Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets vs Alpari, 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.
FP Markets and Alpari are both well-established online brokers, founded in 2005 and 1998 respectively. Neither of these companies is publicly traded nor operates as a bank. When it comes to regulation, FP Markets leads with two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, which are indicators of high trust and reliability as per ForexBrokers.com. Alpari, on the other hand, does not hold any Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, which may be a point of concern for those prioritizing regulatory oversight.
FP Markets has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 89, categorizing it as a trusted broker. In contrast, Alpari has a Trust Score of 68, placing it in the high-risk category. While both brokers are seasoned players in the financial market, FP Markets offers a more trusted experience backed by solid regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
FP Markets is renowned for offering cost-effective pricing for its MetaTrader and cTrader platforms, positioning itself as one of the most affordable brokers for its commission-based ECN account. The brokerage was awarded Best in Class for Commissions and Fees in the 2024 Annual Awards. Its share CFD offering on Iress provides Direct Market Access, which includes full depth of book accessibility. However, the Iress ViewPoint account is less affordable and more suitable for active traders with significant account balances. The FP Markets Raw ECN account stands out with low spreads of approximately 0.1 pips, translating to about 0.8 pips when including commissions. It charges a flat rate of $6 per round-turn standard lot for forex on its commission-based Raw account. FP Markets received a 5-star rating and is ranked #6 among 62 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
For Australian traders, the FP Markets Iress platform suite comes with three different account options: Standard with an AUD 1,000 minimum deposit, Platinum at AUD 25,000, and Premier requiring AUD 50,000. To waive platform and data fees, traders need to either qualify for the Premier account or accrue at least AUD 150 in commissions each month. Alternatively, the Iress Investor account offers a low-cost, basic experience with waived monthly fees, albeit with restricted features such as click-to-refresh quotes and limited charting options. Traders unable to afford the ViewPoint account would benefit from exploring more cost-effective options.
Alpari’s commission and fees structure is less transparent, with no specific data on average spreads. Alpari is recognized with a 4-star rating and ranked #41 out of 62 brokers for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, FP Markets emerges as a more favorable choice for traders seeking a broker with a competitive cost structure and premium offerings, particularly for those interested in commission-based accounts and direct market access.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $20 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FP Markets and Alpari both support forex trading through CFDs and spot contracts, providing traders with flexible ways to engage with the forex market. When it comes to the overall number of tradeable symbols, FP Markets offers a vast selection with 10,000 options, while Alpari provides a total of 105. For those specifically interested in forex, FP Markets has 71 currency pairs available, surpassing Alpari's offering of 46 pairs. Both platforms support copy trading, which allows investors to mirror experienced traders' strategies.
Neither FP Markets nor Alpari allows clients to purchase U.S.-based or international exchange-traded securities as non-CFDs, although Alpari does enable buying international exchange-traded securities like Vodafone. Meanwhile, neither broker offers the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, but both do facilitate trading cryptocurrency derivatives. In terms of investment range, FP Markets is rated higher with 4.5 stars and ranks 18th out of 62 brokers, compared to Alpari's 3-star rating and 62nd place ranking. This performance contrast highlights FP Markets’ more extensive investment options relative to Alpari.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 FP Markets and Alpari, both brokers provide a range of features designed to cater to diverse trading needs. They each offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing new traders to practice without risk. Proprietary software is available from both, ensuring unique trading experiences alongside standard offerings like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Traders can access platforms via desktop downloads on Windows or through their web browsers, with both brokers supporting copy trading to replicate the strategies of experienced traders. However, neither FP Markets nor Alpari includes popular third-party platforms such as DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
FP Markets offers 17 drawing tools for charting, slightly outperforming Alpari's 15 tools. Both brokers enable direct trading from stock charts and provide watch lists with seven columns for detailed market tracking. Despite having similar offerings, FP Markets is ranked significantly higher by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #23 out of 62 brokers, compared to Alpari's #55. Both brokers achieve a strong four-star rating in the trading platforms and tools category, showcasing their commitment to offering reliable and versatile trading experiences.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 17 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and Alpari both offer iPhone and Android apps, catering to users who wish to trade on the go. Both platforms support stock and forex price alerts, allowing traders to stay updated with crucial market movements. However, neither FP Markets nor Alpari offers watchlist symbol syncing, meaning changes to watchlists must be manually updated across platforms. Both apps facilitate drawing trendlines on charts and viewing different time frames, such as daily or weekly, ensuring traders have the flexibility they need. However, when it comes to charting tools, Alpari offers 30 technical studies, whereas FP Markets uses the default features from MetaTrader.
FP Markets has a significant edge with its app automatically saving drawings on charts, a feature lacking in Alpari's app. Both brokers allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring you don't miss market opportunities. With all these features combined, both FP Markets and Alpari have received a solid 4-star rating for their mobile trading apps. Nonetheless, FP Markets is ranked considerably higher at #18 among 62 brokers, while Alpari trails at #56, reflecting a notable difference in user experience and satisfaction.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing FP Markets and Alpari for market research capabilities, FP Markets emerges as a more comprehensive option. FP Markets provides daily market commentary, which is not available with Alpari. Both brokers deliver forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters and offer technical analysis tools from Autochartist. However, FP Markets stands out with additional resources like Trading Central's technical analytics and a sentiment-based trading tool that shows the ratio of long or short positions, which Alpari does not provide.
Both FP Markets and Alpari offer economic calendars to track global news events. However, neither offers market research from TipRanks or research tools from Acuity Trading. In terms of user ratings, FP Markets receives a commendable 4-star rating for their research services, surpassing Alpari's 3-star evaluation. According to ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets is ranked 25th in research out of 62 brokers, while Alpari is positioned much lower at 57th. This overall comparison suggests that FP Markets offers a more enriched and insightful market research experience for their users.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners from FP Markets and Alpari, both brokers offer a comprehensive library of more than 10 educational pieces dedicated to forex and CFDs, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, FP Markets stands out by providing monthly online educational webinars, a feature not offered by Alpari. Furthermore, FP Markets boasts a searchable archive of recorded client webinars, which is another feature Alpari does not provide. Both brokers offer a variety of beginner-level trading videos, but FP Markets also extends its video education to more advanced traders with a selection of advanced videos, something that Alpari lacks.
For those looking to expand their trading vocabulary, both brokers offer an investor dictionary with definitions for at least 50 investing terms. In terms of educational quality and comprehensiveness, FP Markets holds a higher rating of 4 stars compared to Alpari's 3 stars. Additionally, FP Markets is ranked #23 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Education category, significantly ahead of Alpari, which sits at #48. This suggests that FP Markets is better positioned to cater to the educational needs of both beginners and more advanced traders.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 FP Markets is better than Alpari. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #57.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 9,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 89 | 68 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platform & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both FP Markets and Alpari offer opportunities to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform provides the option to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrencies.
FP Markets and Alpari both provide options for deposits and withdrawals through Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but FP Markets uniquely offers PayPal while neither platform supports 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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platform & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 89 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 89 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No |
| Investments | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.2 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 17 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platform & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 89 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill