Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs PU Prime, 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.
IC Markets and PU Prime are both private forex brokers that are not listed on a stock exchange and are not banks. IC Markets was founded in 2007 and holds 2 Tier-1 licenses, which ForexBrokers.com treats as highly trusted, plus 0 Tier-2 licenses. It has a Trust Score of 83 out of 99, placing it in the trusted range. PU Prime was founded in 2015 and holds 1 Tier-1 license and 2 Tier-2 licenses, with a Trust Score of 79 out of 99, which ForexBrokers.com classifies as average risk.
For traders comparing regulation and trust, IC Markets has the edge on overall confidence because it holds more top-level licenses and has the higher Trust Score. PU Prime still has regulatory oversight, but its lower Trust Score means it falls just below the trusted range and into average risk territory by ForexBrokers.com standards.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2015 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
IC Markets and PU Prime both offer pricing that can work well for low-cost trading, but they suit different types of traders. IC Markets earns a 5-star rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, helped by its very tight spreads and low commission pricing on Raw Spread accounts. Its cTrader Raw Spread account charges $3.00 per side per standard lot, while the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges $3.50 per side, and its commission-free Standard account is also competitively priced with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips.
PU Prime is rated 4.0 stars and ranks #22 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees. It offers four account types: Standard and Cent accounts with costs built into the spread, plus Prime and ECN accounts with lower spreads and separate commissions. The Prime account charges $3.50 per side per standard lot, while the ECN account has the lowest commission at just $1 per side, though it requires a much higher minimum deposit of $10,000. For beginners, PU Prime’s Standard and Cent accounts are simple to use, but active traders may find IC Markets more appealing overall on price.
In short, IC Markets is the stronger choice if your main goal is keeping trading costs as low as possible, especially for frequent forex trading. PU Prime gives traders more account options and lower entry points, but its overall fees are not quite as competitive. If you want the better blend of low spreads and low commissions, IC Markets stands out as the better-value broker.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50.00 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.9 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, IC Markets offers a wider selection than PU Prime. IC Markets lists 7,435 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs, while PU Prime offers 1,000 symbols and 55 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual shares on U.S. or international exchanges, or purchase delivered crypto. For everyday traders, that means both are focused more on derivative products than on direct ownership.
Overall, IC Markets has the edge for choice and variety, which is reflected in its 4.5-star Range of Investments rating and #22 ranking out of 36 brokers. PU Prime is still a solid option, but its smaller product list gives it a 4.0-star rating and a #29 ranking. If you want a broader set of markets to trade, IC Markets is the stronger pick; if your needs are simpler, PU Prime still covers the main bases.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7435 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 |
| 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.
IC Markets and PU Prime both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including free demo accounts for practice, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Neither broker offers a proprietary platform, so both focus on widely used third-party tools that many traders already know. Each also lets users place trades directly from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier when watching price moves.
For trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated well, with IC Markets scoring 4 out of 5 stars and PU Prime also landing at 4 out of 5. Even so, IC Markets holds a higher rank in this category from ForexBrokers.com, placing #17 out of 36 brokers, compared with PU Prime at #25. In simple terms, both brokers offer similar core tools, but IC Markets has the edge in overall category ranking.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 32 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and PU Prime both give traders the basics they need in a mobile app, with iPhone and Android apps available, price alerts supported, trendline drawing included, and drawings saved automatically. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account, so changes made on one device will not carry over to the other. For everyday trading on the go, both apps cover the core functions most users expect.
Where IC Markets has the edge is charting depth. Its mobile app includes 32 technical studies, compared with 14 at PU Prime, which may matter more to traders who rely on chart analysis. Both brokers earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, but IC Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #22 out of 36 brokers, while PU Prime sits at #27. In short, both are solid mobile choices, but IC Markets offers the stronger charting experience.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 32 | 14 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and PU Prime both give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each broker covers the basics for following news and scheduled events. Both also include Trading Central research tools, which can help with technical analysis. IC Markets stands out further by offering forex news from major providers such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and market research from TipRanks. These extra features give IC Markets a wider range of research options for traders who want more detail before placing trades.
PU Prime also offers daily commentary and Trading Central tools, and it adds Autochartist, which IC Markets does not provide. However, PU Prime does not include top-tier forex news, sentiment data, or TipRanks research. That difference is reflected in their research ratings: IC Markets scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com, while PU Prime scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and does not have a listed ranking.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IC Markets and PU Prime both give beginners a solid range of learning tools, including forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content, monthly educational webinars, and 10 or more beginner videos, plus advanced videos for more experienced traders. That means both brokers make it fairly easy for new traders to start learning the basics and keep building their skills over time. If you want the stronger education offering overall, IC Markets stands out more clearly, with a 4-star education rating and a #16 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com.
PU Prime still offers a useful mix of beginner-friendly learning content and regular webinars, but its education section is rated a bit lower at 3.5 stars and is ranked #29 out of 36 brokers for education. In simple terms, both brokers cover the key learning needs of beginners, but IC Markets appears to provide the better educational experience, with a broader and better-rated resource library for traders who want more support as they learn.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 IC Markets is better than PU Prime. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21, while PU Prime finished with an overall rank of #34.
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
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PU Prime
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 79 |
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When comparing IC Markets vs PU Prime, neither online broker offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both do provide cryptocurrency CFDs for traders looking to speculate on crypto price movements without owning the underlying asset.
When comparing IC Markets vs PU Prime for funding methods, PU Prime supports ACH and SEPA transfers while IC Markets does not, IC Markets offers PayPal and both brokers support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa or Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | PU Prime Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2015 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | ||
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7435 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 | |
| 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 | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.9 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | ||
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50.00 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 32 | 87 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 32 | 14 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review | PU Prime Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | PU Prime | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | PU Prime Review |
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