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.
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IC Markets (founded 2007) and Exness (founded 2008) are private brokers and not banks. On ForexBrokers.com’s 0–99 Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; under 59 not trusted), IC Markets scores 83 and Exness scores 80—placing both in the trusted range.
Both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses, which ForexBrokers.com considers highly trusted. Exness also holds three Tier-2 licenses, while IC Markets holds none, giving Exness a broader set of mid-tier approvals. Since neither company is publicly traded, your choice may come down to regional regulation needs and platform preferences.
| 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 |
IC Markets comes out ahead of Exness on commissions and fees, especially for traders who want tight pricing and low trading costs. IC Markets offers three main account types: a commission-free Standard account, plus commission-based Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts. Its pricing is competitive with top low-cost brokers, and active traders can also get discounts after trading more than 100 standard lots a month. IC Markets is rated 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #5 out of 36 brokers.
Exness also keeps trading costs fairly low, but the exact price depends a lot on the account type you choose. It offers both commission-free accounts, like Standard Cent, Standard, and Pro, as well as commission-based options such as Zero Spread and Raw. The Zero Spread and Raw accounts can be cheaper on spreads, but they add a commission per trade. Exness is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #32 out of 36 brokers.
In simple terms, IC Markets is the better pick if your main goal is lower overall commissions and fees. Exness still has a good range of account choices, but its pricing is less competitive overall in this category. For cost-conscious forex traders, IC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 |
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, IC Markets offers a much wider list of tradable markets than Exness, with 7,435 tradeable symbols compared with 239 at Exness. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer crypto CFDs. Exness has more forex pairs overall, with 78 compared with IC Markets’ 61, so it may appeal more to traders focused mainly on currency markets.
Neither broker offers access to real, exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges, so you cannot buy actual stocks like Apple or Vodafone through either platform. IC Markets does have copy trading, while Exness does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 for range of investments and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers, while Exness scores 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #35, making IC Markets the stronger choice overall for investment variety.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7435 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, IC Markets and Exness are closely matched overall. Both brokers support free demo accounts, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and trading directly from charts, so either one gives traders plenty of familiar ways to place and manage trades. Both also earn 4 out of 5 stars for this category, showing that each offers a solid platform setup for everyday trading needs.
The main differences are in platform variety and extra features. Exness offers its own proprietary platform, while IC Markets does not, which may appeal to traders who want a broker-built option. IC Markets, on the other hand, offers copy trading, and Exness does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for Trading Platforms and Tools, Exness comes in slightly higher at #15 out of 36 brokers, while IC Markets is ranked #17, making Exness a bit stronger on paper overall.
| 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 | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 32 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and Exness both make it easy to trade on the go, since each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both mobile apps are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. That said, Exness has a slight edge in overall mobile app ranking, placing #18 out of 36 brokers compared with IC Markets at #22.
For charting tools, Exness offers more choice with 100 technical studies in its mobile app, while IC Markets provides 30. Exness also lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and online account, which is helpful if you switch between devices. IC Markets does not offer watchlist syncing, but it does automatically save chart drawings in the app, while Exness does not. In short, Exness may suit traders who want more chart tools and syncing, while IC Markets may appeal to those who value saved drawings in the app.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and Exness both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from top sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central research, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools, so their research offerings are similar in those areas. The main difference is that IC Markets adds a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning across markets, plus market research from TipRanks, while Exness does not include these features.
Overall, IC Markets has the edge for market research. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers in the Research category, compared with Exness at 3.5 stars and #32. For traders who want a wider mix of research tools and a stronger research score, IC Markets comes out ahead, while Exness still covers the core research basics well.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IC Markets and Exness both give beginners plenty of learning material, including forex and CFDs education with at least 10 pieces of content, regular client webinars, and 10 or more beginner and advanced videos. That means new traders can find helpful lessons on both platforms, whether they are just starting out or want to build on basic trading knowledge.
That said, IC Markets comes out a little ahead in education quality. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #21. For beginners comparing the two, IC Markets appears to offer the stronger overall educational experience, though Exness still provides a solid range of learning tools.
| 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 #21, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 |
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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 | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | Exness | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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) | 7435 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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) | 32 | 106 | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| 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 | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Exness Review |
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