To figure out the answer, it is essential to compare Pepperstone vs IC Markets in a systematic way by looking at what they have to offer.

Brokers registered from the same area usually have similar types of service so it's normal to see them in a competitive manner. One example is Pepperstone and IC Markets that originate from Australia. Both are quite reputable as experienced brokers and are frequently mentioned in many top broker lists across various financial media. If you want to trade in an Australian broker and are in confusion to choose between IC Markets and Pepperstone, here's a comprehensive analysis to help you make a reasonable decision.

IC Markets Vs Pepperstone

 

Which Broker has the Better Spread?

When accounting for the spread as a cost of trading, it should be no surprise that a smaller spread is preferable for traders. But, it might be challenging to acquire spread information from brokers because not all brokers post their spread data in a clear and accessible manner.

See also: Forex Brokers Spread Comparison

Traders may still pick their preferred brokers based on the sort of spreads offered by each of the brokers. In this particular instance, Pepperstone offers its prices with a variable spread from 0.0 pips in their Razor account, while IC Markets also offers the same minimum spreads on its Raw Spread account. When it comes to the Standard account, IC Markets comes out slightly better as it offers a minimum 0.6 EUR/USD spread compared to Pepperstone's 0.8 EUR/USD spread.

 

IC Markets vs Pepperstone, Which Offers the Superior Trading Platform?

If brokers don't give their clients an easy-to-use navigation platform, they won't care much about any other services they offer. Some brokerage firms have platforms that are unnecessarily difficult to use, which is unpleasant for their clients. Without the trading platform, it is impossible to carry out any transactions related to the market. Also, trading platforms have price charts and a variety of analytical tools that can help traders come up with their trading strategies.

Trading with TradingView, cTraders, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5 are all supported by Pepperstone. The offer covers trailing-stop trading, one-click trading, mobile trading, and pending order functionality.

On the other hand, IC Markets offers trading with ProDeal, IRESS, cTraders, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5, along with the assistance of mobile trading, browser-based trading, mobile trading, pending orders, trailing stop orders, and one-click trading.

 

Which Offers Better Trading Products?

It is important to remember that forex brokerages provide clients with access to a variety of trading instruments in addition to currency pairings. That way, traders could have access to a variety of exciting options, allowing them to explore extremely profitable new markets and diversify their portfolios.

In this example, Pepperstone facilitates trading with more instruments that include foreign exchange (forex), cryptocurrencies, contracts for difference (CFD), oil, stocks, metals, soft commodities, energies, agriculture, exchange-traded funds (ETF), spread betting, gold, and silver. In contrast, IC Markets mainly provides the opportunity to trade in forex, CFD, and cryptocurrencies.

 

Payment Methods of IC Markets and Pepperstone

Both Pepperstone and IC Markets provide multiple methods to withdraw and deposit funds. So in this case, they're quite similar and comparable to each other.

IC Markets allows users to pay using a variety of methods which include credit and debit cards, PayPal, Neteller, Wire Transfer, Neteller VIP, UnionPay, Skrill, Bpay, POLI, FasaPay, Broker to Broker, Thai Internet Banking, Klarna, RapidPay, Digital Wallets, and Vietnamese Internet Banking.

On the other hand, Pepperstone will take payments made by credit cards, bank transfers, VISA, MasterCard, debit cards, eWallets, PayPal, POLI, Neteller, BPAY, Skrill, UnionPay, and MPESA.

 

IC Markets vs Pepperstone Customer Support

When doing trade, providing help to customers is vital. Even the most experienced traders will, at some point, need support from the broker. It is imperative to remember that traders entering the market have a limited base of information. If you are going to start, you will need to be certain that the support team at Pepperstone and IC Markets are always available whenever you want their assistance. The customer service offered by Pepperstone and IC Markets is more than just helpful. It is essential to your success in the trading market. They can be contacted via the following communication means:

  • Live Chat Option
    Live chat is essential for multiple reasons. This is because it's an instant form of communication that enables a problem to be fixed right away. Also, chatting with someone in person is far less irritating than communicating via multiple emails. Pepperstone and IC Markets both feature live chat services for their customers.

  • Phone Support
    Even if the majority of issues can be fixed by just making a live chat, it's always a pleasant experience whenever users can genuinely discuss their concerns with a real person at either Pepperstone or IC Markets. They may skip the unnecessary details and go right to the crux of the matter, which will spare them a great deal of time and irritation. There is no phone assistance available through IC Markets. In contrast, Pepperstone does provide customer service by phone.
  • Email Support
    Email support is important while trading CFDs, commodities, stocks, cryptocurrencies, currencies, and products with Pepperstone or IC Markets. Occasionally, you may have a query that demands a specific representative of the Pepperstone or IC Markets support staff to respond satisfactorily. This is when e-mail support comes in handy.

  • Languages Supported
    IC Markets has multiple languages from which users can benefit by choosing their desired one, such as English, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Dutch, Afrikaans, Danish, German, and more. Meanwhile, Pepperstone is also a global trading platform that accepts several languages like English, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, German, Italian, French, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Arabic, and Vietnamese.

 

Regulations and Licences

Markets have a lot of rules and regulations. The more well-known and trustworthy brokerages will gladly display their regulatory certificates on the websites; if you can't see that, you should be very careful about trading with them.

Pepporstone and IC Markets both have their regulatory certificates on their websites. Pepperstone is licensed by numerous credible agencies from well-known jurisdictions such as ASIC (Australia), FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), and others. Interestingly, IC Markets is also licensed by those bodies, making the two brokers tied in regard to regulatory standards.

 

Account Types

People who have never traded before can learn a lot from demo accounts. This way, users don't have to worry about losing their funds and can try out their trading talents in a secure place. IC Markets and Pepperstone provide a demo account for that purpose. But beyond that, they also make sure to offer various trading conditions in live accounts. Here are the categories:

 

Micro Account

These are best for traders who want to take only a little risk and tend to focus mainly on forex trading. This is what most beginners do. Neither Pepperstone nor IC Markets specifically have Micro accounts, but both state that they allow clients to start trading from a micro lot (0.01).

 

Standard Account

Traders with more experience can choose to use a Standard account. Users can trade commodities, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and other items with this account. For retail investors to access one of these trading accounts, they typically need to start trading with at least $100. Pepperstone provides a Standard account with an AUD200 minimum deposit, while IC Markets allows traders to open a Standard account with a starting capital of USD200.

 

MAM Account

Multi-Account Manage is what MAM stands for. This is extremely helpful for serious investors who want to execute all trades from one account. It is an advanced and powerful software program that lets one trader access all trades on accounts linked to a master account. Pepperstone and IC Markets both offer MAM accounts to their customers.

 

Islamic Account

Islamic accounts are for Muslim investors who adhere to the Shariah Law that prohibited the use of interest rates in speculative transactions. This may appear specialized, but it's essential since it follows Islamic principles. Both Pepperstone and IC Markets offer such a feature as they're open to many types of traders on a global scale.

 

Final Thought

In conclusion, your evaluation is ultimately the most crucial factor when deciding which broker is the best. If you are a regular trader, it is best to go with a broker who offers lower spreads. Regarding trading platforms, every trader uses MetaTrader 4 since it is the dominant technology. But if you want a unique experience with a more advanced platform, you should choose a broker who has a number of platforms to choose from. The same is true for trading products; if you want to test your skills in a variety of marketplaces, you should look for a broker who offers a broader range of choices when it comes to trading products.

When it comes to the abovementioned features, Pepperstone and IC Markets almost come toe-to-toe. But some little differences can be found in how IC Markets offers a slightly lower spread in the Standard account, and how Pepperstone is capable of supporting more trading products. By this observation, you might want to choose IC Markets if low spreads is your priority, or go to Pepperstone should your desire is to trade in a highly diverse market.

For more complete comparison between the two brokers, you may look into the table below:

Compare IC Markets Pepperstone
General Rating 4.02/5
3.31/5
Score
Trustpilot 4.8/5

32767 users
4.6/5

1965 users
💼 Regulation
❗ Info
⌛ Established 2007 2010
💲 Min Deposit $200 $0
⚖ Max Leverage 1:1000 1:400
🔢 Spread Variable Variable
💸 Commissions $3.50 $7
💡 Min Position 0.01 lot 0.01 lot
💳 Payment Crypto, BPAY, Credit/debit cards, FasaPay, Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, UnionPay and Wire transfer Credit/debit cards, PayPal, UnionPay, Wire transfer, Neteller and Skrill
🏢 Office(s) AustraliaCyprusBahamasSeychelles AustraliaGermanyKenyaCyprusUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomBahamas
🧩 Demo Account
📁 Segregated Account
🕋 Islamic Account
👨‍💻 PAMM Account
📈 Managed Account
💱 Hedging
🇺🇸 US traders
🕛 Swaps
🏆 Trading contests
⚡ Automated trading
💰 Bonus offers
📖 Free education
1️⃣ One-click trading
⏱ Trailing stop
⏳ Pending orders
ForexForex
cfdCFD
IndexesIndexes
Spread BettingSpread Betting
Gold & SilverGold & Silver
CryptoCrypto
stocksStocks
oilOil
MetalsMetals
EnergiesEnergies
FuturesFutures
etfETF
OptionsOptions
AgricultureAgriculture
IndicesIndices
CommoditiesCommodities
EtfEtf
BondsBonds
StockStock
Binary OptionsBinary Options
ETFsETFs
Corporate StocksCorporate Stocks
SharesShares
SilverSilver
IndexIndex
Stocks 1:5Stocks 1:5
Physical StockPhysical Stock
🗣 Website Languages Arabic, Chinese, English, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish Chinese, English, Russian
🚪 Trade Now Open IC Markets Open Pepperstone