Comparison of Alpari and Markets.com
| Feature | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 1998 | 2008 |
| Broker Type | ECN, MM | MM |
| Dealing | A-book, B-book | B-book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | MISA, NBRB | SVGFSA, CySEC, FSCA |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), TradingView |
| Spread | ⮕ Average | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:3000 | 1:500 |
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $100 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR | USD, EUR, GBP, DKK, NOK, SEK, PLN, AUD, ZAR |
| Funding Methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Wallet One, Volet.com, VLoad, TC Pay, Perfect Money, Tether (USDT) Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC) | Bank wire transfers, credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard), Skrill, Neteller, PayPal |
| Inactivity Fee | $5 per month after 6 months | $10 per month after 3 months of inactivity |
| Interest on Margin | ✖ | ✖ |
| Withdrawal Fee | ✖ | ✖ |
| Investor Protection | Financialcommission.org | Cyprus ICF |
| Protection Size | €20 000 | €20 000 |
| Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✔ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✖ | ✖ |
| Copy Trading | ✖ | ✔ |
| VPS | ✖ | ✖ |
| MAM/PAMM | ✔ | ✖ |
| Scalping Allowed | ✔ | ✔ |
| EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Currencies, Indices, Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Metals, Energies | Currencies, Shares, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Cryptocurrencies |
| Review | Alpari Review | Markets.com Review |
About Alpari
Alpari is one of the most established names in the Forex trading world, with a history dating back to 1998. The broker has built a solid reputation, particularly among traders in emerging markets, for offering a broad range of financial instruments and account types that cater to both beginners and experienced traders. Alpari provides access to Forex, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies, with platform options including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, two of the most popular trading platforms globally. The broker also offers social trading features, allowing clients to copy the strategies of more experienced traders. With a long track record and diverse offerings, Alpari aims to deliver flexibility and convenience. Additionally, Alpari offers multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, which is a major advantage for traders worldwide. However, it is important to note that while Alpari has a strong presence in many regions, it is not regulated by top-tier authorities, which may be a concern for some traders. Despite this, Alpari maintains a significant customer base and continues to attract clients with its competitive spreads and educational resources.
Pros
- Established broker with over two decades of experience in the industry
- Provides MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms
- Offers a PAMM feature for those interested in investing
- Comprehensive research and educational resources
- Competitive spreads and flexible leverage options
- Multiple payment methods for deposits and withdrawals
Cons
- Lack of regulation from top-tier financial authorities
- Customer support quality may vary depending on the region
- No proprietary trading platform available
About Markets.com
Markets.com is a multi-asset CFD and FX broker, operating since 2008 under CySEC, FSCA and SVGFSA oversight. A modest $100 deposit opens the door to 50-plus currency pairs, stocks, ETFs, crypto and more on MT4/MT5, TradingView and the proprietary app, all backed by segregated client funds, negative-balance protection and multilingual 24/5 support. The broker best suits active retail traders who want flexible leverage (up to 1:500 outside the EU), floating spreads from 0.7 pips, copy-trading tools and frequent bonus promotions, yet still value basic regulatory safeguards. Long-term buy-and-hold investors may find the CFD-only model and $10 monthly inactivity fee less appealing.
Pros
- Multi-regulated (SVGFSA, CySEC, FSCA)
- Low $100 entry threshold, no deposit/withdrawal fees
- Choice of MT4/MT5 and TradingView
- 50+ FX pairs and broad multi-asset CFD selection
- Negative-balance protection for all retail clients
Cons
- Inactivity fee after 90 days
- Only one live trading account type available
Alpari & Markets.com Regulation
| Feature | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Companies | Alpari (Comoros) Ltd, Alpari Eurasia LLC | Markets International Ltd, Safecap Investments Limited, Markets (South Africa) Pty Limited |
Countries | Comoros, Belarus | Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Cyprus, South Africa |
Regulators | MISA, NBRB | SVGFSA, CySEC, FSCA |
Investor Protection | Financialcommission.org | Cyprus ICF |
Investor Protection Size | €20 000 | €20 000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Account Types
| Account | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Market Maker Account | ||
| Account Name | Standard | Standard |
| Min Deposit | $50 | $100 |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | Floating | Floating |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Min Spread | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Fee | No | No |
| Max Leverage | 1:1000 | 1:500 |
| Stop Out | 20% | 50% |
| Margin Call | 50% | 100% |
ECN Account | ||
| Account Name | ECN | — |
| Min Deposit | $300 | — |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | — |
| Spread Type | Floating | — |
| Execution | Market | — |
| Min Spread | 0.1 | — |
| Fee | $5 per 1 lot | — |
| Max Leverage | 1:3000 | — |
| Stop Out | 50% | — |
| Margin Call | 80% | — |
| Additional Features | ||
| Demo Account | ||
| VIP Account | ||
| Swap-Free Account | ||
| Copy Trading | ||
| VPS | ||
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | ||
Binary Options | ||
| Account | Fix-Contracts | — |
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | — |
| Option Types | Call/Put, Touch, Range, Spread, Turbo, Express | — |
| Minimum Stake | $1 | — |
| Payout | from 40% to 95% | — |
| Expiration Time | from 5 seconds to 1 day | — |
Funding and Fees
| Feature | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR | USD, EUR, GBP, DKK, NOK, SEK, PLN, AUD, ZAR |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Wire, Credit Card, Debit Card, WebMoney, Skrill, Neteller, Wallet One, Volet.com, VLoad, TC Pay, Perfect Money, Tether (USDT) Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Zcash (ZEC) | Bank wire transfers, credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard), Skrill, Neteller, PayPal |
Inactivity fee | $5 per month after 6 months | $10 per month after 3 months of inactivity |
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee |
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), TradingView |
Execution Speed | 0.1 ms | 82 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | average | low |
Trading Assets
| Asset | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 46 | 54 |
Indices | 12 | 36 |
Stocks | 631 | 260 |
Cryptocurrencies | 9 | 29 |
Bonds | 0 | 4 |
Metals | 2 | 8 |
Energies | 3 | 5 |
Soft Commodities | 0 | 6 |
ETFs | 0 | 68 |
Education and Analytics
| Feature | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Bonuses
| Bonus | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Bonus | ||
| Is available | ||
| Size | — | 20%, up to $10000 |
| Details | — | Learn More |
| No Deposit Bonus | ||
| Is available | ||
| Size | — | $1020 |
| Details | — | Learn More |
Customer Support
| Contact | Alpari | Markets.com |
|---|---|---|
Email | support@alpari.im | support@markets.com |
Phone | +44 2045 771951 | +27104470539 |
Facebook | ||
LinkedIn | — | |
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | ||
Twitter | — | |
TikTok | — | TikTok |
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing Alpari and Markets.com, Markets.com comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
More Comparisons
Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.