Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs Vantage, 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 Vantage are both well-established online brokers, with IC Markets founded in 2007 and Vantage in 2009. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank, focusing solely on brokerage services. When it comes to licensing, both hold two Tier-1 licenses, which are considered highly trusted. Vantage holds an additional Tier-2 license, adding to its credibility, while IC Markets does not hold any Tier-2 licenses.
Looking at their Trust Scores as rated by ForexBrokers.com, Vantage edges out IC Markets with a score of 90, categorizing it as highly trusted. IC Markets follows closely with a respectable score of 84, marking it as trusted. These scores reflect their regulatory standings and can be helpful for those choosing between these two brokers.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
IC Markets and Vantage both offer tiered pricing based on account type and which regulatory entity holds your account, but IC Markets generally comes in cheaper. IC Markets is rated 5.0 stars for Commissions & Fees and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers, while Vantage earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20. IC Markets also earned Best in Class honors for Commissions & Fees in the 2024 Annual Awards, reflecting its very low effective spreads and low deposit requirement for commission-based accounts.
IC Markets has three accounts: Standard (spread-only), Raw Spread (MT4/MT5), and cTrader Raw. On EUR/USD, IC Markets lists a 0.02-pip average spread (Aug 2022) on its Raw accounts; after commission, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader ($3 per side, $6 RT) and about 0.72 pips on MetaTrader ($3.5 per side, $7 RT). The Standard account averages 0.62 pips with no commission. IC Markets also offers volume discounts for traders doing over 100 standard lots a month and supports multiple entities (EU, Australia, Seychelles), which can influence your final pricing.
Vantage offers a Standard STP account (spread-only) with typical EUR/USD spreads of 1.30 pips (Mar 2023), plus two commission accounts: RAW ECN (about 0.15 pips + $3 per side, $6 RT, totaling ~0.75 pips) and PRO ECN ($2 per side, $4 RT). The PRO ECN account has eligibility hurdles: in Australia you must qualify as a wholesale client; under the Cayman entity you need at least $10,000. Vantage’s active trader rebates ($2–$8 per lot) apply only to the higher-spread Standard account. Bottom line: Vantage’s pricing tracks the industry average, but IC Markets typically undercuts it on all-in costs, especially on EUR/USD.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.30 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.75 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IC Markets and Vantage both support forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts and each offers 61 currency pairs. The big difference is breadth: IC Markets lists 3,583 tradeable symbols versus 1,000 at Vantage. Both brokers provide copy trading and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto.
For exchange-traded securities, neither broker offers U.S. stocks. However, IC Markets does provide access to certain international exchanges, while Vantage does not. Reflecting the wider lineup, IC Markets earns 4.5/5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #26 out of 63 brokers, compared with Vantage’s 3.5/5 stars and #51 ranking. If you value more instruments and access to some international shares, IC Markets is the stronger fit; if you only need the essentials, Vantage may suffice.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 61 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 vs Vantage: both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, Windows desktop and web-based platforms, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. These overlaps make either option workable for beginners and experienced traders alike.
The main difference is platform choice. Vantage provides a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader, while IC Markets sticks to third‑party platforms without a proprietary alternative. Despite both earning 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, IC Markets ranks higher in this category (#16 of 63) than Vantage (#21 of 63). If you want a broker-built platform experience, Vantage stands out; if you prefer the MetaTrader ecosystem and a slightly higher category ranking, IC Markets may be the better fit.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| 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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and Vantage both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, offers 30 built-in technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, and automatically saves your chart drawings. One notable limitation for both: watchlists created in the mobile app don’t sync with your web account.
In terms of quality scores, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars. Looking at industry rankings from ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets sits at #22 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Vantage is #29. If charting tools and alerts are your priority, the two are evenly matched; if rankings sway your choice, IC Markets holds a slight edge.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both IC Markets and Vantage deliver a comprehensive suite of market research tools for traders, ensuring daily updates and access to critical forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They each provide access to technical and fundamental analysis tools, including Autochartist and Trading Central, alongside offering sentiment analysis tools that help traders gauge market bias across different currency pairs. Both platforms also feature economic calendars that keep traders informed about global news events. However, neither of the brokers offers research tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading, such as the Signal Centre.
When it comes to research satisfaction, IC Markets and Vantage are equally rated with four out of five stars. In terms of their research category ranking among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, Vantage slightly edges out IC Markets, ranking 22nd compared to the 23rd place of IC Markets. Overall, both brokers present solid research offerings to assist traders in making well-informed decisions.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IC Markets and Vantage both make it easy for new traders to learn the basics of forex and CFD trading. Each broker offers a sizable education hub with at least 10 pieces of content focused on these markets—spanning articles, videos, and archived webinars—and they both host ongoing educational webinars at least once a month to help clients grow step by step.
For videos, beginners are well covered: both IC Markets and Vantage provide 10 or more beginner-focused lessons, plus another 10 or more for advanced topics as you progress. Education quality is neck and neck at 4 out of 5 stars, but IC Markets holds a higher category placement in the latest ForexBrokers.com review (#16 of 63) compared with Vantage (#24 of 63). In short, either works for getting started, while IC Markets earns a slight edge on overall standing.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vantage. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20, while Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26.
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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Vantage
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 90 |
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IC Markets vs Vantage: neither broker allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading without owning the underlying asset.
Both online brokers IC Markets and Vantage do not support ACH or SEPA transfers but do support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while availability of Visa or Mastercard funding is not specified.
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 | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | Vantage | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 84 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.30 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.75 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | Vantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | Vantage | |
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| Trust Score | 84 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Vantage Review |
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