Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs BlackBull Markets, 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 vs. BlackBull Markets: Interactive Brokers was founded in 1977 and is publicly traded, while BlackBull Markets, founded in 2014, is privately held. Neither company is a bank.
Regulation and trust: Interactive Brokers holds 8 Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted), compared with BlackBull’s 1 Tier-1 and no Tier-2 licenses. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, Interactive Brokers scores 99 (highly trusted; 90–99), while BlackBull Markets scores 77 (average risk; 70–79).
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers stands out as the lower-cost choice for many forex traders. It earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers for this category. IBKR charges a commission-based model rather than marking up spreads, with EUR/USD pricing during Q3 2024 showing an effective all-in spread of about 0.59 pips after commission. Its forex commissions start at $2 per order per side, and can fall for very active traders, making it especially attractive for larger-volume trading.
BlackBull Markets is still competitively priced, but its costs depend more on the account type you choose. It earns 4.5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. The Standard account is commission-free but usually has wider spreads, while the Prime account offers tighter pricing with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.16 and a total all-in cost of about 0.76 pips after commission. The Prime account charges $3 per side and requires a $2,000 minimum deposit, while the ECN Institutional account is aimed at higher-volume traders with a $20,000 minimum deposit and lower commissions of $2 per side.
In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the better pick for traders focused on the lowest possible fees, especially if they trade often or in larger sizes. BlackBull Markets can also offer fair pricing, but it is more account-dependent and may cost more on the Standard plan. If your main goal is to keep commissions and trading costs down, IBKR has the edge overall.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.16 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and BlackBull Markets both give traders access to forex, U.S. exchange-listed shares, and international stocks, so each broker covers the basics well for building a diversified portfolio. Interactive Brokers stands out for its wider selection of tradeable forex pairs, with 100 available compared with BlackBull Markets’ 72, while BlackBull Markets offers a much larger total list of tradeable symbols overall, at 26,000 versus 8,500 at Interactive Brokers. Both brokers also let clients buy real cryptocurrency, but only BlackBull Markets supports crypto CFDs, while only Interactive Brokers offers delivered crypto purchases.
For extra features, BlackBull Markets includes copy trading, which may appeal to beginners or traders who want to follow others, while Interactive Brokers does not. In terms of independent ratings for range of investments, both brokers receive 5 out of 5 stars, but Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, ahead of BlackBull Markets at #7. Overall, BlackBull Markets leads on total market count, while Interactive Brokers offers a stronger forex line-up and more options for buying actual cryptocurrency.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 26000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 72 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 BlackBull Markets both give traders a free demo account, along with web-based and Windows desktop platforms, so each broker makes it easy to test ideas and trade from a browser or computer. Both also let users trade directly from a chart. Where they differ is in platform choice: Interactive Brokers offers its own in-house trading platform, while BlackBull Markets does not. BlackBull Markets, however, stands out for offering copy trading plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which Interactive Brokers does not provide.
For trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers has the edge overall, with a 5-star rating and a #2 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. BlackBull Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #26. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick if you want a top-rated platform experience with its own built-in software, while BlackBull Markets may appeal more to traders looking for MT4, MT5, and copy trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 109 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and BlackBull Markets both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, plus price alerts and watchlist syncing so changes carry over between the app and the web platform. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on stock or forex charts, making it easier to track market moves on the go.
The main difference is in charting depth and overall app quality. Interactive Brokers offers 155 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at BlackBull Markets, and it earns a 5-star mobile trading app rating versus 4 stars for BlackBull Markets. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, Interactive Brokers places #4 for mobile trading apps, while BlackBull Markets ranks #29. One notable edge for BlackBull Markets is that it auto-saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Interactive Brokers has the edge over BlackBull Markets. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for upcoming global events. However, Interactive Brokers goes further with forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus research tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading.
BlackBull Markets does include helpful research features such as Autochartist, daily commentary, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it offers fewer third-party research options overall. This difference is reflected in their ratings and rankings: Interactive Brokers scores 5 out of 5 for Research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #17.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| 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 BlackBull Markets both give beginners plenty of ways to learn, including forex and CFD education with at least 10 relevant pieces, monthly live webinars, and 10 or more beginner and advanced trading videos. That means new traders can find lessons on basic market ideas as well as more advanced topics at either broker. Both platforms make it possible to build trading knowledge without needing to look far for learning materials.
Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in its overall education rating and ranking: it earns 5 stars and is ranked #1 out of 36 brokers for education by ForexBrokers.com. BlackBull Markets also offers helpful learning support, with a strong 4.5-star education rating, but it ranks #25 out of 36. For beginners comparing the two, Interactive Brokers appears to offer the stronger educational experience overall, while BlackBull Markets still provides a solid range of useful learning tools.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
BlackBull Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 BlackBull Markets. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22.
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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BlackBull Markets
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| Trust Score | 99 | 77 |
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Interactive Brokers vs BlackBull Markets: Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas BlackBull Markets offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not provide access to buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options, Interactive Brokers and BlackBull Markets both support ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers and do not support PayPal, only BlackBull Markets offers Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 77 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 77 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 26000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 72 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 1.16 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 109 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | BlackBull Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 77 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | BlackBull Markets Review |
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