Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets, 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, and ThinkMarkets, founded in 2010, are two prominent names in the online trading industry. Both are not banks, but while FOREX.com is publicly traded, ThinkMarkets is not. FOREX.com holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating its high level of trust and reliability. ThinkMarkets, on the other hand, possesses five Tier-1 licenses. In addition to Tier-1 licenses, FOREX.com holds one Tier-2 license, while ThinkMarkets holds two, demonstrating a solid level of trust for both brokers.
According to ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com has achieved a Trust Score of 99 out of 99, making it highly trusted and reliable for investors. ThinkMarkets follows closely with a Trust Score of 92, positioning it as a trusted choice for traders. Both brokers offer distinct advantages, with FOREX.com leading in trust ratings and public visibility, while ThinkMarkets offers a competitive and trusted environment for its clients.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
Comparing commissions and fees, FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 14th out of 63 brokers, while ThinkMarkets earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 48th out of 63. FOREX.com is known to be slightly pricier than the industry average for U.S. traders on its Standard pricing, whereas ThinkMarkets does not publish average spread data, making a direct, apples-to-apples comparison harder.
For FOREX.com, the Standard account typically shows about 1.4 pips on EUR/USD in the U.S. (July 2023), while outside the U.S. the EUR/USD averaged around 0.74 pips (time‑weighted, July 2023). Its RAW account targets lower spreads with a typical 0.13‑pip EUR/USD spread (Feb 2024) plus a $7 commission per standard lot ($3.50 per side), putting the all‑in cost near 0.83 pips at the base tier. Active traders can earn volume rebates across six tiers ($2 to $9 per million), and extremely high volume (about $2 billion per month) can drive pricing toward leading discount levels. For most U.S. traders doing under $50 million per month, the total cost of the RAW/commission plan is similar to the Standard plan; the bigger differences are execution style and platform options.
ThinkMarkets does not provide average spread figures, so you may need to review live quotes or contact support to gauge typical costs. Based on ratings and rankings alone—4/5 stars and #48 for ThinkMarkets versus 4.5/5 stars and #14 for FOREX.com—FOREX.com offers clearer, published pricing and a choice of spread‑only or commission‑plus‑spread models. If you trade light to moderate volumes, FOREX.com’s Standard and RAW plans may feel similar in all‑in cost; high‑volume traders are more likely to benefit from RAW pricing and rebates.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FOREX.com and ThinkMarkets both support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let you trade cryptocurrency via derivatives (not actual coins). FOREX.com lists about 5,500 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while ThinkMarkets offers roughly 4,000 symbols and 46 pairs. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, FOREX.com scores 5 stars and ranks #7 of 63 brokers; ThinkMarkets earns 4.5 stars and ranks #24.
Stock access differs: neither broker provides U.S.-listed exchange-traded shares, but ThinkMarkets does offer international exchange-traded shares, whereas FOREX.com does not. ThinkMarkets also supports copy trading; FOREX.com does not. In short, choose FOREX.com if you want a larger symbol list and more forex pairs, or ThinkMarkets if you value access to international shares and copy trading.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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). | 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 FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer free paper trading with a demo account, in-house proprietary platforms, and access on the web and Windows desktop. Each also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and both let you place trades directly from charts.
The key difference is copy trading: ThinkMarkets offers it, while FOREX.com does not. In independent ratings for Trading Platforms and Tools, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets earns 4 stars and ranks #28. If built-in copy trading matters most, ThinkMarkets fits; if you want higher-rated platforms and tools, FOREX.com stands out.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both FOREX.com and ThinkMarkets offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving of chart annotations. A key difference is watchlist syncing: FOREX.com syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ThinkMarkets does not, which can matter if you switch between devices.
For charting tools, ThinkMarkets lists 94 technical studies versus 88 at FOREX.com. That said, FOREX.com earns higher marks overall: it’s rated 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, compared with ThinkMarkets’ 4-star rating and #20 ranking. If cross-device syncing and a top-rated mobile experience are priorities, FOREX.com stands out; if you want a few more built-in studies, ThinkMarkets may appeal.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 94 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets for market research: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from outlets like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones or similar), trader sentiment tools, and an economic calendar. Neither integrates Autochartist or TipRanks. Where they differ is in third‑party analytics: FOREX.com adds Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights, while ThinkMarkets features Acuity Trading (including Signal Centre).
On quality scores, FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars for Research and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ThinkMarkets holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks #51. If you want Trading Central alongside news, commentary, sentiment, and a calendar, FOREX.com stands out. If you prefer Acuity Trading tools paired with similar core research features, ThinkMarkets is the alternative.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets for beginner education, both brokers deliver frequent learning opportunities. Each runs client webinars at least monthly and offers 10+ beginner videos plus 10+ advanced videos on trading topics, giving new traders a clear path from basics to more complex strategies. It isn’t specified whether either broker keeps a searchable archive of past webinars or provides an investor dictionary, and the overall size of their article/video libraries beyond those videos isn’t confirmed.
Based on independent ratings, FOREX.com stands out: it earns 4.5 stars for Education and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. ThinkMarkets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #52 out of 63. For most beginners seeking structured learning with frequent webinars and a deep video lineup, FOREX.com is likely the stronger choice, while ThinkMarkets offers solid coverage but trails in overall educational quality and ranking.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FOREX.com is better than ThinkMarkets. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 |
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Both FOREX.com and ThinkMarkets do not provide the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer cryptocurrency derivatives for trading.
FOREX.com vs ThinkMarkets: both brokers support Skrill and bank wire transfers, but only FOREX.com offers ACH/SEPA and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, while ThinkMarkets does not.
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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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). | 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 94 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
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