Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs IC Markets, 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.
Swissquote vs IC Markets: Swissquote (founded 1996) is publicly traded and is a bank, while IC Markets (founded 2007) is privately held and not a bank. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, Swissquote scores 99/99 (highly trusted: 90–99), and IC Markets scores 83/99 (trusted: 80–89).
Regulation also differs. Swissquote holds five Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and two Tier-2 licenses (trusted), while IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. If you prioritize regulation and trust, these details can guide your choice between Swissquote and IC Markets.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, IC Markets is the lower-cost choice for most traders. It earns a 5-star rating and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers for this category, thanks to tight spreads and commission-based accounts that keep trading costs low. Its Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts are especially competitive, with all-in pricing that can be very attractive for active forex traders.
Swissquote, by comparison, is generally more expensive and better suited to traders who value the backing of a Swiss banking group over bargain pricing. It is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity, but its spreads are often wider than those at low-cost forex brokers, with some accounts starting around 1.3 pips on EUR/USD or higher depending on the branch and account type.
In simple terms, IC Markets is usually the better pick if your main goal is to keep trading fees down, while Swissquote may appeal more if you want a banking-style broker and are willing to pay a premium for it. Swissquote does offer lower-cost options in its U.K. and Luxembourg entities, but even there, its pricing still tends to trail the cheapest brokers in the market.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $200 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.62 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.62 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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, Swissquote gives investors more ways to diversify than IC Markets. Both brokers support forex trading, copy trading, international exchange-traded shares, and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, Swissquote stands out with a wider list of tradeable symbols overall, offering 472 compared with IC Markets’ 3,583, and a larger forex lineup too, with 80 pairs versus 61 at IC Markets. Swissquote also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrencies, not just crypto CFDs, while IC Markets does not.
Another key difference is access to U.S. exchange-traded securities. Swissquote allows clients to buy real shares on U.S. markets, such as Apple stock, while IC Markets does not offer this. Both brokers do provide international shares, but Swissquote’s broader asset mix is reflected in its higher ratings: 5 stars for Range of Investments and a #2 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with IC Markets’ 4.5 stars and #22 ranking.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 3583 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and IC Markets both give traders a wide mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users place trades directly from charts, which is helpful for active traders who want to react quickly to price moves. In terms of everyday platform access, both names cover the basics well and offer a familiar setup for beginners and experienced traders alike.
The main difference is that Swissquote also offers its own in-house trading platform, while IC Markets does not. That extra proprietary option may appeal to traders who want something beyond MetaTrader. Swissquote also comes out slightly ahead in overall platform quality, with a 4.5-star rating versus IC Markets’ 4 stars, and a better ForexBrokers.com ranking of #12 out of 36 brokers compared with IC Markets at #17. For trading platforms and tools, Swissquote has a small edge overall.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and IC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts and place trades on either platform while on the move. Each app also includes stock or forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for chart analysis, trendline drawing tools, and automatic saving of chart drawings. One drawback for both brokers is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so updates made in one place will not appear in the other.
Where Swissquote pulls ahead is in overall mobile app quality and ranking. Swissquote is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #22. For traders who want a slightly better-rated mobile experience, Swissquote has the edge, though both brokers cover the main app features most everyday users need.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Swissquote and IC Markets both give traders a solid set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from major providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for tracking important global events. Both brokers also include Autochartist, which can help with technical and fundamental analysis. In these basics, the two are closely matched and offer the kind of research most traders expect.
The main difference is that IC Markets goes a bit further with extra research features. It includes Trading Central tools and a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are leaning long or short on different markets, while Swissquote does not. This gives IC Markets the edge in research depth, though Swissquote still scores higher overall for research, with a 4.5-star rating and a #15 ranking versus IC Markets’ 4 stars and #21 ranking out of 36 brokers.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning resources for beginners, both Swissquote and IC Markets give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 pieces of content, plus online educational webinars held at least once a month. They also both provide at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, so users can build basic skills and later move on to more detailed trading topics.
Swissquote earns a slightly higher education rating, scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared with IC Markets at 4 stars. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks IC Markets higher for education overall, placing it 16th out of 36 brokers, while Swissquote comes in at 19th. For beginners, that means both brokers offer solid learning support, but Swissquote gets the edge in star rating, while IC Markets has the stronger overall category rank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Swissquote is better than IC Markets. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 83 |
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Swissquote allows investors to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas IC Markets offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not provide access to real, delivered coins.
Compared with IC Markets, Swissquote stands out by supporting ACH/SEPA transfers, while both brokers accept PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | IC Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 3583 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.62 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.62 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $200 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | IC Markets Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | IC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | IC Markets Review |
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