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 Commissions and Fees, thanks to its very tight spreads and low commission charges on Raw Spread accounts. By contrast, Swissquote comes with higher trading costs overall, which reflects its Swiss banking brand and wider range of account structures. Swissquote is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #36 out of 36 brokers in the same category.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity and account type, but its U.K., Luxembourg, and Swiss offerings are generally more expensive than low-cost forex brokers. For example, some Swissquote accounts start with EUR/USD spreads around 1.3 pips or higher, while the better-priced accounts still tend to sit above the cheapest market options. IC Markets, on the other hand, offers a commission-free Standard account with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips, plus commission-based Raw Spread accounts that can keep all-in costs very low.
In simple terms, if your main goal is to keep trading costs down, IC Markets is the better fit. Swissquote may appeal more if you value banking-style account holding and are willing to pay a premium for that name and service. But for everyday forex trading fees, IC Markets has the clear edge.
| 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 traders more ways to diversify than IC Markets. Both brokers offer forex trading, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but Swissquote also lets clients buy real shares on U.S. and international exchanges, as well as actual cryptocurrency. Swissquote lists 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while IC Markets offers a much larger overall selection with 7,435 tradeable symbols but fewer forex pairs at 61.
In simple terms, IC Markets is the better pick if you want a very large number of markets to trade, especially through CFDs. Swissquote stands out for investors who want access to exchange-traded stocks and real crypto, not just CFDs. That broader mix helps explain why Swissquote earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 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 | 7435 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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 | 32 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and IC Markets both make mobile trading easy for iPhone and Android users, and each app includes price alerts plus tools for drawing trendlines on charts. Both also auto-save chart drawings, so users do not have to redo their work when they return to the app. One area where neither broker stands out is watchlist syncing, since watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and online account for either provider.
When it comes to charting, IC Markets offers a slight edge with 32 technical studies compared with Swissquote’s 30. Even so, Swissquote has the stronger overall mobile app profile, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #12 ranking from ForexBrokers.com in the Mobile Trading Apps category, versus IC Markets’ 4-star rating and #22 ranking. For traders who want a more highly rated mobile experience, Swissquote has the advantage, while IC Markets still delivers a solid app with a few extra charting tools.
| 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 | 32 |
| 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 useful market research support, including daily market commentary, news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. Swissquote stands out for its Autochartist tools, while IC Markets does not offer Autochartist but does provide Trading Central, sentiment data that shows long and short positioning, and TipRanks research. Neither broker offers Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre.
Overall, Swissquote has the edge for market research, with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #15 out of 36 brokers in the Research category, compared with IC Markets at 4 stars and #21 out of 36. For traders who want more built-in research aids, IC Markets offers some strong options, but Swissquote comes out ahead on the strength of its research offering.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| 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
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IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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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 | 7435 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| 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 | 32 | |
| 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 | 32 | |
| 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 | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| 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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