Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of VT Markets 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.
VT Markets, established in 2016, and IronFX, in the business since 2010, are both online brokers that aren't publicly traded or banks. When it comes to regulatory credentials, VT Markets holds one Tier-1 license, signifying a high level of trust, and one Tier-2 license, indicating it's trusted. IronFX outshines VT Markets in Tier-1 licenses, with three that elevate its trust level, but it doesn't hold any Tier-2 licenses.
In terms of Trust Score ratings from ForexBrokers.com, VT Markets scores a 70, which is categorized as average risk. IronFX, however, achieves a score of 83, placing it in the trusted category. This comparison suggests IronFX might offer a more secure trading environment based on its regulatory standing and trust rating.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing VT Markets and IronFX on their commissions and fees, VT Markets offers a choice between two account types: the Raw ECN and the Standard STP. The Raw ECN account features industry-standard pricing with an effective EUR/USD spread of 0.83 pips, inclusive of a 0.6 round turn commission and a 0.23 average spread. Conversely, the Standard STP account is commission-free but comes with a higher spread, typically 1.2 pips for EUR/USD. Both account types have a minimum deposit requirement of $100, allowing traders to start with a modest investment.
IronFX, on the other hand, has opportunities for improvement in cost-efficiency as its spreads seem to exceed the industry average. For its Standard variable spread account, IronFX lists a typical spread of 1.8 pips, though it varies by account type. Notably, their zero fixed-spread account starts at zero spreads but incurs a $18 per lot commission, and overnight spreads widen to 3 pips. This structure might result in higher costs for traders compared to VT Markets.
For commissions and fees, VT Markets holds a superior rating of 4.5 stars and ranks 20th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IronFX has a slightly lower rating of 4 stars and ranks 46th in the same category. This comparison highlights VT Markets as a better choice for traders seeking more cost-effective trading conditions.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | 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.
When it comes to the variety of investment options, VT Markets and IronFX both provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. However, there are notable differences in their offerings. VT Markets boasts an impressive collection of 1,000 tradeable symbols, while IronFX offers a more modest selection of 340. When it comes to forex pairs, IronFX offers a larger selection with 83 pairs, compared to VT Markets' 39. Neither broker provides the opportunity to buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, like Apple shares, as part of their services. However, VT Markets does allow trading on international exchanges, such as the London Stock Exchange, something IronFX does not offer.
For those interested in copy trading, both VT Markets and IronFX support this feature, catering to investors who prefer to mirror the trades of more experienced individuals. When it comes to the cryptocurrency realm, both brokers allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives but not the direct purchase of cryptocurrencies. In terms of overall ratings for the range of investments, both VT Markets and IronFX are rated 3.5 stars. However, VT Markets edges out IronFX with a ranking of 39th compared to IronFX's 51st place in the ForexBrokers.com Range of Investments category, indicating a slightly broader appeal among investment offerings.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 39 | 83 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by VT Markets and IronFX, both brokers provide traders with a range of features to enhance their trading experience. Both VT Markets and IronFX offer simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, as well as access to the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform. While neither broker has a proprietary platform, VT Markets additionally offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5), which IronFX does not. Both brokers support Windows-based desktop platforms and web-based trading options, allowing flexibility in how traders can access the markets. Investors interested in copy trading will find this feature available with both brokers, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade for automated mirror trading.
VT Markets and IronFX each provide the ability to trade directly from stock charts, yet there are notable differences in their charting tools. VT Markets stands out with a greater offering of 30 drawing tools compared to IronFX's 15. Both brokers maintain the same number of columns for watch lists, with seven available fields. When it comes to overall ratings for their trading platforms and tools, VT Markets scores a slightly higher 4 stars out of 5, compared to IronFX at 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, VT Markets is ranked #47 out of 63 brokers for its platforms and tools, while IronFX holds the #61 spot, offering traders a clear picture of their respective standings in the market.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
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) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 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 of VT Markets and IronFX, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessible trading on the go. They equally support stock and forex price alerts, crucial for making timely trading decisions. However, neither VT Markets nor IronFX sync watchlists between their mobile app and online account, meaning these lists must be manually managed on each platform separately. Both apps are equipped with 30 technical studies and support drawing trendlines on charts. Additionally, they offer multiple time frame views, such as daily, weekly, or intraday, catering to various trading strategies. While VT Markets and IronFX both enable the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, only the IronFX app automatically saves chart drawings, adding a layer of convenience for users.
Overall, VT Markets seems to edge out IronFX in overall user satisfaction and ranking. VT Markets receives a commendable 4-star rating for its mobile trading app, while IronFX trails slightly with a 3.5-star rating. Despite a few similar features, ForexBrokers.com ranks VT Markets at #44 out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, whereas IronFX falls behind at #62. For traders who prioritize a slightly higher-rated app experience and don't mind manually saving chart annotations, VT Markets appears to offer a compelling choice.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
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 | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing VT Markets and IronFX for market research offerings, both brokers provide comprehensive daily market commentary that can help traders stay informed. They also deliver timely forex news sourced from reputable outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that their clients remain up-to-date with global financial developments. Both brokers offer technical analytics through Trading Central, which supports traders in making informed decisions. However, only VT Markets provides a sentiment-based trading tool that shows trader positioning ratios across currency pairs, offering an additional layer of insight that could be beneficial for trading strategies.
Despite similar offerings in several aspects, VT Markets and IronFX differ in their research ratings and rankings. VT Markets, with a research rating of 3.5 stars, is placed 36th among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IronFX holds a higher research rating of 4 stars and ranks at 28th place on the same list. Both brokers also feature economic calendars that highlight key global events, aiding traders in anticipating market movements. Nonetheless, neither platform offers tools from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, which may influence the depth and variety of research accessible to their users.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| 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 available for beginners, both VT Markets and IronFX provide foundational content with at least ten resources focused on forex or CFDs, offering articles, videos, and webinars. However, neither broker holds monthly educational webinars. These sessions can be a valuable tool for beginners to learn in a live setting. Both also offer beginner-focused educational videos, providing newcomers with an opportunity to learn trading basics at their own pace.
IronFX takes a slight edge with a searchable archive of webinars, allowing learners to access past content whenever they need a refresher. Both brokers include an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, which is a helpful resource for clarifying trading jargon. IronFX edges out a higher education rating with 4 stars compared to VT Markets' 3.5 stars. Moreover, IronFX is placed higher in educational rankings and holds the 44th position out of 63 brokers, while VT Markets stands at 55th, reflecting a modest lead for IronFX in educational offerings.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | 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 VT Markets is better than IronFX. VT Markets finished with an overall rank of #44, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
VT Markets benefits from being part of the Vantage Group of companies, and provides access to the MetaTrader suite of platforms as well as its own VT Pro trading app.
| Feature |
VT Markets
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 83 |
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Both VT Markets and IronFX do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they both provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives instead.
Both VT Markets and IronFX provide options for depositing or withdrawing account funds via Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal 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 | VT Markets | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | VT Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | VT Markets | IronFX | |
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| Regulation | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 70 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | No | |
| 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No |
| Investments | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 39 | 83 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | VT Markets | 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 | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | VT Markets | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | VT Markets | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | VT Markets | 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 | VT Markets Review |
| Overall | VT Markets | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 70 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | VT Markets Review |
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