Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 vs iFOREX, 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 iFOREX, it’s important to consider their regulations and trust scores. Trading 212, founded in 2004, and iFOREX, established in 1996, are not publicly traded companies and do not function as banks. Trading 212 holds two Tier-1 licenses, which denote a high level of trust. In contrast, iFOREX holds one Tier-1 license, indicating a slightly lower level of regulatory trust than Trading 212.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 has a Trust Score of 79 out of 99, suggesting an average level of risk. Meanwhile, iFOREX has a Trust Score of 75, which also falls under the average risk category. Neither broker holds any Tier-2 licenses, emphasizing the focus on their Tier-1 regulatory stature. For those evaluating potential risks and regulatory standings, these aspects can be key considerations in selecting an online trading platform.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When considering online brokers, Trading 212 offers an attractive option with its zero-commission trading on CFDs and forex. However, it's important to note that while you won't pay a direct commission, there is a spread involved. Trading 212 has started to share its average spread data for added transparency. In January 2024, for example, the average spread for the popular EUR/USD currency pair was 1.9 pips. This rate is higher than the industry average and places Trading 212 at a competitive disadvantage compared to other leading brokers in the same category. For commissions and fees, Trading 212 earns a commendable 4-star rating and ranks #43 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, iFOREX presents certain limitations as it doesn’t provide average spread data, which can make it harder to gauge the true cost of trading. This lack of transparency is reflected in its lower ratings and rankings. iFOREX garners a 3-star rating for its commissions and fees, falling to the lower end of the scale. In the same ForexBrokers.com evaluation, iFOREX is placed at #60 out of 62 brokers, indicating a less competitive position in terms of pricing and efficiency in comparison to its peers.
In summary, Trading 212 and iFOREX offer distinct approaches to their commissions and fees structures. Trading 212 shines with its zero-commission model but is notable for its relatively high spreads. Meanwhile, iFOREX's lack of published spread data and lower ratings indicate areas for potential improvement. Both brokers have room to grow, but Trading 212 holds a slight edge with its better transparency and higher rating in the realm of commissions and fees.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.9 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Trading 212 and iFOREX, it's clear that Trading 212 offers a wider range of investment options. With 8,025 tradeable symbols, Trading 212 far surpasses iFOREX’s 750. This platform supports both CFDs and spot contracts for forex trading, boasting 146 tradeable forex pairs compared to iFOREX's 88. Trading 212 also provides access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, such as the opportunity to buy shares in popular companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, iFOREX does not offer access to exchange-traded securities on these markets, which may limit investor flexibility.
Both platforms allow clients to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither supports the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. While Trading 212 does not offer copy trading, its comprehensive range of investments earns it a 5-star rating and a ranking of 15th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, iFOREX, which also lacks a copy trading feature, receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks 41st in the same category. For those looking for a wider array of investment opportunities, Trading 212 stands out as the more versatile choice.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 750 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 88 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 comparing Trading 212 and iFOREX, both brokers deliver unique trading experiences but show some significant differences in their platforms and tools. Trading 212 offers a proprietary platform and a user-friendly web-based trading solution. It supports simulated trading with a free virtual demo account, making it suitable for beginners who want to practice without financial risk. iFOREX, while also providing a proprietary platform, does not offer a virtual demo account, which may be a limitation for new traders. Both brokers lack a Windows-based desktop platform, MT4, and MT5 support, and neither offers copy trading capabilities or third-party platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In terms of charting features, Trading 212 provides 20 drawing tools, whereas iFOREX offers 25, giving slightly more options for detailed analysis. Both allow traders to trade directly from stock charts, which is a valuable feature for active traders. For watch lists, iFOREX stands out with 9 fields compared to Trading 212's 5, allowing for more detailed tracking of market data. Despite these differentiations, both brokers are rated at 4 stars for their platforms and tools. However, Trading 212 ranks higher at #21, compared to iFOREX's #54 out of 62 brokers, suggesting a more favorable experience overall with Trading 212.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 57 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 25 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 9 |
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When comparing the mobile trading apps of Trading 212 and iFOREX, both platforms offer iPhone and Android apps, making them accessible to a wide user base. However, Trading 212 stands out with features such as stock and forex price alerts, which are not available with iFOREX. Trading 212 also syncs watchlist symbols between its mobile app and the online account, enabling users to seamlessly track their investments across different devices. In contrast, iFOREX lacks this sync feature, leaving users to manually update their watchlists on each platform.
Trading 212 shines in its charting capabilities, offering 104 technical studies and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Users can also view charts in multiple time frames and have their drawings automatically saved. Unfortunately, iFOREX does not offer these advanced charting features. Furthermore, Trading 212 allows users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, a function absent in iFOREX’s app. While both apps are rated four stars, Trading 212 holds a higher position at #17 in ForexBrokers.com's rankings, compared to iFOREX's #55, reflecting a more comprehensive mobile trading experience with Trading 212.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of Trading 212 and iFOREX, both online brokers present unique strengths. Trading 212 is a go-to choice for those who value forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring that traders stay informed with high-quality information. However, it lacks daily market commentary. On the other hand, iFOREX excels by providing daily market commentary and access to advanced tools from Trading Central, which can be a boon for traders seeking technical analysis insights. Despite not offering news from major financial platforms, these features make iFOREX appealing to users looking for comprehensive market updates.
Both brokers provide traders with tools to gauge sentiment-based trading, offering insights into long and short positions across currency pairs or other trading instruments. Additionally, they both offer economic calendars, helping traders track significant global events. However, neither broker provides research tools from companies like TipRanks or Acuity Trading. With identical ratings of 3.5 stars for research from ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 ranks slightly higher at #46 compared to iFOREX at #48 out of 62 brokers. Overall, Trading 212 and iFOREX offer a balanced mix of research tools, catering to different trading preferences.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| 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 evaluating the educational resources available for beginners between Trading 212 and iFOREX, Trading 212 stands out as a significantly better option. Trading 212 offers an extensive selection of forex and CFDs educational materials, totaling more than 10 different resources like articles and videos. Additionally, they provide monthly webinars to help clients learn in real-time, and these are archived for future reference. For beginner traders, Trading 212 has over 10 videos specifically designed to cover essential trading topics. They do not stop at just the basics, though; advanced educational content is also offered, catering to those looking to further their expertise. iFOREX, on the other hand, falls short in these areas, lacking sufficient educational articles and webinars both live and recorded.
For beginners wanting to understand trading terminology, Trading 212 provides a comprehensive investor dictionary with definitions for at least 50 important investing terms. iFOREX does not offer this resource, leaving beginners to search elsewhere for clarity. Despite both platforms being rated 3.5 stars for education, Trading 212 is positioned much higher, taking the 20th spot on ForexBrokers.com's ranking, compared to iFOREX's 53rd place. This indicates a substantial difference in their offering and dedication to educating their users. With a broader and deeper array of resources, Trading 212 clearly provides a more engaging and informative educational experience for beginners.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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 iFOREX. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while iFOREX finished with an overall rank of #52.
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
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 75 |
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Both Trading 212 and iFOREX do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide the option to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Trading 212 distinguishes itself from iFOREX by offering ACH or SEPA transfers for deposits and withdrawals, unlike iFOREX; both platforms support PayPal and Visa/Mastercard transactions, but only iFOREX provides Skrill, while both allow for bank wire transfers.
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 | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 79 | 75 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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) | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 750 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 88 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.9 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 9 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 57 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 25 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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