Alfa Forex
ThinkMarkets
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Overview
Alfa Forex was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cyprus, while ThinkMarkets was established in 2010 and is based in Australia & United Kingdom. Alfa Forex holds licences including Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while ThinkMarkets is regulated by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) with license no. 0250 among others. Alfa Forex serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; ThinkMarkets has 475,000+. Both brokers share the same minimum deposit of $0.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Regulation | Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) with license no. 0250, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with license no. 215/13, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 629628) in the UK, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC 424700), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa and the Financial Services Authority (FSA SD060) Seychelles. TF Global Markets (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 629628. TF GLobal Markets (Aust) Limited is the holder of Australian Financial Services Licence number 424700. TF GLobal Markets (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP No 49835). TF Global Markets Int Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, Firm Reference Number SD060 Seychelles |
| Founded | 2011 | 2010 |
| Country | Cyprus | Australia & United Kingdom |
| Clients | 10,000+ | 475,000+ |
Fees
Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Alfa Forex and ThinkMarkets, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Both require a minimum deposit of $0. Alfa Forex charges withdrawal fees while ThinkMarkets does not, a notable advantage for frequent withdrawers. Both brokers charge inactivity fees on dormant accounts, worth noting if you trade infrequently. The two brokers are broadly comparable on fee structure.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal Fees | Yes | No |
| Inactivity Fees | Yes | Yes |
| Deposit Fees | No | No |
| CFD Fees | No | Yes |
Platforms
Alfa Forex offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while ThinkMarkets supports MT4, MT5, a proprietary platform. Alfa Forex offers a mobile trading app; mobile availability for ThinkMarkets is limited. Both brokers support copy or social trading, catering to less hands-on investors. Alfa Forex edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| MT4 | Yes | Yes |
| MT5 | Yes | Yes |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Windows App | Yes | No |
| iOS App | Yes | No |
| Android App | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | MT4 | MT4, MT5 and ThinkTrader |
Education & Research
Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Alfa Forex and ThinkMarkets compare. ThinkMarkets runs regular live webinars; Alfa Forex does not. Both provide video tutorials. ThinkMarkets publishes daily market commentary; Alfa Forex does not. Both integrate third-party research tools. ThinkMarkets maintains an archive of past webinars for on-demand viewing. ThinkMarkets scores higher overall in education and research.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Education | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Education | No | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | No | Yes |
| Daily Commentary | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
Deposits & Withdrawals
Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Alfa Forex accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while ThinkMarkets supports 5 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller). ThinkMarkets uniquely supports PayPal and Skrill and Neteller among the two brokers. ThinkMarkets scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Card | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal | No | Yes |
| Skrill | No | Yes |
| Neteller | No | Yes |
Support
Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Alfa Forex and ThinkMarkets offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Alfa Forex supports 2 languages and ThinkMarkets supports 13, giving ThinkMarkets broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.
| Feature | Alfa Forex | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | Yes | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | English, and Chinese | English, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Czech, Greek, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Italian, Arabic, German, Spanish and Japanese |