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.
Tickmill vs IFC Markets: Tickmill (founded 2014) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com Trust Scores out of 99, Tickmill scores 85 (trusted, 80–89), while IFC Markets scores 73 (average risk, 70–79).
In terms of regulation, Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. IFC Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. ForexBrokers.com considers Tier-1 licenses highly trusted and Tier-2 licenses trusted, which can help signal stronger oversight and client safeguards.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
Tickmill has the edge on commissions and fees, especially for active traders. It offers a commission-free Classic account, but its average spread is wider, at 1.76 pips. Its Raw account is the better value for lower trading costs, with a minimum deposit of $100 and a commission of $3 per side, or $6 per standard lot. Even after the recent commission increase, Tickmill still keeps overall trading costs low, with a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips and an estimated all-in cost of about 0.71 pips. Tickmill is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #10 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
IFC Markets is less competitive on pricing overall, though it does have some useful cost-saving features. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, which is above the industry average of 1.08 pips. For active traders, its ECN account is better, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after adding the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. IFC Markets also stands out for having no inactivity fees and for offering active trader discounts. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked #32 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
Overall, Tickmill is the stronger choice if low trading costs are your main goal, while IFC Markets may appeal to traders who value fee waivers and discounts more than the lowest possible spread.
| 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.
Tickmill and IFC Markets both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Tickmill edges ahead on overall variety, with 637 tradeable symbols and 62 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers do not offer actual delivered cryptocurrency.
The main difference in their range of investments is that IFC Markets offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while Tickmill does not offer exchange-traded shares on either U.S. or international markets. Based on ForexBrokers.com, both brokers are rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments, with Tickmill ranked #30 out of 36 and IFC Markets ranked #31 out of 36.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 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 and IFC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, copy trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from a chart, which can make it easier to place orders while reviewing price moves. For everyday traders who want familiar tools and flexible access, both brokers cover the basics well.
The main difference is that IFC Markets also offers a proprietary platform built in-house, while Tickmill does not. Even so, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, showing a similar level of quality overall. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, Tickmill places higher at #24 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at #29.
| 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) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and IFC Markets both give traders mobile access on iPhone and Android, so either broker lets you manage trades from a phone or tablet. Each app also supports watchlist syncing between the mobile app and the online account, and both allow you to draw trendlines on charts. In terms of overall app rating, both brokers are scored 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps.
The main differences come down to features and charting depth. Tickmill does not offer stock or forex price alerts in its mobile app, while IFC Markets does. Tickmill also gives users many more chart studies, with 97 technical indicators compared with 30 at IFC Markets. On the other hand, IFC Markets automatically saves chart drawings, which Tickmill does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, Tickmill places higher at #25 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets ranks #34.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and IFC Markets both give traders useful market research basics, including daily market commentary and an economic calendar that tracks upcoming global events. Neither broker offers forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and neither includes tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks.
Where they differ is in extra research features. Tickmill offers research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, while IFC Markets does not. IFC Markets, however, includes a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions, which Tickmill does not. Overall, Tickmill is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #30.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, Tickmill comes out ahead of IFC Markets. Tickmill offers forex and CFDs learning material, runs online educational client webinars at least once a month, and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. It also earns a 4-star Education rating and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, which suggests a more complete learning setup for new traders.
IFC Markets also offers forex and CFDs education, along with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, but it does not provide monthly educational webinars. Its Education rating is 3.5 stars, and it ranks #25 out of 36 brokers in the same category. In simple terms, both brokers give beginners useful trading content, but Tickmill offers more ways to learn and a stronger overall education experience.
| 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 #23, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #33.
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 | 85 | 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 | 85 | 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 | 85 | 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| 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 CMA 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) | 62 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | 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 | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
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