Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets 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.
FP Markets and ThinkMarkets are two online brokers offering various services to investors and traders. Founded in 2005, FP Markets holds 2 highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and 1 trusted Tier-2 license. In comparison, ThinkMarkets, established in 2010, boasts 5 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, highlighting a broader regulatory coverage. Neither FP Markets nor ThinkMarkets are publicly traded or operate as banks. However, their regulatory backgrounds provide insight into their reliability, with FP Markets holding a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 89, categorizing it as trusted, and ThinkMarkets scoring 92, indicating a high level of trust.
In summary, while both companies exhibit substantial regulatory credentials, ThinkMarkets has more Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses, reflecting strong compliance with financial authorities. This aligns with ThinkMarkets' slightly higher trust score, suggesting it may offer a marginally more secure choice for those prioritizing stringent regulatory standards in their online broker selection. Nevertheless, both brokers have established themselves as reputable players in the industry.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing FP Markets and ThinkMarkets on commissions and fees, FP Markets stands out for its competitive pricing and flexibility. FP Markets offers traders low-cost access through its commission-based ECN account, with spreads averaging 0.1 pips as of October 2023, making it a cost-competitive choice globally. The Raw ECN account uses a flat rate of $6 per round-turn standard lot for forex trades on its cTrader platform. Despite its competitive pricing, the Iress ViewPoint account is better suited for active traders with larger account balances due to higher minimum deposit requirements and potential platform fees. FP Markets was awarded Best in Class for Commissions and Fees in the 2024 Annual Awards, boasting a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking out of 62 brokers in this category.
ThinkMarkets, on the other hand, offers slightly less transparency in their spread data. This lack of detailed information may make it more challenging for traders to assess trading costs upfront. While providing a solid service, ThinkMarkets received a 4-star rating and ranked #48 in the Commissions and Fees category out of 62 brokers, placing it lower than FP Markets regarding overall cost-effectiveness.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When deciding between FP Markets and ThinkMarkets for online investing, both brokers provide access to forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, ensuring plenty of opportunities in the currency market. FP Markets stands out with an impressive offering of 10,000 tradeable symbols, while ThinkMarkets provides a still robust selection of 4,000. Forex enthusiasts might lean towards FP Markets, which offers 71 tradeable forex pairs compared to ThinkMarkets' 46 pairs. Neither broker allows direct investments in U.S. exchange-traded securities, but ThinkMarkets gives clients the option of investing in international exchange-traded securities like Vodafone, a service FP Markets currently does not offer. Both platforms support copy trading and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
Despite these differences, both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets receive a commendable 4.5-star rating for their range of investments. In terms of industry rankings, FP Markets is placed slightly higher at 18th out of 62 brokers for its range of investment offerings, whereas ThinkMarkets follows closely at 21st. This comparison highlights that while both brokers offer substantial options for investors, FP Markets may appeal more to those prioritizing a larger variety of forex pairs and tradeable symbols, whereas ThinkMarkets might attract investors interested in international securities.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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.
FP Markets and ThinkMarkets both offer comprehensive trading platforms that cater to traders of all levels, featuring simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts. Each broker has developed their own proprietary platform, ensuring unique features tailored to their clientele. For Windows users, both brokers provide desktop download platforms in addition to web-based trading platforms, offering versatile options for executing trades. Support for popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 is included by both brokers, enhancing their appeal for those familiar with these industry standards. Copy trading is available at both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, focusing instead on their internal features.
When it comes to technical tools, both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets provide traders with the ability to trade directly from stock charts. FP Markets nudges ahead with 17 drawing tools compared to ThinkMarkets' 15, although ThinkMarkets offers more robust watchlist options, featuring 15 columns compared to FP Markets' 7. Both brokers have earned a solid 4-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets is ranked 23rd in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, slightly ahead of ThinkMarkets, which ranks at 28th. This shows that while both are strong choices, FP Markets may offer a slight edge in platform customization for those seeking advanced tools.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 17 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 15 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and ThinkMarkets both offer traders excellent mobile trading apps available for iPhone and Android devices. Users of both apps can expect to receive stock or forex price alerts and have the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts. Both platforms support creating watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically save any chart drawings. However, neither FP Markets nor ThinkMarkets offer watchlist symbol syncing, so traders will need to manually update their watchlists across different devices.
When it comes to charting capabilities in their mobile apps, FP Markets relies on the MetaTrader platform by default, while ThinkMarkets impresses with 94 available technical studies for charting. Despite these differences, both apps have garnered a strong reputation, each earning a 4-star rating for their mobile trading functionality. In rankings by ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets is positioned at #18, slightly leading ThinkMarkets, which is ranked at #20 out of 62 brokers. This indicates that traders can rely on both brokers for a solid mobile trading experience, though FP Markets has a slight edge in the rankings.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 94 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets and ThinkMarkets both provide essential daily market commentary and feature forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to additional research tools, FP Markets stands out with offerings from Autochartist and Trading Central, which are not available with ThinkMarkets. Both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools to gauge market trends, but when it comes to tools from Acuity Trading, ThinkMarkets has the edge with Signal Centre. Each platform supplies an economic calendar to keep users informed on global news events.
FP Markets receives a higher research rating at 4 stars compared to ThinkMarkets at 3.5 stars. This is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where FP Markets is placed at #25 out of 62 brokers, while ThinkMarkets is ranked at #50. In conclusion, FP Markets offers a more comprehensive set of research tools, making it a preferred choice for traders seeking in-depth market analysis.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets provide comprehensive options to help new traders get started. They both offer more than ten educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, which include a variety of formats like articles, videos, and archived webinars. They each host monthly webinars and provide searchable archives of past recordings, ensuring that learning is accessible and flexible. Additionally, both brokers cater to beginners with over ten instructional videos specifically designed for those new to trading, as well as resources for more advanced traders.
For those looking to master trading concepts, both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets offer an investor dictionary containing over 50 terms, aiding newcomers in familiarizing themselves with essential terminology. However, in a comparative rating, FP Markets stands slightly ahead with a four-star educational rating, while ThinkMarkets has a 3.5-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets holds the 23rd spot out of 62 brokers in the Education category, whereas ThinkMarkets ranks at 52nd. Overall, while both brokers provide solid education for beginners and advanced traders alike, FP Markets edges out in educational offerings based on these metrics.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FP Markets is better than ThinkMarkets. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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 9,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
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ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 92 |
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Both FP Markets and ThinkMarkets provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither allow the purchase of actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies.
FP Markets and ThinkMarkets both support Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wire transactions for funding and withdrawing account funds, but only FP Markets offers PayPal as an additional option, while neither broker provides ACH or SEPA transfer facilities.
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 | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Regulation | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 89 | 92 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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 | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 15 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 17 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 94 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
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