Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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.
When considering online brokers, Trading 212 and IronFX offer different levels of trust and regulatory strength. Trading 212, founded in 2004, has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 79, putting it in the average risk category. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, Trading 212 holds two Tier-1 licenses, which signals a high level of oversight by top financial authorities. This positions them as a broker with a significant focus on client protection.
IronFX, established in 2010, boasts a slightly higher Trust Score of 83, classifying it as a trusted broker. Like Trading 212, IronFX is not publicly traded nor a banking institution. However, it holds three Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a commitment to maintaining strict regulatory standards for client safety. While both brokers are reputable, IronFX's additional Tier-1 license gives it the edge in regulatory trustworthiness.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers Trading 212 and IronFX, it is evident that each has its own strengths and limitations. Trading 212 offers a CFD account with a minimum deposit of 10 euros, providing a zero-commission trading platform. However, traders should note that spreads apply, with the EUR/USD pair averaging a higher-than-industry-standard spread of 1.9 pips as of January 2024. This somewhat undermines its competitive edge in the market despite their 4-star rating for commissions and fees and a ranking of #43 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, IronFX also holds a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, ranking slightly lower at #47 out of 62 brokers. IronFX's Standard variable spread account features a typical spread of 1.8 pips, yet this can vary based on account types. Their zero fixed-spread account starts at zero pips but includes an $18 per lot commission, with potential spread widening up to 3 pips overnight. IronFX's pricing structure suggests room for improvement, particularly given its higher-than-average spreads.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment options of Trading 212 and IronFX, Trading 212 stands out with a diverse array of choices, offering a total of 8,025 tradeable symbols, while IronFX provides a considerably smaller selection of 340 symbols. For forex enthusiasts, Trading 212 offers access to 146 tradeable forex pairs, surpassing IronFX's offering of 83 pairs. Additionally, Trading 212 allows clients to directly purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, enabling them to invest in companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, IronFX does not provide access to these direct securities. Both platforms offer forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts and provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies.
For those interested in social investing strategies, IronFX supports copy trading, a feature absent from Trading 212. In terms of ratings, Trading 212 is favorably positioned with a 5-star rating for its range of investments and is ranked 15th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. IronFX, meanwhile, holds a 3.5-star rating in this category and is ranked 51st. Overall, for investors seeking a broader selection of investment options, Trading 212 may be the more appealing choice, while traders interested in copy trading and a streamlined selection might consider IronFX.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 340 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 83 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 Trading 212 and IronFX, both brokers provide simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts to help new traders practice without risking real money. Trading 212 stands out with its proprietary, in-house developed platform, accessible through a web-based interface. While it does not support well-known platforms like MetaTrader 4 or 5, it offers an intuitive user experience with 20 drawing tools for charting and allows trading directly from stock charts. Additionally, it provides users with five columns for watch list management, contributing to a strong rating of four out of five stars for trading platforms and tools.
In contrast, IronFX doesn't have a unique platform of its own but supports the popular MetaTrader 4 for those who prefer a downloadable Windows-based desktop option. It also caters to web-based trading and features copy trading for users interested in mimicking the trades of experienced investors. While IronFX offers fewer drawing tools, at 15, it supports a more detailed watch list with seven columns and allows trading from charts. However, despite these offerings, IronFX garners a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and holds a ForexBrokers.com ranking of 60 out of 62 for trading platforms and tools, compared to Trading 212's rank of 21.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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) | 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.
When comparing Trading 212 and IronFX mobile trading apps, both brokers provide iPhone and Android apps along with essential features like price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on stock or forex charts. Trading 212, however, takes the lead with additional benefits. Users can sync their watchlist symbols between the mobile app and their online accounts, making it easier to keep track of investments. IronFX lacks this feature, offering users a less integrated experience. Trading 212 also offers 104 technical studies for its charting capabilities, far surpassing IronFX's 30 studies.
In terms of usability, both apps allow viewing multiple time frames and auto-saving drawings on charts. Users can create watchlists with real-time quotes on both platforms. However, Trading 212 holds a slight advantage with a higher rating of 4 stars for its mobile trading app as opposed to IronFX's 3.5 stars. Furthermore, Trading 212 is ranked #17 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for mobile trading apps, while IronFX is positioned much lower at #61. This overall comparison indicates that Trading 212 offers a somewhat more comprehensive and user-friendly mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| 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 tools between Trading 212 and IronFX, several differences come to light. IronFX provides daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not offer this feature. Both platforms deliver forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to leveraging tools provided by Trading Central, only IronFX offers features like Technical Analytics, whereas Trading 212 does not. On the flip side, Trading 212 provides a unique sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long and short positions, an option not available on IronFX. Both brokers include an economic calendar to keep users updated on global events.
In terms of overall research capabilities, IronFX is rated higher with 4 out of 5 stars, compared to Trading 212's 3.5 stars. Furthermore, in a ranking by ForexBrokers.com, IronFX takes the #28 spot among 62 brokers, significantly ahead of Trading 212, which is positioned at #46. This suggests that IronFX currently offers a more comprehensive suite of market research tools that may better serve investors looking for in-depth analysis and insights.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | 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.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Trading 212 and IronFX both provide a foundation for learning about forex and CFDs. Trading 212 offers more extensive resources, including monthly online educational webinars and a searchable archive of past webinars. They also provide a range of beginner-friendly and advanced educational videos, perfectly catering to traders at different stages. IronFX, on the other hand, lacks monthly webinars and advanced video content, but still offers a robust selection of beginner educational videos and a searchable webinar archive.
Both platforms offer useful investor dictionaries to help beginners understand complex investing terms. Despite Trading 212's comprehensive offerings, it is rated at 3.5 stars for education, slightly behind IronFX's 4-star rating. However, Trading 212 is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com, claiming the #20 spot out of 62 brokers, compared to IronFX's #44 ranking. Overall, Trading 212 may be the more versatile choice for those seeking varied educational formats, while IronFX might appeal to those who prefer a higher-rated, though less varied, educational experience.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | 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 Trading 212 is better than IronFX. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while IronFX finished with an overall rank of #48.
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
|
IronFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 83 |
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Both Trading 212 and IronFX do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers, Trading 212 provides more diverse and convenient funding options than IronFX, with support for ACH, SEPA, and PayPal transactions, while both platforms accept Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, and only IronFX supports Skrill.
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 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 79 | 83 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2010 | |
| 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 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | 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). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8025 | 340 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 83 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.9 | 1.2 | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €10 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | 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 | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| 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 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | 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 | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | IronFX | |
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| Trust Score | 79 | 83 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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