Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Vantage 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.
Vantage and IFC Markets are established online brokers, with Vantage founded in 2009 and IFC Markets in 2006. Both companies operate privately and are not affiliated with any banks. When it comes to regulatory credentials that inspire trust, there's a notable difference between the two. Vantage holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are typically seen as highly reliable, and one Tier-2 license. In contrast, IFC Markets has no Tier-1 licenses but does hold one Tier-2 license.
ForexBrokers.com rates brokers based on their trust score, which reflects the security of their regulatory frameworks. Vantage achieves a strong trust score of 90 out of 99, placing it in the highly trusted category. Meanwhile, IFC Markets has a trust score of 73, which falls into the average risk bracket. This comparison highlights how Vantage offers a more assured trading environment based on regulatory oversight, making it a preferred choice for clients prioritizing trust and safety.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
Vantage vs. IFC Markets: commissions and fees comparison. Vantage earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #20 out of 63 for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets scores 4/5 stars and ranks #40 out of 63. Both brokers vary pricing by account type and by the entity that holds your account. In general, Vantage lands around the industry average, whereas IFC Markets’ standard spreads are a bit higher.
Vantage offers three account types: the spread-only Standard STP, plus RAW ECN and PRO ECN with commissions. Typical EUR/USD spreads were 1.30 pips on the Standard account (March 2023). The RAW ECN averaged 0.15 pips plus a $3 commission per side ($6 round turn), for an all-in cost near 0.75 pips. The PRO ECN cuts the commission to $2 per side ($4 round turn), making it Vantage’s best-priced option, though eligibility depends on the regulator/entity (for example, wholesale-client status in Australia or a $10,000 minimum under the Cayman entity). Vantage also offers an active trader program paying $2–$8 per standard lot based on balance and volume (tiers start at $10,000 and go up to $300,000+), but it applies only to the higher-spread Standard account.
IFC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44 pips, above the industry average of 1.08. Active traders can consider the ECN account, where the effective spread is about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission charged on both sides. There’s no inactivity fee, and active-trader discounts are available. Versus Vantage, IFC Markets’ standard spreads are wider, while its ECN pricing narrows the gap; note that Vantage’s RAW ECN all-in cost was about 0.75 pips during the same period, and its PRO ECN reduces commissions further for those who qualify.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.30 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.75 | 1.1 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Vantage vs IFC Markets: Both brokers let you trade forex (as CFDs or spot) and offer copy trading. Vantage lists more to trade overall, with 1,000 symbols and 61 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ 630 symbols and 49 pairs. For crypto, each broker offers derivatives but not the ability to buy actual coins.
The key difference is in real, exchange-traded stocks: neither broker offers U.S.-listed shares, but IFC Markets does provide access to certain international exchanges for actual shares, while Vantage does not. Despite both earning 3.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments, IFC Markets ranks higher (#44 of 63) than Vantage (#51 of 63), likely reflecting its access to international exchange-traded securities.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing Vantage vs IFC Markets for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer free demo (paper) trading, in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, and web-based platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and provides copy trading. A key difference is that Vantage offers DupliTrade, while IFC Markets does not; neither supports ZuluTrade. For charting, both let you place trades directly from charts and include 15 drawing tools. The exact number of built-in technical indicators isn’t specified for either broker.
On usability, both brokers provide seven columns for watch lists. For Trading Platforms and Tools, Vantage and IFC Markets each earn 4 stars, but Vantage ranks higher overall in the category (#21 of 63) than IFC Markets (#37 of 63). If you want DupliTrade or prefer a broker with a stronger category ranking, Vantage has an edge; otherwise, the platform lineups are very similar.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps from Vantage and IFC Markets, both brokers cover the essentials. Each offers iPhone and Android apps, real-time watchlists, stock and forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, multiple time frames, and auto-saving for chart drawings. These shared features make it easy to analyze markets and manage trades on the go without losing your work between sessions.
The key difference is watchlist syncing: IFC Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the online account, while Vantage does not. Despite that, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, Vantage places higher at #29 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets is #53, suggesting Vantage may offer a smoother overall mobile experience even though both deliver similar charting and alert tools.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at Vantage vs IFC Markets: both offer daily market commentary, an economic calendar with global events, and a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning. The big difference is depth. Vantage streams forex news from major outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and adds third‑party analytics from Autochartist and Trading Central. IFC Markets does not provide those newswires or these two popular research suites. Neither broker includes TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools.
For ratings, Vantage scores 4 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #22 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #41. In short, choose Vantage if you want richer news and technical/fundamental tools; pick IFC Markets if you’re fine with core basics like commentary, sentiment, and a calendar.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources offered by Vantage and IFC Markets, both platforms provide a solid foundation for beginners interested in forex and CFDs, each offering over 10 educational materials ranging from articles to videos. However, Vantage takes a step ahead with its monthly online educational webinars, a feature IFC Markets does not offer. In addition, Vantage provides access to a searchable archive of past webinars, allowing users to revisit valuable discussions at their convenience, a resource that new traders may find invaluable and which IFC Markets lacks.
For video content, both brokers extend learning opportunities to beginners and advanced traders alike. Vantage and IFC Markets each provide over 10 beginner-oriented educational videos and the same number for advanced topics, helping traders at any level enhance their trading strategies. Both platforms also feature an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms. Despite these similarities, Vantage slightly edges out IFC Markets with a 4-star education rating compared to a 3.5-star rating for IFC Markets. According to ForexBrokers.com, Vantage is ranked #24 for education among 63 brokers, surpassing IFC Markets, which is ranked at #30. Overall, Vantage appears to offer a more comprehensive educational experience for novice traders.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Vantage is better than IFC Markets. Vantage finished with an overall rank of #26, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
Vantage rounds out its MetaTrader platform suite offering with support for multiple social trading platforms, content powered by Trading Central and a proprietary mobile app. However, Vantage trails industry leaders in key areas such as research and education.
| Feature |
Vantage
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IFC Markets
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| Trust Score | 90 | 73 |
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Both Vantage and IFC Markets do not offer the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers Vantage and IFC Markets, both offer Visa or Mastercard and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, but Vantage stands out by providing additional options like PayPal and Skrill, which are not available with IFC Markets, while neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.30 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.75 | 1.1 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review |
| Overall | Vantage | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review |
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