Admirals vs Tickmill
Admirals offers real shares through Invest.MT5; Tickmill is CFD-only despite its 'Stock CFDs' branding. If you want to actually own the equity (dividends as cash, voting rights, FATCA reporting), Admirals is the only viable choice here. Tickmill only fits FX day-traders who want FCA-regulated raw-spread accounts — not stock investors. Our pick for stock-and-ETF investing: Admirals.
Editor: Kyrylo Vasyliev
Admirals (CySEC/FCA, minimum deposit €1) and Tickmill (FCA/CySEC, minimum deposit €100) are two regulated brokers competing for retail investors in the CIS and EU markets. This comparison is built from verified data on fees, available instruments, trading platforms and country access — so you can see exactly where each broker wins before you open an account.
Across 1 fee categories Admirals and Tickmill split wins roughly evenly — the cheaper option depends on your specific trading pattern (stocks vs ETFs, frequency, currency). On asset class coverage Admirals is ahead with 7 instrument categories versus 4 at Tickmill — relevant if you plan to diversify beyond stocks into bonds, ETFs, commodities or crypto.
If entry budget matters, Admirals is more accessible with a minimum deposit of €1. Admirals supports 3 trading platforms, Tickmill supports 3 — check the platforms section below to confirm your preferred terminal is available.
Trust dimensions side by side
Where it's safer
Five trust dimensions per our methodology. The further from the centre — the stronger. The dashed line is our fixed reference level, the same on every axis.
Admirals and Tickmill are tied — both score 83/100; our fixed reference line is 72.
Overview
Admirals leads with 3 out of 9 objective metrics. On fees specifically, wins 0 of 1 categories.
Fees & Commissions
Fee scenario
Approximate — based on verified fees only. Per-share commissions assume a $50 share price. Real costs depend on instrument, currency conversion and individual trade size.
Instruments & Markets
8k+ instruments · 700+ instrumentsRegulators & investor protection
- CySEC—Cyprus (EU)
- FCA—United Kingdom
- Additional licences on file: JSC (Jordan).
- FCA—United Kingdom
- CySEC—Cyprus (EU)
- FSA Seychelles—Seychelles
- Additional licences on file: FSCA.
Both brokers operate under Tier-1 jurisdictions, so regulatory oversight strength is comparable.
Account & Support
Admirals
Tickmill
Pros & Cons
Admirals
- Invest.MT5 = real shares, not CFD wrapper — $0.02/share with $1 min on US stocks
- Multi-license coverage (CySEC 201/13 EU + FCA UK + JSC Jordan)
- Established 2001 — 25-year operating history, no licence revocations
- Own web platform with TradingView charts, alongside MT4 and MT5
- Strong Trustpilot rating (4.2★)
- Fragmented account structure: Invest.MT5 (shares) and Trade.MT5 (CFD) are separate accounts
- MT5 platform learning curve — proprietary UI is dated
- Inactivity fee €10/mo after 24 months of no activity
- Google Play mobile rating 3.5 — well below industry norm (4.5+)
- Demo account closes after 30 days
Tickmill
- FCA-regulated Raw accounts with raw spreads (EURUSD ~0.1 pip)
- 24/5 trading + phone support in multiple languages (en, ru, de, es, pl)
- Fast withdrawals — cards typically same-day, wire 1-3 days
- Negative balance protection
- Direct access to US stocks
- CFD-only — does NOT offer real stocks, ETFs or bonds despite 'Stock CFDs' branding
- High-leverage retail accounts (1:500) under offshore FSA Seychelles
- No proprietary platform — MT4 / MT5 only
- Compensation caps at €20,000 — below FCA (£85k) / SIPC ($500k)
- CFD-only (no direct exchange access)
Who each broker is for
Verdict
Both Admirals and Tickmill are regulated brokers offering access to global financial markets. However, they differ significantly in fees, available instruments, and minimum deposit requirements. Below is our expert assessment to help you make an informed decision.
Choose Admirals if you want more instruments, lower entry barrier, fractional shares.
Choose Tickmill if you want stronger regulation.
- Just starting outAdmirals· lower entry barrier
- Active tradingEither works
- Advanced / professionalAdmirals· more exchanges
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your trading style, budget, and preferred instruments. We recommend using our Broker Quiz for a personalized recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this comparison and how to use it.