Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com, established in 1999, stands out in the online brokerage industry with a high Trust Score of 99, reflecting its reliability and credibility. Notably, it is publicly traded and holds seven Tier-1 licenses, which are regarded as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com. This makes FOREX.com a standout option for those seeking a trusted platform for trading, even though it is not a bank.
On the other hand, IFC Markets, founded in 2006, offers a more moderate level of trust with a Trust Score of 73. While it holds one Tier-2 license, indicating a trusted status, it lacks any Tier-1 licenses. Unlike FOREX.com, IFC Markets is not publicly traded, which may influence investor confidence. Both FOREX.com and IFC Markets are not banks, maintaining their focus purely on online brokerage services.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32 of 63. Both offer ways to lower costs through account type and trading volume, but their pricing structures differ.
FOREX.com provides multiple execution methods with transparent stats. In the U.S., its Standard account for MetaTrader users shows typical EUR/USD spreads around 1.4 pips, while non-U.S. pricing averaged 0.74 pips in July 2023. The newer RAW account (available in the U.S., Canada, and the EU with MetaTrader 5) posts very tight typical spreads near 0.13 pips (Feb 2024) plus a $7 commission per standard lot round-turn—about 0.7 pips added to the spread—along with six volume tiers that rebate $2 to $9 per million. Unless you trade more than $50 million per month, the all-in cost for U.S. clients on the RAW/commission setup tends to land close to the Standard account; ultra-high-volume traders (about $2 billion monthly) may see pricing comparable to top low-cost ECN-style brokers.
IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is about 1.44 pips (above the 1.08-pip industry average). Its ECN account improves effective pricing to roughly 1.1 pips after a 0.005% commission on both sides, plus there’s no inactivity fee and active-trader discounts are available. In practice, IFC Markets’ everyday spreads are a bit higher than FOREX.com’s RAW pricing, but the gap narrows once you factor in commissions and the trader’s monthly volume.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
If your priority is a wide range of investments, FOREX.com offers about 5,500 tradeable symbols, including 80 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ roughly 630 symbols and 49 pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as spot or CFDs and support cryptocurrency CFDs; neither offers actual, delivered crypto.
For exchange-traded shares, FOREX.com provides access to U.S. exchanges as well as international markets, while IFC Markets offers exchange-traded shares on international exchanges only. IFC Markets does include copy trading, which FOREX.com does not. Reflecting their product breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com 5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #6 of 63) versus IFC Markets at 3.5 stars (ranked #31 of 63).
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
In the FOREX.com vs IFC Markets comparison for trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a free demo account for paper trading, their own proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both let you place trades directly from charts. A key difference is copy trading: IFC Markets offers it, while FOREX.com does not. The number of built-in chart indicators and watch list columns was not specified and can vary by platform.
According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IFC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #29. If you want a higher-rated overall platform experience, FOREX.com leads; if built-in copy trading is a must, IFC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both FOREX.com and IFC Markets offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes price alerts, watchlist syncing with your online account, and drawing tools like trendlines that auto-save on your charts, so your changes carry over across devices.
For charting depth, FOREX.com stands out with 90 technical studies compared with IFC Markets’ 30. According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com’s mobile app earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #34. If you want more indicators and a higher-rated overall experience, FOREX.com is the stronger pick; if you’re fine with fewer studies but still need alerts and synced watchlists on iPhone and Android, IFC Markets gets the job done.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FOREX.com and IFC Markets deliver the essentials for market research, including daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing the long/short ratio, and an economic calendar. Where they differ is in depth: FOREX.com adds forex news from top-tier sources and offers Trading Central tools for technical and fundamental insights, while IFC Markets does not. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
These differences show up in independent scores: FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #30. If you want built-in third‑party analysis and headline news to guide decisions, FOREX.com is the stronger pick. If you only need basic research features like commentary, sentiment, and a calendar, IFC Markets covers the core needs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
If you’re new to trading, FOREX.com stands out for education. It earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5/5 and ranks #25. A key difference is live learning: FOREX.com runs client webinars at least monthly, giving beginners regular chances to ask questions and see strategies in action. IFC Markets does not run ongoing educational webinars, so newcomers rely more on self-paced materials.
Both brokers offer sizable video libraries for all skill levels. Each provides 10+ beginner videos that explain trading basics, and 10+ advanced videos for experienced traders, covering forex and CFD topics. Thanks to its higher rating and scheduled webinars, FOREX.com is the stronger choice for first-time traders seeking structure and guidance. IFC Markets can still suit learners who prefer on-demand videos and a self-directed pace.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 FOREX.com is better than IFC Markets. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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FOREX.com vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy real, delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In a head-to-head comparison of deposit and withdrawal options, FOREX.com supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while IFC Markets only supports bank wires and does not offer ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill (Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker).
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 | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
| Cost | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
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