Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets vs BDSwiss, 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.
Founded in 2010, ThinkMarkets is an online brokerage known for its solid regulatory credentials. With a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 92 out of 99, ThinkMarkets falls within the highly trusted bracket. The company holds 5 Tier-1 licenses, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining high standards of regulation. Additionally, ThinkMarkets possesses 2 Tier-2 licenses, further solidifying its reputation as a reliable platform for investors. It should be noted that ThinkMarkets is neither publicly traded nor operates as a bank.
In contrast, BDSwiss began operations in 2012 and carries a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 73 out of 99, placing it in the average risk category. While BDSwiss holds only 1 Tier-1 license and lacks any Tier-2 licenses, it is not publicly traded and does not function as a bank. This regulatory standing indicates that while BDSwiss offers some level of trust, investors may want to compare options based on their risk preferences and investment needs.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
When comparing ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss on commissions and fees, both online brokers receive a commendable four-star rating. ThinkMarkets does not provide specific average spread data, making a direct comparison more challenging. However, they maintain a competitive edge with a notable reputation, having achieved a position of #48 among 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com. This ranking suggests that ThinkMarkets strikes a balance between accessibility and cost, making it a viable option for traders prioritizing economical trades without exact spread details.
BDSwiss, on the other hand, is recognized for its effective order execution, although its spreads tend to run higher than some industry frontrunners. For instance, the BDSwiss Classic account offers a spread of 1.5 pips on the EUR/USD pair, which could be perceived as costly. Meanwhile, their Raw account offers a reduced spread of 0.3 pips, paired with a $5 commission per trading side, leading to an effective spread of 1.3. For even lower costs, the VIP account is available with an effective spread of 1.2 pips. Reflecting this competitive pricing strategy, BDSwiss ranks at #29 overall in the Commissions and Fees category as evaluated by ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss provide attractive commission and fee structures, although BDSwiss has clear pricing strategies across its account types. While ThinkMarkets holds a steady four-star performance, BDSwiss edges out slightly with a higher category ranking, offering diverse options for traders who seek specific cost efficiencies in their trading endeavors.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| 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 ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss for their range of investments, both platforms offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, appealing to forex traders. ThinkMarkets provides an impressive selection with approximately 4,000 tradeable symbols, while BDSwiss offers around 1,081. In terms of forex pairs, BDSwiss slightly edges out with 53 pairs compared to ThinkMarkets' 46. Neither broker provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, but ThinkMarkets stands out by granting access to international exchanges, allowing clients to invest in global companies like Vodafone. This is a feature that BDSwiss does not offer.
Both brokers support copy trading and cryptocurrency derivatives but do not allow clients to buy real cryptocurrencies. ThinkMarkets generally receives higher acclaim with a 4.5-star rating for its range of investments compared to BDSwiss, which is rated at 4 stars. Additionally, ThinkMarkets is ranked 21st out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss lands at the 34th spot. This suggests that ThinkMarkets may be a better choice for those seeking a broader range of investment options.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 comparing trading platforms and tools offered by ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss, both brokers come with their own set of strengths and features. Each offers a free virtual demo account, providing traders with the opportunity to test their platforms without financial risk. Both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss have developed proprietary platforms and support MetaTrader 4 and 5, catering to traders who prefer well-established software. They also offer Windows-based desktop and web-based trading platforms, making them accessible from multiple devices. Additionally, both brokers enable copy trading, though neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Charting tools are comparable, with both offering 15 drawing tools and allowing traders to execute trades directly from stock charts.
Despite evenly matched capabilities, some subtle distinctions emerge in their offerings. For watch lists, ThinkMarkets provides 15 customizable columns, offering more flexibility compared to the 7 columns available with BDSwiss. Both brokers are rated 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools according to ForexBrokers.com; however, BDSwiss edges out ThinkMarkets in the rankings, positioned at #24 out of 62 brokers, while ThinkMarkets is placed at #27. These slight differences may influence traders who are particularly focused on customizing their trading environment or seeking higher-ranked brokers in terms of tools and platforms.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss offer convenient mobile trading options for iPhone and Android users, ensuring traders can stay connected on the go. With both apps, users can receive stock and forex price alerts and create watchlists with real-time quotes. However, neither platform currently supports the syncing of watchlist symbols, which might require traders to manually update watchlists across devices. ThinkMarkets stands out with an impressive 94 technical studies available for charting, helping traders analyze market trends in greater detail compared to BDSwiss's 30 studies. Both apps do allow drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames on charts, with features to auto-save these drawings, adding a layer of convenience for active traders.
In terms of reliability and user satisfaction, both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss receive a solid 4-star rating for their mobile trading apps. Among 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets secures the 20th spot, slightly ahead of BDSwiss, which is ranked in the 23rd position. Despite minor differences in rankings, both apps offer robust features that cater well to both beginner and experienced traders, ensuring a seamless trading experience on mobile devices.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 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 examining the market research offerings of ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss, both brokers provide daily market commentary and maintain economic calendars to keep traders informed of crucial global events. However, ThinkMarkets distinguishes itself by delivering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of market developments. It's noteworthy that ThinkMarkets also includes a sentiment-based trading tool that reveals the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs, offering insights into market moods that are not available with BDSwiss.
BDSwiss, on the other hand, outshines ThinkMarkets in terms of technical analysis tools, featuring advanced resources from Autochartist and Trading Central. These tools cater to traders interested in in-depth technical evaluations. However, BDSwiss does not draw on Acuity Trading's research tools, which are available through ThinkMarkets. Despite these differences, BDSwiss garners a higher rating of 4 stars for research, compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars, and ranks higher at #23 out of 62 brokers, placing it well ahead of ThinkMarkets' #50 spot according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss provide comprehensive support for those new to trading forex and CFDs. ThinkMarkets offers a range of educational materials, including articles, videos, and webinars, specifically tailored for new traders. They host monthly online webinars and provide a searchable archive of past sessions, making it easy for learners to access information at their convenience. ThinkMarkets also features a variety of educational videos that cover both beginner and advanced topics, and they offer an investor dictionary with over 50 definitions to help beginners familiarize themselves with key investing terms.
Similarly, BDSwiss ensures that new traders have access to ample educational content, from articles and videos to regularly scheduled webinars. Their offering also includes a searchable archive of recorded webinars, which allows for flexible learning opportunities. BDSwiss provides video content tailored to both beginners and advanced traders, and offers an investor dictionary that demystifies over 50 trading terms. In terms of ratings, BDSwiss excels with 4 stars for education, ranking #19 out of 62 brokers, in comparison to ThinkMarkets, which has a rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked #52. This suggests that while both brokers equip beginners with essential resources, BDSwiss receives higher accolades for its educational offerings.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 ThinkMarkets is better than BDSwiss. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 |
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Both ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss do not offer the ability to buy delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
ThinkMarkets and BDSwiss both support Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transactions for depositing and withdrawing account funds; however, only BDSwiss offers ACH or SEPA transfers, while neither broker provides PayPal as a payment option.
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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $10-$5000 | |
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | 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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review |
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