OANDA vs IFC Markets 2026
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs IFC 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.
OANDA vs IFC Markets: OANDA was founded in 1996, while IFC Markets started in 2006. Neither broker is publicly traded nor operates as a bank, so their credibility is tied to their regulatory oversight rather than stock-market reporting or banking rules.
In terms of regulation and trust, OANDA holds seven Tier-1 licenses (the highest level tracked by ForexBrokers.com) and earns a 92/99 Trust Score, which is considered highly trusted (90–99). IFC Markets holds one Tier-1 license and scores 73/99, which falls into the average risk range (70–79). Both brokers hold zero Tier-2 licenses.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
OANDA and IFC Markets both earn 4 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, OANDA places #30 of 63 and IFC Markets is #32 of 63. OANDA’s default spreads tend to be on the higher side, while its optional “core” pricing can trim costs. IFC Markets’ standard EUR/USD spread averages 1.44 pips, and its ECN account can be cheaper for active traders with an effective 1.1 pips after commission.
For OANDA, the average non-core EUR/USD spread was 1.61 pips in July 2024. The core pricing plan lowers spreads but adds a commission of $5 per $100,000 per side (about $10 round turn), with a $10,000 minimum deposit; using the EUR/USD example, that can bring the all-in cost near 1.4 pips versus 1.6 pips on the default plan. OANDA also allows ultra-small trade sizes down to 1 unit, and offers volume-based rebates of $5–$17 per million in select regions. It publishes trailing average spreads for transparency, though not fixed-period averages.
For IFC Markets, the average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips (above the 1.08 industry average). Its ECN account charges a 0.005% commission on both sides, leading to an effective 1.1 pips for active traders. There’s no inactivity fee, and active trader discounts are available. Bottom line: IFC Markets’ ECN pricing can undercut OANDA’s core plan on headline EUR/USD costs, while OANDA stands out for very small position sizing and a clear path to lower pricing via its core tier.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
OANDA vs. IFC Markets: Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot (availability can vary by region) and both offer copy trading. OANDA stands out for sheer variety, listing 4,172 tradeable symbols versus 630 at IFC Markets, and 69 forex pairs compared with 49. For stocks, OANDA lets clients buy exchange‑traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while IFC Markets offers exchange‑traded international shares but not U.S. stocks.
Crypto access differs, too: OANDA offers both delivered cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs, whereas IFC Markets limits you to crypto CFDs. Reflecting this broader catalog and flexibility, OANDA earns 4.5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; IFC Markets receives 3.5 stars and ranks #31.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 49 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Comparing OANDA and IFC Markets on trading platforms and tools, both brokers tick the core boxes. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. You can trade on Windows desktop or through a web browser with either broker, and both support copy trading. Charting is actionable at both firms, letting you place trades directly from charts.
For ratings, OANDA and IFC Markets each earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 rankings, OANDA places #16 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets comes in at #29. That means OANDA holds a higher industry ranking, but both deliver a full-featured platform lineup. Your choice may come down to which interface you prefer and how you plan to use features like copy trading and chart-based order entry.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
OANDA and IFC Markets both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports forex and CFD price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and auto-saving your chart annotations. That means you can analyze markets and manage trades on the go without losing your work between sessions.
The key difference is watchlists: IFC Markets syncs watchlist symbols between mobile and your online account, while OANDA does not. If industry ratings matter, OANDA stands out with a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps score and a #7 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared to IFC Markets’ 4 stars and #34 ranking. Choose OANDA if you want a higher-rated mobile experience; pick IFC Markets if synced watchlists across devices are a priority.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at OANDA and IFC Markets: both publish daily market commentary, offer a sentiment tool showing the long/short ratio across instruments, and include an economic calendar. OANDA goes further with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters and access to Autochartist for technical setups. Neither broker provides Trading Central tools, TipRanks research, or Acuity Trading services.
These differences show up in independent ratings: OANDA earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #30. If you want premium news feeds and Autochartist to help spot opportunities, OANDA is the better fit; if you mainly need commentary, sentiment, and a calendar, IFC Markets covers the basics.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing OANDA vs IFC Markets for beginner education: both brokers provide forex and CFD learning content with at least 10 educational pieces, and each offers more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. The key difference is live instruction—OANDA runs client webinars at least once per month, while IFC Markets does not, which can matter if you prefer real-time Q&A and guided sessions.
In independent ratings, OANDA earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #18 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #25. For beginners who want a richer learning path with live webinars alongside sizable video libraries, OANDA is the stronger pick, whereas IFC Markets remains a solid option if you primarily rely on self-paced videos.
| Feature |
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|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 OANDA is better than IFC Markets. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #13, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 |
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OANDA vs IFC Markets: OANDA lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency and trade crypto CFDs, while IFC Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not support purchasing real, delivered coins.
OANDA vs IFC Markets: For deposit and withdrawal methods, OANDA supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while IFC Markets does not support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill but does offer bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 49 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| 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 | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | OANDA Review |
| Overall | OANDA | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review |