IC Markets Account Types 2026 — Standard vs Raw Spread

IC Markets offers three account types: Standard, Raw Spread (MT4/MT5), and Raw Spread (cTrader). This guide compares all three so you can choose the account that best fits your trading style and budget — especially with our commission discount (up to 21% off).

IC Markets Account Comparison — Normal vs Discounted

See exactly how much you save with our commission discount (up to 21% off) on each IC Markets account type.

IC Markets Standard Account

The Standard account is IC Markets' spread-only pricing model. All trading costs are included in the spread, with no separate commission charge. Average spreads on EUR/USD are approximately from 1.0 pips during peak trading hours, though they can widen during low-liquidity periods or high-volatility events.

The Standard account is available on all three platforms — MT4, MT5, and cTrader. It has the same leverage options and instrument range as the Raw Spread accounts. The minimum deposit is $200, the same as all IC Markets accounts.

The Standard account is a good choice for traders who prefer simplicity. Since there is no commission, your only cost is the spread. This makes it easier to calculate your break-even point and understand your total trading cost at a glance. It is also suitable for traders who primarily trade less liquid pairs where spread-based pricing may be more competitive.

With our IB arrangement, Standard account clients receive cashback per lot traded rather than a commission discount (since there is no commission to discount). This cashback is paid periodically and reduces your overall trading cost.

IC Markets Raw Spread Account (MT4/MT5)

The Raw Spread MT4/MT5 account is IC Markets' most popular account type and the one we recommend for most traders. It offers raw interbank spreads starting from 0.0 pips on major pairs, with a fixed commission of $7.00 per standard lot round turn. With our commission discount, this drops to just $5.50 per lot — saving you $1.50 on every single trade.

The total trading cost on this account is typically lower than the Standard account. For example, on EUR/USD, the average raw spread is about 0.1 pips plus the $5.50 commission (with discount). This totals approximately 0.59 pips in equivalent cost — significantly cheaper than the Standard account's from 0.7 pip average spread.

MT4 and MT5 are the most widely used forex trading platforms in the world. They offer extensive charting capabilities, a massive library of Expert Advisors (EAs) and custom indicators, built-in strategy backtesting, and one-click trading. MT5 adds additional features including a built-in economic calendar, more timeframes, and support for exchange-traded instruments.

For most traders — from beginners to professionals — the Raw Spread MT4/MT5 account with our commission discount (up to 21% off) offers the best combination of low cost, platform versatility, and trading tool availability. It is the account type used by approximately 70% of our active traders.

IC Markets Raw Spread Account (cTrader)

The cTrader Raw Spread account offers the same raw interbank spreads from 0.0 pips but with a slightly lower standard commission of $6.50 per lot round turn. With our commission discount, this drops to $5.50 per lot — the lowest commission rate available on IC Markets.

cTrader is known for its modern, intuitive interface and advanced features. It includes built-in depth of market (Level II pricing), detachable charts that can be moved to separate monitors, advanced order types including trailing stops and stop-limit orders, and cAlgo for algorithmic trading in C#.

One notable advantage of cTrader is its transparency features. It shows detailed trade statistics including execution quality, slippage reports, and order fill analytics. For traders who value transparency and want to verify their execution quality, cTrader provides the most comprehensive data.

The main trade-off is the smaller ecosystem compared to MT4/MT5. While cAlgo supports sophisticated algorithmic trading, the library of pre-built bots and indicators is smaller than the MT4/MT5 marketplace. If you rely heavily on specific EAs or custom indicators, verify that they are available for cTrader before switching.

Which IC Markets Account Type Should You Choose?

The right account type depends on your trading style, preferred platform, and cost sensitivity. Here are our recommendations based on the experience of 761 clients over 10+ years:

Choose Standard if: You prefer spread-only pricing with no commission, trade less liquid pairs where spread-based pricing is competitive, or you are brand new to trading and want the simplest cost structure to understand.

Choose Raw Spread MT4/MT5 if: You want the lowest total trading cost (especially with our commission discount), use Expert Advisors or custom indicators, trade major and minor pairs where raw spreads are tightest, or want the broadest platform ecosystem and community support.

Choose Raw Spread cTrader if: You prefer a modern interface with built-in depth of market, want the absolute lowest commission rate ($5.50/lot with discount), develop algorithms in C# using cAlgo, or value detailed execution transparency and analytics.

Remember, you can open multiple account types under the same IC Markets profile. Many of our clients maintain both an MT4/MT5 and a cTrader account to take advantage of each platform's strengths. All accounts benefit from our commission discount (up to 21% off) or $100 cash bonus.

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IC Markets Account Types — FAQ