Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Exness vs IC Markets
Exness vs IC Markets: the differences
| Compare |  Exness | IC Markets ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10Lower | $200 |
| Markets | Stocks, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Metals | Stocks, Forex, CFDs, Futures, Crypto, Bonds |
| Regulators | FCA, CySEC, FSA Seychelles, FSCA | SIPC |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | no deposit or withdrawal fee | No internal deposit fees |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, Exness Terminal, Exness Trade App | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, CTrader, TradingView, WebTrader, IC Social |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | 1:Unlimited | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Inactivity fee ($0).
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Key differences
- Exness scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only Exness offers FCA, CySEC, FSA Seychelles.
- Regulators: only IC Markets offers SIPC.
- Exness is licensed in 3 more countries.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Exness: $10 vs $200.
- Markets: only Exness offers Metals.
- Markets: only IC Markets offers Futures, Bonds.
- Platforms: only Exness offers MT4, MT5, Exness Terminal.
- Platforms: only IC Markets offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, CTrader.
- Pricing model: only Exness offers Commission free.
Our verdict on each
Exness
Exness suits beginners and day traders who want to place stock trades without a dealing charge, with a stock trade fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0. Regulators listed are the FCA, CySEC, the FSA Seychelles and the FSCA, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 stated for UK clients.
IC Markets
IC Markets suits experienced day-traders who want a wide market list and no account fee, and it is a weaker fit if you want to start small. The minimum deposit of $200 is the number most readers will notice, while the inactivity fee of $0 takes that worry away.
Score breakdown
| Area | Exness | IC Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 8.9Minimum deposit of $200 sits above the site median of €4.64, while the inactivity fee is $0. |
| Offer | 9.6 | 9.8Higher |
| Trust | 9.5Higher | 8.6 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Exness | IC Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | |
| Seychelles | Not confirmed | |
| South Africa | FSCA 51024 | Not confirmed |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | SIPC SIPC member 71021 |
If neither fits
ActivTrades has minimum deposit at $0, against $10 for Exness and $200 for IC Markets.
ActivTrades reviewWhere these facts come from
Exness
- brokerchampion.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokeranalysis.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- e-trading.cn.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- exness.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- newyorkcityservers.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
IC Markets
- ic.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hercules-finance.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- fxranking.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Exness | IC Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 54 of 471 | 140 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 22 of 147 | 60 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 20 of 145 | 58 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 17 of 122 | 50 of 122 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Exness | IC Markets |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Copy trading, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low feesCovers more | Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners, Day traders | Experienced, Day traders |
| Legal entity | Exness (SC) Ltd | RB INTERNATIONAL MARKETS (USA) LLC |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2008 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Exness | IC Markets | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10below the median | $200highest quarter | $25 |
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
Median across 134 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Exness
Pros
- A $0 stock trade fee, with the pricing model read as commission-free and low-fee.
- An inactivity fee of $0, so a dormant balance is not billed.
- Deposits and withdrawals carry no charge, so moving money costs nothing.
Cons
- Retail leverage is listed at 1:Unlimited, and 70.15% of retail accounts on this site lose money.
- Regulators listed include the FSA Seychelles and the FSCA alongside the FCA and CySEC, so the entity behind an account can differ by market.
- The market list, stocks, forex and cfds, stops short of ETFs and futures, so share investors wanting those should look elsewhere.
IC Markets
Pros
- The inactivity fee is $0, and the brand ranks at 1 of 56 brands on that measure.
- Deposit and withdrawal carry no internal fees, so moving money in and out does not add to the cost of a trade.
- You can trade stocks, forex, contracts for differences, futures, crypto and bonds from one account, which is a wider list than eToro's stocks, etfs and forex.
Cons
- The minimum deposit of $200 sits above the site median of €4.64, so the account is less accessible than CFI, where the minimum deposit is $0.
- The brand ranks at 172 of 213 brands on minimum deposit, which puts the entry cost near the expensive end of the list.
- The stated audience is experienced traders and day-traders, so a first-time investor gets less hand-holding than the low-fees brands on the site.
Who each suits
Exness
Who it suits
- Beginners and day traders, the audiences the brand names.
- Traders who want a $0 stock trade fee and an inactivity fee of $0 on the same account.
- Desktop and mobile users who want to trade across MT4, MT5 and Exness Terminal.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, where the minimum deposit is $0.
- Vantage, with a minimum deposit of $5.
- eToro, which also covers ETFs and futures beyond the markets listed here.
IC Markets
Who it suits
- Experienced day-traders trading forex, contracts for differences, futures and crypto through a single account
- Anyone who trades on several platforms and wants MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView and a web platform side by side
- Traders who want to hold an account open without paying an inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- First-time investors who want a guided, beginner-led platform, where eToro suits better
- Anyone starting with a small amount, since Vantage opens at a minimum deposit of $5 against $200 here
- Long-term investors building a portfolio of funds or exchange-traded products, which eToro covers with its wider stocks, etfs and forex
Questions about each
Exness
What does Exness charge to buy a stock?+
Share dealing runs at a stock trade fee of $0, and the pricing model is listed as commission-free and low-fee. On this site's stock trade fee ranking Exness sits at 1 of 161, so the per-trade cost sits at the cheap end of the brands compared. Deposits and withdrawals carry no charge either.
Does Exness charge an inactivity fee?+
The inactivity fee is $0, so a dormant account is not billed for sitting still. Exness ranks 1 of 56 on this measure, at the top of the table of brands compared. Some rivals charge for unused accounts, so this saves money for anyone who opens an account and leaves it quiet for a while.
IC Markets
What is the minimum deposit to open an IC Markets account?+
The minimum deposit is $200. Set that against the site median of €4.64 to see where the entry point sits, and remember this money is committed before any trade is placed. Readers starting small may prefer a lower floor elsewhere.
Is there an inactivity fee at IC Markets?+
The inactivity fee is $0, so an account can sit open without a charge for being dormant. The brand ranks at 1 of 56 brands on that measure, which makes it one of the strongest results in our data for holding costs.
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