B
Barclays logo

Barclays

8.4/10

IC Markets

8/10
7/10RegulationWinner9/10
10/10WinnerFees6/10
9/10PlatformsTied9/10
10/10Education & ResearchTied10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsWinner10/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Barclays was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in United Kingdom, while IC Markets was established in 2007 and is based in Australia. Barclays holds licences including Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), while IC Markets is regulated by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) among others. Barclays serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; IC Markets has 60,000+. The minimum deposit is $0 at Barclays and $200 at IC Markets.

Barclays wins this category
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
Min. Deposit$0$200
RegulationFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Services Authority (FSA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
Founded20112007
CountryUnited KingdomAustralia
Clients10,000+60,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Barclays and IC Markets, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Barclays has a lower barrier to entry with a minimum deposit of $0 (vs $200 at IC Markets). Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. IC Markets charges deposit fees; Barclays does not. Overall, Barclays scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Barclays wins this category
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
Min. Deposit$0$200
Withdrawal FeesNoNo
Inactivity FeesNoNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesNoYes

Platforms

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

Tied
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
MT4YesYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsDesktop, Tablet & Mobile appsMT4, MT5, Mirror Trader, ZuluTrade, Web Trader, cTrader, Mac

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Barclays and IC Markets compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. The two brokers are evenly matched on educational content.

Tied
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
Forex EducationYesYes
CFD EducationYesYes
Weekly WebinarsYesYes
Daily CommentaryYesYes
Trading CentralYesYes
AutochartistYesYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Barclays accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while IC Markets supports 5 (bank transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller). IC Markets uniquely supports PayPal and Skrill and Neteller among the two brokers. IC Markets scores higher on deposit and withdrawal flexibility.

IC Markets wins this category
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoYes
SkrillNoYes
NetellerNoYes

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Barclays and IC Markets offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Barclays supports 2 languages and IC Markets supports 8, giving IC Markets broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBarclaysIC Markets
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Afrikans, Danish, Dutch, German and more