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Interactive Brokers vs ATFX 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs ATFX, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
ATFX
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $500
  • Trust Score: 85
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 150

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

When comparing the online brokers Interactive Brokers and ATFX, there are notable differences in their trust scores and regulatory licenses. Interactive Brokers, established in 1977 and publicly traded, holds a perfect ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. This reflects its high level of trust among traders and is reinforced by its 9 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, indicating robust regulatory compliance. Despite not being a bank, its long-standing presence and recognition in the industry contribute to its solid reputation.

ATFX, on the other hand, was founded in 2017 and is not publicly traded. It maintains a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85, marking it as a trusted entity in the market. ATFX holds 4 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, showcasing its commitment to regulation and security. While its Trust Score is lower than that of Interactive Brokers, ATFX still offers a reliable option for those seeking a newer trading platform with strong regulatory backing.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Year Founded info 1977 2017
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1

Fees

Interactive Brokers and ATFX offer different pricing structures for forex trading, impacting their overall cost-effectiveness. Interactive Brokers is known for its competitive pricing, charging commissions based on the U.S. dollar trade value. Their fees start at 0.2 basis points, with a minimum commission of $2 per side, or $4 per round turn. For exceptionally active traders, fees can be as low as 0.08 basis points. Interactive Brokers charges a commission per trade ranging from $16 to $40 per million in trades, depending on volume, which is particularly favorable for active traders. This fee model provides transparency and potentially lower costs compared to brokers that mark up spreads.

In contrast, specific average spread data for ATFX is not available, which makes direct cost comparisons challenging. However, according to ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers receives a superior rating of 5 stars for its commissions and fees, ranking it 2nd out of 63 brokers, showcasing its cost competitiveness. Meanwhile, ATFX is rated lower, with 3 stars, placing it 60th in the same ranking category, indicating less favorable pricing for traders.

These ratings and rankings suggest that Interactive Brokers offers a more cost-effective solution for forex traders, especially those who engage in high-volume trading. Whether it's the structured commission discounts for active trading or the transparency of costs, Interactive Brokers emerges as the more favorable option in terms of commissions and fees, providing a high rating and ranking that affirm its value among traders.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Minimum Deposit info $0 $500
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.59 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Interactive Brokers impresses with a variety of investment options, boasting a selection of 8,500 tradeable symbols, including 90 forex pairs. Not only can traders engage in forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, but they also have the opportunity to purchase exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. This includes renowned U.S. companies like Apple and global entities like Vodafone. Moreover, Interactive Brokers allows clients to trade actual cryptocurrencies as well as cryptocurrency derivatives. Rated 5 stars for its range of investments, Interactive Brokers stands as the top contender among 63 brokers in the investment category, showcasing unparalleled diversity and opportunity for traders.

ATFX, on the other hand, presents a narrower range of investments, offering 150 tradeable symbols and 44 forex pairs. While it does provide forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts and cryptocurrency derivatives, it doesnโ€™t support the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies or exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international markets. However, ATFX differentiates itself by offering copy trading, catering to a segment of traders interested in mirroring market strategies. With a rating of 3.5 stars and a rank of 57 out of 63 brokers for its range of investments, ATFX might suit traders looking for simpler trading options and those interested in social trading aspects.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 150
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 44
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers and ATFX both provide traders with virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice their strategies without financial risk. Interactive Brokers stands out with its in-house developed platform, offering a Windows desktop application and a web-based platform. While the broker does not support MetaTrader 4 or 5, it excels with features like 85 different drawing tools and allows trading directly from stock charts. The platform also boasts an impressive 659 customizable fields for watch lists, earning it a 5-star rating for trading platforms and tools, placing it at the third position among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.

In contrast, ATFX does not have its proprietary trading platform but offers flexibility with MetaTrader 4 and 5 support. It also includes a Windows desktop application and a web-based platform. Although ATFX shines with copy trading, it has fewer charting tools and indicators compared to Interactive Brokers, offering only 15 drawing tools. The watch list customization is also limited with just 7 fields. Despite the availability of both demo accounts and copy trading, ATFX receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks significantly lower at 62nd place in the ForexBrokers.com trading platforms and tools category.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Interactive Brokers and ATFX provide a comprehensive experience for iPhone and Android users. They each offer essential features like price alerts and real-time watchlists. However, Interactive Brokers stands out with the ability to sync watchlist symbols across devices, whereas ATFX does not. For traders who value detailed technical analysis, Interactive Brokers offers a substantial 97 technical studies, compared to ATFX's 7. Both platforms allow for trendline drawing and viewing charts across multiple time frames.

In terms of user experience, Interactive Brokers receives a higher user satisfaction rating with 5 out of 5 stars, while ATFX is rated at 3.5 stars. Despite the fact that Interactive Brokers does not auto-save chart drawings, its advanced features nonetheless contribute to its high ranking of #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for mobile trading apps, far surpassing ATFX, which is ranked at #63. Users seeking a more feature-rich and highly rated mobile trading experience might prefer Interactive Brokers. Meanwhile, traders new to mobile trading or those seeking a simpler interface might consider ATFX's offerings.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 7
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

When it comes to market research, Interactive Brokers holds a significant edge over ATFX. Both platforms provide daily market commentary, but Interactive Brokers extends its offerings with forex news from premium sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, unlike ATFX. While neither broker provides tools from Autochartist, they both leverage resources from Trading Central for added insights. However, Interactive Brokers offers an array of additional research tools, including sentiment-based trading tools and market insights from TipRanks and Acuity Trading, all of which ATFX lacks.

Further setting Interactive Brokers apart, they ensure traders are well-equipped with a comprehensive economic calendar, a feature shared with ATFX. However, Interactive Brokers' superior performance is reflected in earning a full 5-star rating for research, ranking third among 63 brokers assessed by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, ATFX garners a modest 3-star rating and is placed 54th in the same category. This stark difference underscores Interactive Brokers' capacity to provide more comprehensive and valuable market research tools for its users.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
TipRanks info Yes No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

When comparing the educational resources available for beginners between Interactive Brokers and ATFX, both platforms offer a wealth of materials focused on forex and CFDs. Each provides at least ten educational pieces such as articles, videos, and archived webinars to help get new traders started. However, Interactive Brokers sets itself apart by hosting regular online webinars, at least one per month, to further aid clients in their learning journey, while ATFX does not offer this service. Moreover, both brokers maintain searchable archives of recorded webinars, allowing users to access previous sessions for continued education.

In terms of video content, Interactive Brokers and ATFX both deliver a collection of beginner-focused trading videos, ensuring learners have ample resources at their disposal. However, Interactive Brokers goes a step beyond with a series of advanced trading videos specifically crafted for experienced traders, an offering not mirrored by ATFX. Both brokers provide an investor dictionary with comprehensive definitions for over 50 investing terms, aiding in the understanding of complex financial language. Overall, Interactive Brokers holds a distinct advantage with a 5-star education rating and ranks third among 63 brokers in this category, compared to ATFX's 3-star rating and 28th place ranking.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than ATFX. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.

Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
ATFX logoATFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or ATFX?

Interactive Brokers allows clients to purchase actual cryptocurrency and also offers cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas ATFX provides access only to cryptocurrency derivatives without the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Comparing online brokers, Interactive Brokers supports ACH or SEPA transfers and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but not PayPal, Skrill, or credit card options like Visa or Mastercard, while ATFX lacks ACH/SEPA and PayPal capabilities but offers funding via Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires.




announcementPlease note:

We review each brokerโ€™s overall global offering โ€“ a โ€œYesโ€ checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Interactive Brokers ATFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers ATFX
Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) info
Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) info
Research Gallery (click to expand) info
Education Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation Interactive Brokers ATFX
Trust Score info 99 85
Year Founded info 1977 2017
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 4
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 2
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Interactive Brokers ATFX
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Japan (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info Yes No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Interactive Brokers ATFX
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info Yes No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No No
Investments Interactive Brokers ATFX
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 150
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 44
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes No
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).
Cost Interactive Brokers ATFX
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info N/A info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.59 info N/A info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info No No
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Interactive Brokers ATFX
Minimum Deposit info $0 $500
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers ATFX
Proprietary Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade info No No
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers ATFX
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) info 85 15
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Interactive Brokers ATFX
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 7
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers ATFX
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No Yes
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers ATFX
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes No
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Interactive Brokers ATFX
GBP/USD info Yes Yes
USD/JPY info Yes Yes
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF info Yes Yes
USD/CAD info Yes Yes
NZD/USD info Yes Yes
AUD/USD info Yes Yes
Review Interactive Brokers Review
Overall Interactive Brokers ATFX
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 85
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review
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