Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com vs IFC Markets: safety and regulation at a glance. According to ForexBrokers.com, a Trust Score of 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 should not be trusted. FOREX.com scores 99/99 (highly trusted) and holds seven Tier-1 licenses plus two Tier-2 licenses. IFC Markets scores 73/99 (average risk) with one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, signaling lighter oversight than FOREX.com.
History and corporate status also differ. FOREX.com, founded in 1999, is publicly traded and not a bank. IFC Markets, founded in 2006, is not publicly traded and is also not a bank. If top-tier regulation and the highest Trust Score matter most, FOREX.com stands out; if you’re comfortable with an average-risk profile, IFC Markets may still fit your needs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, FOREX.com comes out ahead of IFC Markets. FOREX.com is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its pricing is a bit above the industry average in some cases, especially on the Standard account, where EUR/USD spreads in the U.S. averaged about 1.4 pips. However, FOREX.com’s RAW account offers much tighter spreads, with typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.13 pips, though commission is charged per trade. For active traders, volume-based rebates can help lower costs further.
IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33 out of 36 brokers in the same category. Its average EUR/USD spread is about 1.44 pips, which is also a little higher than the industry average. Active traders may find better pricing on IFC Markets’ ECN account, where the effective spread is around 1.1 pips after commission. The broker also stands out for no inactivity fees, which may help reduce costs for occasional traders.
Overall, FOREX.com offers the better mix of pricing and trading choices, especially for more active forex traders who can take advantage of its lower-spread commission accounts. IFC Markets is still competitive in some areas, but its higher typical spreads and lower ranking put it behind FOREX.com on commissions and fees.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 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, FOREX.com offers a wider selection than IFC Markets. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs rather than actual crypto. However, FOREX.com stands out with about 5,500 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, compared with IFC Markets’ 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. FOREX.com also lets clients trade exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while IFC Markets offers international exchange-traded shares but not U.S.-listed stocks.
IFC Markets does have one feature that FOREX.com does not: copy trading. Even so, FOREX.com scores higher for overall investment choice, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #6 out of 36 brokers for Range of Investments. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #32 out of 36, making FOREX.com the stronger pick for traders who want a broader set of markets and more listed shares.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
FOREX.com and IFC Markets both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, a web-based platform, a Windows desktop download, and the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 options. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts and offers its own in-house platform, making both a solid fit for traders who want flexibility across devices and styles. For trading platforms and tools, FOREX.com has a slight edge with a 5-star rating from ForexBrokers.com and a ranking of #5 out of 36 brokers, compared with IFC Markets at 4 stars and #30.
The biggest difference is copy trading: IFC Markets offers it, while FOREX.com does not. That may matter for beginners or anyone who wants to follow other traders instead of placing every trade on their own. Overall, FOREX.com looks stronger for trading platforms and tools, but IFC Markets still stands out for adding copy trading to an otherwise similar lineup of platform features.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and IFC Markets both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus useful features like price alerts and watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, and both save those drawings automatically, which can help traders keep track of their ideas across sessions.
Where FOREX.com stands out is in charting and overall app quality. Its mobile app includes 90 technical studies, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, and it earns a 5-star rating for Mobile Trading Apps versus 4 stars for IFC Markets. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, FOREX.com places #2 for mobile trading apps, while IFC Markets comes in at #35, making FOREX.com the stronger choice for traders who want more chart tools and a better-rated mobile experience.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, FOREX.com has a clear edge over IFC Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. However, FOREX.com goes further by offering forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Trading Central tools for added technical and fundamental analysis. IFC Markets does not include these extra news and research features.
This difference shows up in the ratings and rankings as well. FOREX.com is rated 5 stars for Research and placed #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks #31. For traders who want more in-depth market research and more outside news coverage, FOREX.com is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, FOREX.com stands out as the stronger choice. It offers forex and CFD learning content with at least 10 educational pieces, runs online client webinars at least once a month, and provides 10+ beginner videos as well as 10+ advanced videos. This wide range of learning tools helps new traders start with the basics and keep learning as they grow. FOREX.com is also rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category.
IFC Markets also offers useful learning material for beginners, including at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos on trading topics. However, it does not offer monthly educational webinars, and its education offering is rated lower overall. IFC Markets has a 3.5 out of 5 Education rating and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers, making it a more limited option compared with FOREX.com for traders who want more frequent and varied educational support.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than IFC Markets. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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FOREX.com vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy real, delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In a head-to-head comparison of deposit and withdrawal options, FOREX.com supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while IFC Markets only supports bank wires and does not offer 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 | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
| Cost | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $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 | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | 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 | 90 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review |
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