Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IFC Markets vs iFOREX, 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.
When comparing IFC Markets and iFOREX, two online brokers established in 2006 and 1996 respectively, it's essential to consider their regulatory backgrounds and trust scores. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. IFC Markets boasts a Trust Score rating of 73 out of 99, categorizing it as a broker with an average risk. The firm holds one Tier-2 regulatory license, which suggests a moderately trusted standing in the financial market.
On the other hand, iFOREX has a slightly higher Trust Score of 75, also placing it within the average risk category according to ForexBrokers.com. Notably, iFOREX holds one Tier-1 license, indicating a higher trust level in its operations. While both brokers have their strengths, iFOREX's possession of a Tier-1 license might offer an edge for those prioritizing regulatory compliance and trust in their trading platforms.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When you compare commissions and fees, IFC Markets publishes more detail than iFOREX. IFC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44 pips, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08, so standard pricing isn’t the cheapest. That said, active traders can find sharper pricing with IFC Markets’ new ECN account, where the effective spread is about 1.1 pips after factoring in the 0.005% commission on both sides of each trade. IFC Markets also has no inactivity fee and offers active-trader discounts, which can help lower total costs.
By contrast, iFOREX does not provide average spread data, so it’s harder to make a like-for-like cost comparison. Without published figures for common pairs such as EUR/USD, traders must rely on live quotes or their own trading to gauge typical spreads and overall trading costs.
Ratings and rankings for commissions and fees: IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 40th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. iFOREX is rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 62nd out of 63.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing IFC Markets and iFOREX by range of investments: both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. iFOREX offers a larger catalog with 750 tradeable symbols and 88 forex pairs, while IFC Markets lists 630 symbols and 49 pairs.
For direct share dealing, neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks; however, IFC Markets lets you buy exchange-traded securities on certain international exchanges, while iFOREX does not. Neither broker sells actual cryptocurrency, but both provide crypto derivatives. Copy trading is available at IFC Markets and not at iFOREX. Both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments; in category rankings from ForexBrokers.com, iFOREX is #42 and IFC Markets is #44 out of 63 brokers.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 750 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 88 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IFC Markets offers more ways to get started and trade: a free demo (paper) account, copy trading, a Windows desktop platform, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and a web-based platform. iFOREX also provides its own in-house platform and a browser platform, and both brokers let you place trades directly from charts. However, iFOREX does not offer a demo account, copy trading, a Windows desktop download, or MT4/MT5 support.
Both brokers are rated 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet their rankings differ: IFC Markets is placed #37 out of 63 brokers, while iFOREX is #55, according to ForexBrokers.com. If you want MetaTrader, desktop access, copy trading, and a risk-free demo, IFC Markets is the better fit; if you only need a simple web platform and the broker’s own app, iFOREX may suffice.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 57 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IFC Markets and iFOREX both offer iPhone and Android trading apps and each earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s 63-broker lineup, IFC Markets ranks 53rd while iFOREX ranks 56th, signaling similar overall quality with a slight edge to IFC Markets.
Feature-wise, IFC Markets includes stock or forex price alerts, watchlist syncing with your online account, 30 technical studies for charts, the ability to draw trendlines, auto-saving of chart drawings, and real-time quote watchlists. By contrast, iFOREX does not offer price alerts, watchlist syncing, trendline drawing, auto-save for drawings, or real-time quote watchlists; its count of technical studies is not listed. Time frame options were not specified for either app in the data provided. If you want alerts, deeper charting, and synced watchlists, IFC Markets is the more feature-rich choice; if you only need basic mobile access on iPhone or Android, iFOREX is available but with fewer in-app tools.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IFC Markets and iFOREX both cover the basics for market research with daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and sentiment tools that show the long/short split across instruments. Neither broker streams forex news from big names like Bloomberg or Reuters, and neither uses Autochartist. One key difference is that iFOREX adds Trading Central research, while IFC Markets does not. IFC Markets does not offer TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; for iFOREX, these specific integrations aren’t specified.
Both brokers earn 3.5 out of 5 stars for Research. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, IFC Markets places #41 out of 63, while iFOREX ranks #49. Choose iFOREX if Trading Central’s technical analysis is important to you. If you want similar core research features and a higher category ranking, IFC Markets is the better fit. Note that neither broker includes premium third‑party news feeds.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IFC Markets and iFOREX both provide beginner-friendly learning, including at least 10 videos made for new traders. IFC Markets also offers at least 10 advanced trading videos, while iFOREX does not. Neither broker runs monthly live educational webinars, and it’s not specified whether either keeps a searchable archive of past webinars. It’s also not clearly stated if they each publish a broader forex and CFD education library of 10+ pieces, or maintain an investor dictionary with 50+ terms.
For overall education, both score 3.5 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com, but IFC Markets ranks higher (#30 of 63) than iFOREX (#53). If you want beginner videos, both fit; if you want more room to grow with advanced video lessons, IFC Markets is the better pick. If you rely on live webinars, note that neither broker offers monthly sessions.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IFC Markets is better than iFOREX. IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45, while iFOREX finished with an overall rank of #52.
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at IFC Markets gain access to multiple trading platforms, a growing range of tradeable markets, and a balanced offering of research and educational content. However, IFC Markets’ Trust Score suffers due to the broker’s limited range of regulatory licenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
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iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 75 |
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Both IFC Markets and iFOREX provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither platform offers the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
IFC Markets vs iFOREX: for deposits and withdrawals, both brokers support bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH/SEPA, iFOREX additionally supports PayPal and Skrill while IFC Markets does not, and 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 | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
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| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 75 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 750 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 88 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). |
| Cost | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 57 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review |
| Overall | IFC Markets | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review |
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