Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets vs IC 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.
FP Markets (founded 2005) and IC Markets (founded 2007) are online brokers that are private companies—neither is publicly traded—and neither is a bank. Both hold two Tier-1 licenses, the highest trust category per ForexBrokers.com. FP Markets also holds one Tier-2 license, while IC Markets holds none at the Tier-2 level.
ForexBrokers.com rates FP Markets with a Trust Score of 90 (highly trusted) and IC Markets at 83 (trusted). The scale defines 90–99 as highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted. Based on these ratings and licenses, FP Markets edges ahead on overall regulatory standing.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
FP Markets and IC Markets are both low-cost online brokers, but IC Markets has the edge on commissions and fees overall. FP Markets earns a 4.5-star rating and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees at ForexBrokers.com. Its Raw ECN account is the cheapest option, with very tight spreads and a commission-based structure that can work out well for active forex traders. FP Markets also offers commission-free Standard accounts, but those usually come with wider spreads, and its Australia-based Iress accounts can add platform and data costs unless you meet higher deposit or trading requirements.
IC Markets scores even better, with a 5-star rating and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It is known for its low all-in trading costs, especially on its Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts. The cTrader version has slightly lower commissions than the MetaTrader version, while the Standard account is commission-free and still priced competitively. For traders who want low spreads and simple pricing, IC Markets is often the better value.
In short, both brokers are strong choices for cost-conscious traders, but IC Markets is the more affordable pick in this category overall. FP Markets is still highly competitive, especially on its Raw ECN account, and it remains a solid option for traders who want flexible account types and low trading costs.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $200 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.9 | 0.72 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FP Markets and IC Markets both give traders access to forex as CFDs, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither broker lets clients buy real, delivered crypto or exchange traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges. For everyday traders, that means both platforms focus more on trading markets through CFDs than on owning the underlying assets directly.
When it comes to range of investments, FP Markets has the edge. It offers 10,000 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, compared with IC Markets’ 7,435 symbols and 61 forex pairs. Both brokers are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for range of investments, but FP Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #17 out of 36, while IC Markets sits at #22.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 7435 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
FP Markets and IC Markets both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. This means either broker will suit traders who want familiar tools and flexible access across devices.
The main difference is that FP Markets also offers a proprietary platform built in-house, while IC Markets does not. Even so, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, although IC Markets places higher in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking at #17 out of 36 brokers, compared with FP Markets at #22. In simple terms, both are strong choices, but IC Markets has a slight edge in third-party rankings, while FP Markets stands out for having its own platform.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 32 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and IC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Each broker also earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so neither has a clear edge when it comes to basic app access and everyday charting tools. One limitation for both is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so updates made in one place will not carry over to the other.
The main difference is in chart studies. IC Markets lists 32 technical studies in its mobile app, while FP Markets uses the default MetaTrader setup, which may feel more limited for traders who want extra built-in indicators. Still, FP Markets holds a slightly better position in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading app ranking, coming in at #20 out of 36 brokers versus IC Markets at #22. For mobile traders who want similar core features, the choice may come down to whether you prefer IC Markets’ broader study selection or FP Markets’ slightly higher ranking.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 32 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets and IC Markets both give traders a well-rounded set of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool for checking long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. Both also provide Trading Central, and each earns a 4-star Research rating from ForexBrokers.com, showing that their research offerings are strong for most everyday traders.
The main differences come down to a few extra tools. FP Markets includes Autochartist, while IC Markets does not. IC Markets, however, offers TipRanks research, which FP Markets does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research ranking, IC Markets places slightly higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with FP Markets at #22, so IC Markets has a narrow edge overall, even though both brokers are closely matched for market research.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FP Markets and IC Markets both give beginners a solid range of learning tools. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 pieces of content, monthly educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos, so new traders can find basic lessons and more detailed material as they grow. In plain terms, both platforms make it easy to learn the basics of trading and continue building skills over time.
When comparing them side by side, IC Markets has a slight edge in education. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but ForexBrokers.com places IC Markets at #16 out of 36 brokers, while FP Markets is ranked #21. That suggests IC Markets has a small lead overall, though FP Markets still offers a very similar set of beginner-friendly resources.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets is better than IC Markets. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 10,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 90 | 83 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Comparing online brokers FP Markets vs IC Markets: neither allows buying actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
FP Markets vs IC Markets: both brokers do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers, both support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire for deposits and withdrawals, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 90 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | IC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2007 | |
| 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 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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) | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 7435 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.9 | 0.72 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $200 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 32 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 32 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FP Markets Review | IC Markets Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 90 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | IC Markets Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
Capital.com
AvaTrade
XM
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill
HFM Markets