Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BDSwiss vs IronFX, 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.
BDSwiss and IronFX are two online brokers established in the early 2010s, with BDSwiss founded in 2012 and IronFX in 2010. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to trust, BDSwiss holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73, suggesting it is viewed as an average risk. In contrast, IronFX, with a Trust Score of 83, is considered more trustworthy. This higher rating is backed by IronFX’s possession of three Tier-1 licenses, while BDSwiss holds one such license.
The regulatory landscape further highlights IronFX's standing, as Tier-1 licenses are a mark of high trust among brokers. Both BDSwiss and IronFX do not hold any Tier-2 licenses, typically indicative of trusted entities. For investors evaluating their options, these ratings and licenses provide a key insight into the operational credibility and safety associated with each broker.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2012 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing BDSwiss and IronFX, both brokers offer varied pricing structures that cater to different trading needs, but they differ in certain aspects. BDSwiss provides good order execution statistics but faces criticism for its higher spreads, with its Classic account featuring a spread of 1.5 pips on EUR/USD. More competitively, the Raw account offers a spread of 0.3 pips with a $5 commission per side, resulting in an effective spread of 1.3 pips. Meanwhile, the VIP account has a slightly lower spread of 1.2 pips.
On the other hand, IronFX has room for improvement in its pricing as its spreads appear higher than industry averages. Its Standard variable spread account offers a spread of 1.8 pips, though specific timeframes are not provided. The zero fixed-spread account is advertised as starting from zero pips, with a commission of $18 per lot, but spreads can increase to 3 pips overnight, potentially impacting costs for overnight trades.
In terms of ratings and rankings, BDSwiss and IronFX both earned a 4-star rating for commissions and fees. However, BDSwiss is more favorably ranked at #29 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared to IronFX's ranking at #47. This difference highlights BDSwiss's slightly better standing in terms of fees and commissions, despite its higher spread costs.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10-$5000 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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.
When comparing the range of investments between BDSwiss and IronFX, both platforms provide opportunities for forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. BDSwiss offers a larger variety of tradeable symbols, with a total of 1081, compared to IronFX's 340. However, IronFX surpasses BDSwiss in the number of tradeable forex pairs, offering 83 pairs compared to BDSwiss's 53. Neither platform allows for trading of exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges such as Apple or Vodafone shares.
Both BDSwiss and IronFX offer copy trading options, enabling users to follow and implement strategies from experienced traders. While neither platform allows for buying actual cryptocurrencies, both provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives. In terms of their ratings for the range of investments, BDSwiss earns 4 out of 5 stars, ranking 34th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. IronFX, with a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars, ranks 51st in the same category, highlighting BDSwiss as the stronger contender in providing a wider array of investment choices.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1081 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 83 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| 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 it comes to trading platforms and tools, BDSwiss and IronFX both cater to traders looking for a comprehensive online trading experience. Each broker offers a free virtual demo account, making it easy for users to get started with simulated trading. BDSwiss distinguishes itself by providing a proprietary trading platform developed in-house, while IronFX relies on third-party solutions. Both brokers support Windows-based desktop platforms and web-based browser platforms, ensuring flexibility for traders who prefer different methods of access. Users at both brokers can take advantage of the popular MetaTrader 4 platform, but BDSwiss goes a step further by also supporting MetaTrader 5, offering more advanced options for those interested in the latest trading technology.
In terms of additional features, both BDSwiss and IronFX support copy trading, enabling traders to replicate the success of others. Despite not offering platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, both brokers feature 15 drawing tools for charting, allow trading directly from stock charts, and provide seven columns for watch lists. However, BDSwiss is rated slightly higher, receiving four stars for its trading platforms and tools, compared to IronFX's 3.5 stars. This difference is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where BDSwiss is placed at #24 out of 62 brokers, while IronFX stands at a lower #60 position. These factors make BDSwiss a notable choice for traders looking for advanced platform features and functionality.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both BDSwiss and IronFX provide comprehensive mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users. They each excel in offering essential features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, and enabling users to draw trendlines and access multiple time frames on charts. With each app supporting 30 technical studies for charting, they cater to traders looking to analyze market trends and make informed decisions. A notable similarity is that neither app supports watchlist symbol syncing, meaning users need to manually update their lists across platforms.
Despite these commonalities, BDSwiss edges out IronFX with a slightly higher user rating of 4 stars compared to IronFX's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, BDSwiss ranks #23 out of 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while IronFX is positioned at #61. This ranking difference might be crucial for traders prioritizing app performance and features. Ultimately, both apps deliver a solid trading experience, but BDSwiss appears to be the preferred choice for more users.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both BDSwiss and IronFX provide daily market commentary, delivering timely insights to their users. However, when it comes to sourcing forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters, IronFX takes the lead, offering access to these premium sources, while BDSwiss does not. On the flip side, BDSwiss excels in equipping traders with advanced research tools from Autochartist, a feature that IronFX lacks. Both brokers offer tools from Trading Central, ensuring that users with either platform have access to valuable technical analysis capabilities.
Neither BDSwiss nor IronFX provides sentiment-based trading tools or market research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading. Nevertheless, both platforms offer economic calendars, which are essential for keeping track of global economic events. In terms of research ratings, both brokers earn four out of five stars. However, BDSwiss holds a slightly better position, ranked 23rd among 62 brokers in the Research category by ForexBrokers.com, whereas IronFX is positioned at 28th in the same ranking.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners in forex and CFDs trading, both BDSwiss and IronFX provide a base level of materials, each offering more than 10 educational pieces like articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, BDSwiss distinguishes itself by holding regular online educational webinars at least once a month, while IronFX does not include this in their offerings. Both brokers have searchable archives for their recorded webinars, making it easier for beginners to learn at their own pace.
In terms of video content, BDSwiss has a comprehensive selection for both beginners and advanced traders, offering at least 10 videos in each category. On the other hand, IronFX only covers beginner topics with the same number of videos and lacks resources for more experienced traders. Both brokers provide an investor dictionary to help newbies with financial terms, with each featuring definitions for at least 50 investing terms. Despite both having a four-star rating for education, BDSwiss holds a higher ranking at #19 compared to IronFX's #44 among 62 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com, pointing to a potentially better educational experience with BDSwiss.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 BDSwiss is better than IronFX. BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
The BDSwiss brand caters to over 1.6 million registered forex and CFD traders, and offers the full MetaTrader platform suite alongside its own proprietary mobile app. BDSwiss demonstrates good order execution statistics and provides access to over 1,000 tradable symbols – though its spreads are higher than industry leaders.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
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IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 83 |
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Both BDSwiss and IronFX do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers BDSwiss and IronFX, both offer Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing or withdrawing funds, whereas only BDSwiss provides ACH or SEPA transfers, and neither broker supports PayPal transactions.
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 | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
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| Regulation | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2012 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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) | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1081 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 83 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| 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 | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10-$5000 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| 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 | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | BDSwiss | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review |
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