Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs IC 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.
Admirals and IC Markets are both well-known online brokers, but they differ in their founding years and regulatory standing. Admirals, established in 2001, boasts a high trust score of 93 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of reliability. In terms of regulatory licenses, Admirals holds four Tier-1 licenses, reflecting its strong standing among top regulators, and three Tier-2 licenses, which further underscores its trusted status. Although not publicly traded or operating as a bank, its regulatory credentials make Admirals a noteworthy choice for investors seeking confidence in their trading platform.
On the other hand, IC Markets was founded in 2007 and earns a trust score of 84 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it comfortably in the trusted category. While it holds two Tier-1 licenses, IC Markets lacks Tier-2 regulatory licenses, which might be a consideration for some investors. Like Admirals, IC Markets is also not publicly traded nor a bank, but its solid trust rating indicates a reliable option for traders focused on well-regulated online brokers.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing Admirals and IC Markets based on commissions and fees, Admirals features competitive pricing with typical spreads of 0.8 on both its Trade and Zero accounts. Admirals holds a 4.5-star rating and ranks #17 out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com, highlighting its favorable pricing structure for forex traders.
IC Markets is celebrated for its low trading costs, rivalling industry leaders like IG and CMC Markets. The broker is recognized for its competitive pricing, earning it the Best in Class honors in the Commissions & Fees category according to the 2024 Annual Awards. With a 5-star rating, IC Markets ranks impressively at #5 out of 62 brokers. The broker offers three distinct account options, including the commission-free Standard account and the commission-based Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts, providing diverse choices tailored to different trading strategies.
Spreads at IC Markets vary according to the trading platform and account type, with its average spread on the EUR/USD being 0.02 pips. The all-in cost, after accounting for commissions, is 0.62 pips for the cTrader account and 0.72 pips on the MetaTrader platform. Additionally, the Standard account offers an average spread of 0.62 pips and is commission-free, making it appealing to traders. High-volume traders can also enjoy discounts, further reducing their trading costs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $200 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 0.62 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.62 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Admirals and IC Markets both accommodate forex trading as CFDs, allowing investors to engage in the market dynamics. Admirals, however, stands out with a wider array of investment options, offering 8,702 tradeable symbols compared to IC Markets' 3,583. This significant difference extends to their forex offerings, with Admirals providing access to 82 forex pairs, while IC Markets offers 61. Besides, Admirals grants access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, enabling investors to directly purchase stocks like Apple. IC Markets does not offer this feature. However, both brokers allow trading on international exchanges such as the London Stock Exchange, exemplified by Vodafone shares.
For those interested in diversification through different trading formats, both Admirals and IC Markets support cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual cryptocurrencies. Admirals also offers features like copy trading, mirroring IC Markets' offerings in this regard. Despite these similarities, Admirals ranks higher in the Range of Investments category on ForexBrokers.com, taking the 19th spot compared to IC Markets’ 25th, though both share a commendable rating of 4.5 stars for their range of investment options.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 3583 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 61 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by Admirals and IC Markets, both brokers provide ample opportunities for clients to engage with simulated trading through complimentary virtual demo accounts. Admirals distinguishes itself with a proprietary platform developed in-house, an offering not available at IC Markets. Both brokers, however, support the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms across Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based interfaces. Admirals and IC Markets cater to traders interested in social trading by facilitating copy trading, though only IC Markets extends its services to include ZuluTrade. Admirals and IC Markets both allow trading directly from stock charts, providing an intuitive trading experience.
For those keen on charting tools, Admirals offers a significant advantage, providing 106 drawing tools compared to IC Markets’ 15. Both brokers provide the same number of columns for watchlists, ensuring easy market monitoring. In terms of ratings, both brokers earn four out of five stars for their trading platforms and tools. However, in ForexBrokers.com's rankings out of 62 brokers, IC Markets holds a slight edge, positioned at #16 compared to Admirals’ #19. Regardless of these rankings, both brokers deliver comprehensive trading solutions, making them solid choices for traders seeking diverse and user-centric platform features.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Admirals and IC Markets cater well to iPhone and Android users. Both brokers support crucial trading features like stock and forex price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, neither app currently offers the convenience of syncing watchlist symbols with clients' online accounts, meaning you must maintain your lists separately on mobile and desktop.
For charting enthusiasts, Admirals and IC Markets both impress by offering 30 technical studies. They also allow drawing of trendlines and access to multiple time frames, with your drawings automatically saved for future reference. Rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading, Admirals holds the 23rd position among 62 brokers, while IC Markets ranks just slightly higher at 22nd, according to ForexBrokers.com. Overall, the brokers deliver a comparable mobile trading experience, allowing traders to access key market functions from the palm of their hands.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Admirals and IC Markets for market research, both platforms provide daily market commentary and reliable forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Admirals distinguishes itself with market research from TipRanks and offers tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which IC Markets does not provide. Meanwhile, IC Markets includes technical research tools from Autochartist, a benefit Admirals does not offer. Both brokers also supply tools from Trading Central and sentiment-based trading tools, ensuring traders have access to critical analysis and position data.
Despite these differences, Admirals and IC Markets both provide economic calendars to keep traders updated on global events. Each company is rated four out of five stars for research, although Admirals edges out in ForexBrokers.com's rankings at 15th place compared to IC Markets' 23rd. These ratings emphasize their strong research capabilities, making them attractive choices for traders seeking insightful market analysis.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Admirals and IC Markets both cater well to beginners seeking to learn about forex and CFDs trading. Each platform offers a wide array of educational materials, including a minimum of 10 articles, videos, or archived webinars focused on these financial instruments. Additionally, both brokers host monthly online webinars for clients and maintain searchable archives of past sessions, allowing new traders to access invaluable insights from previous discussions. Furthermore, they both provide more than 10 educational videos specifically designed to introduce trading topics to beginners, ensuring a solid foundation for those new to the journey.
For traders eager to delve deeper, Admirals and IC Markets offer at least 10 advanced educational videos tailored for experienced traders. An investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms is also available from both brokers, aiding in demystifying complex jargon for traders at all levels. While each broker is rated 4 stars for education, Admirals edges slightly ahead in ranking, coming in at #12 compared to IC Markets' #16 out of 62 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com. This comparison highlights both platforms as strong contenders in providing educational support, with Admirals having a slight edge in recognition for its educational offerings.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Admirals is better than IC Markets. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20.
Traders choose Admirals for its excellent investor education and advanced MetaTrader features – such as the Supreme add-ons – alongside an extensive range of shares, forex and CFD markets, and premium research content.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
IC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 84 |
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Both Admirals and IC Markets provide the capability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.
When comparing online brokers Admirals and IC Markets for ease of account fund deposits and withdrawals, both offer PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, but only Admirals provides the additional flexibility of ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | Admirals | IC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 84 | |
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| Review | Admirals Review | IC Markets Review |
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| Regulation | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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) | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 3583 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 61 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 0.62 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.62 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $200 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | Yes | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | IC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Admirals Review | IC Markets Review |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | IC Markets Review |
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