, its Standard and Standard Cent accounts carry higher spreads, which is reflected in its lower 4-star rating and #36 ranking for Commissions & Fees.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IC Markets vs Exness: both support forex trading (CFDs/spot), copy trading, and crypto CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. IC Markets stands out for overall variety with 3,583 tradeable symbols, while Exness lists 209. If your focus is forex pairs alone, Exness offers more (96 vs 61 at IC Markets). For many traders, that means IC Markets suits those seeking a wider mix of markets, while Exness appeals if you want a larger selection of currency pairs.
Stock access also differs. Neither broker offers U.S.-listed shares, but IC Markets does provide exchange-traded securities on certain international exchanges, whereas Exness does not. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates IC Markets 4.5/5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked 26th of 63), compared with Exness at 3.5/5 stars (56th of 63). Choose IC Markets for the bigger product lineup, or Exness if your priority is a deep bench of forex pairs.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 209 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 96 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | 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.
IC Markets and Exness both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) account, Windows desktop downloads, web-based platforms, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) support, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts.
The main difference is platform choice: Exness also provides its own proprietary platform, while IC Markets sticks to third-party platforms. Both earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but ForexBrokers.com ranks IC Markets higher (#16 of 63) than Exness (#26 of 63). Choose Exness if you want a broker-built platform alongside MetaTrader, or pick IC Markets if you prefer a MetaTrader-focused setup with a higher ranking in this area.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 107 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and Exness both offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, so staying on top of market moves is easy on either platform. Charting is strong on both: IC Markets includes 30 technical studies while Exness offers 35. You can draw trendlines in each app. One key difference is drawings: IC Markets auto-saves your chart annotations, while Exness does not. Neither app currently syncs watchlist symbols between mobile and the web platform, so lists you create on one won’t update the other automatically.
For overall quality, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In the ForexBrokers.com rankings out of 63 brokers, IC Markets places #22 and Exness comes in at #26. Choose Exness if you want a few more built-in indicators; pick IC Markets if auto-saving chart drawings and a slightly higher ranking matter more to you.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and Exness both cover the basics traders look for in market research: daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, Trading Central analytics, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. Neither broker integrates TipRanks or Acuity Trading. The main difference is Autochartist—IC Markets offers these pattern and setup scanners, while Exness does not.
For overall research quality, ForexBrokers.com rates IC Markets at 4 stars and ranks it 23rd out of 63 brokers, while Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks 42nd. Put simply, IC Markets edges ahead thanks to its wider toolset that includes Autochartist, while Exness still delivers the core news, analysis, and sentiment features many traders use day to day.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing IC Markets vs Exness for beginner education, both brokers offer plenty of forex and CFD learning materials. Each runs ongoing client webinars (at least once a month) and provides sizable video libraries, including 10+ beginner tutorials and 10+ advanced lessons. That means new traders can learn the basics and then move into more in‑depth topics at their own pace.
IC Markets earns the higher marks overall: it’s rated 4 stars for Education and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness holds 3.5 stars and ranks #47. If you want a higher‑rated learning experience, IC Markets has the edge, though Exness still supplies ample education to help beginners get started.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 IC Markets is better than Exness. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #43.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 84 | 81 |
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In the IC Markets vs Exness cryptocurrency trading comparison, neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
IC Markets vs Exness: both online brokers do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, IC Markets supports PayPal while Exness does not, and 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 | IC Markets | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | Exness | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 84 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 209 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 96 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | 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 | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 107 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Exness Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Exness Review |
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