menuclose
Back to Main Menu
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money
Home ‣ Compare ‣ IC Markets vs iFOREX 2025

IC Markets vs iFOREX 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs iFOREX, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

IC Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $200
  • Trust Score: 84
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 3583
iFOREX
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
  • Trust Score: 75
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 750

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.

Regulation

IC Markets and iFOREX are both well-established online brokers, but they differ in their regulatory backing and trust ratings. Founded in 2007, IC Markets has a Trust Score of 84 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the 'trusted' category. It holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are deemed highly trusted. Meanwhile, iFOREX, established in 1996, has a Trust Score of 75, categorizing it as 'average risk.' iFOREX holds one Tier-1 license, suggesting a slightly lower level of regulatory backing compared to IC Markets.

Neither IC Markets nor iFOREX is publicly traded on any stock exchange nor function as a bank. While they both serve as key players in the financial trading space, IC Markets tends to offer stronger regulatory protection with more Tier-1 licenses. These licenses are significant as they are considered a mark of high trust, helping traders gauge the reliability of a broker. Each company's standing might appeal differently to traders depending on their risk tolerance and need for regulatory assurance.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Year Founded info 2007 1996
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 1

Fees

For commissions and fees, IC Markets clearly outshines iFOREX. IC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers (Best in Class for Commissions & Fees in the 2024 Annual Awards), thanks to very low trading costs and small effective spreads. By contrast, iFOREX scores 3 stars and ranks #62 out of 63, and it does not publish average spread data—making its pricing harder to evaluate.

IC Markets offers three account types: a commission-free Standard account and two commission-based Raw Spread accounts (MetaTrader and cTrader). On cTrader, the commission is $3.00 per side per 100,000 units ($6.00 round turn); on MetaTrader it’s $3.50 per side ($7.00 round turn). IC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.02 pips; after commissions, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader (about 0.72 pips on MetaTrader). The Standard account averages about 0.62 pips with no commission. Pricing can vary by platform, account type, and whether you trade under the EU, Australia, or Seychelles entity, and active traders (100+ lots/month) can receive discounts.

iFOREX does not provide average spread data, limiting visibility into its costs compared with leading low-cost brokers. Reflecting that, it holds a 3-star Commissions & Fees rating and is ranked #62 out of 63 brokers, versus IC Markets’ 5 stars and #5 ranking.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Minimum Deposit info $200 $100
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.62 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

IC Markets vs iFOREX: Both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs/spot. IC Markets lists 3,583 tradeable symbols, far more than iFOREX’s 750; however, iFOREX leads on currency choice with 88 forex pairs versus IC Markets’ 61. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright, but IC Markets does provide access to some international exchange-traded shares, which iFOREX lacks. Each offers crypto exposure through derivatives, though neither lets you buy actual coins.

For extras and ratings, IC Markets supports copy trading while iFOREX does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets scores 4.5/5 for Range of Investments (ranked 26th of 63), ahead of iFOREX’s 3.5/5 (ranked 42nd). Choose IC Markets if you want a larger overall instrument list, international share access, and copy trading; pick iFOREX if your priority is a wider selection of forex pairs within a CFD-focused setup.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 750
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 88
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

When comparing trading platforms and tools, IC Markets stands out for hands-on practice and third‑party platform choice. IC Markets offers a free demo account, a Windows desktop platform, and browser‑based trading. It supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus copy trading with ZuluTrade; DupliTrade is not available. IC Markets does not have a proprietary platform. iFOREX takes the opposite tack: it provides its own in‑house web platform (no Windows desktop app), does not support MT4/MT5 or copy trading, and does not offer a free virtual demo. Both brokers let you place trades directly from charts.

For charting and workspace tools, iFOREX lists more drawing tools (25 vs. 15 for IC Markets) and more watchlist fields (9 vs. 7). Indicator counts were not specified for either broker. Despite both earning 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com ranks IC Markets higher (#16 of 63) than iFOREX (#55 of 63). Choose IC Markets if you want a demo account, desktop access, MetaTrader, and copy trading. Pick iFOREX if you prefer a proprietary web platform with more drawing tools and watchlist fields.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes No
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes No
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 57
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 25
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 9

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Both IC Markets and iFOREX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each holds a 4-star mobile rating. However, they land in very different spots in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings: IC Markets is #22 out of 63 brokers, while iFOREX is #56. Neither app currently syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the web platform.

IC Markets stands out for active charting and trade management on the go: it supports price alerts, 30 technical studies, drawing trendlines, switching among multiple time frames, auto-saving chart drawings, and creating watchlists with real-time quotes. By contrast, iFOREX does not offer price alerts, does not provide trendline tools or multi-time-frame views, does not auto-save chart drawings, and does not let you create a watchlist with real-time quotes. If you rely on mobile charting and alerts, IC Markets delivers more tools, while iFOREX may suit basic monitoring and order placement.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes No
Watchlist Syncing info No No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 N/A
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

IC Markets and iFOREX both deliver daily market commentary, an economic calendar, Trading Central tools, and a sentiment gauge showing long/short positioning. IC Markets goes further with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and adds Autochartist for extra technical insights. iFOREX does not offer those two items. IC Markets does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; iFOREX’s access to TipRanks or Acuity Trading is not specified.

For overall research, IC Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while iFOREX scores 3.5 stars and ranks #49. Traders who want integrated premium news and more analysis tools may prefer IC Markets, while iFOREX suits those who want the essentials with Trading Central and sentiment features.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

When comparing the educational resources available for beginners from IC Markets and iFOREX, IC Markets stands out with its comprehensive offerings. IC Markets provides a wide range of educational materials including over 10 pieces focused on forex and CFDs. Beginners can benefit from their live monthly webinars and a library of archived sessions to revisit. They also have a collection of beginner and advanced educational videos designed to enhance trading knowledge, along with an extensive investor dictionary featuring definitions of more than 50 investing terms.

On the other hand, iFOREX, while offering a selection of beginner educational videos, falls short in several areas compared to IC Markets. iFOREX does not provide the same depth of educational content, with fewer than 10 pieces dedicated to forex and CFDs and a lack of live monthly webinars and archived content. Their resources for advanced traders are limited as well. As a result, IC Markets boasts a 4-star education rating and ranks 16th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas iFOREX holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 53rd.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes No
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IC Markets is better than iFOREX. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while iFOREX finished with an overall rank of #52.

IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
iFOREX logoiFOREX
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 75
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with IC Markets or iFOREX?

Both IC Markets and iFOREX provide the opportunity to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives rather than facilitating the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, as neither platform offers the ability to buy and deliver real cryptocurrencies, but both allow trading of cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Both IC Markets and iFOREX accommodate a variety of deposit and withdrawal options, including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers.

More Comparisons

IC Markets vs FXPrimus IC Markets vs Markets4you IC Markets vs VT Markets IC Markets vs FXGT.com IC Markets vs Octa IC Markets vs Alpari iFOREX vs MultiBank iFOREX vs Octa iFOREX vs IC Markets iFOREX vs Markets.com iFOREX vs AvaTrade iFOREX vs Axi

Show all



announcementPlease 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

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxACY Securities
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAdmirals
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlpari
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxATFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAxi
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBDSwiss
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxDooPrime
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEarn
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeasyMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFineco
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXGT.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXOpen
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXPrimus
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxGBE brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxiFOREX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIronFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLegacyFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxLibertex (Forex Club)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMarkets4you
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMoneta Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMultiBank
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxRoboForex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxThinkMarkets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTMGM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTopFX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrade Nation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVT Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXtrade

Compare

0 of 5
× IC Markets
× iFOREX
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×

navigate_before navigate_next
Overall Rating IC Markets iFOREX
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 75
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review
Broker Screenshots IC Markets iFOREX
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
IC Markets cTrader mobile app charting IC Markets EU cTrader desktop trading platform layout IC Markets webinar IC Your Trade YouTube video series. IC Markets Educational content blog articles.
Regulation IC Markets iFOREX
Trust Score info 84 75
Year Founded info 2007 1996
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) IC Markets iFOREX
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) IC Markets iFOREX
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info No No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments IC Markets iFOREX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 750
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 88
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info 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 IC Markets iFOREX
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.62 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info No No
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding IC Markets iFOREX
Minimum Deposit info $200 $100
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
Trading Platforms IC Markets iFOREX
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes No
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes No
cTrader info Yes No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info Yes No
Trading Tools IC Markets iFOREX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes No
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 9
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 57
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 25
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes No
Mobile Trading IC Markets iFOREX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes No
Watchlist Syncing info No No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 N/A
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes No
Research IC Markets iFOREX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education IC Markets iFOREX
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes No
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs IC Markets iFOREX
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review IC Markets Review
Overall IC Markets iFOREX
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 75
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review
arrow_upward

close
navigate_before navigate_next