Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Spreadex vs IronFX, 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.
Spreadex, founded in 1999, and IronFX, established in 2010, are both online brokers that are not publicly traded and not banks. When comparing their regulatory standings, Spreadex holds one Tier-1 license, which is recognized for its high level of trust. However, it lacks any Tier-2 licenses, resulting in a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 71, indicating an average risk. On the other hand, IronFX boasts three Tier-1 licenses, highlighting its commitment to providing a more trusted trading experience. This is reflected in its higher Trust Score of 83, signaling it as a trusted broker.
Choosing between Spreadex and IronFX may come down to the importance you place on trust and regulatory standings. IronFX appears to offer a more secure environment with its multiple Tier-1 licenses and a stronger Trust Score. While both brokers are not backed by the assurances of being publicly traded or associated with banking institutions, IronFX might appeal more to those who prioritize trust in their trading partners.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Spreadex offers competitive pricing for its trading services. In January 2024, their average spread for EUR/USD was 0.81 pips, with a minimum spread of 0.6 pips achieved 60% of the time. These lower spreads give traders an opportunity to minimize trading costs, contributing to Spreadex’s solid reputation. For their services, Spreadex is rated 4 out of 5 stars in the commissions and fees category and holds the 27th position out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, IronFX presents a different pricing structure, which might appear less favorable in comparison to industry standards. With their Standard variable spread account, the typical spread is listed at 1.8 pips, though this can vary significantly across different account types. For instance, their zero fixed-spread account starts with a spread of zero, but includes an $18 per lot commission and spreads can widen to 3 pips overnight. IronFX also receives a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, but ranks 47th out of 62 brokers in this category.
While both Spreadex and IronFX offer 4-star services in terms of commissions and fees, Spreadex seems to provide more attractive and consistent rates. With Spreadex’s top-30 ranking as opposed to IronFX's lower placement, traders might find Spreadex to be a better option if minimizing trading costs is a priority.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.81 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| 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 the range of investments offered by Spreadex and IronFX, there are distinct differences that cater to various investor preferences. Spreadex stands out with a substantial offering of 10,000 tradeable symbols, providing investors with a vast array of options to diversify their portfolios. However, it provides 52 tradeable forex pairs, slightly less than IronFX, which offers 83. Both platforms allow forex trading as a CFD or spot contract and provide options for cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the ability to invest in actual delivered cryptocurrencies or exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, such as shares in Apple or Vodafone.
IronFX sets itself apart with the availability of copy trading, a useful feature for those looking to mirror the trades of more experienced investors. Despite having fewer tradeable symbols overall—340 compared to Spreadex's 10,000—IronFX manages to provide a competitive selection of forex pairs. However, in terms of range of investments, Spreadex receives a higher rating, at 5 stars compared to IronFX's 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Spreadex ranks 13th out of 62 brokers for investment range, while IronFX ranks 51st, showcasing the former's edge in diversity of offerings.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 83 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| 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). | 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 Spreadex and IronFX, several key differences arise. Both brokers provide a free virtual demo account for simulated trading, catering to beginners keen on practice. Spreadex stands out with its proprietary platform, while IronFX uses third-party platforms. If you prefer trading on Windows, IronFX offers a desktop download option, whereas Spreadex focuses on web-based platforms. However, when it comes to popular platforms like MetaTrader 4, IronFX holds an advantage since Spreadex does not support it. Copy trading is another area where IronFX shines, whereas Spreadex does not offer this feature.
For technical tools, IronFX provides 15 drawing tools compared to Spreadex's 11, supporting those who conduct detailed market analysis. Both allow trading directly from stock charts, enhancing efficiency. Regarding watch lists, Spreadex offers 8 columns or fields, surpassing the 7 columns provided by IronFX, making it slightly more customizable for monitoring stocks. With a 4-star rating against IronFX's 3.5 stars, Spreadex edges ahead in the overall rankings for trading platforms and tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, Spreadex is ranked 46th out of 62 brokers for these features, while IronFX is ranked 60th, indicating a better reception for Spreadex among reviewers.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 11 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Spreadex and IronFX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility for traders on the go. Each app provides the essential feature of stock or forex price alerts, but where these two platforms differ begins with technical analysis options. Spreadex does not specify the number of technical studies available, whereas IronFX boasts 30, allowing for more in-depth chart analysis. Both apps support drawing trendlines on stock or forex charts and viewing multiple time frames, including daily, weekly, and intraday options. However, while IronFX autosaves chart drawings, Spreadex does not, which may affect users who shift between devices.
In terms of watchlist capabilities, there's a similarity as well; both apps allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, though neither supports syncing watchlists between the mobile app and the online account. This limitation requires users to manually adjust lists on separate platforms. Despite these similarities and differences, Spreadex edges out in user ratings with 4 stars compared to IronFX's 3.5 stars. The evaluation by ForexBrokers.com also places Spreadex higher, ranking it at 46th out of 62 brokers, while IronFX is at 61st, highlighting Spreadex's slight advantage in the mobile trading app sphere.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | N/A | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Spreadex and IronFX both provide comprehensive research options for traders, offering daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While Spreadex includes Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, IronFX stands out with tools from Trading Central. Spreadex takes a different route by offering sentiment-based trading tools that provide insight into position ratios across currency pairs, an option IronFX lacks. Neither broker provides market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading, yet both maintain daily economic calendars to keep traders updated on global news events.
When it comes to research ratings, both brokers share a four-star evaluation. Despite this parity in quality, IronFX holds a slightly higher rank at #28 compared to Spreadex's #31, according to ForexBrokers.com out of a pool of 62 brokers. This suggests that while both platforms are commendable for market research, IronFX has a slight edge in the industry ranking, providing traders with a decent array of research tools combined with commentary and news, offering a well-rounded strategic trading approach.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Spreadex and IronFX provide ample educational resources to support beginners as they navigate the complex world of forex and CFD trading. Both brokers offer more than 10 educational pieces like articles and videos, primarily focusing on forex and CFDs. They also provide at least 10 video tutorials specifically tailored for newcomers to trading. Furthermore, both platforms offer a comprehensive investor dictionary, each boasting definitions for over 50 investing terms. However, neither broker currently hosts monthly online webinars or offers advanced video tutorials for experienced traders.
When it comes to accessing previously recorded webinars, IronFX holds a slight edge with a searchable archive, a feature Spreadex does not offer. Despite these similarities and differences, both platforms have received commendable ratings for their educational efforts, each earning 4 stars. Notably, while Spreadex is ranked #45 by ForexBrokers.com for its educational content, IronFX ranks marginally higher at #44. This comparison indicates that while both brokers offer valuable resources for beginners, each has unique elements that may cater to different learning preferences.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
| 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 Spreadex is better than IronFX. Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #39, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
Spreadex is an FCA-regulated broker in the UK, offering forex and CFDs, and is well known for its sports betting business, and proprietary web trading platforms. Spreadex still has considerable room to improve, in key categories such as research and education, compared to the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
Spreadex
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 71 | 83 |
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Spreadex and IronFX both do not offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency for delivery, but they do provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Spreadex and IronFX do not offer ACH, SEPA, or PayPal options for deposits or withdrawals, while they both support Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but only IronFX provides Skrill as an additional payment 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 | Spreadex | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 71 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Spreadex | IronFX | |
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| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 71 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 52 | 83 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| 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). | 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 | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.81 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 8 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 58 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 11 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Spreadex | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | Spreadex | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 71 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Spreadex Review |
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