Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade 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.
Questrade (founded 2000) and IFC Markets (founded 2006) are online brokers that are privately held and not banks. Each holds one Tier-1 regulatory license (highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and no Tier-2 licenses.
On ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, Questrade earns 85/99 (trusted), while IFC Markets earns 73/99 (average risk). With the same number of top-tier licenses but a higher Trust Score, Questrade edges IFC Markets on overall regulatory standing.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
When comparing Questrade and IFC Markets on commissions and fees, Questrade’s pricing is mainly spread-based, meaning the cost is built into the buy-sell difference rather than shown as a separate commission. Questrade says spreads can start at 0.8 pips, but real-world major-pair spreads were closer to 2.1 to 2.5 pips, which can make trading more expensive. It also charges a $9.95 USD fee per CFD unit, so costs can add up quickly. Questrade is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #34 out of 36 brokers.
IFC Markets is a bit more flexible on pricing, with an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44 pips, which is still above the industry average of 1.08 pips. Its ECN account can lower effective costs to about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. On the plus side, IFC Markets does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which may help frequent traders save money. IFC Markets is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #33 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, IFC Markets edges out Questrade in this category thanks to its better rating, slightly higher ranking, and more trader-friendly fee structure for active users. Questrade may appeal to some traders for its straightforward spread-only forex pricing, but its wider spreads and CFD fees can make it more expensive in practice. For cost-conscious traders, IFC Markets is the stronger choice between the two.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 or higher | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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, Questrade gives traders access to 675 tradeable symbols, including 110 forex pairs, and it supports forex trading as a CFD or spot contract. It earns a 5-star rating for range of investments and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. That said, Questrade does not offer exchange traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, copy trading, or cryptocurrency trading in either delivered or CFD form.
IFC Markets offers 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, and it also supports forex trading as a CFD or spot contract. Its lineup is broader in some areas, since it includes exchange traded securities on international exchanges, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, though it does not offer delivered crypto or U.S.-listed exchange traded securities. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars for range of investments and ranks #32 out of 36 brokers.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 675 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | Yes |
| Disclaimers |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Questrade and IFC Markets both give traders a similar starting point when it comes to platform access: each offers a free paper trading account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both also let you trade directly from a stock chart, which can make placing orders faster and easier. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, with Questrade ranked #29 out of 36 and IFC Markets close behind at #30.
The biggest difference is in trading tools and platform choice. IFC Markets supports copy trading and also works with MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Questrade does not offer those options. That gives IFC Markets more flexibility for traders who want popular third-party platforms or social-style trading. Questrade, on the other hand, may appeal to traders who prefer its in-house platform and a simpler lineup of tools.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
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) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Questrade and IFC Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with useful features like price alerts, watchlist syncing between the app and online account, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. For everyday trading needs, both apps cover the basics well and make it easy to monitor markets on the go.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall mobile app standing. Questrade offers 64 technical studies in its app, compared with 30 at IFC Markets, which may give active chart users more tools to work with. Even so, IFC Markets has the higher mobile app rating at 4 stars versus Questrade’s 3.5 stars, though Questrade ranks better overall in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category at #29 out of 36 brokers, while IFC Markets ranks #35.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
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 | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Questrade and IFC Markets for market research, each broker offers a different mix of tools. Questrade stands out for its access to Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks, which can help traders spot chart patterns, follow technical signals, and review market ideas. It does not offer daily market commentary, a forex news feed from top sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, a sentiment tool, or an economic calendar. IFC Markets takes a different path, with daily market commentary, a sentiment-based trading tool, and an economic calendar, but it does not include Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks.
In overall research ratings, both brokers are tied at 3.5 out of 5 stars. Still, IFC Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com for the Research category, placing #31 out of 36 brokers, compared with Questrade at #35. For traders who want more built-in market updates and calendar-based news tracking, IFC Markets may be the better fit. For those who prefer third-party analysis tools and idea generation, Questrade may be more appealing.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, IFC Markets has the edge over Questrade. IFC Markets offers at least 10 beginner trading videos and at least 10 advanced videos, while Questrade does not meet those marks. Neither broker offers monthly educational webinars, and neither is listed as having at least 10 pieces of forex or CFD-focused education. Even so, both brokers receive the same Education rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Looking at ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking, IFC Markets also places a little higher than Questrade, ranking #25 out of 36 brokers compared with Questrade at #28. For new traders who want more video-based learning, IFC Markets is the stronger choice, while Questrade offers a more limited set of beginner resources by comparison.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than IFC Markets. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34.
Earning an 85 Trust Score, Questrade Global is a secure, CIRO-regulated platform ideal for Canadians wanting forex and stocks in one place. However, with live EUR/USD spreads going as high as 2.1 to 2.5 pips, cost-conscious day traders might find better value with cheaper alternatives.
| Feature |
Questrade
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IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 |
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Questrade vs IFC Markets: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but while Questrade also does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, IFC Markets does provide crypto CFD trading.
Questrade vs IFC Markets: both support bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, neither offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill, and 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 | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 5 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | |||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 675 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | Yes | |
| Disclaimers |
| Cost | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 or higher | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.1 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Questrade | 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 | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Education | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | 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 | Questrade Review |
| Overall | Questrade | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review |
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