Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs Eightcap, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Overall
Overall
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.
IC Markets (founded 2007) and Eightcap (founded 2009) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, IC Markets scores 83 and Eightcap scores 87—both fall in the 80–89 range, which is considered “trusted” (90–99 highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted).
Looking at regulation, Eightcap holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, while IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. Because Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com, Eightcap has a slight edge in regulatory coverage, though both brokers meet a trusted standard.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
IC Markets and Eightcap both offer low-cost trading, but IC Markets has the edge on commissions and fees. IC Markets earned 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, helped by tight spreads and low commission rates on its Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts. Its cTrader account charges $3.00 per side per 100,000 units, while the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges $3.50 per side. The commission-free Standard account is also competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips. IC Markets is especially appealing for active traders, and it even offers discounts for those trading more than 100 standard lots per month.
Eightcap is also a solid choice, but its pricing is a little higher overall. It earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. On its commission-based Raw account, Eightcap lists average spreads of 0.06 pips, but after the $3.50 per side commission is added, the all-in cost is about 0.76 pips. That keeps it near the industry average, though not quite as cheap as IC Markets. Eightcap also offers a spread-only Standard account for traders who prefer simpler pricing.
In short, both brokers keep fees fairly low, but IC Markets is the better pick for cost-conscious traders. If you want the lower all-in trading cost and a stronger overall rating in this category, IC Markets comes out ahead. If you prefer Eightcap’s account setup and are comfortable with slightly higher fees, it still remains a competitive option.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to range of investments, IC Markets gives traders more choice than Eightcap. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but IC Markets lists a much larger total of tradeable symbols at 3,583 versus Eightcap’s 803. IC Markets also offers 61 forex pairs, compared with 55 at Eightcap, which may matter if you want a wider selection of currency markets.
IC Markets also stands out by offering exchange traded securities on international exchanges, such as overseas shares, while Eightcap does not. In addition, IC Markets supports copy trading, which Eightcap does not provide. Neither broker lets clients buy actual U.S. shares or delivered crypto, but based on the overall investment range, IC Markets comes out ahead with a 4.5-star rating and a #22 ranking from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Eightcap’s 3.5 stars and #30 ranking.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
IC Markets and Eightcap both give traders a strong choice of platforms and tools, with free demo accounts, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Neither broker offers a proprietary platform, and both let users trade directly from charts. Each also earns a 4-star rating for trading platforms and tools, which suggests a similar overall experience for most traders.
The main difference is copy trading: IC Markets offers it, while Eightcap does not. That gives IC Markets an extra option for traders who want to follow and copy other investors. Still, both brokers cover the core platform needs well, though IC Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com in this category at #17 out of 36, compared with Eightcap at #32 out of 36.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 100 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and Eightcap both make it easy to trade on the go, since each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts for stocks and forex. Both apps also let you draw trendlines on charts and save those drawings automatically, which is helpful if you like to mark up charts and return to them later. Each broker earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so both deliver a solid experience for everyday mobile trading.
The biggest difference comes down to charting tools and app syncing. Eightcap supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the mobile app carry over to the online account and vice versa, while IC Markets does not. Eightcap also gives traders more chart studies, with 100 technical indicators compared with IC Markets’ 30. Even so, IC Markets ranks higher overall for mobile trading apps, placing #22 out of 36 brokers, while Eightcap ranks #32 out of 36.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, IC Markets has the edge over Eightcap. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, so traders can follow current market themes and upcoming events at either provider. However, IC Markets adds more depth with forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus extra research tools from Autochartist and Trading Central. Eightcap does not offer those specific news and analysis resources, but it does include Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre, which IC Markets does not.
Overall, IC Markets scores higher for research, with 4 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #21 out of 36 brokers in the category. Eightcap trails slightly with 3.5 stars and a #34 ranking. If you want a broker with a wider range of market research tools and premium news coverage, IC Markets is the stronger choice, while Eightcap still covers the basics and offers a few useful extras of its own.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, IC Markets has the edge over Eightcap. IC Markets offers forex and CFD learning content, monthly educational webinars, at least 10 beginner trading videos, and 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, which suggests a stronger overall learning setup for new traders who want room to grow.
Eightcap also provides at least 10 beginner videos and forex or CFD education materials, but it falls behind IC Markets in key areas. It does not offer monthly client webinars and does not have at least 10 advanced educational videos, which may matter for traders who want more live guidance and deeper learning content. Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #31 out of 36, making it a more limited choice for beginners who want a wider range of educational support.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 IC Markets is better than Eightcap. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
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Eightcap
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 |
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IC Markets vs Eightcap: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
IC Markets vs Eightcap: both online brokers support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, do not support ACH or SEPA, and Visa/Mastercard availability 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 | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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) | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 100 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
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