Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets 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.
ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 are prominent players in the online brokerage landscape, each bringing a unique approach to their services. Founded in 2010, ThinkMarkets has positioned itself as a highly trusted broker with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 92. Its reliability is underscored by the possession of five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which are notable indicators of safety and credibility in the industry. Interestingly, ThinkMarkets is not publicly traded nor a bank, which remains consistent with the landscape of many online brokerages.
Trading 212, established in 2004, holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 80, indicating a trusted status in the financial community. The firm has secured three Tier-1 licenses, further bolstering its reputation, although it lacks Tier-2 licenses. Like ThinkMarkets, Trading 212 is neither publicly traded nor classified as a bank. This comparison highlights the distinctive regulatory tiers and trust ratings each broker brings to potential investors and traders seeking a dependable online brokerage service.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 both offer competitive options for traders, but they approach commissions and fees differently. ThinkMarkets has earned a solid rating, scoring 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. While specific average spreads aren't available for ThinkMarkets, the broker is ranked 47th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Commissions and Fees category. This indicates a balanced offering that appeals to many traders looking for fairness in pricing.
On the other hand, Trading 212 provides two main accounts: the Invest account, for trading shares, and the CFD account, for trading CFDs. The minimum deposit is modest, with just 1 euro for the Invest account and 10 euros for the CFD account. Although Trading 212 promotes zero-commission trading, traders need to consider the spread costs, which are part of CFD and forex trades. Trading 212 recently shared its average spreads, such as the 2.7 pips spread for the EUR/USD pair in April 2025, which is above the industry average. Despite these higher costs, Trading 212 also garnered 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. Its ranking is slightly lower, placing 49th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, highlighting some areas where it could improve for cost-conscious traders.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | €1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 both offer a wide range of investment options, though they cater to slightly different investor needs. Both brokers provide forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, but Trading 212 offers a significantly larger variety of tradeable symbols at 7,868 compared to ThinkMarkets' 4,000. Forex enthusiasts may also find Trading 212 more appealing, with 146 tradeable forex pairs compared to ThinkMarkets' 46. Trading 212 allows users to trade exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as Apple shares, while ThinkMarkets does not. Both brokers, however, facilitate trading international exchange-listed securities and cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers actual cryptocurrency purchases.
ThinkMarkets stands out with its copy trading option, which Trading 212 does not support. In terms of investment range ratings, Trading 212 earns a perfect score of 5 stars, slightly ahead of ThinkMarkets' 4.5 stars. When looking at industry rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 is placed at #15, whereas ThinkMarkets is ranked #22 out of 63 brokers for their range of investments. These distinctions highlight Trading 212's broader range while pointing to ThinkMarkets' focus on different features, appealing to traders diverse needs.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 ThinkMarkets and Trading 212, both brokers offer robust trading platforms that cater to diverse trader needs. They each provide free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice without financial risks. Both have developed proprietary platforms for unique trading experiences, with ThinkMarkets offering a Windows-based desktop download platform and Trading 212 focusing on web-based accessibility. While both feature web-based platforms, ThinkMarkets extends its offerings with MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are not available on Trading 212. In addition, ThinkMarkets supports copy trading, a feature absent in Trading 212. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
Charting capabilities at ThinkMarkets include 15 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from charts, matching Trading 212's handy feature, yet the latter offers 20 drawing tools for more detailed charting. For managing watch lists, ThinkMarkets provides 15 columns, outpacing Trading 212's five-column structure. Both brokers share a respectable rating of four out of five stars for their trading platforms and tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, Trading 212 holds the 20th position, slightly ahead of ThinkMarkets at 28th out of 63 brokers, emphasizing Trading 212's strong industry standing.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 cater well to users with iPhones and Android devices, offering comprehensive features for trading enthusiasts. Both platforms provide stock and forex price alerts, allowing users to stay informed on the go. Trading 212 takes a step further with watchlist symbol syncing, enabling seamless updates between the mobile app and the online account, a feature absent in ThinkMarkets. Both apps allow users to draw trendlines and view charts across multiple time frames, with auto-save functions to maintain any drawings. Moreover, creating a watchlist with real-time quotes is supported by each app, ensuring an up-to-date trading experience.
For users deeply interested in technical analysis, Trading 212 edges past ThinkMarkets by offering 104 technical studies compared to ThinkMarkets' 94. As for user satisfaction, both trading apps enjoy a four-star rating, reflecting strong positive feedback. However, according to ForexBrokers.com rankings, Trading 212 is slightly ahead, securing the 17th spot, while ThinkMarkets is placed at 20th out of 63 brokers. Thus, while both platforms provide solid mobile trading experiences, Trading 212 offers added convenience for syncing watchlists, which might tip the scales for some traders.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 104 |
| 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.
When comparing the market research offerings of ThinkMarkets and Trading 212, both platforms have distinct features catering to traders' needs. ThinkMarkets provides daily market commentary, which Trading 212 does not offer. Both brokers deliver forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, ensuring traders have access to high-quality information. However, neither platform includes technical analysis or fundamental research tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, leaving room for traders needing these features to look elsewhere. Interestingly, both brokers do provide sentiment-based trading tools that highlight long or short position ratios across currency pairs and other instruments, fostering informed trading decisions.
Beyond that, ThinkMarkets surpasses Trading 212 with its Acuity Trading tools, giving traders additional resources through features like the Signal Centre, something Trading 212 lacks. On the other hand, both platforms offer economic calendars showcasing global news events, which is essential for making strategic trading moves. Despite these differences, both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 receive a research rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 and rank closely on ForexBrokers.com, with Trading 212 at #44 and ThinkMarkets at #50 out of 63 brokers. This indicates room for improvement in both platforms' research services, inviting traders to consider their priorities when choosing between them.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners exploring forex or CFD trading, both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 provide ample opportunities to learn. Both brokers offer a minimum of 10 educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing primarily on these trading areas. ThinkMarkets distinguishes itself by hosting online educational webinars at least once a month, a feature not available with Trading 212. Furthermore, both platforms allow users to access a searchable archive of previous webinars, ensuring that knowledge is always at your fingertips.
For those just starting out, both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 offer at least 10 educational videos tailored specifically for beginners, helping them grasp the basics of trading. Advanced traders are also catered to, with each platform providing over 10 videos on more complex topics. To support users in becoming well-versed in trading terminology, both brokers offer an investor dictionary containing definitions for over 50 investing terms. Although both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 share a 3.5-star rating for their educational offerings, Trading 212 is ranked higher at #20 compared to ThinkMarkets' position at #52 in ForexBrokers.com's education category.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 ThinkMarkets is better than Trading 212. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 |
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Both ThinkMarkets and Trading 212 do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing online brokers, ThinkMarkets does not support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transfers, but does offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, whereas Trading 212 supports ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but not Skrill.
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 | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 2.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 104 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | ThinkMarkets | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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