Tickmill review
Tickmill is a forex and CFD broker built around low-cost Raw-account pricing and MetaTrader access, operated through several national entities rather than a single regulated company. Tickmill UK Ltd (FCA) and Tickmill Europe Ltd (CySEC, EU-passported) carry the strongest client protections; a separate FSA-regulated Seychelles entity and an FSCA-regulated South Africa entity extend the brand into markets those two can't serve, typically at higher leverage and with fewer safeguards. Core products are forex, stock indices, commodities, several hundred stock CFDs and crypto CFDs, the last unavailable to UK retail clients. The trade-off: tight Raw-account spreads and no inactivity fees, against a group structure where a client's actual protection level depends entirely on which entity opens their account.
Tickmill key facts
- Website: www.tickmill.com
- Category: Forex & CFD broker
- Founded: 2014
- Headquarters: Limassol, Cyprus (Tickmill Europe Ltd)
- Regulation: FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus, EU-passported), DFSA (Dubai); also FSA Seychelles and FSCA South Africa entities
- Platforms: MetaTrader 4/5, proprietary Tickmill Trader, TradingView (select regions), CQG/Agena Trader for UK futures
- Markets offered: 60+ forex pairs, 20+ indices, ~500 stock CFDs, commodities, crypto CFDs (ex-UK), bonds
- Minimum deposit: $100
- Fee model: Classic: spread-only from 1.6 pips; Raw: spreads from 0.0 pips + $3/lot/side commission
- FYI Score: 88.8/100 (ranked #28 of the 136 CFD brokers we track)
Regulation & licences
- Tickmill UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA (reference 717270), and Tickmill Europe Ltd holds a CySEC (Cyprus) CIF licence (278/15), passported into the EU with registrations at BaFin (Germany, 146511), ACPR (France, 75473), CONSOB (Italy, 4310) and CNMV (Spain, 4082).
- A DFSA-regulated branch (Tickmill UK Ltd, DIFC reference F007663) handles clients booked through Dubai.
- Outside the UK/EU/UAE, Tickmill routes clients through two lighter-touch entities: Tickmill Ltd, licensed by the Seychelles FSA (SD008), and Tickmill South Africa (Pty) Ltd, licensed by the FSCA (FSP 49464).
- Clients onboarded via the Seychelles or South Africa entity do not have access to UK FSCS or EU investor-compensation-scheme protection — a distinction that matters more than the brand name when assessing counterparty risk.
Spreads & fees
- Classic account: no commission, spreads from 1.6 pips on EUR/USD.
- Raw account: spreads from 0.0 pips plus a $3-per-lot, per-side commission ($6 round turn); third-party testing puts realised EUR/USD cost around 0.1 pips plus commission.
- Minimum deposit of $100 across account types; no inactivity fee and no charge on international wire transfers, per third-party review testing.
- A swap-free Islamic account option is available on both Classic and Raw for clients who cannot hold positions with overnight interest.
Platforms & tools
- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, available on desktop, web and mobile (iOS/Android).
- Tickmill Trader, a proprietary web platform, plus TradingView charting and execution integration in select regions.
- CQG and Agena Trader are offered to UK clients trading exchange-listed futures and options.
- A free VPS is available for clients meeting qualifying trading-volume thresholds, aimed at automated/EA-based strategies.
Markets & instruments
- 60+ forex pairs and 20+ stock indices.
- Commodities and bond CFDs, plus roughly 500 stock CFDs available via MT5.
- Crypto CFDs are offered but not available to UK retail clients under FCA rules.
- Leverage up to 1:30 for retail clients and up to 1:500 for clients who qualify as professional.
Account types
- Classic: spread-only pricing with no commission, for traders who want a single all-in spread cost.
- Raw: near-zero raw spreads plus a per-lot commission, aimed at cost-sensitive and high-frequency traders.
- Professional client classification is available on request, unlocking leverage up to 1:500 in exchange for giving up standard retail protections.
- A previously offered VIP tier has since been discontinued, per third-party review coverage; the current lineup is Classic and Raw, each with an Islamic swap-free option.
Markets
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Platforms
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, CQG
Who Tickmill is for
Tickmill suits cost-sensitive forex/CFD traders, especially high-frequency or EA-based strategies, who want transparent Raw-account pricing while trading through the FCA or CySEC entity. Clients onboarded via the Seychelles or South Africa entity should understand they are trading under materially less regulatory protection.
Pros
- Onshore regulation split across two well-regarded regulators (FCA UK, CySEC Cyprus with EU passporting), unusual breadth for a broker this size.
- Raw-account pricing (spreads from 0.0 pips + $3/side) is competitive and transparently disclosed.
- No inactivity fees or wire-transfer charges, plus a free VPS for qualifying volumes.
- Multiple platform choice, including MT4/MT5, a proprietary web platform, and TradingView in select regions.
Cons
- The Seychelles (FSA) and South Africa (FSCA) entities sit well below the FCA/CySEC entities on regulatory strength, with no FSCS/EU compensation-scheme access — protection depends on which entity a client is booked under.
- Crypto CFDs and the highest leverage tiers aren't available to UK retail clients, narrowing the product set for the most tightly regulated entity.
- Asset range (roughly 500 stock CFDs, no direct equities) is narrower than large multi-asset brokers.
- Third-party reviews note thinning research output (paused podcasts/livestreams) and a proprietary platform that lacks trailing stops and price alerts.
Tickmill FAQ
Is Tickmill regulated?
Yes, but through several different entities. Tickmill UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA (reference 717270) and Tickmill Europe Ltd holds a CySEC licence (278/15) passported across the EU. Separately, Tickmill Ltd is licensed by the Seychelles FSA (SD008) and Tickmill South Africa (Pty) Ltd by the FSCA (FSP 49464) — both lighter-touch regulators than the FCA or CySEC.
Is Tickmill safe for every client?
It depends on which entity a client is onboarded under. Clients trading through the FCA or CySEC entity get standard UK/EU protections, including access to compensation schemes. Clients onboarded via the Seychelles or South Africa entity trade under a materially lighter regulatory regime, typically with higher leverage caps and no equivalent compensation scheme.
What does it cost to trade with Tickmill?
The Classic account is commission-free with spreads from 1.6 pips; the Raw account offers spreads from 0.0 pips plus a $3-per-lot, per-side commission ($6 round turn). Minimum deposit is $100 across account types, with no inactivity fee or wire-transfer charge.
What platforms does Tickmill offer?
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 on desktop, web and mobile, plus a proprietary web platform (Tickmill Trader) and TradingView integration in select regions. UK clients trading exchange-listed futures and options can also access CQG and Agena Trader.
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