Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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.
When comparing online brokers Trading 212 and IFC Markets, one can see distinct differences in their regulatory standings. Founded in 2004, Trading 212 holds two Tier-1 licenses and a Trust Score of 79, indicating average risk according to ForexBrokers.com. Although it is not a publicly traded company or a bank, its regulatory credentials provide a degree of confidence for users exploring online trading options.
Conversely, IFC Markets, established in 2006, holds a Trust Score of 73, which also places it in the average risk category. Unlike Trading 212, IFC Markets possesses one Tier-2 license, affirming its credibility to a trusted level. It is also not listed on a stock exchange or a banking institution. Both brokers present distinct profiles for potential traders, providing different sets of licenses and scores to consider when making investment decisions.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing Trading 212 and IFC Markets in terms of commissions and fees, there are a few key points to consider. Trading 212, which manages both Invest and CFD accounts, requires a minimum deposit of 10 euros for its CFD account. While it offers zero-commission trading, traders are still liable to pay the spread on CFD and forex trades. For instance, Trading 212's average spread for the EUR/USD pair in January 2024 was 1.9 pips, which is comparatively higher than the industry standard. This higher spread might put Trading 212 at a disadvantage against some of the leading CFD and forex brokers.
On the other hand, IFC Markets doesn’t provide specific average spread data, leaving some room for speculation regarding its fee structure. However, it maintains a competitive edge in ranking higher than Trading 212 in the commissions and fees category. Both brokers have received a four-star rating for their commissions and fees, indicating that while they are not the cheapest options available, they maintain a certain level of service commendable by industry standards.
In terms of rankings, Trading 212 holds the 43rd position out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category, according to ForexBrokers.com. Comparatively, IFC Markets is positioned slightly better at 39th. This marginal difference in ranking suggests that while both brokers have similarities in fee structures, IFC Markets might offer slightly better overall value for cost-conscious traders.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.9 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Trading 212 and IFC Markets, the range of investments offered by each platform reveals significant differences. Trading 212 impresses with a massive portfolio of 8,025 tradeable symbols and an extensive selection of 146 forex pairs, providing diverse trading opportunities for investors. Additionally, Trading 212 offers access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing investors to buy shares of companies like Apple and Vodafone directly, though they do not offer copy trading or the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, IFC Markets presents a smaller selection with 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs. While IFC Markets doesn't offer exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, it does provide access to international exchanges and supports copy trading, which can appeal to those looking for social trading opportunities.
In terms of cryptocurrency derivatives, both platforms allow trading of derivatives rather than actual cryptocurrencies, catering to traders interested in the volatility of digital assets without holding the coins themselves. Trading 212 takes the lead with a 5-star rating for its range of investments and ranks 15th out of 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IFC Markets holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 43rd in the same category. This comparison underscores Trading 212's broader investment choices and higher ranking, making it an attractive choice for investors seeking extensive market access, while IFC Markets may appeal to those prioritizing copy trading features despite offering fewer investment options.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Trading 212 and IFC Markets, both online brokers provide a range of options to cater to various trader needs. Trading 212 and IFC Markets offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing traders to practice without financial risk. Each broker has developed its own proprietary platform, providing users with a personalized trading experience. While Trading 212 lacks a Windows-based desktop platform, IFC Markets provides one, along with the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, whereas Trading 212 doesn't offer these. Additionally, both brokers offer web-based platforms for easy browser access.
Trading 212 falls short in copy trading options, whereas IFC Markets supports this feature. As far as charting capabilities are concerned, Trading 212 provides 20 drawing tools, surpassing IFC Markets, which offers 15. Both brokers permit trading directly from a stock chart and allow customization of watch lists, with Trading 212 offering five fields and IFC Markets seven. Despite these differences, both brokers receive four out of five stars for their trading platforms and tools. However, Trading 212 is ranked higher at #21 among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, while IFC Markets holds the #36 position.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Trading 212 and IFC Markets offer comprehensive mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users. These apps equip traders with essential features such as price alerts for stocks and forex, watchlist symbol syncing with their online accounts, and real-time quotes on customized watchlists. When it comes to charting, investors can use a variety of technical tools, draw trendlines, and view multiple time frames on both platforms. Additionally, any drawings made on charts are automatically saved, ensuring a seamless trading experience.
However, Trading 212 stands out by offering 104 technical studies for charting within its app, compared to IFC Markets' 30 studies. This breadth of technical tools could appeal to traders who rely heavily on technical analysis. While both apps have garnered a solid 4-star rating, there's a notable difference in their standings according to ForexBrokers.com; Trading 212 is ranked 17th out of 62 brokers for mobile trading app performance, significantly ahead of IFC Markets, which holds the 52nd spot.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 | 104 | 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 comparing market research features of Trading 212 and IFC Markets, both platforms have unique offerings. While IFC Markets shines with daily market commentary, Trading 212 stands out by providing forex news sourced from major outlets like Bloomberg and Reuters. Both brokers lack technical analysis tools from providers like Autochartist and Trading Central, indicating an area for potential enhancement in their research capabilities. However, each offers a sentiment-based trading tool to help traders understand market trends regarding long or short positions.
Both brokers support traders with an economic calendar, helping them track important global news events, but neither offers market research or tools from providers like TipRanks or Acuity Trading. When assessing overall research ratings, both Trading 212 and IFC Markets score similarly at 3.5 out of 5 stars. However, IFC Markets ranks slightly higher at #40 compared to Trading 212's #46 position among 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com. This ranking difference highlights IFC Markets’ edge in delivering a more comprehensive market research experience to its users.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | 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.
Both Trading 212 and IFC Markets offer a wealth of educational resources to help beginners dive into the world of forex and CFDs trading. Both platforms provide more than 10 informative pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs, making them useful for novice traders. However, Trading 212 distinguishes itself by hosting online educational client webinars at least once a month, while IFC Markets does not provide this feature. Trading 212 also offers a searchable archive of recorded webinars for easy access to previous sessions, a resource that IFC Markets lacks.
For those seeking video content tailored specifically to beginners or advanced traders, both Trading 212 and IFC Markets provide at least 10 videos catering to each skill level, ensuring a comprehensive educational journey. Additionally, both platforms include an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, broadening the knowledge base for new traders. Despite sharing an educational rating of 3.5 stars, Trading 212 nudges ahead in the rankings, positioned at #20, while IFC Markets sits at #30 among 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com. This edge highlights Trading 212’s commitment to offering diverse and accessible educational tools for its users.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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 Trading 212 is better than IFC Markets. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading, as well as a large variety of forex pairs. However, despite its well-designed platform and wide range of symbols, its lack of advanced trading tools and flat research offerings hamper Trading 212’s bid to be considered a top broker.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 73 |
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Both Trading 212 and IFC Markets do not offer the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing investors to engage in the cryptocurrency market without owning the actual assets.
Trading 212 distinguishes itself by offering ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, while both Trading 212 and IFC Markets provide Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, but neither supports Skrill as a funding method.
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 | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 79 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2006 | |
| 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 | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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) | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.9 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | 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 | 104 | 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 | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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