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Home ‣ Compare ‣ IC Markets vs Vantage 2025

IC Markets vs Vantage 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

IC Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $200
  • Trust Score: 84
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 3583
Vantage
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $50
  • Trust Score: 90
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1000

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

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 logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Year Founded info 2007 2009
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 3

Fees

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 logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Minimum Deposit info $200 $50
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.62 info 1.30 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info 0.75 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Comparing IC Markets vs Vantage for range of investments, IC Markets offers a much wider selection with 3,583 tradeable symbols versus Vantage’s 1,000. Both brokers make forex available (via contracts such as CFDs or spot), and each lists 61 currency pairs, so forex choice is similar. If having more instruments beyond forex matters to you, IC Markets clearly provides broader market access.

Looking at specific investment types, neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright, but IC Markets does provide access to exchange-traded shares on certain international exchanges, while Vantage does not. Both support copy trading. Neither sells real cryptocurrency, though each offers crypto derivatives for speculation. Reflecting these differences, IC Markets earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #26 out of 63 for Range of Investments, while Vantage scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #51.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 1000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 61
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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

IC Markets and Vantage both provide excellent platforms and tools for traders at all levels. Both brokers offer a simulated trading experience with free virtual demo accounts, and they also support MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. While IC Markets does not provide a proprietary platform, Vantage has developed its own, giving traders a unique interface option. Both brokers are available on Windows desktop and web-based browsers, enabling flexible trading experiences. IC Markets is well-regarded for including ZuluTrade for social and copy trading, whereas Vantage supports DupliTrade. Copy trading is available on both platforms, offering further versatility to users.

When it comes to charting tools, both IC Markets and Vantage offer 15 drawing tools, and users can trade directly from stock charts, enhancing their trading workflows. Each also offers 7 customizable columns for creating detailed watch lists. Ranked #16 by ForexBrokers.com, IC Markets has a slight edge over Vantage's #21 position, although both received solid ratings of 4 stars out of 5 for their trading platforms and tools. This comparison highlights the strengths of both brokers and suggests that personal preference might guide the final choice between these closely competitive options.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
DupliTrade info No Yes
ZuluTrade info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 7

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

Forex trading apps

IC Markets and Vantage both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and real-time quote watchlists to help you stay on top of the market. One limitation to note: watchlists created on mobile don’t sync with your online account at either broker, so changes made on your phone won’t carry over to the web platform.

For charting, both apps are evenly matched with 30 technical indicators, the ability to draw trendlines, multiple time frames (including intraday and daily), and auto-saving for your annotations. Each earns 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. Ranked by ForexBrokers.com out of 63 brokers, IC Markets places #22, while Vantage comes in at #29, giving IC Markets a slight edge in category ranking.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info No No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

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 logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

When comparing the educational resources available for beginners at IC Markets and Vantage, both platforms offer a wealth of material to jumpstart your trading journey. Each broker provides over ten educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, ensuring you have access to quality content like articles, videos, and archived webinars. Both IC Markets and Vantage host regular monthly webinars and maintain searchable archives for past webinars, perfect for those who want to learn on their own schedule. They also offer dedicated beginner educational videos, which can help demystify trading concepts for new investors.

Beyond beginner resources, IC Markets and Vantage cater to experienced traders with at least ten advanced educational videos. Both platforms provide an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms, making complex jargon easier to understand. In terms of educational quality, each broker earns a commendable four-star rating. Despite their similarities, IC Markets holds a slight edge in ranking, being placed 16th compared to Vantage's 24th position in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com. This differentiation might be worth considering depending on your learning preferences and needs.

Feature IC Markets logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) 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 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 logoIC Markets
Vantage logoVantage
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 90
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 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 IC Markets or Vantage?

Neither IC Markets nor Vantage offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both platforms provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Both IC Markets and Vantage provide several options for depositing or withdrawing account funds, including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, although neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers.

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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 IC Markets Vantage
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 90
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review Vantage Review
Broker Screenshots IC Markets Vantage
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
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.
Vantage mobile trading app charts basic view Vantage client portal trading tools. Vantage client sentiment data.​ Vantage educational forex course lesson quizzes.
Regulation IC Markets Vantage
Trust Score info 84 90
Year Founded info 2007 2009
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 2 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 3 3
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) IC Markets Vantage
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No Yes
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 No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) IC Markets Vantage
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info No No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments IC Markets Vantage
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 3583 1000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 61 61
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info No No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 IC Markets Vantage
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.62 info 1.30 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.62 info 0.75 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes Yes
Inactivity Fee info No No
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes Yes
Execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding IC Markets Vantage
Minimum Deposit info $200 $50
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info No No
Trading Platforms IC Markets Vantage
Proprietary Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info Yes No
DupliTrade info No Yes
ZuluTrade info Yes No
Trading Tools IC Markets Vantage
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 7 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 30 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 15 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading IC Markets Vantage
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info No No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research IC Markets Vantage
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education IC Markets Vantage
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs IC Markets Vantage
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review IC Markets Review Vantage Review
Overall IC Markets Vantage
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 84 90
Winner check_circle
Review IC Markets Review Vantage Review
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