Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill vs ThinkMarkets, 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.
Tickmill and ThinkMarkets, both established online brokerage firms, offer investors platforms to trade various financial instruments. Tickmill, founded in 2014, holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting a commitment to security and compliance. However, with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, Tickmill may raise some concerns as it falls into the trusted category, but not the highest trusted range. Despite this, it remains a reliable choice for many traders seeking a reputable brokerage.
On the other hand, ThinkMarkets, which has been in operation since 2010, boasts 5 Tier-1 licenses and shares a similar Tier-2 license count with Tickmill. These credentials speak volumes about its reliability and adherence to regulatory standards. ThinkMarkets further strengthens its position with a Trust Score of 92, placing it in the highly trusted category. Both companies are privately held and are not banks, but ThinkMarkets stands out for its higher trust rating and extensive regulatory oversight, making it an appealing option for cautious investors.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
Tickmill and ThinkMarkets are two prominent online brokers, yet they differ significantly in their commissions and fees structures. Tickmill provides two main account types: Classic and Raw. The Classic account is commission-free, requiring traders to pay only the bid/ask spread, though at a higher average of 1.76 pips as of August 2023. Conversely, the Raw account, which replaced the Pro account, offers trading with a low spread of 0.11 pips for EUR/USD, but includes a commission charge of $3 per side, equating to $6 per standard lot. Despite the recent rise in commission fees, Tickmill remains a favored choice for active traders due to its low overall trading costs. Furthermore, Tickmill is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers for its commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com and boasts a perfect 5-star rating in this category.
ThinkMarkets, while not providing specific average spread data, offers a competitive trading environment but ranks lower in terms of commissions and fees. ThinkMarkets achieved a 4-star rating and holds the #47 spot out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category on ForexBrokers.com. While this reflects decent value, it indicates that ThinkMarkets may not be as cost-effective for traders focused heavily on minimizing their trading expenses.
In summary, Tickmill's combination of competitive spread rates and clear commission structure garners high ratings and a top position in broker rankings. Its Raw account is particularly attractive for traders looking for low entry barriers and effective cost management, despite a recent fee increase. In contrast, ThinkMarkets, while maintaining reasonable ratings, may not offer the same level of cost efficiency, ranking significantly lower in comparison to its competitor.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.70 | 1.1 |
| 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.
When comparing Tickmill and ThinkMarkets for their range of investment options, both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Tickmill provides access to 637 tradeable symbols, including 63 forex pairs, whereas ThinkMarkets offers a more extensive selection of 4,000 tradeable symbols with 46 forex pairs. Both platforms support copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither supports purchasing actual cryptocurrencies directly. However, a notable distinction between the two is that while Tickmill does not facilitate investing in exchange-traded securities on any exchanges, ThinkMarkets allows investment in exchange-traded securities on international exchanges.
These differences in offerings are reflected in their ratings and rankings. Tickmill scores 3.5 stars for its range of investments and is ranked 42nd out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, ThinkMarkets holds a higher rating of 4.5 stars and ranks 23rd, demonstrating a broader and more preferable array of investment options compared to Tickmill. This makes ThinkMarkets a compelling choice for investors seeking variety beyond traditional forex trading.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 46 |
| 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). | 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 online brokers Tickmill and ThinkMarkets, both offer some solid options for trading platforms and tools, though they cater to slightly different needs. Tickmill and ThinkMarkets both provide a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice before committing real money. While Tickmill does not have an in-house developed platform, ThinkMarkets steps ahead with its proprietary platform. Both brokers offer the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms, with options for desktop Windows downloads and browser-based trading. Both also support copy trading. However, neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Despite their similarities, ThinkMarkets stands out with 15 drawing tools compared to Tickmill's 9, and offers more customizable watch list columns—15 compared to Tickmill's 7.
For users interested in trading directly from stock charts, both brokers provide this feature, enhancing trading convenience. In terms of rankings, ThinkMarkets is slightly higher at 28th compared to Tickmill’s 29th among 63 brokers, as rated by ForexBrokers.com for Trading Platforms and Tools. Despite these nuances, both brokers receive a respectable four-star rating in this category, indicating that either could satisfy a trader's basic needs. Choosing between Tickmill and ThinkMarkets ultimately depends on the individual trader's platform preference and specific needs related to the available trading tools and features. Overall, both brokers offer competitive platforms well-suited for various trading styles.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | No | 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 | 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 | 15 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When exploring mobile trading apps, both Tickmill and ThinkMarkets cater well to iPhone and Android users. They provide essential features like stock or forex price alerts and trendline drawing on charts. Users can also enjoy different time frames for stock and forex chart analysis and benefit from the apps' ability to auto-save drawings. While neither app supports watchlist symbol syncing across devices, they do allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes. This makes both apps handy for traders looking to manage their trades on the go.
In terms of technical analysis, ThinkMarkets surpasses Tickmill by a significant margin, offering 94 technical studies compared to Tickmill's 30. However, both apps have garnered positive reviews with a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Despite both apps receiving the same star rating, ThinkMarkets is ranked 20th, while Tickmill holds the 29th spot out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. This indicates ThinkMarkets is perceived as slightly more favorable in the overall mobile trading app category.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 94 |
| 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.
Both Tickmill and ThinkMarkets provide a solid suite of market research features for online trading. Daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters are available with both brokers. Each also offers sentiment-based trading tools that display the ratio of long or short positions in currency pairs, as well as research tools from Acuity Trading, like Signal Centre. Additionally, both brokers feature an economic calendar to keep traders informed about current and upcoming global news events. However, neither Tickmill nor ThinkMarkets offers technical analysis tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, nor do they provide market research from TipRanks.
In terms of overall research strength, Tickmill is slightly more favorable with a 4-star research rating compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars. This difference is further highlighted in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, with Tickmill at #21 out of 63 brokers, while ThinkMarkets is positioned at #50. This indicates that while both brokers are well-equipped for research, Tickmill may offer a marginally better experience for those prioritizing extensive research capabilities in their trading strategy.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both Tickmill and ThinkMarkets offer a range of materials to help new traders get started in the world of forex and CFDs. Each platform provides more than 10 educational pieces, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars, all focused on the essentials of forex and CFDs trading. For those who benefit from live interaction, both brokers host monthly webinars and maintain archives of past sessions, making these resources easily accessible for learners to revisit at their convenience. Moreover, each broker has crafted over 10 introductory videos dedicated to helping beginners build a solid foundation in trading.
In addition to beginner-friendly content, both Tickmill and ThinkMarkets also supply advanced videos designed for traders with more experience, ensuring that users can continue to learn and grow. Each platform includes an investor dictionary, featuring over 50 investing terms, which equips traders with the vocabulary needed to navigate the financial landscape. While Tickmill is recognized with a 4-star rating for education and ranks 15th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 52nd. These distinctions highlight the slightly higher regard for Tickmill's educational offerings in the broader trading community.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Tickmill is better than ThinkMarkets. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 92 |
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Both Tickmill and ThinkMarkets do not offer the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, focusing instead on cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing traders to engage in digital asset investments without owning the underlying assets.
In comparing online brokers Tickmill and ThinkMarkets, neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers; however, Tickmill provides PayPal for transactions, unlike ThinkMarkets, with both brokers offering Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing and withdrawing account funds.
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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 92 | |
| 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 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 46 | |
| 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). | 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.70 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | No | 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 | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 15 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review |
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