Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs AvaTrade, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade are both well-known online brokers, but they differ in age, ownership, and regulatory standing. Interactive Brokers was founded in 1977 and is publicly traded, while AvaTrade was founded in 2006 and is not listed on a stock exchange. Neither broker is a bank, but both are regulated in multiple regions, which helps support trader confidence.
In terms of regulation, Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99, which places it in the highly trusted category. AvaTrade holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses and has a Trust Score of 96, which also puts it among the highly trusted brokers. For traders comparing safety and oversight, Interactive Brokers has the stronger regulatory profile overall, though AvaTrade also scores very well.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers stands out for low forex trading costs, especially for active traders. In Q3 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 0.19 pips, which works out to an estimated all-in cost of 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex commissions start at 0.00002, or 0.2 basis points, of the U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a minimum of $2 per order, and can get even lower for very high-volume traders. Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
AvaTrade keeps pricing fairly simple, with spreads that are close to the industry average. As of June 2024, its EUR/USD spread was 0.9 pips, while eligible professional traders can access spreads as low as 0.6 pips on the Professional account. Compared with Interactive Brokers, AvaTrade is generally a bit more expensive for standard forex trading, though its pricing is still competitive in the broader market. AvaTrade is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees.
In short, Interactive Brokers is the better pick for traders looking for lower commissions and tighter pricing, especially if they trade often or in larger sizes. AvaTrade may appeal to traders who want straightforward spread-based pricing, but its standard costs are higher than IBKR’s. Overall, both brokers are strong choices, but Interactive Brokers has the edge on fees.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than AvaTrade. It provides access to around 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, along with exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. It also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, which can be useful for investors who want to hold the real asset rather than trade a derivative.
AvaTrade covers the basics well, including forex trading and a smaller list of about 1,260 tradeable symbols and 53 forex pairs. It does not offer exchange-traded stocks on U.S. or international exchanges, but it does support copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. For range of investments, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #26.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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.
Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade both give traders a choice of a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform, so each broker covers the basics well for different trading styles. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders quicker and easier. For trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star rating and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade scores 4.5 stars and ranks #13, showing that Interactive Brokers has the edge overall in this area.
Where AvaTrade stands out is in its extra trading options: it supports copy trading plus both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to traders who want a more familiar setup or want to follow other traders. Interactive Brokers does not offer these features, so it may feel more focused on its own platform ecosystem. If you want a broker with strong platform choices and built-in trading tools, both are solid, but AvaTrade is better for copy trading and MetaTrader users, while Interactive Brokers is stronger for overall platform quality.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app also lets users sync watchlists with their online account, so changes made on one device show up on the other. Both platforms support trendline drawing on charts, but neither app auto-saves those drawings.
Where Interactive Brokers stands out is charting depth, with 155 technical studies in its mobile app compared with AvaTrade’s 73. That broader chart toolset likely helps explain why Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade holds a 4.5-star rating and ranks #13.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers has a clear edge over AvaTrade for market research. It offers daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, TipRanks, Acuity Trading, and an economic calendar. AvaTrade also provides forex news from top-tier sources, Trading Central tools, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it does not include daily commentary, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Neither broker offers Autochartist research tools.
That stronger mix of research features is reflected in the ratings and rankings. Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade is rated 4 stars and ranks #28. For traders who want more built-in market analysis and news support, Interactive Brokers is the better choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade both give beginners plenty of learning tools, including forex and CFD education with at least 10 dedicated resources, monthly educational webinars, and a large library of beginner and advanced trading videos. This means new traders can find lessons that cover the basics, while more experienced users can also keep learning through more detailed content. Both brokers make education easy to access, but Interactive Brokers has a slight edge for learners who want the strongest overall support.
That edge shows up in the ratings and rankings: Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade scores 4 stars and ranks #2. In simple terms, both are good choices for education, but Interactive Brokers comes out ahead as the better pick for beginners who want the most complete set of learning resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than AvaTrade. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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
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AvaTrade
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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Interactive Brokers vs AvaTrade: Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency (not a CFD) but does not offer crypto CFDs, while AvaTrade does not support buying real, delivered crypto yet provides cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers Interactive Brokers and AvaTrade: Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, while AvaTrade supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA; Visa/Mastercard availability was not specified for either broker.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” 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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.226 | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.226 | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | AvaTrade Review |
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