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Head to head

Alpari vs ThinkMarkets

Alpari has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. ThinkMarkets is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom; CySEC in the European Union; ASIC in Australia; DFSA in Dubai (DIFC), UAE and FSCA in South Africa, and also has an offshore registration. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.

Minimum deposits start at $30 at Alpari and $10 at ThinkMarkets (the Standard account needs $50). Neither offers negative balance protection. Only ThinkMarkets offers segregated client money.

Facts last checked: Alpari on 20 October 2026, ThinkMarkets on 20 October 2026.

Alpari profileThinkMarkets profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.

Broker
AlpariRead the profile
ThinkMarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
Alpari
ThinkMarketsStandard account · United Kingdom

Overview

Founded
1998
2010
Headquarters
Fomboni, Mohéli, Comoros
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • alpari.com
  • thinkmarkets.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
TF Global Markets (UK) Limited
Regulator
No licence listed
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
629628
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
UK residents
All licences held
None listed
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
No
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none for the Seychelles company

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
$110$11 per lot × 10 lots
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
$11
Spread from
No accounts listed
0.4 pips
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
1.1 pips
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
None
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
1.3 pips
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
1.4 pips
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:3000 (ECN and Pro ECN); 1:1000 on Standard; 1:500 on Micro
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 500:1 (2500:1 on ThinkTrader) at the Seychelles company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Micro account: Up to 1:500
  • Standard account: Up to 1:1000
  • ECN and Pro ECN accounts: Up to 1:3000 (floating)
  • Major currency pairs (UK: 1:30
  • Currency pairs: up to 500:1
  • ThinkTrader account (Seychelles company): up to 2500:1
Margin call level
50% on Micro and Standard; 80% on ECN and Pro ECN
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
20% on Micro and Standard; 50% on ECN and Pro ECN
50% (forced liquidation level)

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
$50
Base currencies
No accounts listed
USD, USDt, AUD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CHF
Execution
No accounts listed
Spread only, no commission (MT4, MT5)

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Alpari trading app
  • ThinkTrader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • TradingView
Markets
Forex, metals, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETF, futures and crosses CFDs
Forex, commodities, indices, crypto, stocks, ETFs and futures CFDs (up to 4,000 instruments on ThinkTrader)
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Debit or credit card
  • Bank wire
  • E-wallet
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Local payment methods
  • Bank wire
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
Withdrawal fee
Varies by method; the fee is taken from the amount withdrawn
No fee on any funding method (international site)
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Live chat, chatbot, messengers and phone helpline
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Four account types, from a $30 Micro account to a raw-spread Pro ECN account
  • Commission-free Micro, Standard and ECN accounts
  • MetaTrader 4 and 5, PAMM investing and a demo account
  • Licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, with client money in segregated accounts
  • Publishes target (typical) spreads for the Standard account, such as 1.1 pips on EUR/USD
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees on the international site's funding methods
Watch out for
  • Says it holds Mwali International Services Authority (MISA) licence T2023236; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-20, because the register sits behind a bot check
  • No licence from a strict regulator; not available to UK or EU residents
  • We found no statement on its site about segregated client money or negative balance protection
  • Leverage up to 1:3000, and deposit bonuses that come with conditions
  • International clients join TF Global Markets Int Limited in the Seychelles (offshore tier), where leverage goes up to 2500:1 on ThinkTrader and losses can exceed deposits
  • ThinkMarkets also says it is licensed by CIMA, an FSC, an FMA and (on its South African company) FSCA FSP 49835, without naming every company; we could not confirm these on 2026-10-20. Its FSCA OTC derivative provider approval is confirmed.
  • The ThinkZero minimum deposit is shown as $100 on the account types page and $500 on the ThinkZero page; ask before you fund.

Risk warnings

The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:

  • Alpari: Before trading, you should ensure that you've undergone sufficient preparation and fully understand the risks involved in margin trading.
  • ThinkMarkets: Derivative products are leveraged products and can result in losses that exceed initial deposits. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and take care to manage your exposure and seek independent advice if necessary.

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Other head-to-head pages

Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.

Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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