Barclays
ThinkMarkets
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Overview
Barclays was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in United Kingdom, while ThinkMarkets was established in 2010 and is based in Australia & United Kingdom. Barclays holds licences including Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), while ThinkMarkets is regulated by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) with license no. 0250 among others. Barclays serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; ThinkMarkets has 475,000+. Both brokers share the same minimum deposit of $0.
| Feature | Barclays | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Regulation | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) | 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 | United Kingdom | Australia & United Kingdom |
| Clients | 10,000+ | 475,000+ |
Fees
Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Barclays and ThinkMarkets, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Both require a minimum deposit of $0. Neither broker charges withdrawal fees. ThinkMarkets applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; Barclays does not. The two brokers are broadly comparable on fee structure.
| Feature | Barclays | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Min. Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal Fees | No | No |
| Inactivity Fees | No | Yes |
| Deposit Fees | No | No |
| CFD Fees | No | Yes |
Platforms
Barclays offers MT4, MT5, cTrader, while ThinkMarkets supports MT4, MT5, a proprietary platform. Barclays offers a mobile trading app; mobile availability for ThinkMarkets is limited. ThinkMarkets supports social and copy trading features, which Barclays does not offer. Barclays edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.
| Feature | Barclays | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| MT4 | Yes | Yes |
| MT5 | Yes | Yes |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Windows App | Yes | No |
| iOS App | Yes | No |
| Android App | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Desktop, Tablet & Mobile apps | MT4, MT5 and ThinkTrader |
Education & Research
Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Barclays and ThinkMarkets 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. Barclays scores higher overall in education and research.
| Feature | Barclays | ThinkMarkets |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Education | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Education | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
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 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 | Barclays | 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 Barclays and ThinkMarkets offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Barclays supports 2 languages and ThinkMarkets supports 13, giving ThinkMarkets broader global reach. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.
| Feature | Barclays | 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 |