Markets.com vs IronFX 2025
In this head to head comparison of Markets.com vs IronFX, 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 Markets.com vs IronFX, 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.
Markets.com and IronFX are both reputable online brokers, but they each have their unique attributes, especially regarding regulation and trust ratings. Markets.com was established in 1999 and holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. According to ForexBrokers.com, these licenses contribute to its high trust score of 93 out of 99, indicating it is highly trusted. In contrast, IronFX, founded in 2010, likewise holds three Tier-1 licenses but does not have any Tier-2 licenses. It has a trust score of 83 out of 99, reflecting a trusted status. Importantly, neither broker is a publicly traded company or a bank.
The regulatory landscape can help potential investors determine which broker might be the best fit. Markets.com's slightly higher trust score and additional Tier-2 license might appeal to those who prioritize regulatory security. Meanwhile, IronFX's solid Tier-1 licensing and decade-long presence in the market still make it a strong contender in the trading community. Both platforms offer a secure environment, but differences in trust scores and regulatory credentials could sway decisions based on individual preference for regulatory backing.
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Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
Bank | No | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, IronFX has a slight edge over Markets.com in third-party ratings. IronFX earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #47 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while Markets.com holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #51 of 63. That said, each broker structures costs differently, which can change your real trading expense.
IronFX lists a typical spread of 1.8 pips on its Standard variable account (no date range provided), and notes that pricing varies by account type. Its Zero fixed-spread account can start at 0 spread but adds a $18 per lot commission, with spreads widened to 3 pips overnight. Overall, IronFX’s spreads appeared higher than the industry average, so it pays to compare account types and trading times.
Markets.com does not provide average spread data, making direct apples-to-apples comparisons tougher. If commissions and fees are your priority, consider checking live quotes and any account-specific costs to gauge your likely all-in price before choosing between Markets.com and IronFX.
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Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.2 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Markets.com vs IronFX for range of investments: both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. Markets.com lists 2,179 tradeable symbols, far more than IronFX’s 340, while IronFX offers more currency pairs (83 vs 57). In short, Markets.com covers more markets overall, and IronFX leans toward a deeper selection of forex pairs.
Neither broker lets you buy real, exchange-traded shares in the U.S. or abroad; stock exposure is via CFDs. Both support copy trading. Neither sells actual crypto, but both offer cryptocurrency derivatives. In the Range of Investments ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Markets.com scores 4 stars and ranks 30th out of 63 brokers, while IronFX scores 3.5 stars and ranks 52nd.
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 340 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 83 |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
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). | 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.
Markets.com and IronFX both offer free paper trading demo accounts, desktop downloads for Windows, and web-based platforms, plus copy trading. Markets.com adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while IronFX sticks with MT4 and does not offer MT5 or its own platform. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For trading tools, IronFX lets you place trades directly from a stock chart and includes 15 drawing tools, while Markets.com does not support trading from charts and offers 4 drawing tools. Watchlists are slightly deeper at IronFX (7 fields) versus Markets.com (6). Indicator counts weren’t specified for either broker. In independent testing, Markets.com earned 4 stars and ranked 27th out of 63 brokers for trading platforms and tools, compared with IronFX at 3.5 stars and 62nd. Choose Markets.com if you want MT5 and a proprietary platform; pick IronFX if trading from charts and more drawing tools matter most.
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
DupliTrade | No | No |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 4 | 15 |
Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Markets.com and IronFX both offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, trendline drawing, and watchlists featuring real-time quotes. Markets.com stands out for watchlist syncing across mobile and web, while IronFX does not sync. In third-party ratings, Markets.com scores 4 stars and ranks #34 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, compared with IronFX at 3.5 stars and #63.
For charting, IronFX includes 30 technical indicators, offers multiple time frames, and auto-saves drawings. Markets.com’s own app has no built-in indicators and does not support multiple time frames or auto-saving drawings; if you use MT4 with Markets.com, you’ll get MT4’s default indicators instead. Choose Markets.com if synced watchlists and overall rating matter most, or IronFX if you want more built-in indicators and flexible time-frame viewing on mobile.
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Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 30 |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | No | Yes |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Markets.com and IronFX both deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and a handy economic calendar. Neither broker includes Autochartist. Markets.com stands out with a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions across instruments, while IronFX does not offer this. IronFX, however, features Trading Central research tools, which Markets.com does not. Markets.com does not provide TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools, and IronFX has not disclosed whether it offers TipRanks or Acuity integrations.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for research from ForexBrokers.com, yet Markets.com ranks higher (#17 of 63) than IronFX (#29 of 63). Choose Markets.com if trader sentiment insights matter to you; pick IronFX if you want access to Trading Central, as the core news and daily commentary are similar across both.
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
Autochartist | No | No |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
TipRanks | No | |
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Markets.com and IronFX provide different benefits for prospective traders. Markets.com excels in offering monthly online webinars, which can be a helpful tool for real-time learning and interaction. Additionally, this broker provides a good selection of beginner and advanced educational videos, making it appealing for traders who want to build their skills progressively. However, Markets.com falls short in providing a wide array of educational articles or a comprehensive investor dictionary for those who prefer learning through reading and terminology clarification.
IronFX, on the other hand, stands out with its extensive library of educational content related to forex and CFDs, making it a solid choice for beginners who prioritize a wealth of written or video materials. The broker also offers a searchable archive of previously recorded webinars and an investor dictionary, enriching the learning experience. Where IronFX lags is in the absence of regular live webinars, which could otherwise enhance direct engagement with learning content. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses in educational offerings, resulting in each receiving a four-star rating for education, with Markets.com slightly edging ahead in overall ranking.
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | No | Yes |
Client Webinars | Yes | No |
Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Markets.com is better than IronFX. Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
Thanks to its web-based MarketsX platform, Markets.com is easy to use and new trader friendly. However, Markets.com is pricey and lacks the feature-rich trading tools required to compete with the best trading platforms.
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Trust Score | 93 | 83 |
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Both Markets.com and IronFX do not offer the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Markets.com and IronFX provide Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing or withdrawing funds, but neither offers ACH, SEPA, nor PayPal as payment methods for transactions.
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 5Overall Rating | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
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Broker Screenshots | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Regulation | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
Bank | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
Investments | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 340 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 83 | |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
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). | 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 | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.2 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
Funding | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
Trading Platforms | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
cTrader | No | No | |
DupliTrade | No | No | |
ZuluTrade | No | No |
Trading Tools | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
Alerts - Basic Fields | No | Yes | |
Watchlists - Total Fields | 6 | 7 | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 4 | 15 | |
Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 30 | |
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | No | Yes | |
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
Mobile Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
Research | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
Autochartist | No | No | |
Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
TipRanks | No | ||
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Education (Forex or CFDs) | No | Yes | |
Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Major Forex Pairs | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
NZD/USD | Yes | ||
AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
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Overall | Markets.com | IronFX | |
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Trust Score | 93 | 83 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
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