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 (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 for commissions and fees, thanks to very low trading costs on its commission-based accounts and tight spreads across its main platforms. IC Markets offers three account types: a spread-only Standard account, plus Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts that charge commission. On its cTrader Raw Spread account, commission is about $3.00 per side per 100,000 units, while the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges about $3.50 per side. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s review, IC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
Exness also gives traders several account choices, including Standard Cent, Standard, Pro, Zero Spread, and Raw accounts, along with social copy trading options. Its pricing can be competitive on the commission-based accounts, but overall it is not as strong as IC Markets for low-cost trading. Exness’ Zero Spread account uses a commission model, and the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot. For commissions and fees, Exness is rated 4 stars and ranked #33 out of 36 brokers.
For most cost-conscious traders, the main difference is simple: IC Markets is usually the better pick if you want lower all-in trading costs, especially for forex trading. Exness still offers a wide range of account types and flexible execution choices, but its fees are generally less competitive overall. In short, IC Markets is the stronger option for commissions and fees, while Exness is more of a middle-of-the-pack choice in this category.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 offers a wider range of investments than Exness, with 7,435 tradeable symbols compared with Exness’s 239. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither offers access to real, delivered crypto or exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges. IC Markets also stands out for copy trading, which Exness does not offer.
Looking at forex specifically, Exness has more currency pairs available, with 78 versus IC Markets’ 61. Even so, IC Markets earns a higher Range of Investments rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared with Exness’s 3.5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, IC Markets places #22 out of 36 brokers, while Exness ranks #37.
| 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 with iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts and chart tools like trendlines. Each mobile app is rated 4 out of 5 stars, but Exness has a slight edge in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile app ranking, placing #18 out of 36 brokers compared with IC Markets at #22.
The biggest difference comes down to charting and watchlists. Exness offers watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the app carry over to your online account, while IC Markets does not. Exness also gives traders more chart studies, with 100 technical indicators versus 32 at IC Markets. On the other hand, IC Markets auto-saves chart drawings in its app, which Exness does not, so the better choice depends on whether you value more indicators or easier saving of your chart work.
| 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 | 32 | 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 a solid set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Trading Central features, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools, so their research lineups are fairly similar in those areas.
Where IC Markets pulls ahead is with extra research features that Exness does not provide, such as sentiment data showing the balance of long and short positions across instruments and market research from TipRanks. This broader range of tools is reflected in its stronger Research score of 4 out of 5, compared with 3.5 for Exness. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, IC Markets places #21 for Research, while Exness sits at #34.
| 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.
For beginners looking to learn the basics of forex and CFDs, both IC Markets and Exness offer a strong range of educational content. Each broker provides at least 10 pieces of forex or CFD-focused education, regular online webinars, and more than 10 beginner trading videos, along with 10 advanced videos for traders who want to go further. This makes both platforms useful for new traders who want step-by-step learning and ongoing market education.
That said, IC Markets has the edge in overall education quality. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #20. In simple terms, both brokers give beginners plenty to work with, but IC Markets appears to offer a slightly better learning experience overall.
| 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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| 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) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 32 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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