Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets vs GBE brokers, 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.
When comparing ThinkMarkets and GBE brokers, investors will find crucial differences in their regulatory standings. Founded in 2010, ThinkMarkets holds a higher ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 92, which classifies it as highly trusted. With five Tier-1 licenses, ThinkMarkets demonstrates a strong commitment to regulatory compliance. In addition, ThinkMarkets maintains two Tier-2 licenses, further ensuring its reputation as a reliable broker. Although not publicly traded or a bank, ThinkMarkets' regulatory adherence positions it as a preferred choice for many traders seeking security.
In contrast, GBE brokers was established in 2013 and carries a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 71, placing it within the average risk category. It has obtained one Tier-1 license but holds no Tier-2 licenses, suggesting a less expansive regulatory backing compared to ThinkMarkets. Like ThinkMarkets, GBE brokers is neither publicly traded nor a bank. These factors should be carefully considered by potential investors who prioritize trust and regulation when choosing an online broker.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2013 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
ThinkMarkets and GBE Brokers both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. However, their positions in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings differ: ThinkMarkets is ranked #48 out of 63 brokers, while GBE Brokers is ranked higher at #38. Average spread data is not available for either broker, so direct spread comparisons aren’t possible.
Without published average spreads, traders should focus on the overall cost picture: advertised commission plans (if any), swap rates, and any account, funding, or inactivity fees. Checking each broker’s fee schedule and testing a demo or live account during your usual trading hours can help you gauge real-world trading costs.
Bottom line: both brokers hold a 4-star cost rating, but GBE Brokers edges ahead in the category ranking. If ranking matters to you, GBE Brokers may have a slight advantage; if you prefer platform choice or other features, compare each broker’s fee disclosures and live pricing before deciding.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $1000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
If you’re comparing ThinkMarkets vs GBE brokers for range of investments, here’s the quick view. Both offer forex trading as CFDs or spot. ThinkMarkets lists about 4,000 tradeable symbols, well above GBE brokers’ roughly 500. On currency choice, GBE brokers has the edge with 71 forex pairs versus 46 at ThinkMarkets. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright, but ThinkMarkets does provide access to exchange-traded securities on select international exchanges, while GBE brokers does not.
Both brokers support copy trading and let you trade cryptocurrency derivatives (not actual coins). For range of investments ratings from ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks #24 of 63 brokers, compared with GBE brokers at 3.5/5 stars and a #45 ranking—signaling a wider overall lineup at ThinkMarkets.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 71 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
ThinkMarkets and GBE brokers both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and support popular platform choices, including web and Windows desktop, plus MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Each broker also offers copy trading, while neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. A key difference is that ThinkMarkets provides its own in-house platform option, whereas GBE brokers does not.
For charting, both let you place trades directly from charts and include 15 drawing tools. The exact number of technical indicators isn’t specified for either broker. Watchlists are more flexible at ThinkMarkets with 15 fields, compared with 7 at GBE brokers. Both earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks ThinkMarkets higher at #28 out of 63 brokers, versus GBE brokers at #58.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ThinkMarkets and GBE brokers both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and real-time watchlists, plus charting tools such as drawing trendlines, switching between intraday, daily, and weekly time frames, and auto-saving your chart drawings. One limitation they share is that watchlists created on mobile don’t sync with the online account.
For charting depth, ThinkMarkets stands out with 94 technical studies compared to GBE brokers’ 30, giving more options for technical analysis on the go. While both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars, their category rankings differ: ThinkMarkets is ranked 20th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps by ForexBrokers.com, versus 58th for GBE brokers. If you value a wider set of indicators and a higher-ranked app, ThinkMarkets is the stronger pick; if you just need core tools and alerts, GBE brokers will handle the basics.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 30 |
| 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.
ThinkMarkets and GBE Brokers both cover the basics for market research with daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. ThinkMarkets goes further by offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg/Reuters/Dow Jones and includes tools from Acuity Trading. Neither broker provides Autochartist or Trading Central. GBE Brokers does not offer top-tier news, and its access to TipRanks or Acuity Trading isn’t specified.
For overall research quality, ThinkMarkets earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #51 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while GBE Brokers scores 3 stars and ranks #63. If you want premium news and added signals, ThinkMarkets has the edge. If you mainly want commentary, sentiment, and an economic calendar, both brokers meet that need.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners seeking forex and CFD education, ThinkMarkets clearly offers more learning tools than GBE brokers. ThinkMarkets provides a broad library with 10+ educational pieces, runs online client webinars at least monthly, and keeps a searchable archive of past sessions. It also features at least 10 beginner videos, 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up, and an investor dictionary with 50+ terms to help explain trading jargon. By contrast, GBE brokers does not meet these marks: it doesn’t offer a 10+ piece education library, does not host monthly educational webinars or keep an archive, and lacks video libraries and a large glossary aimed at new traders.
Ratings and rankings back this up. ThinkMarkets earns 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #52 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while GBE brokers scores 3 stars and ranks #64 of 63. If you want a guided learning path with live sessions and plenty of on-demand videos, ThinkMarkets is the stronger fit; if education isn’t a priority, GBE brokers may still work for your needs.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ThinkMarkets is better than GBE brokers. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #57.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
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GBE brokers
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 71 |
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ThinkMarkets and GBE Brokers both provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither broker facilitates the purchase of actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
In comparing online brokers ThinkMarkets and GBE brokers, GBE brokers stands out by offering ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal for account deposits and withdrawals, whereas ThinkMarkets does not offer these options, though both brokers provide Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options.
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 | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2013 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | 30 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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