Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Markets.com vs Trading 212, 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, established in 1999, and Trading 212, founded in 2004, are both online brokers that are not publicly traded and do not operate as banks. When it comes to regulation and trustworthiness, Markets.com shines with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93, placing it in the highly trusted category. It holds three Tier-1 licenses, considered highly trusted, along with one Tier-2 license, which is deemed trusted. This regulatory strength helps assure users of its reliability in the financial markets.
Trading 212, while founded five years later in 2004, maintains a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 80. This positions the broker in the trusted category, largely thanks to its three highly regarded Tier-1 licenses. However, unlike Markets.com, Trading 212 does not have any Tier-2 licenses. Both brokers are recognized for their adherence to regulatory standards, offering safe environments for trading and investment, yet Markets.com holds a slight edge with its higher trust score and additional licensing.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2004 |
| 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 | 0 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Trading 212 edges out Markets.com with a higher rating and slightly better category placement. Trading 212 earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #50 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, while Markets.com holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #51 out of 63. Both sit mid-pack, but Trading 212 has the slight advantage in our ratings.
Markets.com does not publish average spread data, making it harder to gauge typical trading costs at a glance. Without this benchmark, traders may find it challenging to compare Markets.com’s day-to-day pricing versus peers that share detailed spread information.
Trading 212 offers two account types: Invest (shares) with a 1 EUR minimum deposit and CFD (contracts for difference) with a 10 EUR minimum deposit; the CFD account is the focus here. While Trading 212 advertises zero-commission trading, you still pay the spread on CFDs and forex. The broker has begun publishing average spreads, which helps with price transparency. For April 2025, its average spread on EUR/USD was 2.7 pips—higher than the industry average—so forex and CFD traders may still face higher costs despite the no-commission pitch.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Markets.com vs Trading 212 for range of investments, Trading 212 offers a much larger lineup with 7,868 tradeable symbols and 146 forex pairs, while Markets.com lists 2,179 symbols and 57 forex pairs. Both support forex trading via CFDs and/or spot, and both provide cryptocurrency CFDs (but not the ability to buy actual crypto).
For real share dealing, Trading 212 stands out by offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London), whereas Markets.com does not offer direct stock investing. Markets.com does include copy trading, which Trading 212 lacks. Reflecting this breadth, Trading 212 is rated 5/5 stars and ranks #16 of 63 for Range of Investments, while Markets.com earns 4/5 stars and ranks #30. Choose Trading 212 for the widest selection and access to real shares; pick Markets.com if copy trading is a priority.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 146 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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 Trading 212 both offer free demo (paper) accounts and run their own in-house platforms alongside web-based trading. If you want a downloadable Windows desktop platform, Markets.com has one while Trading 212 does not. Markets.com also supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and includes copy trading—features Trading 212 doesn’t provide. By contrast, Trading 212 lets you place trades directly from a chart, which Markets.com doesn’t support.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for platforms and tools. However, in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings across 63 brokers, Trading 212 is placed at #20 compared with Markets.com at #27, giving Trading 212 a slight edge in this category.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 54 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Markets.com and Trading 212 both check the basics for mobile trading: each has iPhone and Android apps, supports price alerts, and syncs watchlists across devices and the web. Both earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, but Trading 212 ranks higher with ForexBrokers.com (#17 of 63) compared with Markets.com (#34 of 63).
For charting, Trading 212 pulls ahead. It includes 104 technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, and automatically saves your drawings. Markets.com also allows trendlines, but its own app doesn’t offer built-in technical studies and it doesn’t auto-save drawings. If you use the MT4 app through Markets.com, you get MT4’s standard indicators, but within the Markets.com app itself, Trading 212 offers the richer in-app charting toolkit.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research at Markets.com versus Trading 212: Markets.com provides daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not. Both brokers deliver forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and each includes an economic calendar and a sentiment tool that displays the long/short ratio across instruments. Neither platform currently offers research tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
For ratings, Markets.com scores 4.0 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks 17th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212 scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 45th out of 63. If daily commentary matters to you, Markets.com has the edge; if you just need quality news, a calendar, and sentiment data, both platforms cover those essentials.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Markets.com vs Trading 212 for beginners: both brokers offer plenty of videos to get you started, with at least 10 beginner-focused lessons and 10 more for advanced topics. If live learning matters, Markets.com runs client webinars every month, while Trading 212 does not. Both brokers’ video libraries cover common trading themes that include forex and CFDs, helping new traders build a foundation and progress at their own pace.
In expert reviews, Markets.com earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 34th out of 63 brokers. Trading 212 earns 3.5 out of 5 stars but ranks higher at 21st out of 63. Pick Markets.com if you value live webinars alongside structured videos. Choose Trading 212 if you prefer a self-directed video library and a broker that places higher in category rankings.
| Feature |
Markets.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Markets.com is better than Trading 212. Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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.
| Feature |
Markets.com
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Trading 212
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 93 | 80 |
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In the Markets.com vs Trading 212 comparison, neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
In a funding-methods comparison of online brokers Trading 212 vs Markets.com: Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers but not Skrill, while Markets.com does not support ACH/SEPA and provides no specified details for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, or bank wires.
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 | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2004 | |
| 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 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 2179 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 57 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 54 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Markets.com | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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