Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Both Tickmill and IronFX are notable players in the online brokerage industry, though they present differences in their regulatory credentials. Founded in 2014, Tickmill holds two Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning it a Trust Score rating of 86 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. IronFX, founded in 2010, holds three Tier-1 licenses but doesn't possess any Tier-2 licenses and is rated with a Trust Score of 83 out of 99. These scores suggest that both brokers are considered trusted, yet Tickmill holds a slightly higher position in terms of trustworthiness.
Both companies remain private enterprises and do not operate as banks, which could influence their operational dynamics and service offerings. Their regulatory standing, reflected in the number and level of licenses they maintain, plays a crucial role for traders assessing the safety and reliability of each broker. As such, individuals evaluating Tickmill and IronFX should consider these regulatory details alongside other factors like user reviews and trading conditions to make informed decisions.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Tickmill offers two types of accounts: Classic and Raw. The Classic account is commission-free, with traders only needing to cover the bid/ask spread, which is relatively high at 1.76 pips as of August 2023. In contrast, the Raw account, which replaced the Pro account, features competitive spreads with a commission of $3 per side, or $6 per standard lot. Typical spreads for the EUR/USD are as low as 0.11 pips, bringing the all-in cost to 0.71 pips considering the new commission. With a low minimum deposit of $100, the Raw account is particularly appealing for algo traders looking for cost-efficiency. Tickmill earns a strong rating of 5 stars and holds an impressive #4 ranking out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category on ForexBrokers.com.
IronFX has room for improvement in its pricing structure. The Standard variable spread account comes with a typical spread of 1.8 pips, although spreads can fluctuate between account types. Their zero fixed-spread account starts from zero with an $18 per lot commission, but spreads can widen up to 3 pips overnight. Despite these costs, IronFX still manages to garner a 4-star rating, ranking at #46 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees on ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, while Tickmill offers more competitive pricing with low spreads and a straightforward commission structure in their Raw account, making it a favorable choice for active traders, IronFX's spreads tend to be higher and more varied. Consequently, Tickmill leads in both star ratings and rankings for commissions and fees compared to IronFX. Both brokers have their strengths, but Tickmill stands out as a more cost-effective option based on current data.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.70 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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.
Tickmill and IronFX both provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, catering to those interested in foreign exchange markets. Tickmill stands out with an impressive 637 tradeable symbols, but offers fewer forex pairs at 63 compared to IronFX's 83. Neither broker offers direct access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international markets, such as Apple or Vodafone shares. However, both brokers permit copy trading and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing investors to explore a variety of strategies without acquiring the actual asset.
When compared by industry rankings, Tickmill holds a slightly higher position, ranked #42 by ForexBrokers.com for Range of Investments, compared to IronFX's #51 ranking. Both brokers receive a similar rating of 3.5 stars in this category. While Tickmill offers a larger number of overall tradeable symbols, IronFX provides more forex pairs, making both brokers appealing depending on the specific investment needs of the trader. Neither broker facilitates the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, focusing instead on derivatives to meet the needs of those interested in the crypto market.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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.
Tickmill and IronFX both provide users with practical trading platforms and tools designed to accommodate various trading requirements. These brokers offer free demo accounts that allow users to practice trading skills in a risk-free environment. Both brokers support popular MetaTrader platforms, with Tickmill offering both MT4 and MT5, while IronFX only supports MT4. Neither broker has a proprietary platform or offers additional third-party platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Traders can enjoy web-based and Windows desktop platforms from both Tickmill and IronFX, as well as the ability for copy trading.
Charting tools differ slightly between the two brokers, with Tickmill providing nine drawing tools, while IronFX offers fifteen. Both brokers allow trading directly from stock charts, providing a seamless experience for users. When it comes to managing watch lists, both offer seven columns or fields for customization. Tickmill is rated slightly higher for its trading platforms and tools at four stars and is ranked #29 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IronFX holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #61, suggesting Tickmill may offer a more favorable trading environment due to its additional platform features and higher industry rankings.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | 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) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 9 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Tickmill and IronFX offer iPhone and Android apps, making it convenient for traders on the go. They provide essential features such as stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and multiple time frames to view market data. Despite these similarities, there's a notable difference in user ratings and rankings. Tickmill's app is rated 4 out of 5 stars, while IronFX has a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars. In the ForexBrokers.com's Mobile Trading Apps category, Tickmill ranks 29th among 63 brokers, whereas IronFX finds itself further down the list at 62nd place.
Both platforms offer 30 technical studies for charting and the functionality to auto-save drawings, ensuring users do not lose their analysis. They also allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes. However, neither app provides watchlist symbol syncing with online accounts, meaning watchlist adjustments need to be done separately across devices. These facets highlight the strong performance of both apps, yet Tickmill's slightly higher ratings and rank signal a more favorable option for those evaluating mobile trading capabilities.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| 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.
Tickmill and IronFX offer a range of market research tools that cater to forex traders. Both platforms provide daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to advanced analysis tools, Tickmill lacks options from companies like Autochartist and Trading Central, while IronFX provides insights from Trading Central. Moreover, Tickmill stands out by offering a sentiment-based trading tool, helping traders gauge market positions, which IronFX does not offer.
Additional research options vary: Tickmill includes resources from Acuity Trading, while IronFX's offerings from TipRanks are unspecified. Both platforms feature economic calendars to track global news events. Despite these differences, both brokers earn a 4-star research rating. ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill 21st and IronFX 28th among 63 brokers for research, showcasing Tickmill's slight edge in overall market research offerings.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners, both Tickmill and IronFX offer a solid foundation in forex and CFDs education by providing at least ten educational pieces each, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, Tickmill stands out by hosting monthly online educational webinars for clients, a feature IronFX does not offer. Additionally, both platforms provide searchable archives of previously recorded webinars, allowing users to revisit content as needed. Both brokers cater to beginners and experienced traders with a range of videos, but Tickmill provides a more comprehensive selection, including advanced topics for experienced traders which IronFX lacks.
In terms of supplementary resources, both Tickmill and IronFX offer an investor dictionary with definitions of over fifty investing terms, helping users familiarize themselves with essential terminology. Despite both platforms being highly rated for their educational efforts, receiving 4 stars each, Tickmill ranks significantly higher at #15 compared to IronFX at #44 according to ForexBrokers.com. For beginners seeking a more interactive learning experience with a blend of foundational and advanced content, Tickmill appears to offer a more comprehensive package.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 Tickmill is better than IronFX. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
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
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 83 |
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Both Tickmill and IronFX allow investors to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but do not provide options for purchasing actual, delivered cryptocurrencies.
In comparing online brokers Tickmill and IronFX, both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, while Tickmill offers PayPal in addition to the commonly available Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options that both brokers provide.
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 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | IronFX | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | Yes | 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) | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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 | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.70 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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 | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | 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 | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 9 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| 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 | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
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