Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs Markets.com, 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 Swissquote and Markets.com, several key factors stand out. Founded in 1996, Swissquote holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating a highly trusted reputation. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, Swissquote demonstrates stability and transparency, reinforced by holding five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, which are key indicators of trust according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Markets.com, established in 1999, still maintains a strong presence with a Trust Score of 93. While it is not publicly traded and does not hold banking status, Markets.com is recognized with three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, which solidifies its standing as a reliable broker. Both brokers are reputable, but Swissquote's comprehensive licensing and additional banking flexibility may appeal to those seeking the highest level of trust and security.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Swissquote, known for its reputable Swiss banking background, provides various accounts across its entities in the U.K., Luxembourg, and Switzerland, each attracting slightly higher costs. The U.K. branch offers the most competitive rates, with the Elite account as a preferred choice for active traders due to its lower spreads and $5 charge per round-turn trade. For everyday traders, the Standard account with a starting spread of 1.3 pips might not be as appealing, while the Prime account offers a minimum spread from 0.6 pips but requires a significant deposit. Swissquote's Luxembourg branch similarly offers tiered accounts with spreads from 0.8 to 1.5 pips, while its Swiss entity leans towards higher spreads starting at 1.1 pips for a Prime account. Overall, Swissquote's commission structure is slightly above average, earning a 3.5-star rating and ranking 52nd among 62 brokers for commissions and fees.
Markets.com, by comparison, does not provide specific average spread data, making it challenging to directly compare cost efficiency. However, it also receives a 3.5-star rating for its commissions and fees structure and is ranked slightly better than Swissquote, standing at 49th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. This suggests that while both brokers offer similar ratings, Markets.com might have a slight edge in terms of perceived value for cost among brokers.
In summary, Swissquote and Markets.com both present viable options for traders with different strengths in their commissions and fees structures. Swissquote draws attention due to its esteemed Swiss banking reputation with a premium cost, while Markets.com remains a slightly higher-ranked option with an equivalent star rating, yet lacks detailed spread data. Prospective users should consider these factors when choosing a broker that aligns with their trading needs and financial strategies.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Swissquote and Markets.com on the range of investments, both platforms offer forex trading as either CFDs or spot contracts, catering to diverse trading preferences. Swissquote gives access to a noteworthy selection of 472 tradeable symbols and shines with 80 forex pairs. In contrast, Markets.com provides a broader array of 2179 tradeable symbols but offers fewer forex pairs, numbering just 57. Swissquote further distinguishes itself by providing direct access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling clients to buy stocks like Apple and Vodafone directly, whereas Markets.com does not have this capability.
Both Swissquote and Markets.com support copy trading, appealing to those who prefer mirroring successful trading strategies. When it comes to cryptocurrency, Swissquote offers a strong advantage with the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, alongside cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Markets.com is limited to the latter option. Swissquote's diverse investment options earn it a top-tier rating of 5 stars for the range of investments, placing it impressively at #2 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Markets.com, with its 4-star rating, ranks at #29 in the same category, reflecting its extensive, yet slightly more limited offerings in direct security purchases and crypto investments.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 2179 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 57 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 Swissquote and Markets.com, both brokers offer sophisticated trading platforms that cater to a variety of traders. Swissquote provides a diverse range of platforms including a Windows-based desktop platform and a web-based option, both of which are proprietary and offer extensive features, such as 75 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from a stock chart. Additionally, Swissquote supports popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, along with a comprehensive demo account for paper trading. The broker also excels in customization with 11 columns for watch lists and a top-tier rating of 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, ranking it #12 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
Similarly, Markets.com provides users with its own proprietary platform and supports both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. It offers the convenience of a Windows-based platform and a web-based alternative, alongside a demo account feature for traders to practice risk-free. While Markets.com provides only 4 drawing tools and lacks the capability to trade directly from a chart, it still maintains a solid platform with essential trading tools and functionality. It includes 6 columns for watch lists and has been rated 4 stars for its trading offerings, achieving a #27 ranking among 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. Despite being slightly behind in charting and trading flexibility, Markets.com remains a competitive choice for users seeking versatile trading solutions.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 89 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 4 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and Markets.com both provide traders with apps for iPhone and Android devices, enabling trading on the go. Both apps include features such as stock and forex price alerts, and the capability to draw trendlines on charts. A notable difference is in the charting tools each offers: Swissquote's app includes 30 technical studies and allows users to view multiple time frames, like daily and intraday, and even auto-saves chart drawings. Conversely, Markets.com offers limited charting features with default studies available only on MT4 and does not support multiple time frame views or auto-save of chart drawings.
Watchlist management reveals more contrasts; while both Swissquote and Markets.com allow for the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, only Markets.com synchronizes these watchlists between mobile and online accounts. When rated for overall mobile trading experience, Swissquote edges ahead with a 4.5-star rating compared to Markets.com's 4 stars. Additionally, Swissquote is ranked higher in the ForexBrokers.com Mobile Trading Apps category at #11, whereas Markets.com holds the #33 spot. This comparison shows Swissquote as the better option for traders seeking a more comprehensive mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Swissquote and Markets.com for market research capabilities, both brokers provide daily market commentary and deliver forex news from high-quality sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also provide traders with access to an economic calendar featuring global news events. However, Swissquote stands out by offering research tools from Autochartist, aiding in technical and fundamental analysis, whereas Markets.com does not feature this particular tool.
On the other hand, Markets.com distinguishes itself by providing a sentiment-based trading tool, which allows users to view the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments, something that Swissquote lacks. Additionally, neither broker offers tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Both Swissquote and Markets.com share a research rating of 4 stars, with Swissquote ranked slightly higher at #16 compared to Markets.com at #17 among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | 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 available for beginners on Swissquote and Markets.com, Swissquote comes out ahead in offering comprehensive learning materials. Swissquote provides a variety of educational content, including over ten articles, videos, and archived webinars specifically on forex and CFDs, alongside a searchable archive of these webinars for easy access. Additionally, they offer a wide range of beginner videos and an investor dictionary with more than 50 terms. Both Swissquote and Markets.com conduct monthly online educational webinars and present a selection of beginner and advanced trading videos. However, Markets.com does not match Swissquote's depth in some areas, lacking a dedicated investor dictionary and not providing a searchable webinar archive.
In terms of educational quality, both platforms received similar ratings, with Swissquote and Markets.com each earning four stars. Despite this, the educational ranking on ForexBrokers.com places Swissquote at #21 out of 62 brokers, whereas Markets.com sits further down at #34. Overall, while both offer valuable learning resources, Swissquote presents a more comprehensive package for beginner traders looking to deepen their understanding of the financial markets.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Swissquote is better than Markets.com. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Markets.com finished with an overall rank of #23.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Markets.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Swissquote allows investors to purchase actual cryptocurrency, while both Swissquote and Markets.com provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Swissquote stands out for its extensive deposit and withdrawal options, offering ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas Markets.com provides Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires but lacks support for ACH, SEPA transfers, and PayPal.
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 | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 2179 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 57 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 89 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 4 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | (default on MT4, none on Markets app) | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | No | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Markets.com | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review |
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