Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone vs IFC 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.
Pepperstone, founded in 2010, and IFC Markets, established in 2006, are both online brokers with distinct regulatory standings. Neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank, but when it comes to trustworthiness, there are notable differences. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone holds three Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning a high Trust Score of 95, indicating it is highly trusted. In contrast, IFC Markets, with no Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, has a Trust Score of 73, categorizing it as average risk.
These figures suggest that Pepperstone might be a more reassuring choice for those prioritizing security and regulatory oversight, given its excellent trust score and numerous top-tier licenses. On the other hand, IFC Markets could be suited for traders who are comfortable with a moderate level of risk, reflected in its Trust Score. This essential information offers potential investors a clear understanding of each broker's credibility and regulatory framework.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Pepperstone stands out with its Razor account, which is particularly attractive for high-volume traders participating in the Active Trader program. This account leverages a combination of platforms like TradingView and MetaTrader, employing a commission-based structure that augments prevailing spreads. For instance, the Razor account averages a spread of 0.10 pips for EUR/USD, adding a commission-equivalent cost of 0.70 pips to bring the total to 0.80 pips. This cost is fairly close to the industry average, making it a viable choice for active traders seeking efficiency. Conversely, Pepperstone’s Standard account, while commission-free, presents an average spread of 1.1 pips for EUR/USD, rendering it more expensive compared to the Razor account.
Pepperstone further enhances its appeal through tiered rebates, especially attractive for professional clients in regions like the United Kingdom, EU, and Australia. For instance, UK and EU clients trading over £20 million monthly might qualify for a 15% rebate, increasing to 25% for volumes exceeding £200 million. In Australia, the Active Trader program offers a progressive spread reduction for clients trading 100 or more lots over three months, peaking at a 30% reduction for those surpassing 3,001 lots monthly. These features underscore Pepperstone's strategic focus on catering to active, large-scale traders.
While average spread data for IFC Markets remains undisclosed, this broker offers competitive service with a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, according to ForexBrokers.com. However, Pepperstone edges slightly higher with a 4.5-star rating and ranks 10th out of 62 brokers in the commissions and fees category. In comparison, IFC Markets holds the 39th position, emphasizing Pepperstone’s relative competitive edge in providing cost-effective trading solutions for frequent traders.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone and IFC Markets are prominent names in the online brokerage landscape, both offering a variety of investment options. When it comes to forex trading, both brokers provide trading through CFDs or spot contracts. However, Pepperstone stands out with a wider selection of assets, featuring 1,726 tradeable symbols, including 65 forex pairs, compared to IFC Markets' 630 symbols and 49 forex pairs. When evaluating alternative investment avenues, both brokers do not offer the opportunity to buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as NASDAQ shares, but IFC Markets allows for the purchase of international stocks like Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange.
If cryptocurrency derivatives pique your interest, both brokers provide trading in this area but neither offers real cryptocurrency purchases. For those interested in social trading, both Pepperstone and IFC Markets support copy trading features. In terms of overall evaluation for the range of investments provided, Pepperstone earns a rating of 4 stars and ranks 26th among 62 brokers, while IFC Markets holds a rating of 3.5 stars, placing them at the 43rd position in ForexBrokers.com's rankings.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Pepperstone and IFC Markets both cater to traders with a variety of platform options and tools. Both brokers provide access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, ensuring a familiar experience for users comfortable with these popular trading platforms. Additionally, each offers a proprietary platform developed in-house, catering to traders looking for a more specialized interface. For those who prefer not to download software, both brokers offer web-based platforms accessible from any browser. Paper trading is also supported by both companies, offering free virtual demo accounts, which are excellent for beginners looking to practice without financial risk.
Differentiating themselves further, Pepperstone supports DupliTrade, providing additional avenues for copy trading, while IFC Markets does not offer this service. However, neither broker includes ZuluTrade in their platform suite. When it comes to charting tools, Pepperstone has a slight edge with 30 drawing tools compared to IFC Markets' 15. Both allow for direct trading from stock charts and offer watch lists with seven customizable columns. In terms of overall rating and ranking, both brokers are highly rated with four stars for their trading platforms and tools, although Pepperstone holds a higher position at #22 compared to IFC Markets at #36, according to ForexBrokers.com rankings.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and IFC Markets both provide comprehensive mobile trading apps available on iPhone and Android devices. Both brokers offer mobile apps that allow users to receive price alerts, sync watchlist symbols with online accounts, and enjoy charting capabilities with up to 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and multiple time frame viewing options. Additionally, both apps excel in providing features such as auto-saving of chart drawings and real-time quote watchlists.
In terms of ratings, Pepperstone and IFC Markets share a four-star rating for their mobile trading apps. However, there is a notable difference in rankings by ForexBrokers.com: Pepperstone stands at the 21st position, while IFC Markets is placed at 52nd among 62 brokers. This distinction may influence traders looking for an app considered better ranked in the industry. Nonetheless, both platforms offer functional and user-friendly mobile trading experiences for their users.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Pepperstone and IFC Markets both provide traders with daily market commentary, which can be beneficial for staying updated with market trends. However, Pepperstone takes the lead in offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature IFC Markets lacks. When it comes to technical analysis tools, Pepperstone partners with Autochartist, giving traders an edge with advanced research tools. While neither broker offers tools from Trading Central or Acuity Trading, they both provide sentiment-based trading tools that display long or short positions across currency pairs.
Both brokers feature economic calendars to keep users informed of global news events, yet Pepperstone differentiates itself with a superior research rating of 4.5 stars compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. Pepperstone's commitment to comprehensive market research earns it the 12th spot out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds the 40th position. These distinctions are essential for traders seeking a broker with a strong emphasis on high-quality research and analysis tools.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| 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 provided by Pepperstone and IFC Markets, both brokers offer a wide variety of forex and CFDs education with a minimum of 10 educational pieces, ensuring that beginners have access to a comprehensive learning experience. Pepperstone shines with the availability of monthly online educational webinars, along with a searchable archive of previously recorded sessions, which IFC Markets lacks. Beginners looking for visual learning aids will find a series of educational videos on trading topics from both platforms, catering to newcomers and advanced traders alike. Additionally, both Pepperstone and IFC Markets provide an extensive investor dictionary, ensuring that clients can easily access over 50 definitions of investing terms.
Despite these similarities, Pepperstone stands out with a higher educational rating of 4.5 stars, compared to IFC Markets' rating of 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is notably ranked 18th among 62 brokers for its educational offerings, whereas IFC Markets is positioned at 30th. This ranking reflects Pepperstone's commitment to delivering exceptional educational resources for traders, while still providing a rich learning environment starting from the basics to more advanced trading strategies.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 Pepperstone is better than IFC Markets. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 73 |
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Both Pepperstone and IFC Markets do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but they both provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone offers a broader range of deposit and withdrawal options compared to IFC Markets, providing ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, while IFC Markets supports only Visa or Mastercard and bank wires.
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 | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | 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) | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| 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). |
| Cost | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | IFC 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 | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review |
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