Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs Eightcap, 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.
IC Markets (founded 2007) and Eightcap (founded 2009) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, IC Markets scores 83 and Eightcap scores 87—both fall in the 80–89 range, which is considered “trusted” (90–99 highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted).
Looking at regulation, Eightcap holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, while IC Markets holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. Because Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com, Eightcap has a slight edge in regulatory coverage, though both brokers meet a trusted standard.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
IC Markets and Eightcap both offer low-cost trading, but IC Markets has the edge on commissions and fees. IC Markets earned 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees, helped by tight spreads and low commission rates on its Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts. Its cTrader account charges $3.00 per side per 100,000 units, while the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges $3.50 per side. The commission-free Standard account is also competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads around 0.62 pips. IC Markets is especially appealing for active traders, and it even offers discounts for those trading more than 100 standard lots per month.
Eightcap is also a solid choice, but its pricing is a little higher overall. It earns 4.5 stars and ranks #20 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. On its commission-based Raw account, Eightcap lists average spreads of 0.06 pips, but after the $3.50 per side commission is added, the all-in cost is about 0.76 pips. That keeps it near the industry average, though not quite as cheap as IC Markets. Eightcap also offers a spread-only Standard account for traders who prefer simpler pricing.
In short, both brokers keep fees fairly low, but IC Markets is the better pick for cost-conscious traders. If you want the lower all-in trading cost and a stronger overall rating in this category, IC Markets comes out ahead. If you prefer Eightcap’s account setup and are comfortable with slightly higher fees, it still remains a competitive option.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IC Markets offers a wider range of investments than Eightcap, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more markets to choose from. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs and both offer copy trading, but IC Markets lists 3,583 tradeable symbols compared with Eightcap’s 803. It also provides more forex pairs, with 61 available versus 55 at Eightcap.
For share investing, IC Markets stands out by offering exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while Eightcap does not offer these products. Neither broker lets clients buy U.S.-listed shares directly, and neither supports buying actual cryptocurrency, though both do offer cryptocurrency CFDs. Reflecting this broader selection, IC Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers, while Eightcap is rated 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #29.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
IC Markets and Eightcap both give traders a very similar set of platform choices. Each broker offers a free demo account, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. They also both let you trade directly from charts, which is useful if you want a quicker way to place orders while watching price moves. Neither broker offers a proprietary in-house platform, so if you prefer a broker-built app, neither one will be the better fit.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, but IC Markets holds the stronger ranking overall at #17 out of 36 brokers, compared with Eightcap at #31. That suggests both are solid choices for platform access, with IC Markets edging ahead based on its broader industry ranking. If your main focus is platform variety and familiar tools like MT4 and MT5, either broker should work well, though IC Markets has the slight lead in this category.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and Eightcap both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Both brokers are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so in day-to-day use they deliver a similar basic experience for traders who want to monitor markets and manage trades on the go.
The biggest difference is watchlist syncing. Eightcap lets watchlists update across its mobile app and online account, so changes carry over in both places, while IC Markets does not offer this feature. That extra convenience helps give Eightcap a slight edge for mobile usability, even though IC Markets ranks higher overall in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps category, placing #22 out of 36 brokers compared with Eightcap at #31.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets edges ahead of Eightcap for market research, with a 4-star Research rating and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with Eightcap’s 3.5 stars and #33 ranking. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, so traders can follow news flow, market mood, and upcoming events with either provider.
The main difference is in the depth of third-party research. IC Markets offers forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus tools from Autochartist and Trading Central, which can help with chart analysis and trade ideas. Eightcap does not offer those news and research sources, but it does include Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre, giving it a different kind of research support for traders who want alerts and ideas in a simpler format.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning support, both IC Markets and Eightcap offer forex and CFD education, regular online webinars, and at least 10 beginner-focused videos to help new traders get started. That means each broker gives beginners a decent starting point with content that covers the basics, plus live educational sessions that can help explain trading topics in a simpler way.
IC Markets has the edge overall for education. It also offers at least 10 advanced videos, while Eightcap does not meet that mark, which makes IC Markets a better fit for traders who want to keep learning as they gain experience. This difference is reflected in their ratings and rankings too: IC Markets scores 4 out of 5 for Education and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers, while Eightcap scores 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #31, suggesting IC Markets provides a stronger all-around learning experience.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IC Markets is better than Eightcap. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
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Eightcap
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 |
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IC Markets vs Eightcap: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
IC Markets vs Eightcap: both online brokers support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, do not support ACH or SEPA, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | Eightcap Review |
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