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Pepperstone vs IC Markets 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025
  Fact Checked

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

Pepperstone
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 94
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1726
IC Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $200
  • Trust Score: 83
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 3583

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

Pepperstone (founded 2010) and IC Markets (founded 2007) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone has a Trust Score of 94/99, placing it in the highly trusted range (90–99). IC Markets scores 83/99, which falls in the trusted range (80–89).

On regulation, Pepperstone holds 3 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). IC Markets holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. In simple terms, Pepperstone shows a wider mix of top-tier and mid-tier oversight, while IC Markets has strong top-tier coverage but fewer additional licenses. Always confirm which licensed entity your account will be opened under.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Year Founded info 2010 2007
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 3 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 3

Fees

Pepperstone and IC Markets are both strong choices for low trading costs, but IC Markets has a slight edge on overall commissions and fees. Pepperstone earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, with its best pricing on the commission-based Razor account. On that account, Pepperstone listed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips, and after adding commission, the all-in cost came to about 0.80 pips. Its Standard account is free of commission, but the average EUR/USD spread of 1.1 pips makes it the pricier option.

IC Markets also earns 5 stars, but ranks slightly higher at #5 out of 36 brokers. It offers three account types, including commission-free Standard and commission-based Raw Spread accounts. For EUR/USD, IC Markets listed an average spread of 0.02 pips on its commission-based setup, with all-in costs around 0.62 pips on cTrader and 0.72 pips on MetaTrader, making it one of the more affordable options for active forex traders.

For frequent traders, both brokers offer fee discounts. Pepperstone’s Active Trader program can reduce costs through spread rebates, especially for professional clients in the UK, EU, and Australia. IC Markets also gives discounts to traders who exceed 100 standard lots per month. In simple terms, Pepperstone is a good low-cost broker, but IC Markets is generally the better pick if your main goal is keeping commissions and trading fees as low as possible.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $200
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.1 info 0.62 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 0.62 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Pepperstone and IC Markets both give traders access to forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both support copy trading along with cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker offers access to actual delivered crypto or U.S.-listed exchange traded shares, so if you want to buy Apple stock directly, neither platform provides that option. Pepperstone offers 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, while IC Markets lists a larger overall selection with 3,583 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs.

One key difference is that IC Markets offers exchange traded securities on international markets, such as shares listed outside the U.S., while Pepperstone does not. In terms of range of investments, both brokers are close, but IC Markets has the edge with a 4.5-star rating and a #22 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Pepperstone’s 4-star rating and #23 ranking. For traders looking for a wider mix of markets, IC Markets comes out slightly ahead, while Pepperstone still offers a strong lineup focused on forex and CFDs.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1726 3583
Forex Pairs (Total) info 65 61
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) 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

Pepperstone and IC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, making each a solid pick for those who want flexibility. Each broker offers a free demo account, desktop and web-based trading platforms, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders quicker and easier for active traders. In terms of trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars.

The main difference is that Pepperstone offers its own proprietary platform, while IC Markets does not. That may matter for traders who want a broker-built platform alongside popular third-party options. On ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets ranks higher in the Trading Platforms and Tools category at #17 out of 36 brokers, compared with Pepperstone at #21. Overall, both brokers are well matched, but IC Markets has a slight edge in ranking, while Pepperstone stands out for having an in-house platform.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 15 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

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

Forex trading apps

Pepperstone and IC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes price alerts, 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings. Both brokers also earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so day-to-day trading features are very similar across the two platforms. In short, either app gives traders the core tools they need to monitor markets and manage trades on the go.

The main difference is watchlist syncing. Pepperstone lets you sync watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over both ways, while IC Markets does not offer that feature. That edge helps Pepperstone stand out slightly for convenience and account consistency, which may also help explain why ForexBrokers.com ranks Pepperstone higher for mobile trading apps, at #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with IC Markets at #22.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Pepperstone and IC Markets both offer strong market research features for everyday traders. Each provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar to track upcoming global events. Both also include Autochartist tools and sentiment data that help show whether traders are leaning long or short on a pair or instrument.

The main difference is that IC Markets adds Trading Central research tools, while Pepperstone does not. Even so, Pepperstone scores slightly higher overall for research, with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #13 out of 36 brokers, compared with IC Markets at 4 stars and #21. Neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Pepperstone and IC Markets both give beginners plenty of learning material, including more than 10 education pieces focused on forex or CFDs, monthly online webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced videos. That means either broker can be a good starting point if you want to learn the basics and keep building your skills over time. In simple terms, they both cover the key areas a new trader would expect from a broker’s learning section.

Where Pepperstone edges ahead is in third-party ratings. Pepperstone is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Education and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #16. The difference is small, but Pepperstone has a slight lead overall for educational support, making it the better pick for beginners who want the stronger learning package.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Pepperstone is better than IC Markets. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21.

Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.

Feature Pepperstone logoPepperstone
IC Markets logoIC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 94 83
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Pepperstone or IC Markets?

Pepperstone vs IC Markets: neither online broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support crypto trading via cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Pepperstone vs IC Markets: for deposits and withdrawals, both support bank wire transfers and PayPal, Pepperstone also offers ACH/SEPA but not Skrill, while IC Markets lacks ACH/SEPA yet supports Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability isn’t specified for either broker based on the provided details.

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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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Overall Rating Pepperstone IC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 94 83
Winner check_circle
Review Pepperstone Review IC Markets Review
Broker Screenshots Pepperstone IC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Pepperstone cTrader mobile watchlist Pepperstone TradingView platform web. Pepperstone research The Daily Fix analysis articles. Pepperstone educational learning center.
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 Pepperstone IC Markets
Trust Score info 94 83
Year Founded info 2010 2007
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 3 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Pepperstone IC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
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) Pepperstone IC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info Yes
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Pepperstone IC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1726 3583
Forex Pairs (Total) info 65 61
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) 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 Pepperstone IC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.1 info 0.62 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 0.62 info
Inactivity Fee info No No
Order execution: Agency info Yes Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding Pepperstone IC Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $200
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms Pepperstone IC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info Yes Yes
Trading Tools Pepperstone IC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 15 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Pepperstone IC Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Pepperstone IC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No Yes
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Pepperstone IC Markets
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Pepperstone IC Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review Pepperstone Review IC Markets Review
Overall Pepperstone IC Markets
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 94 83
Winner check_circle
Review Pepperstone Review IC Markets Review
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