Tickmill Review

​​Tickmill was founded in 2014 and has been FCA-regulated under Tickmill UK Ltd since 2015. Despite over a decade in the market and a client base spanning 180+ countries, a fair number of traders are still sceptical about trading here, not because of any red flags, but because they don’t fully understand what Tickmill actually offers and who it’s built for. 

I’ve reviewed over 100 brokers on InvestingGuide. I personally tested Tickmill, opened a live account, deposited real money, traded across multiple sessions, and spent hundreds of hours reviewing every aspect of the broker before writing this. What follows is my unbiased review to help you make an informed decision.

Fees & Commissions

I analysed Tickmill’s fee structure and discovered that fees vary by trading account. However, both require a minimum deposit of £100 to access the available assets and features. There’s also a Futures account, with a minimum deposit requirement of £1,000.

The Classic account is commission-free, with variable spreads starting from 1.6 pips. The Raw account is where Tickmill earns its reputation. Spreads start from 0.0 with a commission per lot per side (see platform/client area for the exact amount and base currency under your entity).

One thing I like is Tickmill’s free deposits and withdrawals on supported payment methods. Deposits are instant when I tested the broker. For withdrawals, it all depends on the method you are using. I withdrew funds via bank transfer, and it took less than 24 hours for my bank account to be credited.

Other fees applicable at Tickmill include swap charges on positions held overnight. You will also incur a currency conversion mark-up on trades settled in a currency different from your account’s base currency.

Broker Feature	Details
Min Deposit Requirement	£100
Commissions/Spreads	Classic account from 1.6 pips. Raw account from 0.0 pips with 3 USD per lot per side on forex and precious metals
Deposits/Withdrawals	Free
Inactivity Fee	£10 monthly after 12 months

Is Tickmill Safe & Regulated?

Regulation is usually where I start when reviewing any broker, because everything else is secondary if your funds aren’t safe. On this front, Tickmill UK Ltd is solid. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under register number 717270. For UK retail clients, this means several layers of protection are legally guaranteed.

For instance, client funds are held in segregated accounts at Tier-1 banking institutions. Tickmill is also an official member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). If the firm ever failed and there was a shortfall in client money, eligible clients are covered for up to £120,000 per person.

Beyond the UK entity, Tickmill Group operates under additional licences, including;

1. Tickmill Europe Ltd: Overseen by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under licence No. 278/15. It covers EU clients with ESMA-compliant protections and ICF compensation up to €20,000.
2. Tickmill South Africa (Pty) Ltd: Licensed and regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) under license number FSP49464. 
3. Tickmill Limited: Licensed and regulated by the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles (FSA) under license number SD008. 
4. Tickmill UK Ltd: Authorised by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) as a representative office with reference number F007663.

Overall, Tickmill has maintained a clean regulatory record since launch with no significant FCA enforcement actions on file. For a broker operating since 2014, serving clients in 180+ countries with over 196 billion in average monthly trading volume, that track record matters.

Trading Platforms

I discovered various trading platforms at Tickmill UK, including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, CQG, AgenaTrader, TT Trading Technologies, and Tickmill Mobile. That’s a broader lineup than most comparable FCA brokers, and each genuinely serves a different kind of trader rather than being padding.

MT4 remains the go-to for algorithmic traders. The full Expert Advisor ecosystem is supported, custom indicators work well, and the platform’s stability is unmatched. It’s available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and browsers.

There is also the MT5 platform, which is modernised with more order types. It also has a built-in economic calendar, EAs, and support for multi-asset trading. For traders starting fresh today without legacy MT4 strategies to migrate, MT5 is the better default choice. Copy trading is available via third-party integrations on MT4 and MT5.

For traders who want TradingView’s charting environment, Tickmill offers this through its Tickmill Trader platform, available exclusively on Raw accounts. Note that TradingView is not accessible via MT4 or MT5, and availability depends on your onboarded entity. You should confirm this in your Client Area before opening an account.

For CQG, AgenaTrader, and Trading Technologies (TT), they service futures and options traders, each with unique quality features. Mobile traders will definitely enjoy using the Tickmill Mobile app on Android and iOS.

Platform	Key Features	Best For
Tickmill Mobile App	iOS and Android, integrated MT4/MT5, order placement, notifications and portfolio tracking	On-the-go traders needing mobile access to accounts and markets
Tickmill VPS & Advanced Tools	Low-latency execution for automated trading, CQG connectivity, Agena Trader, calculators, earnings calendar, signal centre	Active traders and algorithmic/technical strategy users
MetaTrader WebTrader	Browser-based access, real-time execution, full account functionality	Traders who prefer no downloads and trading from any device
MetaTrader 5	Multi-asset trading including forex, stocks, futures, and more. Advanced charting, economic calendar, automated trading via Expert Advisors	Traders seeking forex and multi-asset exposure with advanced tools
MetaTrader 4	Forex-focused. Automated trading via Expert Advisors, reliable charting and technical indicators	Forex traders familiar with MT4 environment and automated strategies
Demo	Virtual funds, full MT4/MT5 functionality, risk-free practice	Beginners or strategy testers wanting to practise without real funds

Assets Offered

I have to admit, in all my years of trading, I have encountered very few platforms that have asset collections that can match eToro’s. This terrific broker has everything an avid trader can ask for, from CFDs on forex pairs, commodities, and shares to real stocks and cryptocurrencies. Here’s an overview:

Note that cryptocurrency CFDs are not available to UK retail clients under FCA rules. Futures and options sit outside the standard CFD framework and require a separate account. The broker also supports leverage trading, with a maximum leverage of 1:30 for retail clients per FCA rules.

Verdict

Tickmill UK is a well-regulated, cost-efficient broker built squarely for active traders. After testing it with real money, my view is that it punches above its weight on execution and pricing, while being honest about what it doesn’t do.

Tickmill is the right broker if you’re an active forex or CFD trader who prioritises low costs and fast execution under tight FCA regulation, or an experienced trader wanting exchange-traded futures access alongside CFDs from one UK-regulated account. It’s not the right broker if you want to hold real stocks, run an ISA, or build a diversified investment portfolio alongside your trading activity.