B

Alfa Financials

6.4/10

Markets.com

7.1/10
7/10RegulationWinner10/10
0/10FeesWinner1/10
9/10PlatformsTied9/10
10/10WinnerEducation & Research4/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsWinner6.5/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Alfa Financials was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in UAE, while Markets.com was established in 2008 and is based in Cyprus. Alfa Financials holds licences including Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), while Markets.com is regulated by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) among others. Alfa Financials serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Markets.com has 10,000+. The minimum deposit is $500 at Alfa Financials and $250 at Markets.com.

Markets.com wins this category
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
Min. Deposit$500$250
RegulationFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA)Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
Founded19872008
CountryUAECyprus
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Alfa Financials and Markets.com, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Markets.com has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $250 (vs $500 at Alfa Financials). Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. Alfa Financials applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; Markets.com does not. Overall, Markets.com scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Markets.com wins this category
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
Min. Deposit$500$250
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesYesNo
Deposit FeesNoNo
CFD FeesYesNo

Platforms

Alfa Financials offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while Markets.com supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Markets.com supports social and copy trading features, which Alfa Financials does not offer. The two brokers are closely matched on platform offering.

Tied
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
MT4YesYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsMetaTrader 4 (MT4),Trader Desktop,Android,Mac,IPad,Alfa TraderMT4, MT5, Web Trader, Tablet & Mobile apps

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Alfa Financials and Markets.com compare. Alfa Financials runs regular live webinars; Markets.com does not. Both provide video tutorials. Alfa Financials publishes daily market commentary; Markets.com does not. Both integrate third-party research tools. Alfa Financials maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. Alfa Financials scores higher overall in education and research.

Alfa Financials wins this category
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
Forex EducationYesYes
CFD EducationYesNo
Weekly WebinarsYesNo
Daily CommentaryYesNo
Trading CentralYesNo
AutochartistYesYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Alfa Financials accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while Markets.com supports 3 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal). Markets.com uniquely supports PayPal among the two brokers. Markets.com scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.

Markets.com wins this category
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoYes
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Alfa Financials and Markets.com offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Alfa Financials supports 2 languages and Markets.com supports 14, giving Markets.com broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureAlfa FinancialsMarkets.com
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseArabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish