ThinkMarkets vs Admirals: The Ultimate 2026 Comparison
ThinkMarkets and Admirals are both long-standing, multi-regulated brokers with very low entry costs. ThinkMarkets leans on a $0 minimum and a dedicated copy app; Admirals offers real stock and ETF investing alongside CFDs and a huge instrument range. Here is the 2026 comparison.
ThinkMarkets
Admirals
ThinkMarkets vs Admirals: 2026 at a glance
| Feature | ThinkMarkets | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Founded / HQ | 2010 / Melbourne & London | 2001 / Tallinn, Estonia |
| Regulation | FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles | CySEC, FCA, FSCA, FSA Seychelles (ASIC relinquished 2025) |
| Min deposit | $0 (Standard) / $500 (ThinkZero) | $1 (Invest.MT5) / $25 (Trade/Zero) |
| EUR/USD spread | ~1.1 pip (Standard) / from 0.0 (ThinkZero) | ~0.7 pip (Trade.MT5) / ~0.0-0.1 (Zero.MT5) |
| Commission | $7 round turn (ThinkZero forex/metals) | ~$6 round turn (Zero, tiers down to ~$3.60) |
| Max leverage | Up to 1:500; 1:30 FCA/ASIC/CySEC | Up to 1:1000; 1:30 EU/UK |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, ThinkTrader, TradingView | MT4, MT5, Admirals Platform, MT Supreme |
| Instruments | 350 (MT4) / 1,800 (MT5) | 6,000+ (incl. real stocks & ETFs) |
| Copy trading | ThinkCopy (20-50% performance fee) | CopyTrader (via Traders Room) |
| Trustpilot | ~4.3/5 (~645) | ~4.0/5 (~2,000) |
| Best for | $0 entry & copy trading | Investing plus CFDs under EU regulation |
ThinkMarkets: zero-minimum entry and a copy app
ThinkMarkets lowers the barrier with a $0 minimum on its Standard/ThinkTrader account, while the ThinkZero account (from $500) offers EUR/USD from 0.0 pips at a $7 round-turn commission on forex and metals. It runs MT4, MT5, its own ThinkTrader platform and TradingView, across up to 1,800 instruments on MT5.
It is regulated by the FCA, ASIC, CySEC and FSCA, a solid 15-year multi-regulator record. Its dedicated ThinkCopy app supports copy trading, though performance fees can run from 20% up to 50% of profits, and its Trustpilot review base is relatively small.
Pros
- $0 minimum deposit on the Standard account
- 15-year multi-regulator record (FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSCA)
- Dedicated ThinkCopy copy-trading app
- ThinkZero offers 0.0-pip spreads at $3.50/side
Cons
- ThinkZero and ThinkCopy require a $500 deposit
- ThinkCopy performance fees can reach 50%
- Retail leverage capped at 1:30 under FCA/ASIC/CySEC
- Smaller Trustpilot review base (~645)
Best for: Copy-trading users and low-deposit beginners who want a $0-minimum entry point with top-tier regulation.
Visit ThinkMarkets →Admirals: real investing plus CFDs, 6,000+ markets
Admirals (formerly Admiral Markets) has operated since 2001 and offers over 6,000 instruments, uniquely combining real stock and ETF investing (via Invest.MT5, from $1) with CFD trading. Its Trade.MT5 account offers EUR/USD from around 0.7 pip commission-free, while Zero.MT5 provides near-0.0 spreads with a volume-tiered commission from about $3/side down to $1.80/side.
It is regulated by CySEC and the FCA with EU investor compensation up to €100,000, plus offshore entities offering up to 1:1000 leverage. Note it exited Australia and relinquished its ASIC licence in early 2025.
Pros
- Established 2001 with CySEC/FCA and up to €100,000 EU compensation
- Very low $1 entry via Invest.MT5
- 6,000+ instruments including real stocks and ETFs
- Free VPS and MetaTrader Supreme Edition tools
Cons
- Exited Australia and relinquished its ASIC licence in 2025
- Zero commission is volume-tiered, so small traders pay near the top
- EU/UK retail leverage capped at 1:30
- Trustpilot rating trails FP Markets and AvaTrade
Best for: Long-term investors who want to combine real stock and ETF investing with CFD trading under EU regulation.
Visit Admirals →Head-to-head: the key differences
Two accessible, well-regulated brokers with different centres of gravity. Here is the split.
Entry & account model
ThinkMarkets offers a $0 minimum on its Standard account (ThinkZero needs $500), while Admirals starts from $1 on Invest.MT5 and $25 on Trade/Zero. Both are very accessible; Admirals uniquely lets you invest in real stocks and ETFs, not just CFDs.
Cost
For raw pricing, Admirals Zero commission can tier down to about $1.80/side for high-volume traders, potentially cheaper than the ThinkMarkets ThinkZero $3.50/side, though smaller traders pay near the top. On standard accounts, Admirals Trade.MT5 (~0.7 pip) is tighter than ThinkMarkets Standard (~1.1 pip).
Instrument range
Admirals offers 6,000+ instruments including real stock and ETF investing; ThinkMarkets offers up to 1,800 on MT5. Admirals is the clear pick for breadth and long-term investing.
Regulation
Both hold FCA and CySEC. Admirals is longer-established (2001) with EU investor compensation up to €100,000, but it exited Australia and relinquished its ASIC licence in 2025. ThinkMarkets retains ASIC.
Final verdict
Choose ThinkMarkets if you want a $0-minimum entry, a dedicated copy-trading app and ASIC regulation. Choose Admirals if you want to combine real stock and ETF investing with CFD trading, the widest instrument range and long-established EU regulation with investor compensation.
Both cap retail leverage at 1:30 under their top-tier entities, so size positions accordingly if you trade from the EU, UK or Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Which has the lower minimum deposit?
Both are very low: ThinkMarkets Standard is $0, and Admirals starts at $1 on Invest.MT5 ($25 on Trade/Zero). The ThinkMarkets ThinkZero account requires $500.
Which is cheaper for active traders?
Admirals Zero commission tiers down to about $1.80/side for high volume, potentially cheaper than the ThinkMarkets ThinkZero at $3.50/side, though smaller traders pay near the higher end.
Can I invest in real stocks with either?
Yes, with Admirals via Invest.MT5, which offers real stocks and ETFs. ThinkMarkets focuses on CFDs.
Are ThinkMarkets and Admirals regulated?
Both hold FCA and CySEC licences. Admirals also offers EU investor compensation up to €100,000 but relinquished its ASIC licence after exiting Australia in 2025; ThinkMarkets retains ASIC.
Do they offer copy trading?
ThinkMarkets offers the ThinkCopy app (performance fees of 20-50%); Admirals offers CopyTrader via its Traders Room.