Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
When comparing online brokers Tickmill and IFC Markets, it's important to look at their regulatory standing and trust ratings. Tickmill, founded in 2014, has made a significant mark in the financial landscape with a Trust Score of 86 out of 99, according to ForexBrokers.com. This score places Tickmill in the 'trusted' category. Tickmill holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses. In contrast, IFC Markets, which was established in 2006, holds a Trust Score of 73, indicating an average risk and has no Tier-1 licenses but one Tier-2 license available. Neither Tickmill nor IFC Markets are publicly traded, nor do they operate as banks, offering similar foundations but varying levels of regulatory confidence.
The distinction in regulatory credentials between Tickmill and IFC Markets is clear, as Tickmill demonstrates a stronger regulatory footing with its Tier-1 licenses, contributing to its higher trust rating. While both brokers provide online trading services, the licensing and trust metrics offer potential clients a basis to assess the comparative security and reliability of these two financial entities. As these factors are crucial for traders, the differences in trust scores and legal authorizations are notable, providing insight into the brokers' adherence to regulatory standards and overall investor protection.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, Tickmill generally comes out cheaper than IFC Markets. Tickmill earns 5/5 stars and is ranked #4 of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Commissions and Fees, while IFC Markets scores 4/5 stars and ranks #40 of 63. Tickmill’s pricing tends to deliver a lower all-in cost on popular pairs like EUR/USD, whereas IFC Markets counters with perks such as no inactivity fees and active-trader discounts.
Tickmill offers two pricing models. The Classic account is commission-free but has wider spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD). The Raw account (formerly Pro) charges a $3 per side commission per standard lot and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips; after the round-turn commission equivalent of 0.6 pips, the all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips. With just a $100 minimum and consistently low spreads, Tickmill remains a top choice for active traders despite the recent commission bump.
IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is around 1.44 pips, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08. Its ECN account is more competitive for higher-volume traders, with an effective spread near 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission charged on both sides. The lack of inactivity fees and availability of active-trader discounts add value, but overall pricing still trails Tickmill’s. For clarity: Tickmill is rated 5/5 stars and ranked #4/63 for Commissions and Fees; IFC Markets is rated 4/5 stars and ranked #40/63.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Tickmill vs IFC Markets for range of investments: both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and both offer copy trading. Tickmill lists 637 tradeable symbols and 63 forex pairs, edging IFC Markets’ 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Each broker provides cryptocurrency trading via CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto.
For exchange-traded shares (not CFDs), neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks; however, IFC Markets does provide access to international exchange-traded shares, while Tickmill does not. Both earn 3.5 stars for Range of Investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, Tickmill places #43 of 63 brokers, just ahead of IFC Markets at #44.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Tickmill vs IFC Markets: both brokers provide free demo (paper) accounts, web-based platforms, and Windows desktop downloads, plus copy trading. Tickmill focuses on the industry-standard MetaTrader suite—MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5)—and lets you place trades straight from charts. IFC Markets also supports MT4 and MT5, and adds its own proprietary trading platform for traders who want an in-house alternative, with the same chart-trading convenience.
For platform quality, both are rated 4 stars for Trading Platforms & Tools by ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill ranks #30 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets ranks #37. Choose Tickmill if you want a straightforward MetaTrader-only setup; pick IFC Markets if you want MetaTrader plus the option of a proprietary platform—while still getting web and desktop access, a demo account, and copy trading.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so you can manage trades on the go. Each app supports price alerts, helping you stay on top of market moves without constantly watching the screen.
For charting, both apps include 30 technical indicators, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved annotations. A key difference is watchlists: IFC Markets syncs your watchlists with your online account, while Tickmill does not. Despite both earning 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill higher (#30 of 63) than IFC Markets (#53 of 63). Choose IFC Markets if synced watchlists matter to you; otherwise, both are similar for charts and alerts, with Tickmill holding the stronger category placement.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both Tickmill and IFC Markets cover the basics for market research: they publish daily market commentary, offer an economic calendar to track key events, and provide a sentiment tool showing the ratio of long vs. short positions. Tickmill stands out by streaming forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and it adds research from Acuity Trading (e.g., Signal Centre). IFC Markets does not include those extras. Neither broker offers Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks.
If integrated news and trade ideas matter to you, Tickmill is the stronger pick; if you just need core updates and calendars, IFC Markets gets the job done. According to ForexBrokers.com, Tickmill earns 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #21 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #41.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Choosing between Tickmill and IFC Markets for learning forex and CFDs? Both brokers offer plenty of video lessons for newcomers, with at least 10 beginner videos each—and at least 10 advanced videos when you’re ready to level up. The big difference is live learning: Tickmill hosts client webinars at least once a month, while IFC Markets does not, which can matter if you prefer interactive sessions and the chance to ask questions.
Looking at independent ratings, Tickmill earns 4 stars for Education and ranks 15th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 3.5 stars and ranks 30th. In plain terms, beginners are likely to find Tickmill’s overall education experience a bit stronger, though IFC Markets still provides a helpful video library for building your forex and CFD trading skills.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Tickmill is better than IFC Markets. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
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Tickmill vs IFC Markets: for crypto trading, neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer trading via cryptocurrency CFDs.
Tickmill vs IFC Markets: for deposits and withdrawals, both brokers do not support ACH or SEPA and both support bank wire transfers, but only Tickmill offers PayPal and Skrill while IFC Markets does not; 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 | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA 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) | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
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