Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill vs TopFX, 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 TopFX are both online brokerage firms, yet they exhibit notable differences in terms of regulatory standing and trust scores. Founded in 2014, Tickmill has built a solid reputation with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, categorizing it as a trusted broker. In terms of regulation, Tickmill holds two Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, offering a strong level of oversight and assurance to its clients. Unlike many financial institutions, Tickmill is not publicly traded nor is it a bank, making its regulatory licenses a key component of its credibility.
TopFX, established in 2010, has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 67, which places it in the high-risk category. The brokerage holds one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, which indicates a lower level of regulatory backing compared to Tickmill. Like its counterpart, TopFX is neither publicly traded nor a banking institution. Potential investors should consider these regulatory differences when choosing between the two, especially given the varying degrees of trust and oversight each broker institution has earned.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tickmill and TopFX both offer spread-only and commission-based accounts, but their pricing differs in key ways. On ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, Tickmill earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers, while TopFX earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #41 out of 63. For traders focused on total trading costs, Tickmill generally comes out cheaper on EUR/USD when using the commission-based account.
Tickmill’s Classic account is commission-free with higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips). Its Raw account adds a $3 per side commission ($6 round turn per standard lot) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (Oct 2023). After converting the commission to a spread equivalent of 0.6 pips, the all-in cost works out to roughly 0.71 pips per round turn—very competitive for active traders. The Raw account also has a low $100 minimum deposit.
TopFX offers the ZERO (spread-only) account and the RAW (commission-based) account across MetaTrader and cTrader. The ZERO account is commission-free with a 1.03-pip average spread on EUR/USD (July 2024). The RAW account charges 2.75 EUR per side (5.50 EUR round turn) with a 0.33-pip average spread; the commission equates to about 0.55 pips, bringing the all-in EUR/USD cost to roughly 0.88 pips (July 2024)—around the industry average. Minimum deposit varies by payment method.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | Depends on payment method |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.03 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.88 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Tickmill vs TopFX for range of investments: both brokers let you trade forex either as CFDs or in spot form. TopFX lists 655 tradeable symbols versus 637 at Tickmill. Forex coverage is close, with Tickmill offering 63 currency pairs while TopFX lists 60. Both platforms also support copy trading, letting you mirror other traders’ strategies.
Neither broker provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges—you can’t buy real shares like Apple or Vodafone. For crypto, both offer cryptocurrency CFDs but not actual coins. Each earns a 3.5/5 rating for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com; Tickmill ranks #43 of 63 brokers and TopFX ranks #47 of 63. Pick Tickmill if you want a few more forex pairs, or choose TopFX if a slightly larger overall symbol list matters more.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 655 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 60 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Tickmill and TopFX both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and offer trading on Windows desktop and in your web browser. Neither broker has its own proprietary platform; instead, both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4), copy trading, and trading directly from charts. The key difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Tickmill offers MT5, while TopFX does not. Counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist fields aren’t disclosed.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both brokers earn 4 stars. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill at #30 out of 63 brokers and TopFX at #46. If you want access to MT5 along with MT4, Tickmill is the better fit. If you only need MT4 with copy trading on desktop and web, either broker can work well.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and TopFX both check the key boxes for mobile trading. Each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, along with stock and forex price alerts. Their mobile charting includes 30 technical studies, the ability to draw trendlines, and autosaving for your chart drawings. One notable gap is that neither app supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made on mobile won’t sync with your online account’s watchlists.
In terms of quality, both mobile trading apps are rated 4 out of 5 stars. That said, ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill higher at #30 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while TopFX comes in at #52. If ranking matters to you, Tickmill holds a modest edge despite the similar feature sets.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and TopFX take different approaches to market research. Tickmill offers daily market commentary along with forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones). It also includes a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, research from Acuity Trading (e.g., Signal Centre), and an economic calendar. Tickmill does not include Autochartist or Trading Central, and it does not provide TipRanks. TopFX skips daily commentary but delivers top-tier forex news, a sentiment gauge, an economic calendar, plus Autochartist and Trading Central for chart patterns and analytics. TipRanks and Acuity Trading availability at TopFX are not disclosed.
Based on independent reviews, Tickmill scores higher for research (4 out of 5 stars, ranked 21st of 63) than TopFX (3 out of 5 stars, ranked 61st of 63). Choose Tickmill if you want daily commentary and signals from Acuity Trading; pick TopFX if you prioritize Autochartist and Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Tickmill vs TopFX for beginner education: Tickmill clearly leans into teaching new traders. It hosts online client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. TopFX, on the other hand, does not run monthly webinars and doesn’t meet the 10-video threshold in either beginner or advanced categories. If you value frequent webinars and a larger video library that covers forex and CFD topics from first steps to more complex strategies, Tickmill is the stronger fit, while TopFX offers a slimmer selection.
Independent ratings back this up. For Education, ForexBrokers.com rates Tickmill 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 15th out of 63 brokers, whereas TopFX earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 62nd out of 63. Beginners seeking structured, ongoing learning will likely find Tickmill’s lineup more helpful, while TopFX may suit traders who only need a basic intro.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
TopFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 TopFX. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #22, while TopFX finished with an overall rank of #62.
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
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TopFX
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 67 |
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Online brokers Tickmill and TopFX do not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
In a Tickmill vs TopFX comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, Tickmill does not support ACH or SEPA but does support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers (Visa/Mastercard not specified), while TopFX likewise does not support ACH or SEPA and its availability for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires is not specified.
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 | TopFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | TopFX Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | TopFX | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 67 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 655 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 60 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.03 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.88 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | Depends on payment method | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | TopFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | TopFX Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | TopFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | TopFX Review |
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