Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs IFC Markets, 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.
eToro vs IFC Markets: for regulation and safety, eToro (founded 2007) is publicly traded and not a bank. It holds four Tier-1 licenses (the most trusted category) and one Tier-2 license. IFC Markets (founded 2006) is not publicly traded and is not a bank, with one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses.
Per ForexBrokers.com, eToro’s Trust Score is 97/99 (90–99 = highly trusted). IFC Markets scores 73/99 (70–79 = average risk). On this scale, 80–89 is trusted, 60–69 is high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted. These ratings help indicate each broker’s oversight and potential risk.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, eToro and IFC Markets are both rated 4 out of 5 stars, but eToro has the edge in the ForexBrokers.com ranking at #23 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at #33. eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is a bit above the industry average. Most retail traders are drawn to eToro less for low spreads and more for its social copy trading features.
IFC Markets is also rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but its pricing is a little less competitive overall. Its average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, above the industry average of 1.08. That said, active traders may find better value with IFC Markets’ ECN account, where the effective spread comes to about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade.
For extra savings, eToro’s VIP program, called eToro Club, offers five tiers from Silver to Diamond for balances between $5,000 and $250,000, with perks like Trading Central access, lower deposit and withdrawal fees, and a dedicated account manager. IFC Markets does not charge inactivity fees and also offers active trader discounts, which can help lower costs for more frequent trading.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to range of investments, eToro offers a much wider selection than IFC Markets. eToro lists 7,441 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, compared with 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs at IFC Markets. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and let clients trade international exchange-listed shares. However, only eToro also gives access to U.S.-listed exchange traded securities, such as Apple shares.
Crypto access is another key difference. eToro lets users buy actual cryptocurrency as well as cryptocurrency CFDs, while IFC Markets offers only crypto CFDs. These differences help explain why eToro receives a 5-star rating for Range of Investments and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #32.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
eToro and IFC Markets both give traders a solid mix of platform choices, including a free demo account, a web-based trading platform, and their own in-house platform. Each also supports copy trading and lets users place trades directly from a stock chart, which can make it easier for beginners and active traders to follow market moves. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, eToro stands out with a higher rating of 4.5 out of 5 and a stronger overall rank of #8 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 and ranked #30.
The main difference is that IFC Markets offers more desktop and third-party platform support. It provides a Windows desktop download platform plus access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while eToro does not offer these options. eToro keeps things simpler with its own platform and browser-based experience, which may appeal to traders who want an easy-to-use setup. IFC Markets may suit traders who want the added flexibility of MT4 or MT5 and a downloadable desktop platform.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
eToro and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the app and online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to track price moves on the go. For everyday mobile trading needs, both brokers cover the basics well.
eToro stands out for charting, offering 104 technical studies in its app compared with IFC Markets’ 30. eToro is also rated higher for mobile trading apps, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #10 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets holds a 4-star rating and ranks #35. One area where IFC Markets has the edge is that its app auto-saves chart drawings, while eToro does not.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, eToro has a clearer edge over IFC Markets. Both brokers offer daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. However, eToro goes further by including forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus market research from TipRanks. IFC Markets does not offer those extra news and research features.
Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or Acuity Trading tools, so their research suites are similar in that respect. Still, eToro’s stronger mix of news and third-party insights helps explain why it earns a higher research rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets’ 3.5 stars and #31 ranking.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, eToro comes out ahead of IFC Markets. eToro offers forex and CFDs education, monthly live educational webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos, giving new traders and more experienced users plenty of material to work through. It is also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers in this category, which points to a strong learning experience overall.
IFC Markets also provides at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so it does give traders some useful video-based learning. However, it does not offer monthly educational webinars, and it is not listed as providing the same level of forex or CFDs education as eToro. Its Education rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars, and it ranks #25 out of 36 brokers, which suggests a more limited education offering for beginners compared with eToro.
| Feature |
eToro
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 eToro is better than IFC Markets. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 97 | 73 |
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Compared with IFC Markets, which only offers cryptocurrency trading via CFDs, eToro lets you buy both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency CFDs.
eToro vs IFC Markets: eToro supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, while IFC Markets offers only bank wire transfers and does not support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 97 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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). |
| Cost | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | eToro Review |
| Overall | eToro | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review |
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